As of 2021, some 350 species of bird have been recorded in the wild on the Isle of Man, a self-governing island in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland. Over 100 species breed there, including significant populations of red-billed chough, peregrine falcon and hen harrier.
A variety of seabirds breed on the coastal cliffs such as Atlantic puffin, black guillemot, black-legged kittiwake, European shag and northern fulmar. The island gives its name to the Manx shearwater which formerly nested in large numbers on the Calf of Man. The colony disappeared following the arrival of rats but the shearwaters began to return in the 1960s. The Ayres in the north of the island have colonies of little tern, Arctic tern and common tern.
Moorland areas on the island are home to willow ptarmigan, Eurasian curlew, and northern raven. Woodland birds include long-eared owl, common treecreeper, Eurasian blackcap and common chiffchaff. There is little native woodland on the island and several species found in Great Britain, such as tawny owl, European green woodpecker and Eurasian jay, do not breed on the isle of Man.
Many birds visit the island during the winter and migration seasons including waders such as purple sandpiper, ruddy turnstone, and European golden plover. Wintering wildfowl include small numbers of whooper swan. A bird observatory was established on the Calf of Man in 1959 to study the migrating and breeding birds. By the end of 2001, 99,042 birds of 134 species had been ringed there. Numerous rarities have been recorded there including mourning dove and white-throated robin.
The English names are those recommended by the International Ornithological Congress (IOC). Species marked as A are those for which the Manx Ornithological Society (MOS) requires a written description in order to accept a record.
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs on the Isle of Man
(I) Introduced - a species introduced to the Isle of Man as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions.
Failed introductions such as black grouse or escapee species which were briefly established in the wild such as red-winged laughingthrush are not included on the list.
Ducks, geese, and swans
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating
Brant goose, Branta bernicla
Canada goose, Branta canadensis
Barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis
Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii I
Snow goose, Anser caerulescens
Greylag goose, Anser anser
Taiga bean goose, Anser fabalis A
Pink-footed goose, Anser brachyrhynchus
Tundra bean goose, Anser serrirostris
Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons
Mute swan, Cygnus olor
Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus
Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus
Egyptian goose, Alopochen aegyptiaca A
Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna
Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea A
Mandarin duck, Aix galericulata A
Garganey, Spatula querquedula A
Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors A
Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata
Gadwall, Mareca strepera
Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope
American wigeon, Mareca americana A
Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
Northern pintail, Anas acuta
Eurasian teal, Anas crecca
Green-winged teal, Anas carolinensis A
Red-crested pochard, Netta rufina A
Common pochard, Aythya ferina
Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca A
Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris A
Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula
Greater scaup, Aythya marila
King eider, Somateria spectabilis A
Common eider, Somateria mollissima
Surf scoter, Melanitta perspicillata A
Velvet scoter, Melanitta fusca
Common scoter, Melanitta nigra
Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis
Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula
Smew, Mergellus albellus A
Common merganser, Mergus merganser
Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator
Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis I
Pheasants, grouse, and allies
Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
These are terrestrial species of gamebirds, feeding and nesting on the ground. They are variable in size but generally plump, with broad and relatively short wings.
