Kent Ornithological Society 
The Kent List
The Kent List is composed of all of those species that have been reported in Kent, and accepted by both the Kent Ornithological Society Records Panel (KOSRP) and the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC), and are included on the official British List kept by the British Ornithological Union Records Committee (BOURC).
The British List currently follows that published by the British Ornithologists Union, following the sequence recommended by the International Ornithological Congress (IOC V15.1 Feb 2025). From January 2026 it will follow AviList Ver.2025, and the order of species on the Kent List will be adjusted accordingly at that time.
The following species currently await submission, or are in circulation, with the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC) –
Pied Crow, Corvus albus.
A bird, first seen coming in off the sea at Joss Bay on 6th May 2019, wandered the north Kent coast as far west as Swalecliffe until 21st. A potential first for the UK and Kent. This bird has been accepted by the BBRC, and is awaiting categorization by the BOURC.
Masked Booby, Sula dactylatra.
A bird was seen flying past North Foreland, on the 21st October 2022, and identified from photographs at a later date. A potential first for both Britain and Kent.
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, Phylloscopus orientalis.
A singing male was found in the trapping area at Dungeness BO, on 25th May. Calling frequently, it was extremely illusive, and its identification was eventually confirmed by sonogram. A potential first for Kent if accepted.
Splits and Lumps
Common Redpoll, Lesser Redpoll, and Arctic Redpoll, have been lumped as a single species to be known simply as Redpoll, Acanthis flammea flammea, with two sub-species Lesser Redpoll, Acanthis flammea cabaret, and Arctic Redpoll, Acanthis flammea exilipes. Hence two former full species are removed from the Kent List.
New Species
American Yellow Warbler, Setophaga aestiva.
The first-winter male first found flycatching along the Mill Stream, at New Hythe, on 24th December 2024, has been accepted by the BBRC. A first for Kent.
Booted Eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus.
Following a review of records of this species by the BOURC, the bird first seen at St Margarets-at-Cliffe on 28th September 1999, and then again at Dungeness on 7th April 2000, and at Cliffe the following day, has been accepted onto the British List, and constitutes a first for Kent.
The Kent List currently stands at 434 species.
Inclusions:
Records from KOSRP, 27th June 2025
Records from BBRC WIP, 1st July 2025
Records from BBRC Report on Rare Birds in Great Britain in 2024, British Birds October 2025
Records from Kent Bird Report 2023 (Aug 2025)
Changes to the British List, BOURC, 12th August 2025
Keith Privett.
August 2025