90 years of the BTO Heronries Census
12 Feb 2018
Intended to be a one-off survey for British Birds magazine in 1928, the BTO Heronries Census is now in its 90th year and still going strong! It is probably the longest running data set for any breeding bird in the world. Although focused on Grey Herons, the census also covers inland-nesting Cormorants and Little Egrets, with scarcer herons also counted at a handful of sites. Around two-thirds of the UK’s heronries are surveyed annually by the census, with 'apparently occupied nests' counted at each site, in order to estimate the UK population each year.
Every so often, a more comprehensive survey aims to increase coverage of the heronries which are not visited regularly – the last time this occurred was on the 75th anniversary in 2003. The 90th anniversary is a good time to undertake another such survey. If you would like to take part, you can contact your Regional Heronries Census Organiser to express your interest.
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