Press Releases - November/December 2007
Item 3

No. 2007/11/80
November 2007

One million birds on the map

In just one week volunteers across the country have risen to the challenge set by the British Trust for Ornithology. Since the launch of the Trust’s Atlas project on 1 November, over one million birds have been put on the map.

From the Isles of Scilly to Shetland, birdwatchers have been making Britain’s birds count. Since the launch of the BTO’s four-year study to map the nations birds, over one million have been counted. Dawn Balmer, BTO Atlas Organiser, said, “We couldn’t have wished for a better start; the response from birdwatchers and members of the public has been fantastic. It is very exciting to be getting dots on the map, and to know that under each dot is a bird and a birdwatcher.”

The first bird to be put firmly on the map was a Tawny Owl, reported ‘hooting’ in a Northamptonshire garden at 2.20am on the day of the launch.

The new Atlas project will map all of Britain’s birds throughout the year for the next four years, will involve over 50,000 volunteers, and inform conservation policy for the next two decades. The Trust aims to get as many records from as many 10km squares across the country as possible. See map below for squares allocated so far.

For more information on how to take part in this exciting new project visit www.bto.org or telephone 01842 750050.

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Notes for Editors

1. Bird Atlas 2007-11 will cover the whole of Britain and Ireland during the winter and breeding season. The British Trust for Ornithology will be working in partnership with BirdWatch Ireland and the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club. BTO is seeking funding for the work across the whole of the UK and BirdWatch Ireland is taking responsibility for Ireland. Fieldwork started on 1 November 2007 and will continue through to 2011.
2. Birdwatchers of all abilities can get involved in Bird Atlas 2007-11 in one way or another. There are three levels of participation:
   a. Taking a walk or going birdwatching any time, anywhere? Your records can help to fill in the squares on the Atlas maps. Seen a hovering Kestrel, the blue flash of a Kingfisher or a Barn Owl at dusk?
   b. Know your birds? We are also looking for birdwatchers who will visit 2km by 2km tetrads to identify and count all of the birds they see. (See note 4)
   c. A third of the UK’s birds are found in gardens. By becoming a member of the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch you will be able to register your birds on the national map.
3. 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. 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
4. Within each 10km square we aim to cover at least 8 out of 25 tetrads. In some areas birdwatchers are trying to cover all 25.
5. For information on what is involved see http://www.bto.org/birdatlas/taking_part/index.htm
6. The Bird Atlas 2007-11 project will cost just over one million pounds of which £600,000 has already been raised
7. For more information about Bird Atlas 2007-11, visit http://www.bto.org/birdatlas/about.htm
8. Images are freely available for use in association with this press release. Please contact to request an electronic version. Please quote reference number 2007/11/80
9. The BTO has an ISDN line available for radio interviews.

For further information please contact:

Dawn Balmer (Atlas Coordinator) on 01842 750050 or e-mail: (during office hours)
or mobile 07743 994497 (anytime)

Bob Swann (Scottish Organiser) on 07919 378876 or e-mail:

Paul Stancliffe (Press Officer) on 01842 750050 or e-mail: (during office hours)
or mobile 07845 900559 (anytime)

Graham Appleton (Head of Fundraising & Publicity) on 01842 750050 or e-mail:
(during office hours)