Press releases
Love in the time of lockdown - no apparent boom for breeding songbirds
December 2020
Data collected by the volunteer bird ringers operating Constant Effort Scheme (CES) Sites for the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) provide insights into the numbers, breeding success and survival rates of 24 widespread resident and migrant songbirds...
RESEARCHERS SEEK HELP TO TRACK GARDEN FINCHES
October 2020
Researchers at the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) have noticed lower numbers of Siskin and Bullfinch using gardens across the first half of this year and are asking people to watch their bird feeders to help track these colourful garden visitors through the coming weeks...
Wader expert wins top ornithological award
October 2020
Dr Jennifer Smart of Norfolk has been awarded the prestigious Marsh Award for Ornithology by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) for her work in the conservation of breeding waders like lapwing, redshank and black-tailed godwits...
‘Puffarazzi’ scientist wins prestigious award
October 2020
Dr Ellie Owen of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has been awarded the Marsh Award for Innovative Ornithology by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)...
Scottish Ornithologists’ Club recognised with prestigious award
October 2020
The Marsh Award for Local Ornithology has been awarded to the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (SOC) by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) for its innovative ‘Where to Watch birds in Scotland’ app...
Glasgow youngster wins top ornithology award.
October 2020
Michael Sinclair, of Glasgow, has been awarded the Marsh Award for Young Ornithologist by the British Trust for Ornithology...
Swiss scientist receives prestigious international award
October 2020
Verena Keller of the Swiss Ornithological Institute (SOI) in Sempach has been awarded the Marsh Award for International Ornithology by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)...
New patronage to support BTO communities and engage people with the natural world
October 2020
The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has today announced that His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge has become Patron of the BTO, assuming the patronage from His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh who has held the role for over 30 years...
Hidden world of mice, voles and shrews revealed by new approach.
December 2020
Thanks to the efforts of a team of researchers, the hidden world of Britain's mice, voles and shrews has just been opened up to new audiences...
Drones can be a source of disturbance to wintering waterbird flocks
September 2020
Newly published research, carried out by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) in Scotland, shows that wintering waterbirds, such as ducks, geese, swans and wading birds can easily be scared into flight by drones...
Do you have birds nesting in your garden?
April 2020
As the nationwide lockdown continues, many of us are watching the wildlife in our gardens more closely than ever before...
Northern Ireland’s seabirds get an annual health check.
March 2020
2019 produced a mixed bag for Northern Ireland’s seabirds but confirmed the importance of the country’s coastline for its 22 breeding seabird species...
Spring programme of talks at the British Trust for Ornithology, Thetford
March 2020
The British Trust for Ornithology is opening its doors, and its archive, for a series of evening talks that will enable visitors to its Thetford headquarters to learn about the loneliest woman in England, discover how we might save the iconic Curlew, and follow the journeys of some of our summer migrants as they make their way to and from Africa...
Europe's breeding birds get long-overdue stocktake
December 2020
New European Breeding Bird Atlas, a milestone for biodiversity research and nature conservation in Europe, is published today...
New report reveals good news for rare breeding birds
December 2020
New data shows that in 2018 ten species of rare birds bred in their highest ever recorded numbers across the UK Thanks to extensive conservation work including reintroductions and habitat management, the fate of some of these birds continues to improve However, some species haven’t fared as well, with some being impacted by cold winter weather and problems on migration In the latest analysis of the UK’s rarest breeding birds, ten species have been recorded in greater numbers than in any previous year...
New study identifies woodland management practices that are good for Britain’s bats
November 2020
New research, just published in the journal Forest Ecology and Management, has assessed bat populations across broadleaved woodlands managed in different ways...
Blue Tits missing from our gardens following spring heatwave
November 2020
The lockdown has allowed many people to reconnect with nature, but evidence from British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) Garden BirdWatch survey has shown that some of our favourite garden species, such as the Blue Tit, have been struggling this year, possibly due to the unusually warm spring...
Citizen scientists help lift the lid on one of our nearest avian neighbours
November 2020
An army of citizen scientists across the UK has provided scientists at the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) with new insights into the nesting habits of the House Martin, arguably our closest nesting neighbour...
Suffolk Cuckoo's Atlantic odyssey
September 2020
For the last two years British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) researchers have been following a Suffolk Cuckoo on its annual migration to central Africa – what it did on 1 September took them all by surprise! The male Cuckoo, named 'Carlton II' by the team, was fitted with a satellite tag during the spring of 2018 and has been providing BTO scientists with information on his movements ever since...
Families asked to monitor garden birds this summer - with the chance to get creative
August 2020
Love birds? Love drawing? The British Trust for Ornithology’s summer project gives families a great reason to watch garden birds together, and the chance to win a pair of compact binoculars for the best garden bird drawing! Garden BirdWatch (GBW) is a scientific project that monitors birds in gardens, but it’s also a great activity for families to do together...
Ringing report shines light on some amazing birds
July 2020
The latest report from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) shows just how amazing some of our birds are...
BTO names its new Chief Executive
July 2020
The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has named Professor Juliet Vickery as its new Chief Executive...
The seabird colony vanishes
June 2020
The UK’s largest breeding colony of Arctic Terns has vanished and scientists need help to find out where the birds have gone...
Actor Martin Shaw teams up with ornithologists to support well-being and mental health; encouraging us to "stop and watch"
May 2020
Actor Martin Shaw, known for his roles in The Professionals, Judge John Deed and Inspector George Gently, has teamed up with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to promote the value of connecting with nature through mindful birdwatching, as part of Mental Health Awareness Week...
Over 7,000 people sign up for garden citizen science survey during lockdown
May 2020
Gardens cover more land than nature reserves in the UK, yet their importance for our wildlife is under recorded – is that about to change? While our movements have been restricted, many of us have spent more time watching and enjoying our garden wildlife...
Familiar Welsh birds slipping away
May 2020
The latest report on the UK’s breeding birds shows that one of Wales’ most familiar birds is in trouble...
Woodland singer goes through the roof in Northern Ireland
May 2020
The latest Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) report on the UK’s bird species shows that one summer visitor is enjoying what Northern Ireland has to offer...
Mixed bag for Scottish seedeaters
May 2020
The latest Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) report, covering population trends for the UK’s bird species, shows that sparrows are doing better in Scotland than the rest of the UK...
The latest report on UK’s breeding birds shows mixed results
May 2020
The latest Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) report, covering population trends for the UK’s bird species, is released today...
British Cuckoo completes 22,000 mile odyssey in record time
April 2020
A Cuckoo called Carlton II has just arrived back in England having spent the last ten months travelling to and from the Congo rainforest, becoming the first of the BTO’s satellite tracked cuckoos to return to this country in 2020...
