This is one that always baffles me - either Feral Pigeon isnt on the County List or therefore shouldnt be counted or it is; the WMBC annual reports always state that it occurs for the county so where are these birds being seen if they can not be counted on these sorts of lists? I would count them across the board until they are officially treated differently but I appreciate I am a bit of a heathen when it comes to these things! :brains:
I'd have to say that I reckon they should be counted. If you look at the BTO's idea of what goes on the British List (see below) then they appear as a category C bird alongside the Greylags and Canadas that appear on the reserve. I think if we count these plus pheasant, red-legged partridge, little owl, ring-necked parakeet, ruddy, duck, mandarins and even the reintroduced red kites then feral pigeons have to be counted as well. Sadly we're unlikely to get 'real' rock doves on the reserve unless we get a freak wind blowing straight from the hebrides!
BTO definitions -
The list of species officially recorded in Great Britain is maintained by the British Ornithologists' Union. In 1997, the categorisation was revised to assist protection under national wildlife legislation, especially of naturalised species. Categories A, B and C are included in the British list, Categories D and E are not.
A Species that have been recorded in an apparently natural state at least once since 1 January 1950.
B Species that were recorded in an apparently natural state at least once between 1 January 1800 and 31 December 1949, but have not been recorded subsequently.
C Species that, although introduced, now derive from the resulting self-sustaining populations.
C1 Naturalized introduced species – species that have occurred only as a result of introduction, e.g. Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus
C2 Naturalized established species - species with established populations resulting from introduction by Man, but which also occur in an apparently natural state, e.g. Greylag Goose Anser anser.
C3 Naturalized re-established species - species with populations successfully re-established by Man in areas of former occurrence, e.g. Red Kite Milvus milvus.
C4 Naturalized feral species - domesticated species with populations established in the wild, e.g. Feral Pigeon Columba livia.
C5 Vagrant naturalized species - species from established naturalized populations abroad, e.g. possibly some Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea occurring in Britain. There are currently no species in category C5.
C6 Former naturalized species – species formerly placed in C1 whose naturalized populations are either no longer self-sustaining or are considered extinct, e.g. Lady Amherst's Pheasant Chrysolophus amherstiae.
D Species that would otherwise appear in Category A except that there is reasonable doubt that they have ever occurred in a natural state. Species placed in Category D only form no part of the British List, and are not included in the species totals.
E Species that have been recorded as introductions, human-assisted transportees or escapees from captivity, and whose breeding populations (if any) are thought not to be self-sustaining. Species in Category E that have bred in the wild in Britain are designated as E*. Category E species form no part of the British List (unless already included within Categories A, B or C).
F Records of bird species recorded before 1800.Full details are available here. There are currently (31/08/10) 592 species on the British list (i.e. in Categories A,B,C).
