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Welcome to the Rare Bird Alert website

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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Radar satellites track Emperor Penguins through the Antarctic winter

Radar satellites have been used to follow Emperor Penguin colonies through the darkness of the Antarctic winter, closing a major gap in efforts to monitor the species from space. More here >

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Female Dotterels roam across northern Europe in search of additional mates

Satellite tracking reveals females visiting up to five breeding areas during a single seven-week laying season. More here >

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Two-year search finds no remaining Corncrakes in Brittany

Hundreds of listening hours at 41 selected sites and passive recorders failed to detect a singing bird during 2025 or 2026. More here >

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Record breeding season lifts Kākāpō population to 325

Ninety chicks have joined the official population after reaching independence, taking the Critically Endangered parrot to a recovery-era high. More here >

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Red Kite found poisoned in Cairngorms National Park

Police Scotland is appealing for information after tests established that a protected raptor found at Morven Hill near Dinnet had been poisoned. More here >