The Wild Bird Indicators are part of the government’s suite of biodiversity indicators, alongside indicators related to measures of habitat condition, air pollution, river water quality, extent of protected areas, spread of non-native species as well as the state of butterflies and other wildlife. The indicators are produced annually for Defra and NatureScot by BTO, together with RSPB and JNCC. The Wild Bird Indicator is an accredited Government Official Statistic, and further information on its construction and how it is developed can be found on the government website. The Wild Bird Indicators are based on population trends of bird species that are native to, and breed or spend the winter in, the UK. These population trends are calculated largely using data that is collected by volunteers, as part of national bird monitoring schemes like the BTO/RSPB/JNCC Wetland Bird Survey and the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey. The indicators therefore link the efforts of our dedicated volunteers directly to a policy-relevant assessment of the state of nature. The indicators group breeding birds by habitat: farmland, woodland, uplands, waterways and wetlands, and marine and coastal areas, and most are based on datasets that stretch as far back as 1970. This means that indicators are a useful tool for examining how birds associated with different landscapes have fared over many decades. The indicators also report on the state of our internationally important wintering (i.e. non-breeding) wetland and coastal birds.

How can emerging technologies be optimally harnessed in seabird monitoring?

This report presents results from the first year of passive acoustic monitoring as part of the pilot of the Rewilding Monitoring Framework, working with Radnorshire Wildlife Trust. These data will contribute to baselining and monitoring rewilding progress and its impact on biodiversity.

This report presents the main findings from survey work delivered using passive acoustic monitoring devices deployed across Connecting Constable and Gainsborough Country Landscape Recovery Project area.

This study uses GPS tags, fitted to adult Curlews in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, to infer nest and brood locations and breeding outcomes from movement patterns of the tagged birds.

Working with a network of volunteer fieldworkers, static acoustic bat detectors were deployed over four survey seasons (2021–2024) to provide baseline data for bats on the islands of Guernsey, Alderney, Herm, Sark, Brecqhou, Burhou, Crevichon, Jethou and Lihou. This report provides an overview of the survey coverage and main results from the project.

This report presents results from the first year of passive acoustic monitoring as part of the pilot of the Rewilding Monitoring Framework. These data will contribute to baselining and monitoring rewilding progress on the Hepple Estate and its impact on biodiversity.