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

Europe

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 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

To be completed

Australasia

New Zealand

• A total of 24 Kakapo chicks are fledged on Codfish Island, 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.