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The Breeding Bird Survey

The BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is the main scheme for monitoring the population changes of the UK’s common breeding birds.  
Cuckoo by Edmund Fellowes

 

Sign up for a BBS square in 2013! 

Thousands of volunteer birdwatchers make standardised bird counts on selected sites during the breeding season, enabling us to monitor changes in numbers of over 100 widespread bird species, and collecting records widely used for bird research and conservation. 

Find out about taking on a BBS square

 

 

New maps showing BBS trends across the country

New maps showing density estimates and population change have been produced using BBS data for 49 common bird species. From Blackbirds to Yellowhammers, these maps are a new way of visualising changes in our bird populations. See all the maps here

 

Articles about the BBS 

BBS maps article

Interested in how BBS data can be used to produce maps of trends, and how these relate to maps from the 2007–11 Bird Atlas? Download this BTO News article: From monitoring to maps

Distance bands article

Ever wondered how BBS distance sampling can be used to work out numbers of birds present, but not counted during surveys? Download this BTO News article: A bird recorded is worth two, three or four in the bush!