The UK’s breeding Cuckoos are starting to set off on their travels south, and satellite technology is continuing to help scientists from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to understand the pressures that these birds face, as they make their annual migrations to central Africa and back.

Results of the 2025 Heathland Birds Survey, revealed this week, show a welcome upturn in fortunes for three charismatic species.

British seaside gulls may divide opinion, but recent research shows that these charismatic, and sometimes controversial, birds are struggling to survive in our modern world. Evidence published this week, shows significant declines in the numbers of several common and widespread species inhabiting our shores.

Every year, bird lovers throughout the UK celebrate International Dawn Chorus Day on 3 May. This is a time to enjoy the very essence of spring via the early morning medium of birdsong. However, all is not as it seems and nature’s remarkable annual concert is today a much-diminished event, with many of our favourite birds continuing to decline in devastating numbers, as revealed in a recent report.

A major increase in the number of volunteers taking part in the long-standing BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), has resulted in greater coverage across Wales than ever before. The results show that it is not just numbers of volunteers on the up, as some bird species too are on the rise. However, the new report highlighting the results of the survey, published this week, shows there are also continued declines for many species. BBS is the main scheme for monitoring the population changes of the UK’s common and widespread breeding birds, producing population trends for 60 species in Wales.