BTO publishes peer-reviewed papers in a wide range of scientific journals, both independently and with our partners. If you are unable to access a scientific paper by a BTO author, please contact us. Search settings Search Order by: Order by Latest Oldest Filter by: BTO Author Species Partners Publication Year Project Region Science topic BTO Author Adham Ashton-ButtAilidh BarnesAli JohnstonAllison KewAmanda TraskAmy ChallisAndrew DobsonAndrew JoysAndy ClementsAndy MusgroveAnna RenwickAnne CottonAnthony WetherhillAonghais CookBen DarvillBjörn BeckmannBlaise MartayBob SwannBrian EtheridgeBridget GriffinCallum MacgregorCarl BarimoreCaroline BrightonCat MorrisonCatharine HorswillCharlotte WattsChas HoltChris HewsonChris PollockChris ThaxterChris WernhamClaire BoothbyClare SimmDan ChamberlainDaniel JohnstonDaria DadamDario MassiminoDavid DouglasDavid JarrettDavid NobleDavid NorfolkDawn BalmerDiana de PalacioDorian MossEllie LeechEmily ScraggEmma CaulfieldEsther KettelGary ClewleyGavin SiriwardenaGillian BirtlesGraham AppletonGraham AustinGreg ConwayHannah HerewardHarry EwingHazel McCambridgeHeidi MellanHenrietta PringleHugh HanmerIain DownieIan HendersonIan WoodwardJacob DaviesJacquie ClarkJames BrayJames ClarkeJames HeywoodJames Pearce-HigginsJennifer BorderJeremy SmithJez BlackburnJoe CooperJohn CalladineJohn MarchantJuliet VickeryKaren WrightKate PlummerKate RiselyKatharine BowgenKatherine Booth JonesKelvin JonesKev LeightonLee BarberLiz HumphreysLucy WrightMadeleine BartonMáire KirklandMandy CookMark GranthamMark HulmeMark MillerMark RehfischMark WilsonMartin SullivanMike TomsNancy OckendonNeil CalbradeNiall BurtonNick MoranNicola BuggNigel ClarkNina O’HanlonPaul NoyesPeadar O'ConnellPeter LackPhil AtkinsonPhilipp Boersch-SupanRachel TaylorRob FullerRob RobinsonRobert JaquesRos GreenRuth WalkerSabine SchäeferSamantha FranksSamuel LangloisSarah EglingtonSarah HarrisShane WolseySimon GillingsSophie BennettStaffan RoosStephen BaillieStephen McAvoyStuart NewsonSu GoughTeresa FrostTim HarrisonViola Ross-Smith Species Arctic SkuaArctic TernAvocetBadgerBar-tailed GodwitBarnacle GooseBatsBewick’s SwanBlack GrouseBlack GuillemotBlack RatBlack-headed GullBlack-tailed GodwitBlack-throated DiverBlackbirdBlackcapBlue TitBrown RatButterflies and mothsBuzzardCanada GooseCarrion CrowChaffinchChiffchaffChoughCommon GullCommon NighthawkCommon TernCormorantCorn BuntingCuckooCurlewCurlew SandpiperDunlinEdible DormouseEiderFieldfareFulmarGannetGatekeeperGolden EagleGolden OrioleGolden PloverGoldeneyeGoldfinchGoosanderGoshawkGreat Black-backed GullGreat Crested GrebeGreat Northern DiverGreat SkuaGreat TitGreater Spotted EagleGreen-veined WhiteGreenfinchGreenshankGrey PloverGuillemotHarvest MouseHazel DormouseHerring GullHobbyHooded CrowHouse MartinHouse MouseHouse SparrowInvertebratesJayKittiwakeKnotLapwingLeach’s PetrelLesser Black-backed GullLesser Spotted WoodpeckerLinnetLittle OwlLittle Ringed PloverLittle TernLong-tailed DuckLong-tailed TitMagpieMallardMammalsManx ShearwaterMarsh TitMediterranean GullMontagu’s HarrierMoorhenNightingaleNightjarNuthatchOriental CuckooOystercatcherPeregrinePheasantPied FlycatcherPuffinPurple SandpiperRavenRazorbillRed-backed ShrikeRed-breasted MerganserRed-legged PartridgeRed-throated DiverRedshankRedstartRedwingRing-necked ParakeetRinged PloverRookRoseate TernRuffSanderlingSandwich TernSemipalmated SandpiperSerinShagShelduckShort-eared OwlShort-toed TreecreeperSiskinSkylarkSlavonian GrebeSmall WhiteSmewSnipeSong ThrushSpotted FlycatcherSpotted RedshankStarlingStorm PetrelSwallowSwiftTawny OwlTealTemminck’s StintTree PipitTree SparrowTurnstoneTurtle DoveVelvet ScoterWhimbrelWhinchatWhite StorkWhite-fronted GooseWhite-tailed EagleWillow TitWillow WarblerWood mouseWood WarblerWoodcockWoodpigeonWrenWryneckYellow-browed WarblerYellow-legged GullYellow-necked Mouse Partners BTO DAERA JNCC Natural England NatureScot RSPB From year Choose2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996 To year Choose2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996 Month Month ChooseJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec Day Day Choose12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 Project ChooseBird Ringing SchemeBirds in GreenspacesBirdTrackBlackbirds in GardensBreeding Bird Survey (BBS)BTO Acoustic PipelineCuckoo Tracking ProjectCudyll Cymru – Monitoring Raptors in WalesCudyll Cymru – Monitoring Raptors in Wales (Cymraeg)Gamekeeper Wader TransectsGarden Bird Feeding SurveyGarden BirdWatchGarden Wildlife HealthGoose and Swan Monitoring ProgrammeHeathland Birds SurveyHeronries CensusNest Record SchemeNesting NeighboursSeabird Monitoring ProgrammeVolunteer Mountain Hare SurveyWader CalendarWaterways Breeding Bird SurveyWetland Bird Survey (WeBS)Winter Bird SurveyWoodcock Survey Region Channel Islands Channel Islands (Guernsey) Channel Islands (Jersey) Isle of Man UK East of England South East England East Midlands South West Ireland London West Midlands Island territories North East Yorkshire and the Humber Northern Ireland North West Scotland Wales Science topic Biodiversity Birds and people Climate change Conservation Demographics Farmland Grassland Habitats International Marine Migration Monitoring Non-natives Other wildlife Population dynamics Predators Renewables Species interactions Technology Tracking Upland Urban Wetland Wildlife health Woodland Search Reset Role of freshwater availability and terrestrial land-cover change in the distribution of a declining, terrestrial, insectivorous bird Author: Published: 2026 River density is strongly associated with the persistence of the Spotted Flycatcher, a Red-listed migratory species in sharp decline in the UK. Protection and improvement of riverine habitats and understanding their benefits for terrestrial species should be a priority for conservation management. 14.01.26 Papers View on journal website Global population status of the migratory Holarctic species Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus Author: Published: 2026 BTO-led research estimates a minimum Arctic Skua breeding population of 185,131–395,315 pairs across Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Europe combined, but highlights a data gap for Asian Russia, where an additional 40,000–600,000 pairs could be present. Given this uncertainty, the Arctic Skua should perhaps be reclassified as ‘Data Deficient’ rather than ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN Red List at a global scale. 12.01.26 Papers View on journal website Increasing inclusivity in biological recording in the United Kingdom: progress to date and future priorities Author: Published: 2026 12.01.26 Papers View on journal website Producing breeding population estimates to monitor Little Egret trends Author: Published: 2026 Data from the Heronries Census and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP) were combined to produce population estimates for Little Egret. The population was estimated at 2,236 pairs / apparently occupied nests in 2022, which was around 40% higher than the total number of nests reported to the RBBP in that year. 06.01.26 Papers View on journal website A framework for monitoring ecosystem restoration at landscape scale Author: Published: 2025 Ecological restoration projects tend to be large, involve multiple stakeholders and include a range of ambitions including a move towards more natural ecological processes. This paper evaluates the monitoring framework developed for the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme (ELSP) by BTO and the ELSP team, based on six years of experience with14 funded projects. 18.12.25 Papers View on journal website Acoustic monitoring enables multi-taxa conservation assessment and prioritisation over large scales and for rare and cryptic species Author: Published: 2025 Passive acoustic monitoring provides landscape-scale data on rare and cryptic species across multiple taxa in the Polesia region (northern Ukraine and southern Belarus), acting as a relatively quick and cost-effective tool for informing effective conservation action. 17.12.25 Papers View on journal website Power source, data retrieval method, and attachment type affect success of dorsally mounted tracking tag deployments in 37 species of shorebirds Author: Published: 2025 Tracking studies, where individual devices are fitted to birds to follow their movements, are becoming increasingly common in ornithology. This paper uses previous research tracking waders to evalutate how various factors, including tag attachment type and power source, affect the likelihood that a study will meet its goals, and provides guidelines for selecting a tracking technique to optimise the chances of success. 04.12.25 Papers View on journal website Pagination Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 … Next page Next Last page Last
Search settings Search Order by: Order by Latest Oldest Filter by: BTO Author Species Partners Publication Year Project Region Science topic BTO Author Adham Ashton-ButtAilidh BarnesAli JohnstonAllison KewAmanda TraskAmy ChallisAndrew DobsonAndrew JoysAndy ClementsAndy MusgroveAnna RenwickAnne CottonAnthony WetherhillAonghais CookBen DarvillBjörn BeckmannBlaise MartayBob SwannBrian EtheridgeBridget GriffinCallum MacgregorCarl BarimoreCaroline BrightonCat MorrisonCatharine HorswillCharlotte WattsChas HoltChris HewsonChris PollockChris ThaxterChris WernhamClaire BoothbyClare SimmDan ChamberlainDaniel JohnstonDaria DadamDario MassiminoDavid DouglasDavid JarrettDavid NobleDavid NorfolkDawn BalmerDiana de PalacioDorian MossEllie LeechEmily ScraggEmma CaulfieldEsther KettelGary ClewleyGavin SiriwardenaGillian BirtlesGraham AppletonGraham AustinGreg ConwayHannah HerewardHarry EwingHazel McCambridgeHeidi MellanHenrietta PringleHugh HanmerIain DownieIan HendersonIan WoodwardJacob DaviesJacquie ClarkJames BrayJames ClarkeJames HeywoodJames Pearce-HigginsJennifer BorderJeremy SmithJez BlackburnJoe CooperJohn CalladineJohn MarchantJuliet VickeryKaren WrightKate PlummerKate RiselyKatharine BowgenKatherine Booth JonesKelvin JonesKev LeightonLee BarberLiz HumphreysLucy WrightMadeleine BartonMáire KirklandMandy CookMark GranthamMark HulmeMark MillerMark RehfischMark WilsonMartin SullivanMike TomsNancy OckendonNeil CalbradeNiall BurtonNick MoranNicola BuggNigel ClarkNina O’HanlonPaul NoyesPeadar O'ConnellPeter LackPhil AtkinsonPhilipp Boersch-SupanRachel TaylorRob FullerRob RobinsonRobert JaquesRos GreenRuth WalkerSabine SchäeferSamantha FranksSamuel LangloisSarah EglingtonSarah HarrisShane WolseySimon GillingsSophie BennettStaffan RoosStephen BaillieStephen McAvoyStuart NewsonSu GoughTeresa FrostTim HarrisonViola Ross-Smith Species Arctic SkuaArctic TernAvocetBadgerBar-tailed GodwitBarnacle GooseBatsBewick’s SwanBlack GrouseBlack GuillemotBlack RatBlack-headed GullBlack-tailed GodwitBlack-throated DiverBlackbirdBlackcapBlue TitBrown RatButterflies and mothsBuzzardCanada GooseCarrion CrowChaffinchChiffchaffChoughCommon GullCommon NighthawkCommon TernCormorantCorn BuntingCuckooCurlewCurlew SandpiperDunlinEdible DormouseEiderFieldfareFulmarGannetGatekeeperGolden EagleGolden OrioleGolden PloverGoldeneyeGoldfinchGoosanderGoshawkGreat Black-backed GullGreat Crested GrebeGreat Northern DiverGreat SkuaGreat TitGreater Spotted EagleGreen-veined WhiteGreenfinchGreenshankGrey PloverGuillemotHarvest MouseHazel DormouseHerring GullHobbyHooded CrowHouse MartinHouse MouseHouse SparrowInvertebratesJayKittiwakeKnotLapwingLeach’s PetrelLesser Black-backed GullLesser Spotted WoodpeckerLinnetLittle OwlLittle Ringed PloverLittle TernLong-tailed DuckLong-tailed TitMagpieMallardMammalsManx ShearwaterMarsh TitMediterranean GullMontagu’s HarrierMoorhenNightingaleNightjarNuthatchOriental CuckooOystercatcherPeregrinePheasantPied FlycatcherPuffinPurple SandpiperRavenRazorbillRed-backed ShrikeRed-breasted MerganserRed-legged PartridgeRed-throated DiverRedshankRedstartRedwingRing-necked ParakeetRinged PloverRookRoseate TernRuffSanderlingSandwich TernSemipalmated SandpiperSerinShagShelduckShort-eared OwlShort-toed TreecreeperSiskinSkylarkSlavonian GrebeSmall WhiteSmewSnipeSong ThrushSpotted FlycatcherSpotted RedshankStarlingStorm PetrelSwallowSwiftTawny OwlTealTemminck’s StintTree PipitTree SparrowTurnstoneTurtle DoveVelvet ScoterWhimbrelWhinchatWhite StorkWhite-fronted GooseWhite-tailed EagleWillow TitWillow WarblerWood mouseWood WarblerWoodcockWoodpigeonWrenWryneckYellow-browed WarblerYellow-legged GullYellow-necked Mouse Partners BTO DAERA JNCC Natural England NatureScot RSPB From year Choose2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996 To year Choose2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996 Month Month ChooseJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec Day Day Choose12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 Project ChooseBird Ringing SchemeBirds in GreenspacesBirdTrackBlackbirds in GardensBreeding Bird Survey (BBS)BTO Acoustic PipelineCuckoo Tracking ProjectCudyll Cymru – Monitoring Raptors in WalesCudyll Cymru – Monitoring Raptors in Wales (Cymraeg)Gamekeeper Wader TransectsGarden Bird Feeding SurveyGarden BirdWatchGarden Wildlife HealthGoose and Swan Monitoring ProgrammeHeathland Birds SurveyHeronries CensusNest Record SchemeNesting NeighboursSeabird Monitoring ProgrammeVolunteer Mountain Hare SurveyWader CalendarWaterways Breeding Bird SurveyWetland Bird Survey (WeBS)Winter Bird SurveyWoodcock Survey Region Channel Islands Channel Islands (Guernsey) Channel Islands (Jersey) Isle of Man UK East of England South East England East Midlands South West Ireland London West Midlands Island territories North East Yorkshire and the Humber Northern Ireland North West Scotland Wales Science topic Biodiversity Birds and people Climate change Conservation Demographics Farmland Grassland Habitats International Marine Migration Monitoring Non-natives Other wildlife Population dynamics Predators Renewables Species interactions Technology Tracking Upland Urban Wetland Wildlife health Woodland Search Reset Role of freshwater availability and terrestrial land-cover change in the distribution of a declining, terrestrial, insectivorous bird Author: Published: 2026 River density is strongly associated with the persistence of the Spotted Flycatcher, a Red-listed migratory species in sharp decline in the UK. Protection and improvement of riverine habitats and understanding their benefits for terrestrial species should be a priority for conservation management. 14.01.26 Papers View on journal website Global population status of the migratory Holarctic species Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus Author: Published: 2026 BTO-led research estimates a minimum Arctic Skua breeding population of 185,131–395,315 pairs across Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Europe combined, but highlights a data gap for Asian Russia, where an additional 40,000–600,000 pairs could be present. Given this uncertainty, the Arctic Skua should perhaps be reclassified as ‘Data Deficient’ rather than ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN Red List at a global scale. 12.01.26 Papers View on journal website Increasing inclusivity in biological recording in the United Kingdom: progress to date and future priorities Author: Published: 2026 12.01.26 Papers View on journal website Producing breeding population estimates to monitor Little Egret trends Author: Published: 2026 Data from the Heronries Census and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP) were combined to produce population estimates for Little Egret. The population was estimated at 2,236 pairs / apparently occupied nests in 2022, which was around 40% higher than the total number of nests reported to the RBBP in that year. 06.01.26 Papers View on journal website A framework for monitoring ecosystem restoration at landscape scale Author: Published: 2025 Ecological restoration projects tend to be large, involve multiple stakeholders and include a range of ambitions including a move towards more natural ecological processes. This paper evaluates the monitoring framework developed for the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme (ELSP) by BTO and the ELSP team, based on six years of experience with14 funded projects. 18.12.25 Papers View on journal website Acoustic monitoring enables multi-taxa conservation assessment and prioritisation over large scales and for rare and cryptic species Author: Published: 2025 Passive acoustic monitoring provides landscape-scale data on rare and cryptic species across multiple taxa in the Polesia region (northern Ukraine and southern Belarus), acting as a relatively quick and cost-effective tool for informing effective conservation action. 17.12.25 Papers View on journal website Power source, data retrieval method, and attachment type affect success of dorsally mounted tracking tag deployments in 37 species of shorebirds Author: Published: 2025 Tracking studies, where individual devices are fitted to birds to follow their movements, are becoming increasingly common in ornithology. This paper uses previous research tracking waders to evalutate how various factors, including tag attachment type and power source, affect the likelihood that a study will meet its goals, and provides guidelines for selecting a tracking technique to optimise the chances of success. 04.12.25 Papers View on journal website Pagination Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 … Next page Next Last page Last
Role of freshwater availability and terrestrial land-cover change in the distribution of a declining, terrestrial, insectivorous bird Author: Published: 2026 River density is strongly associated with the persistence of the Spotted Flycatcher, a Red-listed migratory species in sharp decline in the UK. Protection and improvement of riverine habitats and understanding their benefits for terrestrial species should be a priority for conservation management. 14.01.26 Papers View on journal website
Global population status of the migratory Holarctic species Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus Author: Published: 2026 BTO-led research estimates a minimum Arctic Skua breeding population of 185,131–395,315 pairs across Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Europe combined, but highlights a data gap for Asian Russia, where an additional 40,000–600,000 pairs could be present. Given this uncertainty, the Arctic Skua should perhaps be reclassified as ‘Data Deficient’ rather than ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN Red List at a global scale. 12.01.26 Papers View on journal website
Increasing inclusivity in biological recording in the United Kingdom: progress to date and future priorities Author: Published: 2026 12.01.26 Papers View on journal website
Producing breeding population estimates to monitor Little Egret trends Author: Published: 2026 Data from the Heronries Census and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP) were combined to produce population estimates for Little Egret. The population was estimated at 2,236 pairs / apparently occupied nests in 2022, which was around 40% higher than the total number of nests reported to the RBBP in that year. 06.01.26 Papers View on journal website
A framework for monitoring ecosystem restoration at landscape scale Author: Published: 2025 Ecological restoration projects tend to be large, involve multiple stakeholders and include a range of ambitions including a move towards more natural ecological processes. This paper evaluates the monitoring framework developed for the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme (ELSP) by BTO and the ELSP team, based on six years of experience with14 funded projects. 18.12.25 Papers View on journal website
Acoustic monitoring enables multi-taxa conservation assessment and prioritisation over large scales and for rare and cryptic species Author: Published: 2025 Passive acoustic monitoring provides landscape-scale data on rare and cryptic species across multiple taxa in the Polesia region (northern Ukraine and southern Belarus), acting as a relatively quick and cost-effective tool for informing effective conservation action. 17.12.25 Papers View on journal website
Power source, data retrieval method, and attachment type affect success of dorsally mounted tracking tag deployments in 37 species of shorebirds Author: Published: 2025 Tracking studies, where individual devices are fitted to birds to follow their movements, are becoming increasingly common in ornithology. This paper uses previous research tracking waders to evalutate how various factors, including tag attachment type and power source, affect the likelihood that a study will meet its goals, and provides guidelines for selecting a tracking technique to optimise the chances of success. 04.12.25 Papers View on journal website