Press releases
Nature's flycatcher needs your help
June 2010
Results from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) show that Spotted Flycatcher, a once common garden bird during the summer months, has declined by 81% since 1982...
Britain's smallest bird continues to shrink
June 2010
New results from the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO’s) Garden BirdWatch suggest that the harsh winter could be having lasting effects on Britain’s smallest bird...
Springwatch celebrity backs Norfolk bird charity
June 2010
The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), based in Thetford, today announced the appointment of Springwatch’s Chris Packham as its Vice President...
Getting a handle on Spoon-billed Sandpipers - one of the world's rarest birds
June 2010
The Spoon-billed Sandpiper, one of the world’s most threatened birds, could be rapidly heading towards extinction...
Scottish warblers on the increase - but concern for Kestrels
July 2010
Issued by BTO, on behalf of BTO, JNCC and RSPB The latest Breeding Bird Survey report shows that two species of woodland warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap, are doing far better in Scotland than in the rest of the UK...
Larks descending in Northern Ireland
July 2010
Issued by BTO, on behalf of BTO, JNCC and RSPB According to the latest results from the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), the iconic Skylark declined by almost a quarter in Northern Ireland between 2008 and 2009, though showing no significant change in the rest of the UK...
Welsh birds fight off the cold
July 2010
Issued by BTO, on behalf of BTO, JNCC and RSPB Long-tailed Tit...
Roadside raptor takes a downward turn
July 2010
Issued by BTO, on behalf of BTO, JNCC and RSPB The Kestrel, one of our most familiar birds of prey, has shown a significant decline in numbers, according to a report published today...
Keep an eye out for colour-dyed Manx Shearwaters
July 2010
On Friday July 10, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) colour-dyed 31 Manx Shearwaters at the Copeland Bird Observatory off the coast of Northern Ireland...
East Anglian birds feeling the heat
July 2010
East Anglia’s ground-feeding birds are struggling to find food after weeks of dry weather...
Last chance for winter birdwatchers
November 2010
After three years of fieldwork for Bird Atlas 2007-11, this ambitious project, to map all of Britain’s birds, has reached its final winter...
Buckinghamshire's garden birds hit the jackpot
April 2010
Thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, garden birds in Buckinghamshire are to get a helping hand as the county gets its first ever garden bird Ambassador...
Welsh bird in serious trouble
March 2010
The Ring Ouzel, one of the classic birds of Welsh uplands, is in serious trouble...
Meet your nesting neighbours
March 2010
Ever wondered what birds are nesting in your garden? This year the BTO’s Garden Ecology Team want you to get better acquainted with your ‘nesting neighbours’ so that you can help them with an important new survey...
Chris Packham welcomes spring
March 2010
Right now, there are up to 16 million birds flying from Africa to Britain, and the first wave of birds is scheduled to arrive this weekend...
Are predators to blame for songbird declines?
March 2010
In the biggest ever analysis of songbirds and their predators, published today in the Journal of Applied Ecology, scientists look at the role of predators in the decline of species such as Bullfinch and Yellowhammer...
Business gets behind UK's wildlife
March 2010
Despite the difficult time experienced by the UK’s businesses over the past year, many are still committed to helping wildlife...
Britain - A nation of bird lovers
March 2010
What is Britain’s least favourite bird? That was the question the British Trust for Ornithology thought they might be able to answer after auctioning off the remaining 97 species for Bird Atlas 2007-11...
Boost for Britain's biodiversity
February 2010
A six year science programme to track the changes in bird populations across the UK, and to investigate the causes of recent declines was announced today by the British Trust for Ornithology and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee...
Get the book that money can't buy
February 2010
The highly acclaimed ‘Garden Birds and Wildlife, by Mike Toms & Paul Sterry, is now available in a special paperback edition exclusive to the BTO Garden BirdWatch...
Love your birds? ...give them a nest box on Valentine's Day
January 2010
2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and people all over the world are being encouraged to look at ways to safeguard the variety of plants and animals on their doorstep...
100 Million birds in the bank
February 2010
The British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) collection of bird records in its databank hit 100 million this week, making this the most important bird resource in the country...
Are these Britain's least favourite birds
January 2010
Since September 2007, the British Trust for Ornithology has been looking for companies, wildlife groups and people to sponsor Britain’s birds...
Turning tides for waterbirds in the UK
August 2010
Latest data from the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) highlight the contrasting fortunes of the UK’s wintering waterbirds...
The caring nature of British business
August 2010
Thousands of Britain’s most vulnerable breeding birds have benefited from the caring side of business this summer...
Food for thought: feed the birds
October 2010
As autumn draws in and food for birds in the wider countryside is depleted, our feathered companions will start to flock to feeders in our gardens...
Birds seek refuge in Britain’s snowy gardens
January 2010
The latest results from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) show Britain’s birds are flooding into gardens, as food in the countryside becomes harder to find under the blanket of snow and ice...
Birds need friendly neighbours!
January 2010
Snow that is sweeping the country is not only causing havoc for humans…it could be impacting birds too! A blanket of snow and ice is making it hard for birds to find natural foods...
Feeling blue: garden acrobat takes a tumble
September 2010
The Blue Tit, perhaps our most iconic garden bird, is slipping away from bird feeders...
