Oldest records
Species whose earliest surviving record is the oldest. Mostly museum specimens collected by 19th-century naturalists.
Source: GBIF CC0 occurrence facets · refreshed 2026-08-23 · ranking is calculated from reusable occurrence-record facets and does not measure abundance.
sperm whale
Physeter macrocephalus · first recorded 1520
fin whale
Balaenoptera physalus · first recorded 1531
European hare
Lepus europaeus · first recorded 1545
gray wolf
Canis lupus · first recorded 1545
Sea trout
Salmo trutta · first recorded 1551
Atlantic Salmon
Salmo salar · first recorded 1551
brown bear
Ursus arctos · first recorded 1555
European otter
Lutra lutra · first recorded 1557
blue whale
Balaenoptera musculus · first recorded 1594
long-finned pilot whale
Globicephala melas · first recorded 1594
Eurasian lynx
Lynx lynx · first recorded 1600
wild boar
Sus scrofa · first recorded 1626
Black-eared Wheatear
Oenanthe hispanica · first recorded 1627
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnus · first recorded 1694
European Roller
Coracias garrulus · first recorded 1700
Alpine ibex
Capra ibex · first recorded 1705
wildcat
Felis silvestris · first recorded 1729
Eurasian red squirrel
Sciurus vulgaris · first recorded 1738
red fox
Vulpes vulpes · first recorded 1739
(Great or Northern) Crested Newt
Triturus cristatus · first recorded 1740
Eurasian Magpie
Pica pica · first recorded 1742
White Wagtail
Motacilla alba · first recorded 1742
Hooded Crow
Corvus cornix · first recorded 1742
Western Jackdaw
Coloeus monedula · first recorded 1742
Common Raven
Corvus corax · first recorded 1742
Common Eider
Somateria mollissima · first recorded 1742
Common Cuckoo
Cuculus canorus · first recorded 1742
Eurasian beaver
Castor fiber · first recorded 1744
Great Tit
Parus major · first recorded 1745
Common Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs · first recorded 1745
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegus · first recorded 1745
Goldcrest
Regulus regulus · first recorded 1745
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris · first recorded 1745
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellus · first recorded 1745
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo · first recorded 1745
Green-winged Teal
Anas crecca · first recorded 1745
Eurasian Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhula · first recorded 1745
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelis · first recorded 1745
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensis · first recorded 1745
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandarius · first recorded 1745
Eurasian Green Woodpecker
Picus viridis · first recorded 1745
Rock Pigeon
Columba livia · first recorded 1745
European Golden-Plover
Pluvialis apricaria · first recorded 1745
Snow Bunting
Plectrophenax nivalis · first recorded 1745
Gray Partridge
Perdix perdix · first recorded 1745
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinus · first recorded 1746
Parasitic Jaeger
Stercorarius parasiticus · first recorded 1746
red deer
Cervus elaphus · first recorded 1750
common bottlenose dolphin
Tursiops truncatus · first recorded 1754
Rosalia Longicorn
Rosalia alpina · first recorded 1758
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanus · first recorded 1760
White Stork
Ciconia ciconia · first recorded 1763
Slender Mining Bee
Lasioglossum calceatum · first recorded 1763
Red Kite
Milvus milvus · first recorded 1764
Common Murre
Uria aalge · first recorded 1770
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadorna · first recorded 1780
Herring Gull
Larus argentatus · first recorded 1783
Greater Scaup
Aythya marila · first recorded 1783
orca
Orcinus orca · first recorded 1783
Azure Tit
Cyanistes cyanus · first recorded 1786
Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundus · first recorded 1787
Eurasian Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleus · first recorded 1790
Eurasian Blackbird
Turdus merula · first recorded 1790
Graylag Goose
Anser anser · first recorded 1790
European Greenfinch
Chloris chloris · first recorded 1790
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica · first recorded 1790
Eurasian Nuthatch
Sitta europaea · first recorded 1790
Mew Gull
Larus canus · first recorded 1790
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligula · first recorded 1790
Fieldfare
Turdus pilaris · first recorded 1790
Common Merganser
Mergus merganser · first recorded 1790
Common Crane
Grus grus · first recorded 1790
Eurasian Coot
Fulica atra · first recorded 1790
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisus · first recorded 1790
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatus · first recorded 1790
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelope · first recorded 1790
European Pied Flycatcher
Ficedula hypoleuca · first recorded 1790
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensis · first recorded 1790
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinago · first recorded 1790
Western Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flava · first recorded 1790
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus · first recorded 1790
Common Redstart
Phoenicurus phoenicurus · first recorded 1790
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos · first recorded 1790
Eurasian Linnet
Linaria cannabina · first recorded 1790
Common Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticula · first recorded 1790
Lesser Whitethroat
Sylvia curruca · first recorded 1790
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator · first recorded 1790
Eurasian Treecreeper
Certhia familiaris · first recorded 1790
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorus · first recorded 1790
Common House-Martin
Delichon urbicum · first recorded 1790
Northern Pintail
Anas acuta · first recorded 1790
Common Pochard
Aythya ferina · first recorded 1790
Great Gray Shrike
Lanius excubitor · first recorded 1790
European Honey-buzzard
Pernis apivorus · first recorded 1790
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritus · first recorded 1790
White-winged Scoter
Melanitta fusca · first recorded 1790
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalis · first recorded 1790
White-throated Dipper
Cinclus cinclus · first recorded 1790
Pied Avocet
Recurvirostra avosetta · first recorded 1790
Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia · first recorded 1790