The BTO has undertaken a broad range of wetland and coastal related research. Research projects span from examining the impacts of climate change and water quality on waders, to determining declines and causes of decline on waterbirds on the UK's protected areas to assessing the impacts of habitat loss and disturbance on waterbirds. However, broadly, the research can be divided into the following catagories.

Waterbirds and Habitat Change

Habitat change and loss represent major threats to the conservation of waterbirds worldwide. On estuaries, for example, large areas of intertidal mudflats and saltmarsh have been lost to land-claim for industry, housing and harbour developments, and remaining habitat is now threatened by sea-level rise. The Wetland and Marine Research Team has undertaken a range of research projects, using both existing WeBS data and data collected specifically for the projects, that have aimed to predict or evaluate the possible impacts on waterbirds of such changes. To find out more, click here.

Marine Habitats and Seabirds

With a Gannet as a logo, it seems somewhat remiss that, hitherto, the British Trust for Ornithology has placed little emphasis on marine work. However, several recent projects have seen the boundaries of the coastal zone extend seaward. Our newly acquired expertise and our long standing as the UK's leading independent research organisation studying birds and their habitats has positioned us strongly to respond to changes in the marine environment. For example, with the rapid increase in the number of offshore wind farms, the BTO has play a pivotal role in providing independent advice on impacts. To find out more, click here.

Waterbirds and Climate Change

Non-native waterbird species

The requirement to avoid the introduction of non-native species is expressed in several Directives, Conventions and Agreements. The deliberate or accidental translocation of species beyond their native range has led to the loss of biodiversity throughout the world and economic damage to agriculture, forestry, aquaculture and other sectors. The British Trust for Ornithology has been long been interested in issues relating to invasive, introduced and re-established species. Some selected work of the Wetland & Coastal Ecology Unit is summarised here.

Methodological developments

As a partner in the Wetland Bird Survey, the Wetland and Coastal Ecology Unit husband data from what is probably the longest running, most complete waterbird monitoring scheme in the world. This puts us in an enviable position and enables the unit to develop new methods that help gain scientific understanding of waterbird population dynamics, and improve the monitoring and reporting of population trends. Recent methodological advancements include developments of a new method for indexing waterbird populations and developing standardised ways in which to quantify and report declines. To find out more, click here.

International collaborations

The UK hosts almost 5 million waterbirds and supports a large number of internationally important wetlands within the African-Eurasian flyway. The BTO is increasingly taking a flyway approach to its research and is applying the expertise it has gained from waterbird studies in the UK to this and other flyways. We collaborate with a wide range of government and non-government organisations and stakeholders abroad and are part of a wide diversity of projects. To find out more, click here.

Waterbird surveys

The Wetland Bird Survey is the primary scheme for monitoring waterbirds in the UK and is the main source of non-breeding waterbird population trends (see here). However, some species and habitats are not well covered by WeBS and so specialised surveys have been organised to compensate. Typically, these surveys are targeted at particular species or locations not visited routinely or commonly neglected. Details of surveys of this type in which the Wetland & Coastal Ecology Unit is involved can be found here.