INTRODUCTION 



The latest list of British Birds contains about 400 species. But 

 opinion differs much as to the number which should be allowed to rank 

 as British. Birds are not subject to physical barriers, such as ai5ect 

 mammals, reptiles or fresh water fishes, and their ranks are constantly 

 reinforced by migrants from the continent and even from the far distant 

 shores of America. Thus in addition to the resident species and annual 

 migrants, the British Islands are visited by straggler species which have 

 been blown out of their course on migration — so that birds which have 

 occurred but once may be included in the British List, and others are 

 doubtful as not sufficiently authenticated. Of the total number about 

 130 are residents (species that breed and are found in this country 

 throughout the year), about .55 are regular summer visitors or migratory 

 birds which breed here, about 70 are spring and autumn migrants, 

 and winter visitors which do not breed here, the remainder being rare and 

 accidental wanderers. 



The following lists of these respective groups, omitting the rare and 

 accidental visitors, may be useful. All birds that may be found 

 throughout the year in some part of the British Islands are included in 

 the " Resident " list, but it is open to question whether certain of these, 

 of which the main body is migratory, should be so regarded. 



A.— RESIDENT BIRDS. 



Included in this list are all species of which representatives remain 

 throughout the year in some part or other of the British Islands. Certain 

 of these species have their numbers greatly augmented at certain times 

 in the year by visitors from the continent. 



Blackbird 

 Bullfinch 

 Bunting, Cirl 



,, Corn 



Reed 



„ Yellow 



Buzzard, Common 



Capercaillie 



Chaffinch 



Chough 



Coot 



Cormorant 



„ Green (Shag) 



Crossbill 



