A small woodland owl native to eastern and south Asia, on two recorded occasions oriental scops-owls have strayed as far as Alaska’s Aleutian Islands as vagrant visitors. These long-distance detours are highly unusual and the species is far more likely to be spotted in forested regions of east China.

Owls

Boreal Owl

A small owl, resident in northern taiga landscapes, boreal owls are widespread but are rarely seen due to their favored habitats of dense coniferous and mixed forests, their secretive behavior and their nocturnal hunting habits.

Crows

Alpine Chough

A medium-sized member of the crow family that breeds at high altitudes. It is also referred to as the Yellow-billed Chough.

Gulls and terns

Audouin’s Gull

Named in honour of the French naturalist and ornithologist, Jean Victor Audouin (1797 – 1841) the Audouin’s gull is one of the world’s rarest and is limited in the main to regions within and surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.

Swifts

Alpine Swift

Breeding throughout mountainous regions of southern Europe and across to the Himalayas these birds are migratory, overwintering in southern Africa or central India. Worldwide, there are a total of ten subspecies from the nominate species, apus melba.

Grebes

Eared Grebe

Eared grebes are North America’s most widespread member of the grebe family, and have a distinctive appearance, with golden tufts on the sides of their face. In the UK, where the species is much rarer, it is known as the black-necked grebe.

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