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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Extreme uncertainty and unquantifiable bias do not inform population sizes

Author: Robinson, O.J., Socolar, J.B., Stuber, E.F., Auer, T., Berryman, A.J., Boersch-Supan, P., Brightsmith, D.J., Burbridge, D.J., Burbridge, A.H., Butchart, S.H.M., Davis, C.L., Dokter, A.M., Di Giacomo, A.S., Farnsworth, A., Fink, D., Hochachka, W.M., Holwell, P.E., La Sprte, F.A., Lees, A.C., Marsden, S., Martin, R., Martin, R.O., Masello, J.F., Miller, E.T., Moodley, Y., Musgrove, A., Noble, D., Ojeda, V., Quillfeldt, P., Royle, J.A., Ruiz-Gutierrez, V., Tella, J.L., Yorio, P., Youngflesh, C. & Johnston, A.

Published: 2022

BTO staff co-author a rebuttal letter setting out the importance of the careful use and interpretation of citizen science data in estimating avian population sizes.

28.02.22

Papers

Nesting dates of Moorland Birds in the English, Welsh and Scottish Uplands

Author: Wilson, M.W., Fletcher, K., Ludwig, S.C. & Leech, D.I.

Published: 2022

Rotational burning of vegetation is a common form of land management in UK upland habitats, and is restricted to the colder half of the year, with the time period during which burning may be carried out in upland areas varying between countries. In England and Scotland, this period runs from the 1st October to 15th April, but in the latter jurisdiction, permission can be granted to extend the burning season to 30th April. In Wales, this period runs from 1st October to 31st March. This report sets out timing of breeding information for upland birds in England, Scotland and Wales, to assess whether rotational burning poses a threat to populations of these species, and the extent to which any such threat varies in space and time.

17.02.22

BTO Research Reports

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Impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on capacity to monitor bird populations: a case study using the UK Breeding Bird Survey

Author: Gillings, S., Balmer, D.E., Harris, S.J., Massimino, D. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W.

Published: 2022

Like many things, long-term monitoring of bird populations was interrupted during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Here, BTO scientists look at the effects of restrictions on participation in the Breeding Bird Survey during 2020 compared to previous years, and devise analytical methods to overcome the issues that emerged.

07.02.22

Papers Bird Study

Bailiwick Bat Survey: 2021 Report

Author: Newson, S.E., Allez, S.L., Coule, E.K., Gillings, S., Harper, J., Henney, J.M., Higgins, L., Simmons, M.C., Sweet, E., Whitelegg, D. & Atkinson, P.W

Published: 2022

This report presents the main findings from survey work delivered using passive acoustic monitoring devices deployed across the Bailiwick of Guernsey in 2021, the first season of the Bailiwick Bat Survey, including the first extensive baseline data for bats for the islands of Guernsey, Alderney, Herm and Sark.

07.02.22

Reports

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An assessment of relative habitat use as a metric for species’ habitat association and degree of specialization

Author: O'Reilly, E., Gregory, R.D., Aunins, A., Brotons, L., Chodkiewicz, T., Escandell, V., Foppen, R.P.B., Gamero, A., Herrando, S., Jiguet, F., Kålås, J.A., Kamp, J., Klvaňová, A., Lehikoinen, A., Lindström, Å., Massimino, D., Jostein Øien, I., Reif, J., Šilarová, E., Teufelbauer, N., Trautmann, S., van Turnhout, C., Vikstrøm, T., Voříšek, P. & Butler, S.J.

Published: 2022

02.02.22

Papers

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Large-scale citizen science survey of a common nocturnal raptor: urbanization and weather conditions influence the occupancy and detectability of the Tawny Owl Strix aluco

Author: Hanmer, H.J., Boothby, C., Toms, M.P., Noble, D.G. & Balmer, D.E.

Published: 2022

Prior to this study, most Tawny Owl population data was collected during daylight surveys for other species, or specialist, labour-intensive night-time surveys during the breeding season. The BTO Tawny Owl Calling Survey, however, harnessed the time and skill of thousands of volunteers to shed light on the impact of urbanisation on Tawny Owl populations, and used the data collected to develop the best methods for surveying these nocturnal raptors in the future.

01.02.22

Papers

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The future distribution of wetland birds breeding in Europe validated against observed changes in distribution

Author: Soultan, A., Pavón-Jordán, D., Bradter, U., Sandercock, B., Hochachka, W., Johnston, A., Brommer, J., Gaget, E., Keller, V., Knaus, P., Aghababyan, K., Maxhuni, Q., Vintchevski, A., Nagy, K., Raudonikis, L., Balmer, D., Noble, D., Leitão, D., Øien, I.J., Shimmings, P., Sultanov, E., Caffrey, B., Boyla, D., Radišić, Lindström, Å., Velevski, M., Pladevall, C., Brotons, L., Karel, Š., Rajković, D.Z., Chodkiewicz, T., Wilk, T.,. Tibor, S., van Turnhout, C., Foppen, R., Burfield, I., Vikstrøm, T., Mazal, V.D., Eaton, M., Vorisek, P., Lehikoinen, A., Herrando, S., Kuzmenko, T., Bauer, H-G., Kalyakin, M., Voltzit, O., Sjeničić, J. & Pärt, T.

Published: 2022

International collaborative research involving BTO has used data collected 30 years apart, during the two European Breeding Bird Altases, to examine range shifts in wetland birds.

25.01.22

Papers

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