Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Pheucticus ludovicianus (Linnaeus, 1766) (0, 33)

Photo © Kris Webb

STATUS

North America. Monotypic.

OVERVIEW

There have been four occurrences in Wales, three in Scotland, singles in Essex, Yorks, Wight, Devon and Norfolk, but the most popular is the Isles of Scilly with sixteen individuals.

---

BBRC RECORDS

1). 1966 Isles of Scilly Parsonage, St Agnes, female, 6th to 11th October, trapped 6th.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 60: 330; P. J. Grant, British Birds 61: 176-180; C. Bradshaw, British Birds 96: 405; BOURC (2003), Ibis 145: 178-183).

2). 1967 Pembrokeshire Skokholm, adult female, trapped, 5th October.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 61: 357).

3). 1975 Essex Leigh-on-Sea, immature male, 20th December to 4th January 1976.

(J. N. Dymond and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 69: 358; J. O'Sullivan and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 70: 443).

4). 1976 Isles of Scilly Holy Vale, St Mary's, female, 16th to 31st October, photo.

(J. O'Sullivan and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 70: 443, plate 121).

5). 1976 Isles of Scilly Great Pool, Tresco, immature female, 20th to 26th October, photo.

(J. O'Sullivan and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 70: 443, plate 121; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 152).

6). 1979 Isles of Scilly Garrison, St Mary's, first-winter, 12th October; same, Carn Warval, St Mary's, 13th October; same, Porth Hellick, Holy Vale and Maypole, 13th to 29th October, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 73: 529, plate 272).

7). 1983 Outer Hebrides Newton, North Uist, first-winter male, 7th to 8th October, died in care 8th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 77: 560).

8). 1983 Isles of Scilly St Agnes, first-winter male, 10th to 19th October, taken by a cat.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 77: 560).

9). 1983 Caernarfonshire Bardsey, first-winter male, trapped, 14th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 77: 560).

10). 1985 Isles of Scilly Longstone Lane, St Mary's, first-winter male, 9th to 28th October, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 583, plates 19, 296).

11). 1985 Devon Lundy, first-winter male, trapped 27th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 583; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 593; Davis & Jones, 2007).

12). 1986 Isles of Scilly Borough Farm, Tresco, first-winter male, 10th to 25th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 80: 568).

13). 1987 Isles of Scilly Heliport then Dump, Tresco, first-winter female, 9th to 21st October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 593).

14). 1988 Pembrokeshire Skomer, first-winter female, 29th September to 11th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 559).

15). 1991 Yorkshire Bridlington, first-winter male, 5th to 6th November, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 555).

16). 1993 Isles of Scilly Vane Hill, Tresco, first-winter male, 12th to 14th October, photo.

(Birding World 6 (10): 390, photo; Birding World 6 (12): 487, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 566; Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1993: photo; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 152).

17). 1995 Isle of Wight Ventnor, first-winter male, 30th October to 1st November.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 526; D. J. Hunnybun & D. Hughes, Isle of Wight Bird Report 1995: 87-88).

18). 1998 Isles of Scilly Church, Bryher, first-winter male, 30th October to 1st November, photo.

(Birding World 11 (10): 376, photo; Birding World 11 (12): 471, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 92: 220, 606, plates 272 & 273; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 152).

19). 2001 Devon Lundy, first-winter male, 6th to 9th October, photo.

(Birding World 14 (10): 413, 436, photos; Birding World 14 (12): 510, photo; British Birds 94: plate 354; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 95: 523, plate 310; S. Cooper, Devon Bird Report 2001: 225-226, photo).

20). 2001 Isles of Scilly St Martin's, first-winter male, 13th to 14th October, photo.

(Birding World 14 (12): 510, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 95: 523).

21). 2005 Outer Hebrides Ardmhor, Barra, first-winter male, 8th October, photo.

(Birding World 18 (12): 513, photo; K. Gillon, Birding Scotland 8 (4): 151-152, plates 139-141; P. A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 102; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo).

22). 2006 Norfolk Holme-next-the-Sea, first-summer female, hit window and taken into care, 4th to 5th May, photo.

(Birding World 19 (5): 195, photo; P. A. Fraser and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 749; J. Andrews, S. Barker, G. Barker & D. Bednall, Norfolk Bird & Mammal Report 2006: 335-337, photo).

23). 2007 Isles of Scilly Grinlinton Farm, St Agnes, first-winter male, 23rd to 29th October, photo.

(Birding World 20 (10): 416, photo; Birding World 20 (12): 515, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 101: 572, plates 46 & 295; B. Spurrell, Isles of Scilly Bird and Natural History Review 2007: 119-120, plate 25).

24). 2011 Orkney Near Stenaquoy, Eday, first-winter male, 10th October.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 105: 615).

25). 2012 At sea Sea area Fair Isle, East Brae oil platform, first-winter male, found dead, 31st October, photo, specimen now at National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 631).

26). 2012 Isles of Scilly Hugh Town, St Mary's, first-winter male, 18th to 29th December, photo.

(Birding World 25 (12): 486, 493, photos; British Birds 106: plate 84; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 631, plate 373).

27). 2016 Pembrokeshire St David's Head, 2CY, male, 21st April.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 622).

28). 2016 Shetland Bridge End, West Burra, 2CY, male, 3rd to 4th May, photo.

(British Birds 109: plate 202; L. Goodlad, Scottish Birds 36: 256-259, plates 221-224; C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 622, plate 345).

29). 2017 Isles of Scilly Wingletang Down, St Agnes, 1CY, female, 29th September to 1st October, photo.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 111: 622).

30). 2019 Isles of Scilly Higher Town, St Martin's, 1CY, male, 13th to 16th October, photo.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 649, plate 399; Isles of Scilly Bird and Natural History Review 2019: photo).

31). 2020 Isles of Scilly Gugh, 1CY, male, 24th October, photo.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 623; Isles of Scilly Bird and Natural History Review 2020: photo).

32). 2021 Shetland Valyie, Norwick, Unst, 1CY, male, 25th September, photo.

(D. Cooper, Scottish Birds 42: 79-82, plates 64 & 65; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 115: 608, plate 466).

33). 2021 Argyll Balephuil, Tiree, 1CY, male, 30th September, photo.

(J. M. Bowler, Scottish Birds 42: 82-83, plate 66; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 115: 608).