:See also 2001 in birding and ornithology, main events of 2002, other specialist lists of events in 2002 and 2003 in birding and ornithology.

Worldwide

New species

:See also Bird species new to science described in the 2000s

To be completed

Taxonomic developments

To be completed

Other events

  • eBird, a database for bird lists, photos, and sounds was created by Cornell University and the National Audubon Society. eBird has grown into a large, diverse citizen science project as eBird “provides a permanent repository for... observations and a method for keeping track of each user’s personal observations, birding effort, and various lists<nowiki></nowiki>
  • The 2000 publication of the popular field guide The Sibley Guide to Birds reached 500,000 in sales copies.

Europe

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Britain

Breeding birds

  • A pair of European bee-eaters nests at Bishop Middleham Quarry in County Durham, raising two young - see Bee-eaters in Britain

Migrant and wintering birds

To be completed

Rare birds

  • The small influx of orange-billed Thalasseus terns occurred in England and Wales during the summer, involving at least two birds believed to be elegant terns.
  • A male pallid harrier at Elmley, Kent in August is the first long-staying bird on the British mainland, and attracts thousands of visitors
  • A lesser kestrel on the Isles of Scilly in May was the first to be seen by large numbers of observers
  • A juvenile Allen's gallinule on the Isle of Portland, Dorset is the second British record; it died soon after being found
  • A female lesser sand plover in Lincolnshire in May is Britain's second
  • A rufous turtle dove on Orkney in November is the first to be seen by large numbers of observers
  • A tree swallow on Unst, Shetland in May was Britain's second
  • Two Sykes' warblers were seen, taking the British total to five
  • A record influx of rose-coloured starlings occurred in June, involving some 128 individuals

Other events

  • The British Birdwatching Fair has Sumatra's rainforests as its theme for the year.

Scandinavia

To be completed

North America

New Species

  • “ ‘Dark Rumped’ Petrel (Peterodrama Phaeopygia) is now recognized to consist of two species, Galapagos Petrel (P. Phaeopygia)”. It has been added to the checklist as a code 5 species.

United States

Rare Birds

  • One Ross’s Goose (Chen Rosii) found in Irondequoit Bay State Marine Park in Irondequoit, New York on September 8, 2002
  • The Black Brant (Branta Bernicla) was found in New Baltimore Greene county in New York on October 25, 2002
  • The first ever Mono Basin Bird Festival(Bird Chautauqua) was held in the Inyo National Forest. The festival was organized by the Audubon Society, the Mono Lakes Committee, the PBRO (Point Reyes Bird Observatory), and California State Parks
  • The only known Spix's Macaw named Presley in the U.S., first discovered in Colorado, was returned to Brazil after being missing for 25 years.
  • The American Birding Association created the Robert Ridgway Award for Publications in Field Ornithology.
  • ABA (American Birding Association) Award Recipients from 2002. The Zululand Birding Route promotes avitourism and environmental conservation.

Australasia

New Zealand

  • A total of 24 kakapo chicks are fledged on Codfish Island / Whenua Hou, increasing the world population of this critically endangered species from 62 birds to 86, the biggest increase since the start of the Kakapo Recovery programme.

References