BOU British List - Category C Species

[Goatboy]

Spent the morning walking around Attenborough Nature Reserve. Amongst the many Canada Geese there were a pair of Egyptian Geese. Presumably escaped from a collection? I don't really know.

Now, ticking off species against the British List ranks way down on my list of reasons why I go birding. But it did make me wonder where 'officially' a sighting like this would stand. As Cat C species are birds that in one form or another are introduced, would people count that as a tick?

Also, with these kind of species how do people know if they are from naturalised populations or escapees from private collections? I presume people would see this distinction as being important?

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

[Picidae]

Well the short and easy answer, tick what you like, it's your hobby and everyone has different approaches. However, if you want to stick strictly to BOU criteria, it's as follows:

C Species that, although introduced, now derive from the resulting self-sustaining populations.

C1 Naturalized introduced species – species that have occurred only as a result of introduction, e.g. Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus

C2 Naturalized established species - species with established populations resulting from introduction by Man, but which also occur in an apparently natural state, e.g. Greylag Goose Anser anser

C3 Naturalized re-established species - species with populations successfully re-established by Man in areas of former occurrence, e.g. Red Kite Milvus milvus

C4 Naturalized feral species - domesticated species with populations established in the wild, e.g. Rock Pigeon (Dove)/Feral Pigeon Columba livia .

C5 Vagrant naturalized species - species from established naturalized populations abroad, e.g. possibly some Ruddy Shelducks Tadorna ferruginea occurring in Britain. There are currently no species in category C5.

C6 Former naturalized species – species formerly placed in C1 whose naturalized populations are either no longer self-sustaining or are considered extinct, e.g. Lady Amherst's Pheasant Chrysolophus amherstiae .

Britain has a sustaining feral population of Egyptian Geese .... however if you're close to a wetland trust reserve and the bird is ringed ... guess it's up to you, some people will tick anything, others tick only catergories A-B, some people don't bother ticking anything!! If you know your local area well, you are likely to be aware of any sustaining populations of feral geese. Here we have a small population of Bar-Headed Geese that have bred in the wild for several generations.

[ChrisJB]

[quote=Picidae;415997]Well the short and easy answer, tick what you like, it's your hobby and everyone has different approaches.

Nice to see such a common sense approach to bird watching and one to which I have always subscribed to.

Regards, Chris

[Goatboy]

[quote=ChrisJB;416170]

Originally Posted by Picidae

Well the short and easy answer, tick what you like, it's your hobby and everyone has different approaches.

Nice to see such a common sense approach to bird watching and one to which I have always subscribed to.

Regards, Chris

I totally agree actually Chris. I was expecting this thread to get some heated response but people on WAB are far too reasonable If I had posted this on a certain other birding forum it may have caused world war 3.

They were nice birds actually. By far the best thing we saw at Attenborough. Drove up to the Peak National Park in the afternoon and was blessed with the site of a Barn Owl and a male Hen Harrier hunting in the same fields. Nice way to end the day.

[aeshna5]

[quote=Goatboy;416247]

Originally Posted by ChrisJB

I totally agree actually Chris. I was expecting this thread to get some heated response but people on WAB are far too reasonable If I had posted this on a certain other birding forum it may have caused world war 3.

They were nice birds actually. By far the best thing we saw at Attenborough. Drove up to the Peak National Park in the afternoon and was blessed with the site of a Barn Owl and a male Hen Harrier hunting in the same fields. Nice way to end the day.

That was a magical end to the day- Barn Owls + Hen Harriers are both magical species to watch!

[Goatboy]

Yeah it was great. The area is known for Hen Harriers and Short Eared Owls but seeing a Barn Owl was a real bonus. Especially as it was becoming a bit of a bogey species for me. Amazing to watch the owl hunting.