White-billed Diver

Gavia adamsii

Introduction

An Arctic species, this is a scarce visitor to Britain & Ireland and possibly a regular migrant past the northern and western isles of Scotland; there are records in all months of the year (but fewer in summer).

Key Stats

Status

Rare

Weight

5.3kg

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

3k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

150% expansion

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Vulnerable

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Near Threatened

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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UK (passage)

75 individuals (2021)

Source

BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Northumberland, 1829

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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This species is a rare vagrant and was recorded during Bird Atlas 2007–11 as shown on the map.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

0.5%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Winter Distribution for White-billed Diver

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or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Breeding Distribution for White-billed Diver

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution change.

Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

150 %

Seasonality

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White-billed Diver is a rare visitor in winter and autumn, though with an increasingly regular pulse of records in spring in northern Scotland.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about White-billed Diver movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for White-billed Diver, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for White-billed Diver

Classification and Codes

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Order: Gaviiformes
Family: Gaviidae
Scientific name: Gavia adamsii
Authority: GR Gray, 1859

BTO 2-letter code: WV
BTO 5-letter code: WHBDI
Euring code number: 50

Alternate species names

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Catalan: calàbria de bec pàl·lid
Czech: potáplice žlutozobá
Danish: Hvidnæbbet Lom
Dutch: Geelsnavelduiker
Estonian: tundrakaur
Finnish: jääkuikka
French: Plongeon à bec blanc
Gaelic: Learga-bhlàr

German: Gelbschnabeltaucher
Hungarian: fehércsoru búvár
Icelandic: Svalbrúsi
Irish: Lóma Gobgheal
Italian: Strolaga beccogiallo
Latvian: dzeltenknabja gargale
Lithuanian: baltasnapis naras
Norwegian: Gulnebblom

Polish: nur bialodzioby
Portuguese: mobelha-de-bico-amarelo
Slovak: potáplica bielozobá
Slovenian: rumenokljuni slapnik
Spanish: Colimbo de Adams
Swedish: vitnäbbad islom
Welsh: Trochydd Pigwyn

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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