It is the first time the Blackburnian warbler has been spotted in England
(Picture: Phillip Brown/Unsplash)A rare bird has been spotted in Bryher, the Isles of Scilly, and hundreds of bird watchers far and wide have flocked to get a glimpse.
It is the first time the Blackburnian warbler has been spotted in England, and the fourth time in the UK, confirmed the British Trust for Ornithology.
The young male was first seen on Thursday, October 13 and has also been seen on the morning of Friday.
It is actually the only North American warbler with an orange throat.
Lucy McRobert, from the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, said: “To say we are excited is an understatement. This bird will go down in history.
“To have a Blackburnian warbler on the islands has got everyone hopping from foot to foot.
“About 300 people came yesterday, with hundreds more expected today and more over the weekend.”
She added: “Bryher is quite inaccessible at low tide and we have really low tides at the moment, so people have been getting on shore anyway they can, landing on beaches, using inflatables, wading in up to their waists, and running around the island dripping wet, trying to get to the bird.
“It is a sexy bird. They are called new world warblers and are beautiful. There is nothing comparable in Europe.”
The bird was last spotted on St Kilda in 2009, Fair Isle in 1988, and Skomer in 1961.
But what do we know about the bird causing such a flutter? Here is everything you need to know.
What is a Blackburnian Warbler?
Known for its flame-orange throat that forever glows, as well as a distinctive triangular black cheek patch and oddly shaped white wing patch, this rare bird prefers coniferous or mixed forests.
They spend winters in South America and eat large quantities of caterpillars. They also eat spiders and larval and adult flies, mayflies, beetles, leaf-rollers, ants, aphids, scale insects, and lacewings, as well as berries occasionally, too.
Tiny Blackburnian warblers are strong fliers that travel between North and South America twice each year, so it perhaps isn’t that surprising that they’re occasionally found very far off course, and sometimes (albeit rarely) in the UK.
The oldest recorded Blackburnian warbler was a male. It was at least eight years, two months old, and found in Minnesota.
How common is the Blackburnian warbler in the rest of the world?
According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, the Blackburnian warbler population appears to be stable.
Partners in Flight estimate a 10 per cent increase since 1970 and a global breeding population of 13 million birds.
The species rates a nine out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, which is an indication that the species is of low conservation concern.
However, deforestation via logging is still a major concern in both the breeding and wintering ranges for Blackburnian warblers and other birds.
