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1998 in birding and ornithology
See also
1997 in birding and ornithology
,
main events of 1998
and
1999 in birding and ornithology
Worldwide
New species
See also
Bird species new to science described in the 1990s
The
Sangihe scops owl
(
Otus collari
) is discovered in
Indonesia
.
The
Nicobar scops owl
(
Otus alius
) is described from a specimen found in a museum drawer.
The
wetland tapaculo
(
Scytalopus iraiensis
) is discovered in
Brazil
.
Taxonomic developments
Caspian gull
and
yellow-legged gull
should be considered separate species according to a paper by
Lars Jonsson
in the journal
Alula
.
Europe
Black woodpecker
are expanding their breeding territory to the north and west and now breed in
Denmark
, the
Netherlands
,
Belgium
and
France
.
Britain
Breeding birds
A record 160 pairs of
red kite
s breed in Wales. 25 pairs breed in Scotland and 75 in England as
reintroduction
s continue.
Stone curlew
s increase with at least 206 pairs breeding.
536 singing male
Cetti's warbler
s are heard at 168 sites in England, Wales and the Channel Islands.
House sparrow
is placed on the "high alert" list of the
British Trust for Ornithology
after declining by about two-thirds in 25 years.
A pair of
common rosefinch
es breed in
Cumbria
.
Migrant and wintering birds
Large numbers of
ring ouzel
s are recorded in South-east England during October.
Significant influxes of
great grey shrike
s and
shore lark
s take place in October.
Rare birds
Britain's first
slender-billed curlew
is found in
Northumberland
in May.
A
Cretzschmar's bunting
in the
Orkney Islands
in May is the third for Britain.
An
eastern Bonelli's warbler
in
Shetland
in August is the third to be accepted as definitely this species.
Seven
surf scoter
s are found on the western seaboard of Europe between 13 and 29 October. One each in
Quessant
,
Brittany
and
St Agnes
, two in
Ireland
and three in
Cornwall
.
Other Events
The
British Birdwatching Fair
has Globally Threatened species as its theme for the year.
Ireland
A
hermit thrush
in
County Cork
in October is a first for Ireland.
Scandinavia
Redhead
and
western sandpiper
are recorded for the first time in
Iceland
.
Spain
Canary Islands
A
great blue heron
on
Tenerife
on 5 December.
North America
Burrowing owl
s are released in
British Columbia
as part of a reintroduction scheme.
Asia
A
black-legged kittiwake
in the
United Arab Emirates
in April is the first record for the country.
References