Record 176 species logged in Gibraltar bird report for 2025

The 2025 Gibraltar Bird Report has been published by the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society and is now available free to view on the society’s website.

An annual report on birds recorded in Gibraltar has been published since 2001, with each edition including a review of the year, a species-by-species account of sightings and a report on birds ringed locally, mainly at the Jews’ Gate centre.

According to GONHS, 2025 was a memorable year, with 176 bird species recorded in Gibraltar, an all-time record.

Only one of those was new to the Gibraltar list, a great crested grebe photographed swimming in the harbour on July 17.

The report also recorded a range of other rare or uncommon species during the year, including second records of Blyth’s reed warbler and pied crow.

The pied crow remains in Gibraltar and is mainly seen at Europa Point.

This year’s report also includes an article examining changes in the local abundance of bird species, comparing the periods 1960-1979 and 2006-2025.

GONHS said some species, including the great cormorant, tawny owl and spotted flycatcher, had increased greatly over that period.

Others, including the common buzzard, lesser kestrel and lesser black-backed gull, had become much scarcer locally.

The report said the lesser kestrel is now extinct as a breeding species in Gibraltar.

It also includes an article on recent appearances of Blyth’s reed warbler within the Iberian Peninsula, a species that nests in northeastern Europe and across Asia.

As with previous editions, the report features a selection of photographs by local bird photographers.

GONHS said the publication offers an insight into the range of birdlife that can be encountered on the Rock.

The Report is available on https://l1nk.dev/a76vtxx