Observers who have first-hand knowledge of rare breeding birds within the county are requested to submit their evidence to the appropriate Yorkshire Recorder or the Report Editor, to be forwarded to the Rare Breeding Birds Panel.
The numbers of breeding pairs recorded in Yorkshire from 2012 can be found here.
The RBBP was formed in 1972 by representatives of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the
British Trust for Ornithology, The Nature Conservancy Council and British Birds. The present Panel is made up of representatives of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, RSPB, BTO, and the Association of County Report Editors, together with two independent members and a Secretary.
The Panel’s prime function is to act as a secure depository of sensitive information on the breeding of rare birds in Britain. Information is required for most species on Schedule 1 of the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act and other rare species dealt with by the Panel, including all the scarcer non-native breeding species. Information is requested on breeding or potential breeding records in three categories: possible, probable, proved. Definitions of these categories are on the recording forms.
Species for which information is required that are known to have bred, attempted to breed or displayed in recent years in Yorkshire are listed below.
The system used by the Panel for indicating geographical locations in their report is done on a regional basis with Yorkshire being part of ‘England North’. In some instances, the county will be named but should the observer request the omission of ‘Yorkshire’, the Panel will respect this with only the region being named.
Mediteranean gull and Black-necked grebes at YWT North Cave Wetlands - Credit Mike Ashforth
Rare breeding birds in Yorkshire
Garganey
Shoveler
Wigeon
Pintail
Pochard
Quail
Black-necked Grebe
Spoonbill
Bittern
Little Egret
Honey-buzzard
Goshawk
Marsh Harrier
Hen Harrier
Montagu’s Harrier
Corn Crake
Spotted Crake
Common Crane
Avocet
Little Ringed Plover
Black-tailed Godwit
Ruff
Mediterranean Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Little Tern
Roseate Tern
Turtle Dove
Long-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Merlin
Hobby
Peregrine Falcon
Golden Oriole
Willow Tit
Bearded Tit
Woodlark
Marsh Warbler
Savi’s Warbler
Fieldfare
Black Redstart
White Wagtail
Hawfinch
Bluethroat
Common Rosefinch
Rare UK non-native breeding birds in Yorkshire
Bar-headed Goose
Snow Goose
Black Swan
Helmeted Guinea-fowl
Golden Pheasant
Eagle Owl
A full list of the species considered by the Panel is on the RBBP website. Observers may, if they wish, submit records directly to the Panel Secretary, but the normal procedure is to send them in the first instance to the relevant Yorkshire Recorder who will forward them to the Panel. Panel reporting forms are available direct from the RBBP by post, the RBBP website, or the Report Editor/Yorkshire Recorders.
Please note that records should make clear the number(s) of confirmed, probable and/or possible breeding pairs. The definitions for these can be found here https://rbbp.org.uk/downloads/rbbp-recording-standards.pdf
Write to:
The Secretary, (Mark Eaton)
Rare Breeding Birds Panel,
e-mail: secretary@rbbp.org.uk
website: www.rbbp.org.uk