2004 in birding and ornithology

Years in birding and ornithology:	2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Centuries:	20th century · 21st century · 22nd century
Decades:	1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s 2030s
Years:	2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

The year 2004 in birding and ornithology.

Worldwide

New species

See also Bird species new to science described in the 2000s

• The Togian hawk-owl from Indonesia is described as new to science in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club.
• The Rubeho akalat from Tanzania is described as new to science in the American journal The Auk.
• The Acre antshrike from Brazil is described as new to science in the American journal The Auk.
• The Calayan rail from the Philippines is discovered and described as new to science in the journal Forktail
• The Serendib scops-owl from the Sri Lankan rainforests is described as new to science in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club
• Mees's nightjar from Flores and Sumba, Indonesia is described as new to science in Zoologische Verhandelingen PDF.

To be completed

Rediscoveries

• The rusty-throated wren-babbler was rediscovered on 18 November in the Mishmi Hills of eastern Arunachal Pradesh; the species had only previously been known from the type specimen, collected c.50 km away in 1947
• The ivory-billed woodpecker is reported as having been discovered in Arkansas in April, although the reports attract considerable controversy.

To be completed

Taxonomic developments

To be completed

Ornithologists

Deaths

• 7 August - Colin Bibby (born 1948)

Europe

Britain

Breeding birds

• Osprey bred for the first time in Wales.^[1]

Migrant and wintering birds

To be completed

Rare birds

• A small influx of long-tailed tits of the white-headed northern race caudatus in the early part of the year gave many British birders their first opportunity to observe this form in Britain.
• Britain's first chestnut-eared bunting and rufous-tailed robin were both found on Fair Isle in October.
• Britain's first purple martin was found on the Butt of Lewis, Outer Hebrides in September.
• Britain's first masked shrike, a juvenile, was found in October at Kilrenny Common in Fife, and seen by large numbers of birders.
• Britains's first Scopoli's shearwater off Isles of Scilly waters on 2 August.^[2]
• The third great knot for Britain was seen on the Wyre Estuary, Lancashire in August.
• A cream-coloured courser on the Isles of Scilly during September and October is the first in Britain for 20 years.

Other events

• The British Birdwatching Fair has Peru as its theme for the year.
• The West Midland Bird Club celebrates its 75th anniversary.

Scandinavia

To be completed

North America

To be completed

References

1. Balmer, D. and Vickery, "Birds." In Branson, A. (2006) Wildlife Reports. British Wildlife 17: 198–200.
2. Hudson, D (ed) (2009). Isles of Scilly Bird and Natural History Review 2008. Isles of Scilly Bird Group.