Press Releases - Mar/Apr 2006 - Item 6

No. 2006/03/13
March 2006

What's going on in Scotland's gardens?

Scotland provides the focus for the new issue of Bird Table, the magazine of BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch. Articles on Garden BirdWatch in Scotland and birdwatching in Fife highlight the diversity and importance of Scotland for many species. Gardens are a crucial habitat for birds and the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch Survey needs your help to find out what is happening in Scotland’s gardens.

The Scottish themed issue of Bird Table focuses on the diversity of Scotland’s birds and, more importantly, on the use of Scotland’s gardens by a variety of different species. Since 1995, records have been received from just over 2,000 different Scottish gardens, green spaces that provide a valuable habitat not only for birds but also for a wealth of other wildlife. Given the differences in geography and habitat between Scotland and the rest of the UK, we see different species making more regular appearances in Scotland’s gardens than those elsewhere.

“We now have Garden BirdWatch participants from Shetland to North Berwick and from Harris to the Mull of Kintyre, which gives us a good overall picture of how birds use Scottish gardens,” says Jacqui Kaye, BTO Scotland’s Development and Fieldwork Coordinator. “However, we still need more people to take part so that we can get a more detailed idea of what the regional differences are within Scotland.”

Many Scottish Garden BirdWatch gardens are set within a rural landscape and are attracting birds such as Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer at this time of year, which visit English gardens much less frequently.

“The results that we have show differences in the use made of gardens by birds between the lowland areas in the south and the upland areas in the north and west, but it would be great to have a breakdown at a more local level,” Jacqui adds.

The BTO scheme needs more people in Scotland to record the occurrence of birds in their gardens. It has been running its Garden BirdWatch survey since 1995 and has highlighted changes in the use of the nation’s gardens by different bird species. Some 968 participants currently take part in Garden BirdWatch in Scotland and send in simple weekly records of the bird species using their gardens. To receive a free information pack, phone on 01786 466560, e-mail or write to GBW, BTO Scotland, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Cottrell Building, Stirling, FK9 4LA.

Notes for Editors

1) The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch is the only nationwide survey of garden birds to run weekly throughout the year, providing important information on how birds use gardens, and how this use changes over time. Currently, some 16,500 people take part in the project with 968 in Scotland. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch is funded by participants’ contributions and supported by CJ WildBird Foods Ltd and is the largest year round survey of garden birds anywhere in the world. For more information see www.bto.org/gbw

2) Bird Table Magazine. Bird Table magazine is published quarterly and sent free to all BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatchers. An annual subscription to the project costs just £12 and all new joiners will receive a free copy of the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch Book (which normally retails for £9.99). Electronic versions of the Bird Table articles on Scotland are available for Editors and can be requested from

3) CJ WildBird Foods. CJ WildBird Foods is Europe’s leading supplier of bird food and bird feeding products. CJ WildBird Foods has been responsible for a number of significant developments within the bird food and feeding industry, including the introduction of black sunflower seeds to the UK as a major new bird food and the development of specialist seed mixes for use in tubular feeders. The company has also been supporting research into the changing fortunes of garden bird populations, most notably through the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch.

4) Colour photographs. Images of garden birds are freely available for use in association with this press release. Please contact to request an electronic version.

5) The BTO has an ISDN line available for radio interviews.

For further information please contact:

Jacqui Kaye on 01786 466560 (office hours)
Martin Fowlie on 01842 750050 (office hours) or mobile 07704 847935 (anytime)
or e-mail:

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