Books and guides

Books and guides

BTO publishes books, atlases and field guides for a broad range of audiences, from the interested birdwatcher to the active surveyor. Many of these are available to buy in our online store.

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Bird monitoring at a local scale: A guide for local project coordinators and volunteer birdwatchers

Author: Heywood, J.J.N., Balmer, D.E., Siriwardena, G.M. & Gillings, S.

Published: 2025

BTO has a long history of supporting long-running national monitoring schemes such as the Breeding Bird Survey, Wetland Bird Survey, Seabird Monitoring Programme and Nest Record Scheme. As well as national scale information on birds that these surveys provide, there is also a growing demand for monitoring at smaller spatial scales, from National Parks and estates to smaller local wildlife sites. Often, the best evidence of the efficacy of particular interventions comes from smaller scale monitoring. However, the design and set up of a monitoring programme can be challenging. This guide is aimed at the organisers of – and participants in – local scale monitoring projects. It deals with the fundamental questions of what you might want to measure and why; how to choose between established methods for sampling and counting; and how to manage your volunteers and the data they collect. Readers are encouraged to use methods that closely align with those used in national schemes. By collecting data in a particular way, comparisons between local- and national-level data become possible, so giving added value to the data collected. As well as this guide on how to collect data, we now also publish the data and analysed outputs from smaller spatial scales, derived from the wide range of our national volunteer monitoring schemes. For information on how birds have changed in your county, Local Nature Recovery Strategy area or bird recording area, please visit out BirdFacts Places site. You might find that the information you need is already available. This guide is also available from Zenodo and carries a DOI: doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15657012

06.11.25

Books and guides Conservation Advice Notes

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Into the Red

Author: Jewitt, K. & Toms, M.

Published: 2022

Into the Red is a collaboration between 70 authors and 70 artists with a single goal: to raise funds to support conservation work aiming to reverse the declines of our most at-risk birds. Contributors include Nick Hayes, M.G. Leonard, Isabella Tree, Richard Mabey, Amir Khan, David Gray, Jim Moir, Harriet Mead, Brigit Strawbridge, Mackenzie Crook, Megan McCubbin, and many others.

04.10.22

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Red Sixty Seven

Author: Curated by Kit Jewitt

Published: 2020

This book should not exist! In an ideal world this book, and the official Red List of the most vulnerable birds in the UK it is based on, would not be needed. But the world is far from ideal and our bird populations are declining at an alarming rate. In the past few years alone the once widespread Wryneck has ceased breeding in the UK altogether and has dropped off the list completely. Which species will be next? Red Sixty Seven was a collaboration between 67 authors and 67 artists with a single goal: to raise funds to support conservation work aiming to reverse the declines of our most at-risk birds.

14.02.20

Books and guides Book

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Flowers of the Brecks Part 2: Wetland, Woodland and Farmland

Author: Mike Crewe

Published: 2019

The Brecks Guides provide an affordable and informative introduction to the wildlife of the area. Pocket-sized, they are the ideal companions for a day out in the countryside. This book covers those Breckland flowers that are found in wetland, woodland and farmland habitats. Climatic and soil conditions in the Brecks are such that a particularly notable assemblage of plants is found locally. Several species have their British headquarters here, while for others it is their only known location in the whole country. This handy guide will help you identify the special plants of the area, explaining how to distinguish them from more familiar species and directing you to the best places and times of year at which to find them.

15.10.19

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Animals of the Brecks: Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians

Author: Mike Toms & Stuart Newson

Published: 2019

The Brecks Guides provide an affordable and informative introduction to the wildlife of the area. Pocket-sized, they are the ideal companions for a day out in the countryside. Breckland hosts a broad range of mammal, reptile and amphibian species which, because of their often secretive nature, can be difficult to track down without some local knowledge. This guide provides that knowledge, together with other information that will help you find, watch and identify these animals. The Brecks form a unique area of inland East Anglia, straddling the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. Recognised as one of the most important parts of the United Kingdom in terms of biodiversity, they encompass tracts of forest, heathland and arable farmland, threaded by river corridors. These diverse habitats support a range of fascinating wildlife.

15.10.19

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Bird Photographer of the Year 2018 (Collection 3)

Author:

Published: 2018

The Bird Photographer of the Year competition celebrates the artistry of bird photography, and this large-format book is lavishly illustrated to reflect this. A celebration of avian beauty and diversity, it is a tribute to both the dedication and passion of the photographers as well as a reflection of the quality of today's modern digital imaging systems. BTO was a partner in the competition from its first three years.

24.08.18

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Nestboxes: Your Complete Guide

Author: Dave Cromack

Published: Spring 2018

Written by Dave Cromack and drawing on the BTO's expertise, this new book provides the perfect guide to building, erecting and monitoring nestboxes for a broad range of familiar bird species. It includes: Step-by-step illustrated instructions for constructing proven nestbox designs Profiles of garden bird species that regularly use nestboxes Box designs for less common garden visitors Practical advice on the best positions for your nestboxes How to protect nesting birds from cats and other predators The best materials and tools to use Tips on repairing and preserving nestboxes Advice on providing refuges for Hedgehogs and other garden animals Published by BTO Services Ltd with the support of Jacobi Jayne & Company.

15.03.18

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