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Latest results from the Breeding Bird
Survey
(1994-2008)
To see BBS trends from all areas, click
here 
The BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is the main scheme
aimed at keeping track of changes in the breeding populations of
widespread bird species across the UK. Each year, nearly 3,000 volunteer
birdwatchers count birds on over 3,500 randomly selected 1km grid
squares across the UK. This enables us to calculate UK population
trends for 104 species, and separate trends for the four constituent
countries (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and the
nine English Government Office Regions. Knowledge of the status
of our bird populations is fundamental to their conservation.
We do not report population trends for five gull species (Black-headed,
Common, Lesser Black-backed, Herring and Great Black-backed), as
a large proportion of the counts are of non-breeding, wintering
or migratory birds. Trends for Cormorant, Grey Heron and Common
Tern are reported with the caveat that counts may contain a high
proportion of birds away from breeding sites, and the trend for
Tawny Owl with the caveat that the BBS method monitors nocturnal
species poorly.
Table of UK population changes
The figures presented are the percentage changes in population
levels in United Kingdom for the respective time periods, marked
with an asterisk where significant. The trend since the start of
the survey, covering the period 1994-2008, has been smoothed, and
the end years truncated. The trend is therefore labelled as 1995-2007.
For the 1995-2007 (smoothed) trend, the lower and upper 95% confidence
limits are given (lcl and ucl). Those species which are Red-listed
and Amber-listed in Population Status of Birds in the UK have been
highlighted in the appropriate colour.
| Species |
Sample |
Change
07-08 |
Sig |
Change
95-07 |
Sig |
lcl |
ucl |
| Mute
Swan |
222 |
18 |
|
14 |
|
-7 |
38 |
| Greylag
Goose |
142 |
2 |
|
118 |
* |
27 |
275 |
| Canada
Goose |
410 |
2 |
|
116 |
* |
77 |
152 |
| Shelduck |
133 |
11 |
|
5 |
|
-27 |
40 |
| Mallard |
1156 |
1 |
|
19 |
* |
12 |
29 |
| Tufted
Duck |
139 |
-1 |
|
46 |
* |
17 |
75 |
| Red
Grouse |
110 |
15 |
|
-10 |
|
-24 |
2 |
| Red-legged
Partridge |
490 |
4 |
|
32 |
* |
22 |
45 |
| Grey
Partridge |
228 |
-15 |
|
-45 |
* |
-51 |
-38 |
| Pheasant |
1589 |
-7 |
|
34 |
* |
28 |
41 |
| Little
Grebe |
63 |
17 |
|
21 |
|
-6 |
55 |
| Great
Crested Grebe |
65 |
8 |
|
28 |
|
-22 |
73 |
| (Cormorant) |
210 |
21 |
|
27 |
|
0 |
59 |
| (Grey
Heron) |
612 |
-12 |
|
12 |
* |
2 |
22 |
| Red
Kite |
54 |
-7 |
|
333 |
* |
197 |
550 |
| Sparrowhawk |
325 |
-3 |
|
1 |
|
-8 |
11 |
| Buzzard |
734 |
12 |
|
53 |
* |
42 |
64 |
| Kestrel |
619 |
20 |
|
-10 |
* |
-18 |
-3 |
| Hobby |
36 |
2 |
|
12 |
|
-15 |
44 |
| Moorhen |
606 |
7 |
|
16 |
* |
8 |
24 |
| Coot |
243 |
33 |
* |
37 |
* |
14 |
65 |
| Oystercatcher |
285 |
8 |
|
-14 |
* |
-21 |
-6 |
| Golden
Plover |
55 |
-29 |
|
-8 |
|
-23 |
11 |
| Lapwing |
634 |
11 |
|
-14 |
* |
-22 |
-7 |
| Snipe |
138 |
1 |
|
35 |
* |
14 |
58 |
| Curlew |
460 |
-5 |
|
-38 |
* |
-43 |
-33 |
| Common
Sandpiper |
61 |
2 |
|
-18 |
* |
-33 |
-7 |
| Redshank |
78 |
-12 |
|
-26 |
* |
-39 |
-13 |
| (Common
Tern) |
59 |
-54 |
* |
3 |
|
-21 |
52 |
| Feral
Pigeon |
629 |
-2 |
|
-9 |
|
-19 |
3 |
| Stock
Dove |
697 |
0 |
|
-2 |
|
-10 |
6 |
| Woodpigeon |
2225 |
11 |
* |
34 |
* |
28 |
39 |
| Collared
Dove |
1226 |
6 |
|
27 |
* |
21 |
34 |
| Turtle
Dove |
171 |
-20 |
|
-66 |
* |
-71 |
-61 |
| Ring-necked
Parakeet |
42 |
2 |
|
600 |
* |
233 |
1803 |
| Cuckoo |
719 |
-5 |
|
-37 |
* |
-41 |
-32 |
| Little
Owl |
98 |
5 |
|
-18 |
* |
-30 |
-7 |
| (Tawny
Owl) |
85 |
13 |
|
1 |
|
-18 |
25 |
| Swift |
982 |
5 |
|
-29 |
* |
-37 |
-20 |
| Kingfisher |
52 |
-17 |
|
0 |
|
-23 |
25 |
| Green
Woodpecker |
723 |
9 |
|
47 |
* |
38 |
57 |
| Great
Spotted Woodpecker |
877 |
4 |
|
123 |
* |
112 |
136 |
| Skylark |
1587 |
-2 |
|
-11 |
* |
-16 |
-7 |
| Sand
Martin |
115 |
26 |
|
20 |
|
-25 |
94 |
| Swallow |
1746 |
1 |
|
33 |
* |
26 |
40 |
| House
Martin |
874 |
0 |
|
9 |
* |
0 |
18 |
| Tree
Pipit |
124 |
18 |
|
-4 |
|
-22 |
15 |
| Meadow
Pipit |
719 |
2 |
|
-16 |
* |
-22 |
-11 |
| Yellow
Wagtail |
154 |
4 |
|
-49 |
* |
-57 |
-41 |
| Grey
Wagtail |
203 |
10 |
|
38 |
* |
19 |
56 |
| Pied
Wagtail |
1168 |
4 |
|
4 |
|
-2 |
9 |
| Dipper |
51 |
-29 |
|
-12 |
|
-29 |
15 |
| Wren |
2191 |
2 |
|
26 |
* |
21 |
30 |
| Dunnock |
1836 |
-4 |
|
21 |
* |
16 |
27 |
| Robin |
2117 |
7 |
|
20 |
* |
17 |
23 |
| Nightingale |
31 |
-8 |
|
-41 |
* |
-58 |
-17 |
| Redstart |
143 |
-1 |
|
1 |
|
-12 |
11 |
| Whinchat |
73 |
-27 |
|
-43 |
* |
-57 |
-27 |
| Stonechat |
139 |
-2 |
|
209 |
* |
154 |
264 |
| Wheatear |
277 |
-8 |
|
-11 |
|
-25 |
4 |
| Blackbird |
2209 |
4 |
|
25 |
* |
22 |
28 |
| Song
Thrush |
1765 |
8 |
|
25 |
* |
19 |
31 |
| Mistle
Thrush |
1104 |
-2 |
|
-8 |
|
-15 |
0 |
| Grasshopper
Warbler |
68 |
-3 |
|
22 |
|
-9 |
46 |
| Sedge
Warbler |
275 |
15 |
|
4 |
|
-12 |
22 |
| Reed
Warbler |
112 |
14 |
|
29 |
* |
12 |
52 |
| Blackcap |
1342 |
-1 |
|
57 |
* |
50 |
64 |
| Garden
Warbler |
411 |
-2 |
|
-16 |
* |
-25 |
-7 |
| Lesser
Whitethroat |
244 |
2 |
|
-1 |
|
-15 |
12 |
| Whitethroat |
1195 |
-2 |
|
18 |
* |
11 |
24 |
| Wood
Warbler |
53 |
3 |
|
-60 |
* |
-69 |
-49 |
| Chiffchaff |
1251 |
14 |
* |
36 |
* |
32 |
45 |
| Willow
Warbler |
1288 |
1 |
|
-12 |
* |
-17 |
-7 |
| Goldcrest |
708 |
28 |
* |
33 |
* |
18 |
47 |
| Spotted
Flycatcher |
196 |
40 |
* |
-38 |
* |
-47 |
-26 |
| Pied
Flycatcher |
40 |
15 |
|
-51 |
* |
-62 |
-39 |
| Long-tailed
Tit |
821 |
17 |
|
10 |
* |
3 |
19 |
| Blue
Tit |
2071 |
-5 |
|
6 |
* |
3 |
9 |
| Great
Tit |
1939 |
-3 |
|
46 |
* |
42 |
51 |
| Coal
Tit |
690 |
3 |
|
7 |
|
-4 |
16 |
| Willow
Tit |
53 |
22 |
|
-67 |
* |
-74 |
-58 |
| Marsh
Tit |
137 |
-16 |
|
-22 |
* |
-32 |
-7 |
| Nuthatch |
403 |
-5 |
|
47 |
* |
33 |
59 |
| Treecreeper |
312 |
10 |
|
4 |
|
-7 |
15 |
| Jay |
664 |
11 |
|
13 |
* |
5 |
20 |
| Magpie |
1707 |
1 |
|
-2 |
|
-5 |
2 |
| Jackdaw |
1491 |
0 |
|
31 |
* |
24 |
42 |
| Rook |
1181 |
-7 |
|
-8 |
|
-16 |
0 |
| Carrion
Crow |
2098 |
-6 |
|
13 |
* |
7 |
20 |
| Hooded
Crow |
128 |
-3 |
|
-4 |
|
-21 |
15 |
| Raven |
232 |
-40 |
* |
34 |
|
5 |
101 |
| Starling |
1667 |
-7 |
|
-31 |
* |
-35 |
-27 |
| House
Sparrow |
1459 |
1 |
|
-8 |
* |
-13 |
-4 |
| Tree
Sparrow |
153 |
50 |
* |
44 |
* |
18 |
79 |
| Chaffinch |
2212 |
-7 |
* |
11 |
* |
7 |
15 |
| Greenfinch |
1650 |
-9 |
|
24 |
* |
18 |
30 |
| Goldfinch |
1348 |
14 |
|
42 |
* |
34 |
52 |
| Siskin |
126 |
17 |
|
8 |
|
-12 |
24 |
| Linnet |
1120 |
9 |
|
-24 |
* |
-30 |
-18 |
| Lesser
Redpoll |
134 |
-15 |
|
1 |
|
-20 |
27 |
| Common
Crossbill |
43 |
144 |
* |
43 |
|
-4 |
96 |
| Bullfinch |
530 |
2 |
|
-11 |
* |
-18 |
-4 |
| Yellowhammer |
1110 |
-5 |
|
-15 |
* |
-21 |
-10 |
| Reed
Bunting |
431 |
2 |
|
30 |
* |
17 |
45 |
| Corn
Bunting |
142 |
3 |
|
-30 |
* |
-42 |
-18 |
Taking part
The survey is designed to be a quick, simple and, most importantly,
enjoyable bird-watching exercise. Survey sites are randomly selected
1x1-kilometre squares of the National Grid. Observers make just
three visits to their squares, the first to record habitats and
to set up a suitable survey route, and the second and third to record
all birds that are seen or heard while walking along the route.
If you are interested in taking part in the BBS, please email
The BBS is organised by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO),
on behalf of the BTO, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC
is the statutory adviser to Government on UK and international nature
conservation, on behalf of the Council for Nature Conservation and
the Countryside, the Countryside Council for Wales, Natural England
and Scottish Natural Heritage) and the Royal Society for the Protection
of Birds.
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