BTO Scotland publications

Changes in breeding wader populations of the Uist machair and adjacent habitats between 1983 and 2022

Study shows 25% decline in breeding waders between 1983 and 2022

BirdTrends 2022: Trends in numbers, breeding success and survival for UK breeding birds

Read the BTO's latest BirdTrends report

The BirdTrends 2022 report is a one-stop shop for authoritative information about the population status of the common breeding birds in the UK.

A review to inform the assessment of the risk of collision and displacement in petrels and shearwaters from offshore wind developments in Scotland

Scoping the feasibility of developments to the Terrestrial Bird Indicator for Scotland – urban, farmland and wetland indicators

Behavioural responses of non-breeding waterbirds to marine traffic in the near-shore environment

Upward elevational shift by breeding Whinchat Saxicola rubetra in response to cessation of grazing in upland grassland

Whinchats move upwards when grazing stops

Changes in land use cause breeding Whinchat to head for higher ground.

The Shetland Bird Survey: Population trends for widespead breeding birds 2002-2019

The Shetland Bird Survey: Population trends

Population trends are estimated for the first time for twelve species based on Shetland Breeding Bird Survey data collected between 2002 and 2019.

Wader populations on the UK’s open coast: results of the 2015/16 Non-Estuarine Waterbird Survey (NEWS-III) and a review of population trends

Wader population trends on the UK's open coast

Newly published research from BTO underlines the importance of the UK’s rocky shores and sandy beaches for waterbird species.

BirdTrends 2020: Trends in numbers, breeding success and survival for UK breeding birds

The BTO's BirdTrends report is a one-stop shop for information about the population status of the common breeding birds of the wider UK countryside.

Northern Ireland Lowland Breeding Wader Survey

Contrasting long‐term trends in age‐specific survival of Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) in Britain using smoothed estimates of recovery probabilities

Living fast: using ringing data to look at survival of British Peregrines

The State of the UK's Birds 2020

Providing an annual overview of the status of the UK’s breeding and non-breeding bird species in the UK, this year’s report highlights the continuing poor fortunes of the UK’s woodland birds, and the huge efforts of BTO volunteers collecting data.

Delivering robust population trends for Scotland's widespread breeding birds

Research from BTO Scotland investigating how to improve the effectiveness of the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) in monitoring Scotland’s birds.

Behavioural responses of non-breeding waterbirds to drone approach are associated with flock size and habitat

Do drones disturb wintering waterbirds?

Newly published research, carried out by staff at BTO Scotland, has investigated the response to wintering waterbirds to drones, and shown that they can be easily scared into flight by drone use.

Audit of local studies of breeding Curlew and other waders in Britain and Ireland

The Eurasian Curlew is widely considered to be one of the highest bird conservation priorities in the UK and Ireland. A number of other breeding waders have also showed marked declines during a similar time frame, and a multitude of field initiatives across Britain and Ireland have been established, or tailored, to support conservation of these wader species. This audit aimed to collate information from as many of these breeding wader projects as possible, to allow BTO to assess how best it might assist local to national initiatives through partnership working in future.

A schematic sampling protocol for contaminant monitoring in raptors

Integrating scientific and local knowledge to address conservation conflicts: Towards a practical framework based on lessons learned from a Scottish case study

Breeding bird assemblages supported by developing upland shrub woodland are influenced by micro-climate and habitat structure

Associations between gamebird releases and general predators

Pheasants and Red-legged Partridges for commercial shoots may be boosting numbers of the avian predators and scavengers.

Investigating wader breeding productivity in the East Cairngorms Moorland Partnership Area using collaborative methods

Breeding wader populations have declined significantly in recent decades in the UK. During this time, areas of moorland managed for grouse shooting and adjacent areas of rough pasture have been identified as persisting strongholds.