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Welcome to the Rare Bird Alert

Established in 1991 Rare Bird Alert is the longest running instant birdnews service in the UK. Our team of experienced and dedicated birders check and send reports as soon as they break, sixteen hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Ways to get our birdnews

We offer the most comprehensive range of birdnews services to suit all birders. If rarity hunting is your thing, just like to bird locally or only go birding occasionally we have a solution to meet your needs. If you would like any advice or help with any of our services please contact us today.

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Pagers

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Still the ultimate tool for birders in the field who don't want to miss news.

  • Unrivalled reception works in many parts of the country where mobiles don't. Particularly good coverage in rural 'birding' areas
  • Flexible change the areas you get news from whenever you want
  • Packages to suit all birders
    local pagers covering individual counties or entire coverage for the UK, you decide
  • TRY FOR FREE today
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From
£134
per year

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Online

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  • Live birdnews over 100,000 sightings per year, updated all day, every day
  • Newsmaps so you can see where the birds are
  • Photo Gallery share your photos of birds in Britain
  • Previous Records fully searchable database of all the accepted rarities in Britain and Ireland, including maps, stats and photos
  • Articles finders' accounts, identification papers, news stories and much more
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Only
£59.99
per year

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Phones

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iPhone and Android App

  • Alerts instant alerts on breaking news
  • Browse the news search the news using quick links or build advanced filters
  • Gallery latest UK bird photos

Text messages

  • Instant text alerts to breaking news to any phone
  • Great for occasional use
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From
£59.99
per year

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Latest article

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Construction begins on 250-acre Buckinghamshire nature park

The first part of RSPB Kingsbrook Meadows has opened near Aylesbury as construction starts on a visitor centre for the planned 250-acre nature park. More here >

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Farm-calendar rules leave nesting waders exposed across Britain

Fifty years of nesting records show that fixed farm-management dates fail to match regional and species-level differences in the breeding seasons of Lapwing and Eurasian Oystercatcher. More here >

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High-Arctic waders are far less likely to return to the same breeding ground

A synthesis covering 120 populations found that only around one in 10 shorebirds returns to the same breeding area at the northern edge of the Arctic tundra. More here >

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Storm-driven bird fall followed by reports of illegal shooting in Malta

BirdLife Malta says Mediterranean storms brought large numbers of migrants to the islands before protected birds and Turtle Doves were reportedly targeted by illegal shooting. More here >

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Thirty-five conflict beavers moved to new Scottish homes

NatureScot's latest management report records increased use of translocation, although 22 beavers were still killed under licence during 2025-26. More here >