The report provides a single, comprehensive source of information on the current status and distribution of waterbirds in the UK for those interested in the conservation of the populations of these species and the wetland sites they use. Key stories from this report include more updates on avian influenza affecting migratory Barnacle Goose and Mute Swan, as well as a focus on the latest WeBS Alerts, looking at how wintering waterbirds are doing in protected areas. View the press release for this report

These are the main schemes for monitoring the population changes of the UK’s widespread breeding birds, providing an important indicator of the health of the countryside. The results are published annually as Official Statistics and used widely by Defra and the Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs, e.g. Natural England and NatureScot) to set priorities and to inform conservation action, and as the evidence base against which the UK’s biodiversity targets are measured. BBS data are also routinely used in research, with recent examples including peer-reviewed papers published in 2022 and 2024 which measured the efficacy of the UK’s network of protected areas in supporting wildlife. The 2024 Breeding Bird Survey Report highlights the continuing decline of some farmland species and more recent declines of woodland birds, at least in England. In Scotland, there is a focus on upland birds, where an all-species indicator using BBS data shows a 20% decline since 1994. In Wales, there are mixed fortunes, with species like House Sparrow bucking the downward trend seen in England, whilst Curlew are in severe decline, as they are elsewhere in the UK. Some songbirds in Northern Ireland, such as Blackbird are doing comparatively well compared to the wider UK trend. We thank nearly 3,000 skilled and dedicated volunteers who give their time to BBS and WBBS and make the monitoring of the UK’s breeding birds possible. Download the 2024 report Or, browse all editions of the Breeding Bird Survey Report >

This report assesses the capability of a Spoor AI camera system with both mono-vision (single-camera) and stereo-vision capabilities for bird monitoring deployed at the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre in Aberdeen Bay using both theoretical considerations and onshore and offshore field trials.

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.

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.

This study uses a population modelling approach to explore the effects of changes in rates of productivity, survival, and settlement on population growth in the English population of Hen Harriers.