Dark-breasted Barn Owl

Tyto alba guttata (Brehm, CL, 1831) (1, 11)

Photo © Steve Binney - Brimstage, Cheshire & Wirral, female, May 2014

Sub-species

STATUS

Central Europe and eastern Balkans to the Ukraine.

OVERVIEW

This is the current state of accepted records (2019) with many more awaiting re-submission now that there are clear identification criteria which can be seen under the same species in the Category A-C menu (Systematic List).

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BBRC RECORDS

1). 1864 Norfolk Near Norwich, female, shot, 13th December, specimen now at Tring, (BMNH 1955.6.N-20.4823).

(H. Stevenson, Zoologist 1865: 9495; Stevenson, 1866; Rowley, 1875; Dye, Fiszer & Allard, 2009; BOURC (2013), Ibis 156: 239; BOURC (2015), Ibis 157: 188).

2). 1951 Shetland Sumburgh, Mainland, shot, 16th October, had been present for two to three weeks, now at Shetland Museum, Lerwick.

(Venables & Venables, 1955; Pennington et al., 2004; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 603).

3). 1982 Shetland Stove, Sandwick, Mainland, probable male, 10th to 11th November when died, photo, specimen in private collection.

(J. D. Okill, I. Sandison & J. N. Dymond, Shetland Bird Report 1982: 25; R. H. Dennis, Scottish Bird Report 1982: 32; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 603).

4). 1996 Kent Dungeness RSPB, found dead, 30th October, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 107: 610).

5). 1999 Shetland Sumburgh, Mainland, 30th October to 15th November, photo, trapped 30th October.

(K. Osborn, Birding World 12: 454-457, photos; Birding Scotland 3 (1): plates 24-26; M. G. Pennington, Shetland Bird Report 1999: photo; R. D. Murray, Scottish Bird Report 1999: 80; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 603).

6). 2001 Shetland Houbie, Fetlar, found dead, 25th October, now at National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh (NMSZ 2003.28.3).

(M. G. Pennington, Shetland Bird Report 2001: 58; R. D. Murray, Scottish Bird Report 2001: 85; Pennington et al., 2004; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 603).

7.0). 2004 Shetland Veensgarth, Tingwall, Mainland, 24th October to 11th November; presumed same, Reawick, Mainland, 18th December to 5th March 2005, photo.

(Birding World 17 (12): 491, photo; Birding World 18 (1): 9, photo; M. G. Pennington, Shetland Bird Report 2004: 72, photo; British Birds 98: plate 58; M. G. Pennington, Shetland Bird Report 2005: 73, photo; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 603; D. Coutts, Scottish Birds 39: 252-258, plate 205).

7.1). 2005 Shetland Veensgarth, Tingwall, Mainland, 13th to 25th April when found dead, photo, specimen now at National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh; presumed same as 2004 Shetland.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 602-603).

8). 2008 Norfolk Southery, female, had bred, found dead, 12th July, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 102: 565).

9). 2008 Norfolk Hopton-on-Sea, found dead, 16th September, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 102: 565).

10). 2009 Lincolnshire Goxhill Haven, found dead, 20th November, ringed in Belgium, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 590).

11). 2012 At sea Sea area Plymouth, 60 km south of Plymouth, 26th October, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 602).

12). 2014 Cheshire & Wirral Brimstage, 3CY+ female, trapped, bred with nominate male, 21st May to 2nd July at least, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 599; S. Binney & P. Coffey, British Birds 110: 213-221, plates 105, 106, 108, 110, 111, 114 & 116).

13). 2022 Shetland Burravoe, Brae, Mainland, 1CY+, 21st November, photo, found dead, 22nd November, specimen retained.

(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 576).