Migration Research

Bird Migration includes some of the most amazing feats within the animal kingdom and has long been of interest to birdwatchers and biologists. Increasingly migration studies are important not only because of their bological interest but also because they provide vital information for conservation. To conserve migratory populations it is essential to understand the links between the breeding areas, stop-over sites and wintering grounds used by different populations.

The BTO is well placed to undertake studies of Bird Migration. The BTO Ringing Scheme has been collecting data on the movements of individual birds marked in Britain and Ireland since 1909. This work is carried out in close collaboration with other national ringing schemes, particularly through EURING. The BTO also maintains close links with the network of Bird Observatories that collect migration data from around the coast of Britain and Ireland. Recently the BTO has been working closely with BirdWatch Ireland to develop BirdTrack, an internet-based project to track the migration patterns using lists recorded by birdwatchers.

BTO research projects on Bird Migration

The Migration Atlas was published in December 2002 and describes the migration patterns of bird populations that occur in Britain and Ireland using data from ring recoveries and other sources.

BirdTrack is an internet project to track the movements and migration of birds and to map the distribution of birds, especially scarce species such as Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Hawfinch. All birdwatchers can contribute their records year-round. Results can be viewed on the website.

The Swallow Roost Project aims to document the autumn migration strategies of Swallows through Britain and Ireland by gathering systematic ringing data from Swallow roosts. This work forms part of the EURING Swallow Project that is addressing those issues and a flyway scale.

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