Conservation priorities

Although afforded no additional legal protection, the Birds of Conservation Concern (BoCC) identifies species which are declining, or which appear to be in need of conservation action. Specific criteria are used to place birds on a Red-, Amber- or Green- list, as outlined below:

Red

• species that are globally threatened according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria;
• species with an historical decline in breeding population which have not shown a substantial recent recovery;
• species that have shown a severe breeding decline over the last 25 years or longer term;
• species that have shown a severe breeding range decline over the last 25 years or longer term;
• species whose non-breeding population has declined over the last 25 years or longer term.

Amber

• species of European Conservation Concern;
• species whose population has declined historically but which have made a substantial recent recovery;
• species whose breeding population has declined moderately over the last 25 years or longer term;
• species that have shown a moderate breeding range decline over the last 25 years or longer term;
• species whose non-breeding population has declined moderately over the last 25 years or longer term;
• rare breeders or non-breeding rarity species with internationally important or localised populations.

​Green

• species that fulfil none of the criteria detailed above at the publication of the most recent edition of BoCC.