Related Species

Press releases

Independent review finds charity delivering remarkable impact

September 2019

An independent panel of leading scientists, reviewing the impact of the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) scientific work, has recognised both the charity’s remarkable impact on policy and practice and its strong leadership role in the environmental sector...

Wildlife and wind farms: Are British gulls staying safe in the winter sun?

September 2019

New research by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), published today in the Journal of Applied Ecology, shows that Lesser Black-backed Gulls breeding in Britain could be vulnerable to collisions with wind turbines whilst on migration and during the winter months, as well as during the breeding season...

Fifty years of citizen science shows a positive response to climate change by a third of English breeding birds

September 2019

New research, just published in the journal Bird Study, has shown that one third of 68 breeding species in England have been affected by climate change, leading to notable increases in some and declines in a few...

British scientists working with local conservationists to track the fortunes of Cuckoos in Mongolia

August 2019

For the last eight years the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has been using satellite tags to uncover the mystery surrounding the migration of Cuckoos breeding in Britain in order to understand, and inform measures to help reverse, their precipitous decline...

Increases in generalist predator populations are associated with Pheasant releases

July 2019

New research from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), just published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, has revealed that the release of Pheasants and Red-legged Partridges for commercial shoots may be boosting numbers of the avian predators and scavengers that feed upon them...

Scientists follow amazing Cuckoos on their journey to Africa

June 2019

As part of a project to discover what might be driving the decline in UK Cuckoo numbers, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has fitted four of these iconic birds with satellite tags...

Boom time at Britain's bird feeders

May 2019

The latest research from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), published today in the journal Nature Communications, reveals the considerable consequences of an innocuous national pastime...

Greenfinches disappearing in Northern Ireland

May 2019

According to the latest report, published today, Greenfinches in Northern Ireland are in trouble; declining by a massive 75% between 1995 and 2017...

Scottish Starlings struggle

May 2019

In a report published today, Scottish Starling numbers have fallen by almost a third, following an alarming trend that is mirrored across the UK...

Iconic Welsh bird disappearing

May 2019

The latest Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) report, published today, shows that the Welsh breeding Curlew population has fallen by 68% between 1995 and 2017, not good news for a bird that has long been associated with Welsh upland and farmland...

UK's birds hit by weather double whammy in 2018

May 2019

The latest results published today in the 2018 Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) report, suggest that the Beast from the East and Saharan winds may have had a big impact on both resident and migrant birds...

Volunteer efforts yield new insights into Britain and Ireland's birds

April 2019

The efforts of 60,000 volunteers, mapping the distribution of breeding and wintering birds, have opened up valuable knowledge to researchers and members of the public through new open access resources...

Leading scientists call for UK funding body to recognise high impact of conservation research

February 2019

In a letter to Nature published this week, leading scientists from BirdLife International, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) suggest that the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Government body that funds biodiversity research in the UK, should direct greater resources to NGOs and charities...

Edinburgh primary school children receive award for citizen science.

February 2019

Pupils at Broughton Primary School have been recognized by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and EDF Energy for their contribution to What’s Under Your Feet?, a national citizen science project...

Thetford postcode with a winning view

February 2019

The British Trust for Ornithology officially opened a public viewing platform on its Nunnery Lakes nature reserve this week...

Britain needs more holes

February 2019

As part of National Nest Box Week 2019, which kicks off on 14 February, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is calling for homeowners to put up more nest boxes for declining garden birds like House Sparrow and Starling...

Collaborative project aims to shed new light on breeding waders in the east Cairngorms

January 2019

Gathering data on breeding waders in upland areas of Scotland presents significant challenges...

Britain's owls need twenty minutes

January 2019

Twenty minutes once during your week is all it will take to find out just how Britain’s Tawny Owls are faring...

Sparrows thriving in Scotland

November 2018

The latest report from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) shows that the House Sparrow is doing very well in Scotland...

British public asked to listen out for owls

September 2018

EMBARGOED 00:01 Friday 28 SEPTEMBER 2018 The British Trust for Ornithology is asking the great British public to participate in a national study of Tawny Owls and their calling behaviour, by listening out for them this autumn and winter...

Bird Photographer of the Year 2018 winners announced

August 2018

Having completed its third year, Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) is pleased to announce the 2018 winners of this prestigious global competition...

Bird Surveyors help to shed new light on changing mammal populations

August 2018

The UK’s mammals present particular challenges for monitoring; they live in a wide variety of habitats, vary enormously in size and can be very difficult to see, but Britain’s army of volunteer bird surveyors could come to the rescue...

Thomas and Sylvester's grand Cuckoo migration

July 2018

After being tagged in Thetford Forest by The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), two adult male Cuckoos (Sylvester and Thomas) have begun their long journey south...

Bowie joins the Cuckoo class of 2018

July 2018

As part of its hugely successful Cuckoo project the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has just launched 10 new birds, bringing the number of Cuckoos that are currently being tracked to 14; one of which has been named Bowie by wildlife TV presenter Chris Packham...

Threatened Nightingale site confirmed as Britain's best in new national survey

June 2018

The dramatic decline of UK Nightingale populations – we have lost over 90% of these iconic birds in the last 50 years – has led to the species being placed on the Birds of Conservation Concern Red List...

Waterbird survey celebrates platinum anniversary

May 2018

The BTO/RSPB/JNCC Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), one of the longest running citizen science surveys in the world, is celebrating its 70th anniversary...

Calling all young birders

May 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE USE Spurn Bird Observatory and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) will again be running the Martin Garner Spurn Young Birder of The Year as part of this year’s Spurn Migration Festival (Migfest)...

Finches up and down in Northern Ireland

April 2018

The latest Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) report shows mixed fortunes for finches in Northern Ireland...

Welsh icon is back

April 2018

Synonymous with Wales, the latest results from the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) show that the Red Kite is well and truly back and here to stay...

Declining summer visitor doing well in Scotland

April 2018

In England the Spotted Flycatcher population has fallen by 18%, however, the latest results show that this enchanting little bird is on the up in Scotland – up by 66% during the last five years, giving Scotland something to shout about! Reasons behind the overall decline, which amounts to 39% across the whole of the UK since 1994 are unclear...

Pages