Welcome to the British Trust for Ornithology | BTO

A world inspired by birds and informed by science.

Making birdwatching count

We empower 60,000 bird-enthusiasts to gather vital data, develop their skills and be part of a vibrant community.

Championing impartial science

We answer the most pressing questions about birds, through our thorough and impartial scientific research.

Sharing our bird knowledge

We communicate our knowledge and expertise to increase the value of birds and other wildlife for all.

Publication

Open access atlases

BTO has been working with volunteer-sourced atlas data for many decades. Now we are taking the bold step of making the full archive of distribution data freely available for anyone to use.

Blog

Promoting BTO science - walking the line

Can we move and inspire people with passionate, powerful communications without compromising our impartiality and scientific credentials?

Article

Bird migration - a masterclass

Steve Portugal explains why and how birds undertake long and perilous migratory journeys.

Find a project

Use our project finder to find the project that matches your level of bird expertise and the time you have available.

Start

Long-tailed Tit nest. Photograph by Elspeth Rowe

Nest Record Scheme

The Nest Record Scheme gathers vital information on the breeding success of Britain's birds by asking volunteers to find and follow the progress of individual birds' nests.

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