Publications

Publications

BTO create and publish a variety of important articles, papers, journals and other publications, independently and with our partners, for organisations, government and the private sector. Some of our publications (books, guides and atlases) are also available to buy in our online shop.

Annual report of the Seabird Monitoring Programme

Seabird Population Trends and Causes of Change: 1986–2023

This report presents the latest seabird population trends in breeding abundance and productivity using data from the Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP). 

The report documents changes in the abundance and productivity of breeding seabird species in Britain and Ireland from 1986 to 2023, and provides a detailed account of the 2021, 2022 and 2023 breeding seasons.

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Annual report of the Seabird Monitoring Programme

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A review of existing methods to collect data on seabird flight height distributions and their use in offshore wind farm impact assessments

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Published: 2025

This document presents a review of existing methods for collecting seabird flight height data and their potential to produce flight height distributions that might be used in CRMs. The strengths, weaknesses, and limitations of different methods are identified and sources of measurement and sampling error, uncertainty and bias assessed. Best practice recommendations are provided for prominent methods and how data might be best utilised to inform stakeholders is considered.

15.04.25

BTO Research Reports

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A review of Curlew headstarting projects in Europe

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Published: 2025

Breeding waders are among the most threatened of European bird species and the focus of a suite of conservation interventions, such as the improvement of grassland nesting habitats, and the protection of nests and chicks from predators and destruction by agricultural activities. Headstarting is a relatively novel technique in breeding wader conservation, where eggs are removed from the wild and reared in carefully controlled environments. It aims to bypass the threats individuals encounter during vulnerable early life stages in the wild. Headstarting differs from more traditional forms of captive rearing, in that individuals only remain in captivity for a small part of their life cycle (generally egg and hatchling stages) and are released once at a less vulnerable stage to provide a quick, artificial boost to the breeding productivity of a wild population.

01.04.25

Papers

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Northern Ireland Seabird Report 2024

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Published: 2025

This report includes detailed information about the population trends and breeding success of seabirds in Northern Ireland, over the 2024 breeding season. Monitoring reports for Strangford Lough and the Outer Ards are included, as well as several additional contributor articles.

27.03.25

Reports Northern Ireland Seabird Report

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Jumping species and seasons – the spread and impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza on seabirds and waterbirds

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Published: 2025

In the winter of 2020/21, during one of the worst outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry, it could not be foreseen that the deaths of small numbers of wild birds in north-west Europe from the virus H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b would be the precursor to the worst HPAI-related mortality recorded in wild birds.

19.03.25

Papers

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