rspb state of birds uk report

8/13/2019 RSPB state of birds UK report

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THE STATE OF THE UK’S BIRDS 2013 1

The state of the

UK’s birds 2013



2 THE STATE OF THE UK’S BIRDS 2013

Contents

Headlines 4

Introduction 6

Wild bird indicators 8

Common breeding birds 9

Rare breeding birds 18

Upland birds 20

Other survey news 22Bird Atlas 2007–11 24

Breeding seabirds 32

Wintering waterbirds 36

Birds in the Overseas Territories 44

What you can do to help 50

Acknowledgements 53

About us 54

Throughout this report, speciesare colour-coded accordingto their conservation status,as published in Birds ofConservation Concern 3 in 2009.The 52 species identied as beingof the greatest conservationconcern are red-listed , the 126species of moderate concern areamber-listed and the 68 speciesof least concern are green-listed .




This report presents the latest results from bird monitoringin the UK and its Overseas Territories. Some of the keyheadlines include...Headlines

New Bird Atlas revealsdeclines The newly-published Bird Atlas 2007–11 ,perhaps the most ambitious bird-monitoringproject ever attempted in Britain and Ireland,has given us new maps of the distributionand abundance of all our regular breedingand wintering birds. For example, it tellsus that:

• The breeding range of snipe is now 31%smaller than in 1968–72, and thesebirds are now long gone from much oftheir former range in southern England.Their disappearance is linked toagricultural intensication and thedrainage of wet pastures.

• The range of wintering pochards hasdecreased by 21% since 1981–84.This contraction is greater in Ireland(49%) than in Britain (13%).

• Willow tits have shown one of themost dramatic contractions in rangeof any species, accelerating from 10%between the rst two atlases (covering1968–72 and 1988–91) to 50% sincethe early 1990s.

Snipe havedisappeared from muchof southern

England

S t e v e K n e l l ( r s p b - i m a g e s . c o m

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Ups and downs Turtle doves and wood warblers are continuing todecline, alongside other species of high conservationconcern. We should, however, celebrate the ongoingrecovery of the long-persecuted red kite .

Many of our breeding waterbirds have increased,including mute swans and tufted ducks , as havesome of our common woodland birds such asnuthatches and great spotted woodpeckers .

Since 1999, there have been worrying declines indotterels , which are down 43%, and ring ouzels ,which have declined by 29%.

Recent hard winters have hit populationsof some of our rare resident breeding birds:bearded tits , Cetti’s warblers and especiallyDartford warblers have shown steep declinessince 2008.

Wintering populations of a number ofwaterbirds have declined in recent years.Whilst some declines may be due to shiftingranges, we are concerned that others, suchas the decline of pochards , may indicatepopulation-level problems.

Rats biteback overseasIn the UK’s Overseas Territories (OTs),the presence of invasive non-native speciesremains a huge conservation issue.

Ascension frigatebirds and masked boobies have beneted from the removal of cats onAscension Island. However, the failure of rat

eradication on Henderson Island means that thebenets for Henderson reed warblers and manythousands of seabirds may be short-lived.

Headlines

Red kites arerecovering from centuriesof persecution

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IntroductionThis is the 14th The state of the UK’s birds (SUKB ) report.Published in 2013, it contains results from annual, periodic andone-off surveys and studies from as recently as 2012. It draws onmany sources of information to give an up-to-date overview of thehealth of bird populations in the UK and its Overseas Territories.

Excitingly, the publication of thisreport follows hot on the heelsof the Bird Atlas 2007–11 , thepinnacle of years of organisation,eldwork and analysis by theBTO, BirdWatch Ireland and theScottish Ornithologists’ Club.

This mammoth effort has givenus state-of-the-art maps of thedistribution of Britain and Ireland’s

birds, in both the breeding seasonand winter. It is an invaluable toolfor monitoring the fortunes of theUK’s birds. Throughout SUKB 2013, we refer to some of thehot-off-the-press results of thiswork, and highlight the Atlasin a special centrepiece article.However, we would urge youto check out the Atlas itself at:bto.org/shop/bird-atlas

The state of the UK’s birds 2013is produced by a coalition of threeNGOs – the Royal Society for theProtection of Birds (RSPB), theBritish Trust for Ornithology (BTO)and the Wildfowl & WetlandsTrust (WWT) – and the UKGovernment’s statutory natureconservation agencies – NaturalEngland (NE), Natural ResourcesWales (NRW), Northern Ireland

Environment Agency (NIEA),Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH)and the Joint Nature ConservationCommittee (JNCC).

This year saw the publication ofa new report, State of Nature ,which attempted to summarisethe fortunes of all of the UK’splants and animals. The Stateof Nature partnership, which

includes the three NGO partnersin SUKB , intends to produceregular reports in the future.However, we believe that SUKB will continue to provide a valuablein-depth focus on the fortunesof the UK’s birds which State ofNature cannot. Therefore, we arecommitted to continuing withannual SUKB reports.

This report should bereferenced as: Eaton MA, Balmer DE, BrightJ, Cuthbert R, Grice PV, Hall C,Hayhow DB, Hearn RD, Holt CA,Knipe A, Mavor R, Noble DG,Oppel S, Risely K, Stroud DAand Wotton S (2013). The state ofthe UK’s birds 2013 . RSPB, BTO,WWT, NRW, JNCC, NE, NIEAand SNH, Sandy, Bedfordshire.

A special thank youto volunteersBird monitoring in the UK is ledby NGOs in collaboration with theGovernments, but it relies heavilyon the efforts of many thousandsof volunteers. Without thesededicated volunteers, the bodyof evidence available to inuenceour conservation decisions would

be considerably poorer.The state of the UK’s birds givesus the opportunity to recogniseand celebrate the huge role ofvolunteers in bird monitoring, andto thank them for the time andeffort they devote to the schemesdescribed within the report, suchas the many thousands of hoursof volunteer time dedicated to theBird Atlas 2007–11 .

If you are one of these volunteers,then thank you. If not, why notconsider taking up one of thewide variety of monitoringopportunities outlined on pages50–51?




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Indicators

UK wild bird indicatorThe UK wild bird indicator is animportant, high-level measure ofthe state of biodiversity in theUK. It is also used to measurethe country’s progress towardssustainable development goals.

It shows broad trends in bird

populations within four habitatsalong with an “all species”line. However, it should beremembered that within theselines there can be great variationin the trends of individual species,with some prospering whileothers are declining. The individualspecies trends that feed into theindicators can be found on pages9–12 (for common breeding birdsincluding those in the farmland,

woodland and wetland indicators)and page 32 (for seabirds).

The good news is that therehas been a slight upturn in thewoodland indicator, although itremains below its start value.However, the farmland birdindicator remains stalled at lessthan half its 1970 value, and thewetland and seabird indicatorshave both shown recent declines.

All the indicators start from a value of 100. If an index rises to200 then, on average, populations of species in the indicatorhave doubled: if it falls to 50 then they have halved.

UK winteringwaterbird indicatorThe UK holds internationallyimportant populations of swans,geese, ducks and wading birdsevery winter. The winteringwaterbird indicator shows hownumbers rose steadily from themid 1970s to the late 1990s andthen stabilised before entering

a shallow decline. See pages36–37 for trends in individualspecies and more discussionof the indicator.

Wild bird indicator

Wintering waterbird indicator

I n d e x ( 1 9 7 0 =

1 0 0 )

W a t e r a n d w e t l a n d

b i r d s ( 1 9 7 5 = 1 0 0 )

All (128)

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Farmland (19)Woodland (38)Wetland (26)Seabirds (19)

Year

1 9 7 0

1 9 7 2

1 9 7 4

1 9 7 6

1 9 7 8

1 9 8 0

1 9 8 2

1 9 8 4

1 9 8 6

1 9 8 8

1 9 9 0

1 9 9 2

1 9 9 4

1 9 9 6

1 9 9 8

2 0 0 0

2 0 0 2

2 0 0 4

2 0 0 6

2 0 0 8

2 0 1 0

2 0 1 2

0

I n d e x ( 1 9 7 5 / 7 6 =

1 0 0 )

Year

50

1 9 7 5 / 1 9 7

6

1 9 7 7 / 1 9 7

8

1 9 7 9 / 1 9 8

0

1 9 8 1 / 1 9 8

2

1 9 8 3 / 1 9 8

4

1 9 8 5 / 1 9 8

6

1 9 8 7 / 1 9 8

8

1 9 8 9 / 1 9 9

0

1 9 9 1 / 1 9 9

2

1 9 9 3 / 1 9 9

4

1 9 9 5 / 1 9 9

6

1 9 9 7 / 1 9 9

8

1 9 9 9 / 2 0 0

0

2 0 0 1 / 2 0 0

2

2 0 0 3 / 2 0 0 4

2 0 0 5 / 2 0 0 6

2 0 0 7 / 2 0 0 8

2 0 0 9 / 2 0 1

0

2 0 1 1 / 2 0 1 2

All native species (46)Wildfowl (27)Waders (15)

100

150

200

250

Wild bird indicators




Common breeding birds

The task of monitoring and summarising the changes in numbers ofthe UK’s common and widespread birds is a mammoth one. Every year,thousands of Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) volunteers collectively walkten thousand miles and count over one million individual birds.

These counts are analysed,compared with previous

records and, nally, distilleddown to a single change gurefor each species, which wepresent here. In 2012, 3,430BBS squares were surveyed– the second highest total ever.

The table opposite shows theestimated long-term (1970–2011)and short-term (1995–2011) trendsfor common breeding birds in theUK, based on the results of four

annual bird surveys; the CommonBirds Census (CBC) from 1970to 2000, its replacement, theBreeding Bird Survey (BBS), from1994 onwards, the WaterwaysBird Survey (WBS) from 1974 to2011, and its replacement, theWaterways Breeding Bird Survey(WBBS), from 1998 onwards.

Rocketing increasesThe trends show a massiverange, from rocketing increases toplummeting declines. Increasingspecies include waterbirds suchas mute swans , mallards andtufted ducks , and commonwoodland birds such as blue andgreat tits , nuthatches and greatspotted woodpeckers . Strikingincreases were also seen in redkites and buzzards , which arereturning to their former levels after

many centuries of persecution.Perhaps less welcome are increasesin non-native Canada geese andring-necked parakeets .

An update on commonbreeding birds

Nuthatches have increased by 88% since 1995

Trends in commonbreeding birds in the UK

Species Long-term trend %(1970–2011)

BBS trend %(1995–2011)

Mute swan 187 27

Greylag goose n/a 179

Canada goose n/a 57

Shelduck 120* -5

Gadwall n/a 86Mallard 99 20

Tufted duck 71 5

Red grouse n/a 6

Red-legged partridge -15 24

Grey partridge -91 -53

Pheasant 74* 32

Grey heron 4 -10

Little grebe -49 -32

Great crested grebe n/a 11

Red kite n/a 676

Sparrowhawk 98 0

Buzzard 452* 80

Kestrel -43* -30

M a r k S i s s

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(Continued overleaf)




Plummeting declinesAmongst the declining species,several groupings are readilyapparent. Some of the mostextensive declines are in farmlandbirds such as grey partridges ,corn buntings and turtle doves ,with the latter showing thegreatest decrease – 85% since1995 – of any species. A numberof woodland specialists have alsodeclined, with willow tits , lesserspotted woodpeckers and woodwarblers amongst them.

Wood warblers belong to agroup of birds found in a rangeof habitats: Afro-Palearcticmigrants. Along with theaforementioned wood warblers and turtle doves , whinchatsand pied ycatchers have at leasthalved in numbers since 1995,with the declines of others, suchas yellow wagtails and spottedycatchers , close to this mark.

Numbers ofwood warblershave more than

halved


BBS trend %(1995-2011)

Hobby n/a 12

Peregrine n/a -28Moorhen -25 -9

Coot 70 29

Oystercatcher n/a -16

Golden plover n/a -9

Lapwing -63 -41

Snipe n/a 8

Curlew -62* -45

Common sandpiper -44 -31

Redshank n/a -42

Feral pigeon n/a -15

Stock dove 96* 11

Woodpigeon 134 40

Collared dove 372 19

Turtle dove -95 -85

Ring-necked parakeet n/a 1,057

Cuckoo -62* -50

Barn owl n/a 279

Little owl -56 -44

Tawny owl -30 -18

Swift n/a -39

Kingsher -13 1

Green woodpecker 113* 38

Great spotted woodpecker 365 139

Lesser spotted woodpecker -80 n/a

Magpie 99 -1

Jay 5 15

Jackdaw 140 51

Rook n/a -17

Carrion crow 93* 13

Hooded crow n/a 6

Raven n/a 5Goldcrest -29* -9

Blue tit 28 7

Great tit 92 45

Coal tit 39 20

Willow tit -94 -82

Marsh tit -69 24

Skylark -59* -22

Sand martin 26 18

Swallow 25* 36

House martin -42* -2

Long-tailed tit 120* 32

Wood warbler n/a -69

Chiffchaff 89 93

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(Continued overleaf)




Corn buntings areone of a numberof farmland birdswith populations insteep decline

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BBS trend %(1995-2011)

Willow warbler -33* 5

Blackcap 269 133Garden warbler 6 -10

Lesser whitethroat 21 4

Whitethroat 14 40

Grasshopper warbler n/a 24

Sedge warbler -10 11

Reed warbler 137 31

Nuthatch 248 88

Treecreeper -13 4

Wren 21 -5

Starling -81* -53

Dipper -30 -16

Blackbird -16 22

Song thrush -56 7

Mistle thrush -59 -31

Spotted ycatcher -88 -49

Robin 31 6

Nightingale n/a -46

Pied ycatcher n/a -52

Redstart 57 31

Whinchat n/a -60

Stonechat n/a 3

Wheatear n/a -1

Dunnock -30 22

House sparrow -64* -1

Tree sparrow -90* 113

Yellow wagtail -69 -45

Grey wagtail -58 -31

Pied wagtail 21 -13

Tree pipit -71* 1

Meadow pipit -44* -21

Chafnch 37 12Greennch -17 -17

Goldnch 143* 109

Siskin n/a 89

Linnet -54* -19

Lesser redpoll -84* 55

Common crossbill n/a 130

Bullnch -38 12

Yellowhammer -54 -13

Reed bunting -39 19

Corn bunting -90 -34


All short-term trends are based on thesmoothed BBS estimates of changein the UK between 1995 and 2011,except for seven riverine species(little grebe , tufted duck , kingshergrey wagtail , sand martin , dipper and common sandpiper ) for whicha similar measure is calculated bycombining the WBS and WBBS data,and the grey heron for which trendsare based on the Heronries Census.

For most species, the long-termtrends are based on the smoothedestimates of change between 1970and 2011 in a combined CBC-BBS

analysis. However, for species withevidence of marked differences in thepopulation monitored by the BBS andits predecessor the CBC (coded *)we use the CBC results until 1994,and solely the BBS from 1994 to2012. Hence, long-term trendsfor these species may not berepresentative of the UK populationprior to 1994, due to the more limitedgeographical and habitat coverageof the CBC (mainly farmland andwoodland sites in England).

Long-term trends for the sevenriverine species are based onsmoothed WBS-WBBS estimatesof change between 1975 and 2011.Although all data, including the mostrecent from 2012, are included inthese analyses, we report measuresof change from 1970 or 1995 to thepenultimate year (2011), to avoidunreliable effects due to smoothingat the endpoints of time series.

Apart from the seven riverine species,long-term trends cover shorter timeperiods due to the later availability ofreliable data, as follows: 1972–2011for collared doves , 1975–2011 forsparrowhawks and 1977–2011 forhouse sparrows .

More details on the BBS, includingThe Breeding Bird Survey 2012 report, can be found at:

bto.org/volunteer-surveys/bbs




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Although house sparrowsare declining overall, they areincreasing in western areas





models use bird detectability,calculated from counts of birdsin distance bands from surveytransect lines, together withhabitat information and location,to infer densities and changes overtime in unsurveyed areas acrossthe whole of the UK. The mapof modelled densities for housesparrows (top left) illustrates howthese birds are concentrated inurban areas, and how rare theyare across much of Scotland.

The house sparrow map (topright) shows variation in trends in

house sparrow numbers sincethe start of the BBS. The red areasshow that the greatest declineshave been in London, the area

where house sparrows are stillmost common. Western areas,however, have seen increasesin house sparrow populations,which is perhaps surprising giventhe well-documented decline ofthis species.

The map of cuckoo density(bottom left) is almost a negativeimage of the house sparrow density map, with markedabsences from urban areas.

Cuckoos are most common inthe far south and north, but the

map (bottom right) shows thatnumbers in the south are fallingrapidly, while those in the northare actually increasing.

The BBS allows us to say thatthe total number of breedingyellowhammers in the UKhas declined by 13% since1994, there has been a 49%decline in the spotted ycatcher population over the same period,and chiffchaffs have increasedby 93%.

These headline gures areuseful when a clear overallmessage is needed, such aswhen assessing the impactof changes in land-use or landmanagement at a national scale,

or when determining the relativeconservation priorities of species.However, these UK-wide guresmay be deceptively simple.Not only do bird numbersuctuate from year to year, assurvival, productivity and mortalitychange depending on conditions,but the spatial variation in bothdensities and trends can bedramatic. Cuckoo numbers,for example, are increasing in

the north and declining stronglyin the south, a pattern maskedby the overall short-term changeof –50%. This spatial variation isparticularly relevant when tryingto link changes in bird numberswith ne-scale differences inhabitat and environment thatmay be driving these changes.

Mapping changesBBS counts are repeated at thesame sites every year, givinga good indication of annualuctuations in bird numbers.However, it would be impossibleto monitor every single eld, moorand wood, so a random selectionof 1 km squares, designed to berepresentative of the country asa whole, is surveyed.

The area covered is only slightlymore than 1% of the total UK

land area, so complex statisticaltechniques are needed in orderto map ne-scale changes acrossthe rest of the country. Statistical Chiffchaffs have increased by 93% since 1994

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House sparrow trend map from the BBS

Cuckoo density from the BBS Cuckoo trend map from the BBS


House sparrow density from the BBS




BBS trend map, with declinesin the east and increases inthe west, including substantialincreases in the Republic ofIreland that are not monitored bythe BBS.

The breeding season distributionchange map (top right) showsthat this species is still hangingon in many 10 km squares inScotland and upland areas,despite the very low densitieson the BBS density map.

CuckoosThe map of change incuckoo abundance (bottomleft) conrms the north-southdivide in population trends.This pattern is also shown bya number of other species,such as willow warblers .The distribution change map(bottom right) reveals thatcuckoos have been lostaltogether from many 10 km

squares across Ireland andEngland, a fact that can onlybe discovered through directsurveys, rather than modelling.


The detailed informationprovided by the Atlas is theresult of volunteer effort of suchmagnitude that it can only beundertaken around every 20years, and cannot be used tomonitor year-to-year changesin the same way as the BBS.It’s clear from this that theAtlas and BBS methodologiesboth have strengths andweaknesses. However, whencombined they can give a clearpicture of presence, density,and change for many of ourbreeding bird species. When

consistent results emerge fromthese two separate projects wecan have condence that thepatterns observed are genuine.

The examples shown heredemonstrate how maps can givedetail and context to the simplepercentage changes given onpages 9–12. All BBS density andtrend maps can be viewed on theBBS website bto.org/bbs ,

and all the Atlas maps areavailable in the Bird Atlas2007–11 ; see pages 24–31 formore detail on this publication.

Bird Atlas 2007–11:adding to our

knowledge of changeModelled information, such asthat used to create the maps onthe previous page, can be usedto illuminate the relationshipbetween changes in birdnumbers and possible causesof these changes, even in areasnot directly surveyed for birds.However, such models need a lotof data in order to provide robustoutputs and can only be createdfor around 50 of the UK’s mostcommon species. For other, lesscommon species, direct countsare needed on a large scale toassess patterns of distribution,abundance and change.

This was precisely the aim of theBird Atlas 2007–11 , for whichall parts of Britain and Irelandwere surveyed for birds between2007 and 2011. The scope of

the atlas was far larger thanthe 3,500 or so 1 km squaressurveyed every year for the BBS;standardised “Timed Tetrad Visit”(TTV) counts were made onaround 50,000 2x2 km squaresin both the breeding seasonand in winter. Very detailedinformation on distribution andrelative abundance was collectedfor all species, and TTVs allowedcomparisons to be made with the

previous breeding bird atlas thatspanned the period 1988–91.

Maps of change derived fromTTV counts, while presentedat a courser scale than themodelled BBS trend maps, canbe calculated for more species,and can be used to independentlyconrm our existing knowledgeof population changes.

House sparrows The Atlas abundance changemap for house sparrows (topleft) tells the same story as the Cuckoo chick

D a vi d T i pl i n g





Common breeding birdsChange in house sparrow abundancebetween the 1998–91 and 2007–11bird atlases

Change in house sparrow occurrencebetween the 1968–72 and 2007–11bird atlases

Change in cuckoo abundance betweenthe 1988–91 and 2007–11 bird atlases

Change in cuckoo occurrence betweenthe 1968–72 and 2007–11 bird atlases

Increasing

Stable

DecliningDeclining

Stable

Increasing

Increasing

Stable

DecliningDeclining

Stable

Increasing

Gain since 1988–91


Present all atlases

Missing in 1988–91

Loss since 1968–72




Present all atlases







News from the RareBreeding Birds PanelThe Rare Breeding Birds Panel(RBBP) has reported on thepopulations of the UK’s rarestbreeding birds since 1973.In recent years, a pattern hasemerged in the fortunes ofmany of these birds; whilstsome species have dwindled

in numbers, with UK extinctiona possibility for the likes ofwrynecks , golden orioles and marsh warblers , manyhave increased.

A substantial number of theincreasing species have asoutherly distribution, and soare apparently beneting fromclimate change. This includes arange of species characteristic

of continental Europe that arepushing north to colonise theUK, in particular a number ofwaterbirds that are exploitingnewly-created wetlands acrosssouthern England. In recentSUKB reports, we have reportedon the arrival of spoonbills ,cattle egrets , little bitterns and purple herons as breeders:the great white egret is anotherto add to that list, followingbreeding in Somerset in 2012.

Hard winters hitDartford warblersOther rare breeders that haveshown increases includewell-established residents thathave beneted from milderwinters in the 1990s and 2000s,such as Dartford and Cetti’swarblers and bearded tits .However, the latest RBBP

reports show a dramatic reversal

in the fortunes of these three,a consequence of the run ofharder winters that the UK hasexperienced since 2008/09. The number of Dartford warblers – a small-bodied insectivorevulnerable to cold weather –reported to the Panel has fallen by75%, from 2,110 pairs in 2008 to530 in 2011. Likewise, the numberof bearded tits reported halvedbetween 2010 and 2011, andCetti’s warblers have fallen from2,255 in 2008 to 1,484 in 2011.

Whilst annual reporting for thesespecies is incomplete, and levelsof coverage vary from year toyear, it is clear there have beensubstantial declines. Interestingly,there are clear geographicalpatterns; whilst Dartford warbler numbers have crashed in thesouthern core, some of the

peripheral populations at the

expanding edge of the range,such as in East Anglia and theMidlands, have survived andthe small Welsh populationhas continued to increase.

Firecrests flourishingBy way of contrast, anothersmall insectivorous southernspecies, the recrest , hascontinued to ourish. In 2011,758 pairs were reported to thePanel, with the true populationprobably in excess of a thousand;ten years ago just 121 pairs werereported. The difference herebetween our breeding populationof recrests and Dartford warblersis that recrests migrate, at thevery least to our mildersouth-western coasts, if notfurther south – thus avoidingpotentially fatal winter freezes.

Year

P o s s i b l e b r e e d i n g p a i r s

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

3000

Numbers of Dartford warblers reported to the RBBP

Rare breeding birds




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Firecrests continueto ourish: increasingfrom 121 pairs to 758pairs in just 10 years




Upland birds

Upland bird updateThe UK’s uplands are challenging places to work, and our true montanehabitats even more so. Their remoteness, the rough terrain, andextremes of weather, not to mention the low density of birds, combineto make monitoring the species that rely on them particularly difcult.

As a result, our knowledge of thestatus of upland birds is poorerthan for many other habitats,despite the fact that the UKholds internationally important

populations of some uplandspecies. However, this year wecan provide updates on three ofour special upland birds that havebeen surveyed in recent years.

In 2011, the national montanebirds survey aimed to provide thethird national survey for dotterels ,and the rst ever nationalassessment of snow buntings .The second ever national ring

ouzel survey took place in 2012.Both were herculean efforts,with professional and volunteereldworkers battling the terrainand weather, but also reaping therewards of working in some ofthe country’s wildest and mostbeautiful places.

Both dotterels and snowbuntings rely on montanehabitats; these habitats, abovethe natural tree line, occupyapproximately 3% of Britain’s

land surface and the majority arefound in the Scottish Highlands.

DotterelsDotterels are one of just threeUK breeding birds that showsexual role reversal; femalesregularly mate with more thanone male and the male remainswith the eggs to rear the chicks,while the female moves on to

look for more males.In some cases, she will head asfar as Norway to do so. For thisreason, population estimates aregiven as the number of breedingmales, rather than pairs.

The 2011 survey estimated thepopulation to be 423 breedingmales (95% condence limits279–644), a signicant decline of43% since the previous survey

in 1999 (which found 510–755breeding males). This continuesa decline observed since therst survey in 1987–88 reported981 breeding males (95%condence limits 873–1,101).As in 1999, the majority (61%)of the population were foundin the eastern Highlands, and89% of males bred in only threeregions – the East, Central andNorth Highlands. As the maps

from the 1987/88 and 2011surveys show, the populationappears to be contracting,with an absence of dotterels from previously-occupied sitesin the Western and NorthWestern Highlands.

Sites occupied by breeding dotterels in Scotland in 1987/88 (left) and 2011 (right) are shownwith darker shading




Although no dotterels wererecorded during montanesurvey visits in England orWales, eldwork for the BirdAtlas 2007–11 found onebreeding record, in Cumbria.Only 17% of all sites surveyedhad breeding dotterels in 2011,compared to a third of sites in1999, further evidence of

a retraction to core areas.Britain is at the south-westernextent of the dotterels’ range:the bulk of the population occupiesbreeding grounds eastwardsfrom Scandinavia towards Siberia.The wintering grounds centre onNorth Africa and the Middle East.Changes in numbers breedingin Scotland could be a resultof habitat changes on eithermontane breeding areas or onthe wintering grounds; researchis underway to investigate thepotential impact of climatechange on dotterels in Scotland.

Snow buntingsSnow buntings breed in highcorries and boulder elds in theScottish mountains. Due to theremoteness of such locations,and the small population size,

a comprehensive survey hasnever been undertaken. In 2011,surveyors visited sites across theScottish Highlands where snow

buntings had been recordedduring the breeding seasonsince the 1970s. In total, 58 siteswere surveyed, of which 40%were occupied. As expected,80% of the records camefrom the species’ strongholdin the central Cairngorms.

The surveyors found a minimum

of 35 territorial pairs, butconrming such pairs is difcultand using additional records ofsingle males gives a minimum of79 possible territories. A furthercorrection for birds undetectedduring surveying suggests anestimate in the order of 100possible breeding pairs. This isin line with previous estimatesof the snow bunting breedingpopulation, but gives a far morerobust baseline upon which tobase future monitoring of thisvulnerable species.

How snow buntings respondto climate change is of particularinterest, as the Scottish breedingpopulation is at the southern edgeof the global breeding range.

Ring ouzelsThe ring ouzel is a red-listed

species of conservation concernowing to a decline of 58%between the late 1980s and therst UK survey in 1999. The birds

can be very difcult to detect, sosurvey methods in 1999 and 2012used call playback at specic pointsalong tetrad transect lines to helpelicit a response from any ringouzels present. The secondnational survey in 2012 foundfurther evidence for populationdecline across the UK: an estimateof 5,332 territories (95% condence

limits 4,096–6,875) representsa 29% decline since 1999. Acomparison of the 36 tetradsthat were surveyed in both yearsshowed a signicant decrease of35%. In 1999, these tetrads helda maximum of 78 territories: in2012 they held 51 territories.

The majority of the UK populationis found in Scotland, and therewas evidence for greater lossesthere than elsewhere, with adecline of 36% between 1999and 2012 (an estimated 3,520territories in 2012 compared to5,503 in 1999).

In 2012, ring ouzel territories werefound over a greater altitudinalrange than in 1999, from 100 mto 1200 m above sea level (asl),with an average of 407 m inEngland, 467 m in Wales and 549m in Scotland. Over the UK as a

whole, there was no signicantdifference between the meanterritory altitudes between 1999(472 m asl) and 2012 (490 m asl).

The majority of ringouzels in the UK arefound in Scotland

D a nn y G r e en





Other survey news

Mixed fortunes for crakesThe second national survey of the elusive spotted crake was carried outin 2012, 13 years on from the rst.

This occupant of fens andmarshes is rarely seen, but itsdistinctive “whipcrack” call can

be heard across wetlands oncalm spring and summer nights.Although tracking the fortunesof such an easily overlookedspecies through history is difcult,records show that it was oncewidespread across the UK, witha decline through the 19th centurydriven by the loss of wetlands.It is now a rare breeder, restrictedto a few sites every year.

The 80 singing birds foundduring the 1999 survey wasthe highest number reported

in modern times, but numbersreported to the RBBP suggesteda substantial decline since then.

This was conrmed by the 2012survey, which recorded just 28singing males at 11 sites, a fallof 65%.

Although an exceptionallywet spring caused sometraditionally used sites, suchas the Ouse Washes, to beooded out, it seems unlikelythat this played a huge role inthe reduced numbers; we still

do not know the cause of thesubstantial decline in thislittle-studied species.

One surprise was the number ofBaillon’s crakes discovered duringthe spotted crake survey: at least

six, and maybe as many as 11,calling males were found. Althoughwe know that the species bredin the UK historically, mostrecently in 1889, in recent yearsit has only occurred as a veryinfrequent vagrant, so this inuxwas unprecedented. Larger thanusual numbers were also detectedon the near continent, possibly asa result of drought conditions insouthern Spain, rendering some

of the core sites unsuitable andforcing birds to look for breedinggrounds further north.

S p o t t e d c r a k e

b y J e r o e n S t e l ( r s p b - i m a g e s . c o m

)

Spottedcrakeshavedeclinedby 65%since1999




Baillon’s crakes lastbred in the UK in 1889.An unprecedented sixmales were found in2012, the highest numberrecorded in recent history

F r e d er i c D

e s m e t t e ( B i o s ph o t o / F L P A

)




Bird Atlas 2007–11

Bird Atlas 2007–11:a landmark publicationThe publication of the Bird Atlas 2007–11 has been eagerly awaited byvolunteer birdwatchers, research scientists and conservationists alike.

It is the culmination of yearsof planning and fundraising,four winters and four breeding

seasons of eldwork, and twonal years of hard work to collateand analyse the vast dataset.

In total, over 40,000 dedicatedvolunteers took part in datacollection, covering the lengthand breadth of Britain and Ireland.

In this article, we pick out a fewhighlights from the book, togetherwith a selection of maps, to

illustrate the range of informationprovided and just some of themany fascinating stories it tells.

Setting the sceneOrnithologists in Britain andIreland have a long history ofcreating bird atlases and are atthe forefront of generating andanalysing data to assess thechanges in bird populations.

Over the last 50 years, twobreeding atlases have beencreated, covering 1968–72 and1988–91, and there has beenone previous winter atlas,covering the winters of 1981–84.

How did it work?The aim of the Atlas was to

compile a comprehensive specieslist for every grid square (10 kmsquares in Britain and Ireland), togive us information on speciesdistribution. In addition, evidenceof breeding activity was recordedduring the breeding season usingcodes that are standardised acrossEurope, in order to categorisebreeding as possible, probable orconrmed. To complement theinformation on distribution gained

from the species lists, informationon how common or scarce aspecies is was provided by timedcounts: observers counted thenumber of birds seen over a xedperiod in at least eight of the 25tetrads (2 km x 2 km squares) inevery 10 km square.

In addition to the atlas recordscollected by volunteer observers,records from a wide range ofother sources were includedin the Atlas to ensure that thedistribution maps were ascomplete as possible. BirdTrack,for example, contributed 8.1million records from over 10,000observers. Important records ofbreeding birds were provided by

RSPB monitoring on reservesand elsewhere, and essentialcontributions were also made by

bird clubs, the Rare Breeding BirdsPanel, the Irish Rare BreedingBirds Panel, BirdWatch Irelandsurveys and the BTO’s NestRecord and Ringing Schemes.

Online recordsThe internet played a vitalrole in the success of the BirdAtlas 2007–11 : over 97% of allrecords were submitted online.

The Atlas website providedvolunteers with daily updateson the progress of coverage andused novel tools to direct themto areas where help was mostneeded and to focus effort oncollecting breeding evidence forspecic species. It also provideda great way to communicatewith participants and motivatesupporters, by showingprovisional results throughoutthe four years of eldwork.

Over 17,000 volunteers submittedrecords directly to the Atlaswebsite or through BirdTrack.The website was also used by45 local atlas projects to gatherrecords for their own project.

The importance of volunteers

Volunteer observers achievedfantastic coverage of Britain

and Ireland, managing to reachall of the remote and difcultto access areas, as well ascovering city centres and

offshore islands. Some intrepidvolunteers even canoed around

remote Scottish islands to reachareas inaccessible by foot, toensure coverage was as completeas possible.

We would like to express oursincere thanks to all eldworkers,

regional organisers and helpersfor their time, commitment andenthusiasm. The Atlas would nothave been possible without you.




A n d yH


Over 40,000 dedicatedvolunteers collected datafor the 2007–11 Bird Atlas




Data analysis andmap productionSimple maps of winter andbreeding season distributionwere produced for 296 species.Although these provide importantinformation about broad-scaledistributions, they don’t tell usabout how common or scarce aspecies is. So, using informationfrom the timed counts, mapsshowing the relative abundanceof species were also produced.

For instance, goldcrests were

recorded in 88% of 10 kmsquares in Britain and Ireland, yetthe relative abundance map (right)shows that densities are generallyhigher in Ireland than Britain. Withthese maps, important specieshotspots can be identied, suchas Thetford Forest for goldcrests .

As protocols were designed to becomparable to the eld methodsused in the 1988–91 Breeding

Atlas, we have also been able toproduce change maps, showingchanges in 10 km squareoccupancy. These maps haveproduced some fascinating resultsand complement similar workcarried out using Breeding BirdSurvey data (see pages 14–17).

Patterns and changesWe are in a privileged positionto be able to look at changes inbreeding season distributions overthe last 40 years. This simple checkreveals fascinating stories such asthat of the little egret , which hasrapidly colonised our islands, andthe great spotted woodpecker ,which has colonised Ireland in thelast 10 years.

By carrying out more in-depthanalyses, we can look at changesin groups of species, such as

waders, and start to investigatethe factors that may be drivingthe changes in their distributionand abundance.


Great spotted woodpeckers havecolonised Ireland in the last 10 years

Map of relative abundance of goldcrests

D a nn y G r e en


High

Low




Atlas results are invaluable forproviding up-to-date informationon the distribution of species andwhere range shifts have occurred,and are complementary to thepopulation trend informationprovided by annual populationmonitoring. This information is

used in a number of ways:

• to identify species that triggerred or amber listing because ofsignicant contractions in range,at the UK or European level

• to comply with new Europeanrequirements related to theBirds Directive, to provideinformation on bird populations’spatial distribution and trends

• to help assess overall population

size by combining occupancyinformation with more localisedestimates of densities.

For example, reductions in rangegreater than 50% trigger red-listingin the UK’s Birds of ConservationConcern assessments, and the

occurrence of a species at onlya small number of sites cantrigger amber listing, becausethis indicates vulnerability. Atlasmaps can also be used to identifyimportant areas within a species’distribution, which can aid thefuture designation of special

sites, and to assess the extentto which current protected areasand designated site networksencompass the populations ofspecies of conservation concern.This information can also be usedto target conservation effort, suchas the development of regionaltargeting strategies withinagri-environment schemes(AES) for farmland birds, andfor assessing AES applications.

Lastly, looking more widely,Atlas data from Britain andIreland can be combined withinformation on bird distributionin other European countries toassess overall range and patternsof change across Europe.

However, the Atlas’s mainstrength is in its value forresearch. Biodiversity atlases suchas this generate geographically-comprehensive and ne-scaleinformation on long-term changesin the occurrence and relativeabundance of species. This

provides a unique opportunity toinvestigate reasons for changesin bird communities. Can thepatterns observed be related tochanges in land use, to climatechange or to protection withinspecial areas, such as SPAs? Orperhaps they can be linked tothe take-up of agri-environmentschemes, forest managementpolicies or interactions with otherspecies, including the spread of

non-natives? The list of potentialresearch questions is endless!Since birds are one of the bestknown and monitored taxa,information about changes in theiruse of the landscape can providevaluable insights into changes inbiodiversity more broadly.


Using the Bird Atlas for conservation

The little egret has colonised Britain during the period between the last two breeding atlases

D a nn y G r e en





Non-native speciesGiven the damage that invasivespecies can cause to nativewildlife, careful monitoring isvaluable: the Atlas has beeninstrumental in providingup-to-date information onthe distribution and spreadof non-native birds.

Unlike for previous Atlases,the importance of recording allnon-native species was madeclear from the start of the BirdAtlas 2007–11 . As a result,

we have a wealth of newinformation, and evidence oflarge increases in the range ofspecies such as the Egyptiangoose and ring-necked parakeet ,as well declines in species suchas the Lady Amherst’s pheasant .The map (right) shows the spreadof mandarin ducks : the numberof 10 km squares in which theyare conrmed to breed hasincreased more than tenfold

since the 1968–72 Atlas.The Atlas includes mapsand species accounts for 25non-native species (includingthose like snow geese that canarrive naturally, as well as escapefrom captivity), and an appendixlists the rates of occurrence foranother 75.

Using the Atlas tomonitor rare species Although the UK’s annual birdmonitoring schemes, such as theBBS, are among the best in theworld, even these fail to captureenough data to accurately assessaround 130 of the scarcer, morecryptic or nocturnal species,or those with very specialisedhabitat requirements. Specialperiodic surveys of species such

as the peregrine , marsh harrierand Dartford warbler help, andtrends for very rare species arecollated by the Rare Breeding Bird

Panel. Nevertheless, there is

a gap in reliable monitoringinformation for many of our lesscommon species and the periodicbird atlases are the best or only

source of data for a large suite

of species including the barnowl , water rail , hawfinch ,and teal . Two examples areshown opposite.


D a vi d J S l a

t er ( r s p b - i m a g e s . c om )

Breeding rangechange inmandarin ducksbetween the1968–72 and2007–11 birdatlases

Mandarin duck



Present all atlases

Missing in 1988–91Loss since 1968–72





WhinchatsTrends for whinchats are in factstill reported in the BBS, but theirrapid decline suggests this maynot be possible for much longer.The Atlas shows that the breedingdistribution of whinchats (reddots) is currently conned tomarginal upland areas in Scotland,northern and south-west Englandand Wales. There is also asignicant population in and nearSalisbury Plain. Only migrant birds(grey dots) are regularly seen inthe lowlands.

Whinchats are believed to havebeen in decline since the early1900s, and the 47% contractionof their breeding range in Britainhas been attributed to agriculturalintensication and the loss offood-rich marginal habitats.Climate change may also behaving an effect, through reducedoverwinter survival.

PtarmigansThe ptarmigan , a residentspecies of montane habitats, isseldom seen and is not coveredby current monitoring schemes.Given predicted changes in rangedue to climate change, atlasresults are of particular interest.

Since the 1981–84 winter atlas,the winter distribution ofptarmigans appears to haveincreased by 64%; howeverthis is likely to be the result ofimproved coverage during theBird Atlas 2007–11 , particularlyby visiting mountaineers.Outlying records probablyreect movements to loweraltitudes in extreme winters.

In contrast, the ptarmigan’s breeding range appears to havecontracted, possibly due to

the loss of food plants throughovergrazing by sheep.


Breeding distribution of whinchats from Bird Atlas 2007–11

Winter distribution of ptarmigans from Bird Atlas 2007–11

Present

Non-breeding Possible

Probable

Confirmed




One of the key aims of theBird Atlas was to determinewhether bird distributionshave changed over the last20 years. Results showplenty of evidence of that,for both breeding and

wintering populations.

Overall, breeding waders suchas redshanks and curlews exhibited some of the mostmarked contractions in distribution,continuing the trend seen in thesecond atlas. Since 1968–72,the British range of snipe has

decreased by 31%, and they are

now long gone from much of theirformer range in southern England.Their disappearance is linkedto agricultural intensicationand the drainage of wet pastures.

Concerted efforts to improve

habitats on lowland wetlandreserves have so far failedto attract snipe to colonise,suggesting that other factors,such as food availability, areat work.

However, healthy populationsremain in Scotland, north-westEngland and Wales, and in theIrish midlands where marshywet pasture and moorlandstill exist. The recent rangeexpansions in western Scotlandconrm the increasing ScottishBBS trend for this species.

PochardsIn Britain and Ireland, pochards winter in lowland areas withnutrient-rich water bodies.Overall, 629 10 km squareslost pochards and 248 squaresgained them, giving an overallrange contraction of 21% since1981–84. The pattern variesgeographically, with rangecontraction greater in Ireland(49%) than in Britain (13%).

The causes of winteringpopulation declines, especiallyat Lough Neagh, are unknown,although the adverse effects of

eutrophication and European-widewintering area shifts resultingfrom short-stopping in easternEurope are implicated.


Redshank

Wintering rangechange inpochards betweenthe 1981–84 and2007–11 birdatlases

D a v i d

O s b o r n

( r s p b - i m a g e s . c o m

)

Changes over thelast 20 years

Gain Present both

Loss




Willow titsWillow tits have shown one ofthe largest contractions in rangeof any species, acceleratingfrom 10% between the rst twoatlases to 50% since the early1990s. This species has virtuallydisappeared from south-eastEngland and from traditionalcore areas in East Anglia, thesouthern Midlands and fromsouthern England.

Willow tits prefer dampwoodland with sufcient dead

wood. Drying soils and the lossof understory vegetation arepossible causes of the populationdeclines and range contraction.

House martinsAlthough almost ubiquitous

in Britain and Ireland, housemartins are much commonerin Ireland than in Britain.Comparisons of relativeabundance gures with thosefrom 1988–91 suggest thathouse martins have declinedin abundance in most of Englandand Wales (brown areas),particularly in the extremesouth-east, whilst they haveincreased in abundance inthe Scottish lowlands andthroughout Ireland (red areas).This polarised pattern of increasesand decreases is shared byseveral other long-distancemigrants including willowwarblers and cuckoos , andmerits closer scrutiny.

Lasting legacy


The maps shown here provide a

tiny snapshot of the numerousinteresting results. However,looking at these patterns is onlythe start of the story; the

lasting legacy of the Bird Atlas

2007–11 , as for its predecessors,will be in its major contribution toconservation and ecologicalresearch, and how it is used

to inform and address some of

the most critical conservationissues currently facing us.See the Atlas for yourself atbto.org.uk/shop/bird-atlas

Change in willow tit occurrence between the 1968–72 and 2007–11bird atlases

Change in house martin abundance between the 1988–91 and2007–11 bird atlases

Increasing

Stable

DecliningDeclining

Stable

Increasing



Present all atlases







Breeding seabirds

Monitoring seabirdsSince 1986, the Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP) has co-ordinatedthe monitoring of breeding seabird populations in the UK.

An extensive sample of coloniesis monitored each year by partnerorganisations and volunteers,and is supplemented withmore intensive monitoring ofbehavioural and demographic

parameters at key colonies.This information is helpingus understand how the maindrivers of change are affectingthe UK’s internationallyimportant seabird populations.

The SMP receives data frombetween 200 and 250 differentsites each year, monitoring25 species. Abundance datafrom these sites are used as a

measure of population state,with the view of makinginferences about the widermarine environment.

The table shows the differingfortunes of species monitoredby the SMP.

Species 1986–2012 trend % 2000–2012 trend %

Fulmar -23 -13

Gannet * 74 24

Cormorant 1 -14

Shag -36 -20

Arctic skua -80 -68

Great skua * 48 17

Kittiwake -62 -47

Black-headed gull 21 17

Lesser black-backed gull -22 -51

Herring gull -27 -36

Great black-backed gull -38 -42Little tern -9 13

Sandwich tern 8 3

Common tern -19 -24

Roseate tern -67 125

Arctic tern 4 -5

Guillemot 36 4

Razorbill 49 3

* trends derived from census interpolations and extrapolations

J e r o e n S t e l ( r s p b - i m a g e s . c o m

)

Black-headed gullsare bucking the trendamong gull speciesand increasing

Trends in breeding seabirds




Breeding seabirds

Since 1986, the most substantialdeclines have occurred inkittiwakes , roseate terns ,shags , Arctic skuas and greatblack-backed gulls . Declines havecontinued since 2000 in all thesespecies, with the exception of theroseate tern , which continues

a steady recovery from largedeclines during the 1980s.

Conversely, great skua numbersmay be at their highest sincemonitoring began, although surveywork in Orkney in 2010 recordeda 23% decline since 2000. Incontrast, Arctic skuas continueto decline, with numbers at theirlowest yet; it is likely that thedecline in Arctic skuas is linkedto the increase in great skuas .

Seabird distributionThanks to the efforts ofthousands of volunteers,the Bird Atlas 2007–11 hasgiven us a third update on thebreeding distribution of ourseabird populations, adding tothe knowledge provided by thesample-based SMP.

Here we investigate what thesenew maps tell us about changesin the distribution of our gullpopulations. Understanding why

species shift their distributioncan provide information aboutenvironmental pressures such asprey availability, changes in landand sea use and climate change.It is also important in determiningspecies conservation status.

Gulls on the moveAs shown in the table (opposite),most gulls have been decliningin the UK recently, with theexception of the black-headedgull . However, population trendsdo not tell us how gull distributionhas changed. While theblack-headed gull has similarnumbers breeding inland as onthe coast, other species are moretraditionally coastal breeders.However, in recent decades bothherring and lesser black-backedgulls have increasingly movedinland, establishing breedingcolonies away from the coast.

The diet of these species isdistinctly opportunistic and in the1970s gulls would congregate intheir thousands to scavenge atrubbish tips. It is thought that thisled to an increase in the levels

of botulism in gulls, particularlyherring gulls , which posed aserious public health risk and ledto high gull mortality. Nowadays,

this problem is managed bycovering newly tipped materialswith soil, and covering tips withnetting to reduce scavenging.

This has not halted the inux ofgulls into inland areas, however.The abundance of food and

rubbish in cities, and the lackof predators, means that urbangull colonies are increasing. Inother inland areas, changes inagricultural operations have led tomore gulls foraging on arable landthan before.

While annual monitoringshows that herring and lesserblack-backed gulls are decliningsubstantially in traditional coastalcolonies, this decline may be offset,to a certain extent, by the apparentincrease in inland colonies.

Maps produced as part of theBird Atlas 2007–11 (overleaf)show that, while some coastalcolonies have declined, particularlyaround the north-west of the UK,colonies across southern Englandand Wales have increased, withlarge numbers of inland coloniesappearing. Many of these changes

are recent (since the 1988–91 BirdAtlas) as indicated by the lled red(gain) and black (loss) triangles.

M a r k S i s s on


Arctic skuas areat their lowestnumbers since

records began




Year

P o s s i b l e b r e e d i n g p a i r s

1 9 8 6

0

80

10 0

120

140

160

180200

20

Her rin g g ul lLesse r blac k-b ack ed gul l40

60

1 9 8 7

1 9 8 8

1 9 8 9

1 9 9 0

1 9 9 1

1 9 9 2

1 9 9 3

1 9 9 4

1 9 9 5

1 9 9 6

1 9 9 7

1 9 9 8

1 9 9 9

2 0 0 0

2 0 0 1

2 0 0 2

2 0 0 3

2 0 0 4

2 0 0 5

2 0 0 6

2 0 0 7

2 0 0 8

2 0 0 9

2 0 1 0

2 0 1 1

2 0 1 2

These apparent changes in

distribution mean that it is vital tounderstand changes in populationsize at a UK and colony scale.Due to the logistical constraintsmet when surveying inland gullcolonies, few are included in theannual SMP population trends.

It is possible to analyse coastalcolonies separately, showing alarge decline in both the herring

and lesser black-backed gull

abundance index, but too fewdata are available to producepopulation trends for inlandcolonies. However, most inlandcolonies where regular countshave been conducted haveshown increases.

It should be noted that surveysof winter gull roosts, coveringboth coastal and inland sites,

have also found substantial

decreases: herring gull numbersfell by between 53 and 60%between surveys in 1983/84and 2004/05. Although an impactfrom a change in wintering rangecannot be discounted, this doessupport other evidence thatthere has been a real declinein overall numbers.

Breeding seabirds

Changes in herring gull colonies betweenthe 1968–72 and 2007–11 breeding atlases

Changes in lesser black-backed gull coloniesbetween the 1968–72 and 2007–11 breeding atlases



Present all atlases




Trends in theabundance of lesserblack-backed gullsand herring gullsat coastal coloniesacross the UK




Seabird censusOne way to acquire a completeoverview of gull numbers anddistribution is through a nationalcensus. Approximately every15 years since 1969, a nationalseabird census has taken placewith the aim of complete coverageof 25 species of seabird whichbreed across Britain and Ireland.

These censuses were: OperationSeafarer (1969–70), the SeabirdColony Register (1985–88) and

Seabird 2000 (1998–2002).The SMP was involved in thepast two, and work is underwayto source funds for the nextcensus, which is scheduledto commence in 2015.

Seabird 2000 surveyed themajority of inland gull coloniesand produced the best populationestimates to date.

For the next national census,advances in aerial surveytechnology and methodology

will be employed, in order togive an even more completeassessment of our inland breedinggull populations.

The results of the census will helpto determine the conservationstatus of breeding gulls in Britainand Ireland.

Herring gulls haveincreasingly movedaway from the coastto exploit the safenesting sites andfood available in cities

S t ev eK n el l ( r s p b - i m

a g e s . c om )

Breeding seabirds




Wintering waterbirds

Visitors to UK wetlandsIn winter, the UK hosts internationally important numbers ofmigratory wildfowl and waders, who come to our shores to takeadvantage of the UK’s extensive wetland habitats and relatively mildclimate. Come spring, they travel as far aeld as northern Canada,Iceland and Siberia to breed.

During severely cold winters,such as in 2010/11, the UK

assumes even greaterconservation importance, as anincreased number of birds willseek refuge on the relativelymild Atlantic fringe of north-westEurope. Long-term monitoring atsite, national and yway levels istherefore essential. This will helpus understand if annual changesin the number of birds usingour wetlands reect the changesin international population size,

or whether they are due tochanging distributions.

The wintering waterbird indicatoron page 8 illustrates the overalltrend for 46 native species/ populations, primarily using datafrom the Wetland Bird Survey(WeBS) Core Counts and theGoose & Swan MonitoringProgramme (GSMP).

The indicator shows a steadyincrease in numbers of winteringwaterbirds in the UK from themid-1970s to the late-1990s.This was due in part to theestablishment of a network ofprotected wetland sites and,for some species, a reductionin hunting pressure may havecontributed to these increases.However, since the mid-1990s,the waterbird indicator has shownevidence of a slight decline,

particularly for waders. It isimportant to note that indicatorsonly provide an indication ofchange in overall abundance;

Trends in winteringwaterbirds

Species Long-term trend %(1984/85–2009/10)

10-year trend %(1999/2000–2009/10)

Mute swan 108 -6

Bewick’s swan -35 -19

Whooper swan 230 68

Pink-footed goose 221 46

European white-fronted goose -72 -52

Greenland white-fronted goose 36 -39

Icelandic greylag goose 16 21British greylag goose 335 34

Canada goose 93 9

Greenland barnacle goose 165 53

Svalbard barnacle goose 237 38

Dark-bellied brent goose -14 -14

Canadian light-bellied brent goose 116 45

Svalbard light-bellied brent goose 251 119

Shelduck -7 -15

Wigeon 55 -4

Gadwall 301 26

Teal 55 -3

Mallard -38 -19

Pintail -26 -19

Shoveler 61 11

Pochard -53 -49

Tufted duck 18 -13

Scaup 45 -4

Eider (except Shetland) -7 -13

Goldeneye -32 -43

Red-breasted merganser -22 -31

Goosander 6 18

Ruddy duck -83 -93




if individual species, populations,or groups of species areexamined separately, differenttrends can become apparent.

Monitoring and conservationof waterbirds is typicallyundertaken at a populationscale, across the distinct ywaysused by the birds. Collaborationbetween national waterbirdmonitoring schemes is thereforeessential, and data from bothWeBS and GSMP are fed intothe International WaterbirdCensus (IWC), co-ordinated

by Wetlands International.The IWC is a collation ofcounts undertaken in Januaryeach year in countries acrossthe globe, and is crucial forthe assessment of waterbirdpopulation status at the ywaylevel. The critical role that UKwetlands play in the life cycles ofwaterbirds means that the mostimportant sites are designated asSpecial Protection Areas (SPAs)

and Wetlands of InternationalImportance (Ramsar Sites).

Species Long-term trend %(1984/85–2009/10)

10-year trend %(1999/2000–2009/10)

Cormorant n/a 1

Little grebe n/a 6Great crested grebe 45 -10

Coot 24 -10

Oystercatcher -8 -15

Avocet >1000 56

Ringed plover -36 -31

Golden plover 231 -28

Grey plover 56 -13

Lapwing 72 -41

Knot 6 4

Sanderling 73 34

Purple sandpiper -54 -24

Dunlin -25 -27

Black-tailed godwit 402 61

Bar-tailed godwit -13 -8

Curlew 16 -21

Redshank 7 -21

Turnstone -29 -13

B enH

a l l ( r s p b - i m a g e s . c om )

In autumn and winter, largenumbers of pochards come tothe UK to escape the bitter coldin eastern Europe and Russia

Lower coverage of some habitats (suchas non-estuarine open coast, rivers andfarmland) means that trends for speciesfound largely on such habitats (for examplesanderlings , mallards and lapwings )may be less representative than thosefor species found in habitats with bettersurvey coverage.

Long-term trends are the percentagechanges between the smoothed indexvalues for 1984/85 and 2009/10.

Ten-year trends are the percentagechanges between the smoothed indexvalues for 1999/2000 and 2009/10.Calculation of smoothed indices byuse of a generalised additive model isdetailed further at bto.org/volunteer-surveys/webs/publications/webs-alerts.National monitoring of little grebes andcormorants started later than for otherspecies, so only 10-year trends are shown.





The UK’s estuaries are particularly important for waders,and it is vital that such sites are protected, so that theyremain unpolluted and retain plentiful food supplies.

Many of our estuaries are crucialelements of networks of sites thatspan the African-Eurasian yway,and are recognised as being

internationally important formany individual species and forall the waterbirds they support.

The trends in waterbird numbersat these sites are variable, andthere is evidence that the freezingconditions experienced acrossnorth-west Europe during thewinter of 2010/11 forced speciesof waders such as dunlins andbar-tailed godwits to the UK

from the near continent.While numbers of oystercatchers and knots have remained relativelystable in the UK, several familiarestuarine waders, such as ringedplovers , dunlins , redshanks and curlews , have declined.More encouragingly, decreases

shown by grey plovers andbar-tailed godwits have haltedin recent years, and numbersof black-tailed godwits and

avocets have risen in line withbreeding population increases inIceland and the UK respectively.

Dabbling ducks declineUK estuaries are also importantfor a range of wintering wildfowl.There are some indications thatseveral dabbling ducks, such asshelducks , mallards , pintails andwigeons have declined in the UK

in recent years. Research usingdata from across north-westEurope has suggested thatdabbling duck distribution is lessaffected by winter temperaturesthan that of diving ducks, so itis unclear whether these trendsare a direct response to climatechange. Numbers of brent geese

tend to uctuate in responseto productivity on their Arcticbreeding grounds; in recent years,winter numbers have decreased

slightly, following ve years ofrelatively poor breeding success.

Away from estuaries, the UK’srocky shores provide refuges forturnstones and purple sandpipers ,two species that have declined inrecent years. Offshore, seaducks,divers and grebes occur in importantnumbers, and declines in severalof the seaducks that winter aroundBritain’s coast provide cause for

concern. As discussed in SUKB2012 , declines of velvet scotersand long-tailed ducks mirrortrends elsewhere across theiryways, yet questions remainabout their status in someareas, highlighting the need forimprovements to the currentmonitoring programmes.

Estuaries: barometersof cold weather effects

G e n e v i e v e

L e a p e r ( r s p b - i m a g e s . c o m

)

Oystercatchers




Freezing conditions acrossnorth-west Europe duringthe winter of 2010/11forced large numbers ofdunlins to the UK

A n d r ewP a r k i n s on






Dabbling ducks that more typicallyinhabit freshwater sites, such asshovelers , teals and gadwalls ,have all shown long-termincreases in the UK, in contrastto estuarine waterfowl.

Peak numbers at two of the UK’smost important inland wetlands –the Ouse Washes and Somerset

Levels – have risen in recent years:45,000 teals were recorded atthe latter in February 2011. Anincrease in the number of oodedgravel pits and reservoirs withinthe UK during the course of thelast half-century has probablybeneted diving species, such astufted ducks , goosanders , greatcrested grebes , little grebes

and coots . However it is clearfrom their WeBS trends thatpochards and goldeneyes aredeclining at a steady rate. Whilelarge increases in goldeneyes reported from the Baltic Seaprovide a strong indication thatthis species is short-stopping inlarge numbers, the evidenceis less clear for pochards .

Due to climate change, the morenortherly parts of the Baltic Seahave remained ice-free in recentyears, sometimes throughoutthe winter. These areas are nowavailable to waterbirds for longer,and changes in the core winteringranges of some diving ducks innorth-west Europe have been

observed as a consequence.Species like the tufted duck ,goosander , goldeneye andpochard have become morenumerous in the Baltic duringwinter, while declining sharplyin parts of the western fringe ofEurope, including the UK, theRepublic of Ireland, France andthe Netherlands. These changes

suggest distribution shift is themajor explanation for some species,but for pochards it is less clear.

In Northern Ireland, WeBS countsat Loughs Neagh and Beg, whichare internationally important fordiving ducks, yielded more than40,000 pochards as recently as

20 years ago, but the peak in2010/11 only just surpassed 5,000.Research has shown that declinesthere are partly due to nutrientenrichment, which has affectedinvertebrate food supplies, butthe situation is most probablya combination of that, aclimate-related eastward shiftof the birds, and a true declinein the population.

The conditions across Europe inthe winter of 2010/11, the coldestin the UK for 35 years, causeda westerly movement of duckssuch as smews and goosanders ,as well as geese such asEuropean white-fronted geese and Svalbard light-bellied brentgeese . It is of concern, therefore,

that despite this movement ofother species, the UK’s winterpopulation of pochards fell toits lowest ever level and hashalved in the last 25 years. Thissuggests a wider problem withthe total population and demandscontinued close internationalcollaboration in terms of bothmonitoring and any conservationaction required.

Monitoring inland wetlands

Declining or shifting?

R i c h a r d R e v e l s


)

Smew




Since SUKB 2012 , there hasbeen little change in the fortunesof the UK’s goose and swanpopulations, with the majoritycontinuing to fare well. The Britishgreylag goose population is doingparticularly well, with numbersrising rapidly since the 1990s,most likely due to continued highrates of breeding success.

Licensed control of greylags

on Tiree and the Uists (key sitesfor the birds in Scotland, wheretheir numbers cause conictwith agricultural interests) has

led to a reduction and stabilisationin numbers at those sites,respectively. In Orkney, however,numbers continue to increase,with results from a survey inAugust 2012 suggesting thepopulation there has now reachedapproximately 21,400 geese, anannual rate of increase of 19%since the previous survey in 2008.

Amongst those goose populations

showing negative trends, numbersof Greenland white-frontedgeese in spring 2012 were thelowest recorded since 1986.

This is, in part, due to anotherpoor breeding season in 2011.Birds also stayed in Iceland lateinto the autumn due to mildweather, but were affected bysevere weather when they didmigrate south. This probablyresulted in additional mortality aswell as some birds being blownoff course to Norway, along NorthSea coasts and to eastern Britain.

This population of Greenlandwhite-fronted geese remains ofthe greatest conservation concernof any of our migratory geese.

Goose & SwanMonitoring Programme


A n d yH


Greenland white-fronted

geese remain of thegreatest conservationconcern of any of theUK’s migratory geese




The UK has internationalobligations to protect its importantpopulations of waterbirds. TheWeBS Alerts system provides amethod of identifying changesin the numbers of non-breedingwaterbirds over time at a varietyof spatial scales. It can thereforebe used to review the status of

species on Special ProtectionAreas (SPAs) and Sites of SpecialScientic Interest (SSSIs), whichare designated wholly, or in part,for their waterbird interest.

The Alerts system uses WeBSdata to measure change inthe numbers of waterbirds atindividual sites over the short-(5-year), medium- (10-year) andlong- (25-year) term, and for all

SPAs the time-frame relating tothe period since classication isalso used. The system also makesthe same assessments for thewhole network of SPAs together.Species that have undergonemajor changes in numbers areagged by the issuing of an “Alert”.• Declines of greater than

50% trigger “High Alerts”(red) and between 25%and 50% trigger “MediumAlerts” (orange).

• Changes between a 25%decrease and 33% increaseare classed as “Stable” (grey).

• Increases between 33%and 100% are classes as“Medium Increase” (palegreen) and greater than100% increase as “HighIncrease” (dark green).

A new WeBS Alerts report waspublished online in 2013 at

bto.org/webs/alerts . Basedon data to 2010/11, it reportsAlerts status as of 2009/10. TheWeBS Alerts are intended to be

advisory; subject to interpretation,they should be used as a basison which to focus research andsubsequent conservation effortsif required. The information canbe summarised both graphically(right) and on a map (below).

East vs westThe results show that thereis variation in how the UK’sprotected sites have fared overthe short-, medium- and long-term,with respect to their designatedwaterbird features. In general,non-breeding waterbirds in easternparts of the UK have fared slightly

better than those in the west.Although this could be associatedwith subtle changes taking placein waterbird distributions inresponse to climate change, itis important that the results areexamined on a site-by-site basisto ensure that local conservationissues are not overlooked. For

example, the short-term, WeBSAlerts show that the frequencyof negative species trends isparticularly marked on the UpperSolway Flats and Marshes,Mersey Estuary and BreydonWater SPAs, which may be causedby factors at a local scale.

The changingstatus of waterbirds

The map provides a visual impression of the long-term (25-year) Alerts in the UK. Each

pie chart represents an SPA, sized according to the number of waterbird species forwhich the site is designated and divided according to the Alerts status of those speciesduring the 25-year period up to 2009/10. A greater proportion of red sectors in northernand western parts of the UK indicates a trend towards poorer WeBS Alerts status there.


Long-term WeBS Alerts for SPAs across the UK




The stacked histogram shows the short-term (5-year) WeBS Alerts status for the 35 SPAs with the highest number of Alerts.

Each bar represents an SPA which is identied by name, sized according to the number of waterbird species for which the siteis designated, and sub-divided according to the Alerts status of those species during the 5-year period up to 2009/10.

Short-term WeBS Alerts by Special Protection Area

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Upper Solway Flats and Marshes

The Dee Estuary

Strangford Lough

Breydon Water

Humber Estuary

Foulness

Lindisfarne

Poole Harbour

Mersey Estuary

Inner Moray Firth

Broadland

Severn Estuary

Lough Neagh and Lough Beg

Burry Inlet

Martin Mere

Ribble and Alt Estuaries

Stour and Orwell Estuaries

Hamford Water

Montrose Basin

Morecambe Bay

North Norfolk Coast

Chichester and Langstone Harbours

Blackwater Estuary

Medway Estuary and Marshes

Firth of Tay & Eden Estuary

Abberton Reservoir

Thames Estuary and Marshes

Cromarty Firth

Lower Derwent Valley

Solent and Southampton Water

Belfast Lough

Ouse Washes

Colne Estuary

Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet

The Wash





Birds in the OTs

Overseas TerritoriesThe impact of non-native invasive species on breeding birds, and inparticular seabirds, in the UK’s Overseas Territories (OTs) is a topicthat has been covered previously in SUKB . However, it holds suchsignicance that we will return to the subject again in this year’s update.

The two volcanic islands ofAscension and St Helena inthe tropical South Atlanticare home to 12 species ofseabirds. Among them is themajestic Ascension frigatebird ,which only breeds on a smallisland next to Ascension, and isthreatened with global extinction.

Both Ascension and St Helenawere rst discovered by sailorsover ve centuries ago, andhumans quickly introduced rats,and later cats, to these islandswhere no land predator waspresent at the time.

The rats and cats killedenormous numbers of seabirds,and for many years seabirdswere restricted to breedingon very steep and ruggedcliffs or offshore islands thatare inaccessible to introduced

predators. Some species, suchas the St Helena petrel , werelost forever.

Ascension frigatebirdsreturn after 120 yearsMore than 10 years ago, the RSPB(funded by the UK Government)helped the people and governmentof Ascension to get rid of feral catsto restore the seabird communityon Ascension. Since 2004, no feralcat has roamed the rocky lunarlandscape of Ascension, and manyseabird species have recolonisedthe island. The success of theeradication project was conrmedin late 2012, when two breedingpairs of the endemic Ascensionfrigatebird were discovered onthe Ascension mainland – the rstconrmed breeding record for over120 years!

The rest of the world’s populationof this species nests only ontiny Boatswainbird Island, 300 meast of Ascension – a seabird city

where 10 different species occupyevery inch of space. Frigatebirdsare kleptoparasites: they steal sh

that other seabirds catch, in orderto feed themselves and theirchicks. One common victim ofAscension frigatebird robberyis the masked booby , a largegannet-like bird that plungesinto the sea to catch sh.In contrast to Ascensionfrigatebirds , masked boobiesrecolonised mainland Ascensionas soon as the last cat wasgone. The masked booby colony on Ascension has growntremendously since 2002 andnumbered well over 300 pairsin 2013.

The effects of the feral cateradication on Ascension mayeven be felt on St Helena, 1500 kmaway to the south-east, whereferal cats continue to plagueseabirds and other native species,including the Critically EndangeredSt Helena plover . In 2009, masked

boobies recolonised steep rockyridges on St Helena, and by 2013the colony numbered around

Seabirds bouncing back inthe tropical South Atlantic

The combination of globallyimportant seabird populations,introduced mammals

(particularly predators suchas cats and rodents), and themassive impact these invasive

species can have on seabirdpopulations makes this oneof the UK’s most pressing

conservation concerns. Asa result, it should be one ofits highest priorities for action.

Here we review attemptsto remove non-nativemammals from a number

of OTs, and bring the latestnews on the outcomes,both good and bad.




Masked boobies recolonisedmainland Ascension Island assoon as cats were removed

C h r i s

G om er s a l l ( r s p b - i m a g e s . c om )




Birds in the OTs

200 pairs. It is possible that thisinux of birds is generated by theincreased breeding success onAscension.

GPS trackers revealepic journeys To explore how far maskedboobies and Ascensionfrigatebirds y to catch shand feed their chicks, the RSPB– in collaboration with theAscension Island Government

and the University of Exeter– started a tracking study in 2013.Miniature GPS loggers weighingless than 20 g were taped tothe tail feathers of boobies andfrigatebirds and revealed theamazing journeys these birdsundertake across the SouthAtlantic (see gure below).

Both the Ascension frigatebirds and the masked boobies set offin all directions and ew up to600 km away from Ascension,foraging along the way, before

returning to the colony betweenone and seven days later. Mostbirds did not y off in the samedirection on subsequent trips,and there was no “hotspot”where seabirds congregatedaround Ascension.

The birds explored a hugeexpanse of ocean to nd food fortheir chicks: one masked booby completed an epic 1,163 kmforaging trip in 60 hours and anAscension frigatebird covered2,662 km in the same time.

Ascension frigatebird Tagging an Ascension frigatebird

S t e f f e n O p p e l

( R S P B ) S

t ef f en O

p p el ( R S P B

)

Distance and duration of Ascensionfrigatebird foraging trips

Ascension frigatebird foraging trips fromAscension Island




In SUKB 2011 , we reported onthe plight of birds on HendersonIsland, part of the Pitcairn groupin the South Pacic. Remote anduninhabited, this island holdsfour endemic land birds – theHenderson lorikeet , Hendersonfruit dove , Henderson rail andHenderson reed warbler . It isalso the only known breedingsite for the Henderson petrel and holds globally importantpopulations of other seabirds,such as Murphy’s petrels .

However, these species, and inparticular the Henderson petrel ,are threatened by introducedPacic rats, which were broughtto the island by Polynesiansettlers many centuries ago.

It is estimated that more than25,000 chicks of the four speciesof gady petrels are killed eachyear, and all are threatened

with local extinction on theisland, which, in the case ofthe Henderson petrel , wouldalso mean global extinction.

After years of planning, anambitious attempt was madeto clear the island of ratsthrough a massive poison baitdrop in August 2011. At 43 km 2,Henderson is the largest tropicalor sub-tropical island on whichrodent clearance has beenattempted. Helicopters followedGPS-controlled ight lines toensure full coverage of the island.

Lessons to learnUnfortunately, although initialsigns were good, in May 2012

it became apparent that somerats had survived. This may bebecause a drought in early2011, followed by wetter

weather immediately before thebaiting, prompted an abundanceof fruit, meaning that not allrats were tempted into eatingthe bait and a high proportionwere breeding.

Work is ongoing to determinewhy the attempt was unsuccessful,and to learn how to increase thelikelihood that a future attempt, andother similar projects, will succeed.

In the meantime, whilst the ratpopulation was greatly depleted,the birds of Henderson enjoyeda respite from high levels ofpredation. Early indications are thatpopulations of all four endemicland birds have increased.

Efforts to protect the Hendersonrail , known to be susceptibleto the poison bait, have beensuccessful and numbers of

Birds in the OT’s

While much more needs to belearned about the remarkableforaging journeys of Ascension’sseabirds, it is clear thatsustainable management ofthe waters in a large (greater

than 300 km) radius aroundthe island will be necessaryto ensure that these birds cancontinue to raise their chicks onAscension. The study continuesin September 2013, and will

include masked boobies onSt Helena to better understandthe foraging movementsof seabirds on those twoneighbouring islands.

Other tracking work has begunin the Caribbean OTs of Anguillaand the British Virgin Islands(BVI), to identify importantfeeding areas for seabirds usingGPS tracking devices. This followson from pilot work in 2012, where20 brown boobies were trackedin Anguilla, and found to travelup to 300 km in a round trip.

Brown boobies , magnicentfrigatebirds and sooty terns

will be tracked on Dog Island,Anguilla, which is one of themost important sites for seabirdsin the region, and home to fourglobally important populations.Dog Island and Great Tobago,BVI, support two of just fourmagnicent frigatebird colonies in the area, and it ishoped that tracking magnicentfrigatebirds on Great Tobagowill help to explore solutions toentanglement with shing line,

which was responsible for 60deaths in the colony in 2012.

The work will provide newinformation on these species’feeding ecology and help toidentify important feedingareas, which can inform marineplanning in the area. Potentialthreats to seabirds in Anguillaand BVI will also be identiedthrough long-term seabirdmonitoring programmes.

Two steps forward, one step back

Tracking birds in the Caribbean




Unfortunately, the issue ofnon-native predators is notisolated to Ascension, Henderson,St Helena and Oeno, but steadyprogress is being made in tacklingthe issue throughout the OTs.

For example, on SouthGeorgia, baiting to eliminaterodents has now covered 70%of the island and it is hoped thatthe task will be completed in2015. The segmented, glacialnature of the island means thatit can be cleared in stages

without the fear of recolonisation.These operations, carried outby the South Georgia HeritageTrust and the Government of

South Georgia and the SouthSandwich Islands should havehuge ecological benets, andopen more potential habitatfor burrowing seabirds andfor the endemic SouthGeorgia pipit .

Elsewhere in the South Atlantic,studies have suggested thateradication of the introducedhouse mouse from SteepleJason in the Falkland Islandsis feasible. This could benetthe endemic Cobb’s wren ,

nesting storm petrels andinvertebrates on the islandwhich are all known to beaffected by mice.

On Gough Island, in the Tristanda Cunha group, introducedhouse mice are thought to beresponsible for the deaths of upto half a million seabird chicksa year, including those of theCritically Endangered Tristanalbatross and EndangeredAtlantic petrel .

Ongoing research and trialsto establish the best methodsfor an eradication attempt arenow nearing completion. So tooare plans to protect populations

of the endemic Gough moorhen and the Gough bunting , which isCritically Endangered and declining.

Henderson reed-warblers areseveral times higher than beforethe eradication.

The period with very low ratnumbers was also successful at

increasing the breeding successof petrels on the island; 80% ofthose Murphy’s petrel chicksthat hatched after the bait drop

survived long enough to edgein 2011, in comparison withnone surviving in the two yearsof monitoring when rats wereabundant on the island.

Good news on OenoOn the tiny coral atoll of Oeno,another of the Pitcairn’s four

islands, rats were successfullyeradicated in 1997. Subsequentsurveys of the island have shownthat, freed from predation, theMurphy’s petrel population hasincreased markedly over the

last 13 years, demonstrating thedramatic impact that removal ofnon-native predators can have.

Birds in the OTs

South Georgia pipit

Wider work in the OTs

I n g o A r n d t / M

i n d e n

P i c t u r e s / F L P A




The OTs are hometo many birds foundnowhere else in theworld, including theHenderson fruit dove

S u eF l o o d

( n a t ur e pl . c om )




What you can do to help

Current andplanned surveysThe information summarised in The state of the UK’s birds 2013 is drawn from the annual and periodic monitoring programmesdescribed below and from the work of individual ornithologists.Anyone interested or wishing to take part in these surveys shouldcontact the relevant organisations at the addresses listed on page 54.

The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is the monitoring scheme for common andwidespread breeding land birds throughout theUK, and aims to provide data on population trendsto inform and direct conservation action. It is apartnership between the British Trust for Ornithology(BTO), the Joint Nature Conservation Committee(JNCC) – on behalf of Natural England (NE), ScottishNatural Heritage (SNH), Natural Resources Wales(NRW) and Department of Environment NorthernIreland (DOENI) – and the RSPB.Contact the BTO.

The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) is the monitoring scheme for non-breedingwaterbirds in the UK. It aims to provide theprincipal data for the conservation of theirpopulations and wetland habitats. In October2014, WeBS will provide the majority of surveyingfor the UK element of a Europe-wide survey ofgolden plovers. It is a partnership between theBTO, the RSPB and JNCC (on behalf of DOENI,NE, NRW and SNH) in association with theWildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT).Contact the BTO.

The Goose & Swan MonitoringProgramme (GSMP) comprises a suiteof surveys, funded under the WWT/JNCC/SNHpartnership, designed to accurately assess theabundance and breeding success of geese andmigratory swans during the non-breeding season.

Contact the WWT.

The Waterways Breeding BirdSurvey (WBBS) has been running since1998. This scheme, and its predecessor, theWaterways Bird Survey (WBS, which ran from 1974to 2007), aims to monitor riverside breeding birds,particularly waterway specialists, across the UK.Contact the BTO.

The Heronries Census collects counts ofapparently occupied nests each year from as manyheronries as possible throughout the UK, to monitorpopulations of colonial waterbirds, especially greyherons, little egrets and cormorants.Contact the BTO.

The Seabird MonitoringProgramme gathers information on breedingnumbers, breeding success and other parametersto help us understand drivers of change and totarget conservation action. Co-ordinated by theJNCC, it is a partnership between the statutorynature conservation agencies, research andconservation organisations.Contact the JNCC.

The Big Garden Birdwatch is thelargest wildlife survey in the world. Its simple design(one hour watching birds and other wildlife in thegarden each January) means that nearly 600,000people took part in 2013. The data provide anexcellent snapshot of garden bird numbers acrossthe UK.Contact the RSPB.




Garden Bird Watch is a year-roundscheme recording the weekly occurrence andnumbers of birds in participants’ gardens. The datacollected provide valuable information on changesin birds’ use of rural and urban habitats, that can berelated to population trends in the wider countrysideContact the BTO.

BirdTrack is a year-round online bird recordingsystem run by the BTO, the RSPB, BirdWatchIreland, the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club andthe Welsh Ornithological Society. The collectionof list data from a large number of observerswill enable the fullment of a range of nationalresearch and monitoring objectives.Contact the BTO/RSPB or visit birdtrack.net

The Ringing Scheme is run by theBTO and covers Britain and Ireland. It is fundedby a partnership of the BTO, the JNCC, DOENI,NE, NRW and SNH, The National Parks andWildlife Service (Ireland) and the ringersthemselves. Volunteer bird ringers collect dataon the survival, productivity, movements andcondition of birds. Project ringing, such as theConstant Effort Sites Scheme, the Ringing Adultsfor Survival project, and other targeted ringing,forms an important part of the overall SchemeContact the BTO.

The Nest Record Scheme gathers vitalinformation on the breeding success of Britain’sbirds by asking volunteer nest recorders to nd andfollow the progress of individual birds’ nests. Thescheme is funded by a partnership of the JNCC andBTO (on behalf of DOENI, NE, NRW and SNH).Contact the BTO.

The Statutory Conservation Agencies and RSPB AnnualBreeding Bird Scheme(SCARABBS) is an advance programme ofUK-wide surveys of other priority breeding species.Twites were surveyed in 2013; species to besurveyed in 2014 may include choughs .Contact the RSPB.

BTO surveys cover a number of differentspecies. A repeat national survey of peregrines is planned for 2014, once funding is conrmed.Following the work in Wales in 2012 and 2013,planning is underway for a national chat survey inthe rest of the UK, possibly in 2014, but more likelythe following year. The second season of the BTO’sWinter Thrushes Survey, which aims to establish abaseline for winter thrushes and identify key winterfood resources, is currently underway. It includes corecounts in a short mid-winter period and recording ofall thrushes from September to March.Contact the BTO.

B l u e

t i t b yR

a yK enn e d y





S n o w

b u n t i n g b y S t e v e R o u n d


)




Acknowledgements

Working togetherMonitoring of birds in the UK, such asthat covered in this report, involves abroad partnership of governmentagencies, NGOs, sponsors andindependent ornithologists, including:

Anglian Water; BirdWatch Ireland; British Birds;the British Trust for Ornithology; British Waterways;Centre for Ecology and Hydrology; CJ WildBird Foods;Darwin Initiative; Darwin Plus Fund; Department forEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra); EnvironmentAgency; Environment Wales; European Bird CensusCouncil; European Social Fund; European Union LifeProgramme; Foreign & Commonwealth Ofce; ForestryCommission; Forest Enterprise; Game and WildlifeConservation Trust; Greenland White-fronted Goose

Study; Hawk and Owl Trust; Irish Brent Goose ResearchGroup; Joint Nature Conservation Committee; ManxBirdLife; Ministry of Defence; National Trust; NationalTrust for Scotland; Natural England; Natural ResourcesWales; Northern England Raptor Forum; Northern IrelandEnvironment Agency; Northumbrian Water; Raptor StudyGroups; Rare Breeding Birds Panel; the Royal Societyfor the Protection of Birds; Scottish Executive RuralAffairs Department; Scottish Natural Heritage; ScottishOrnithologists’ Club; Scottish Raptor Study Groups;Seabird Group; Severn Trent Water; Shetland Oil TerminalEnvironmental Advisory Group; Thames Water; Universityof Cambridge; University of Exeter Centre for Ecology andConservation; University of Liverpool; Wales Raptor StudyGroup; Welsh Kite Trust; the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust;the Wildlife Trusts; Woodland Trust.

In particular, we would like to thank the landownersand their agents, tenants and employees who haveallowed surveyors to visit their land to count birds.




Acknowledgements

About usThe state of the UK’s birds 2013is also available online on thewebsites of the BTO, the RSPBand WWT (see addresses below).

Designed and published by the RSPB on behalf of:

The BTO

Headquarters The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PUTel: 01842 750050, Fax: 01842 750030

BTO Scotland School of Biological and Environmental Sciences,Cottrell Building, University of Stirling,Stirling FK9 4LATel: 01786 466560

BTO Wales Thoday Building, Deiniol Road,

Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UWTel: 01248 383285 bto.orgRegistered charity no. 216652 in England and Wales,SC039193 in Scotland.

The WWTWWT, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BTTel: 01453 891900, Fax: 01453 891901 wwt.org.ukRegistered charity no. 1030884 in England and Wales,

SC039410 in Scotland.

The RSPBUK Headquarters The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DLTel: 01767 680551, Fax: 01767 692365

Northern Ireland HeadquartersBelvoir Park Forest, Belfast BT8 7QTTel: 028 9049 1547, Fax: 028 9049 1669

Scotland Headquarters

2 Lochside View, Edinburgh Park,Edinburgh EH12 9DHTel: 0131 317 4100, Fax: 0131 311 6569

Wales Headquarters

2nd Floor, Sutherland House, Castlebridge,Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff CF11 9AB.Tel: 029 2035 3000, Fax: 029 2035 3017 rspb.org.ukRegistered charity no. 207076 in England and Wales,SC037654 in Scotland.

Natural Resources WalesTy Cambria, 29 Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 0TPTel: 0300 0653000 Fax: 0300 065 3001naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Natural EnglandFoundry House, 3 Millsands, Riverside Exchange,Shefeld, S3 8HNTel: 0845 6003078naturalengland.org.uk

Northern Ireland Environment AgencyKlondyke Building, Cromac Avenue, GasworksBusiness Park, Lower Ormeau Road, Belfast,BT7 2JATel: 0845 302 0008, Fax: 028 90546660ni-environment.gov.uk

Scottish Natural HeritageGreat Glen House, Leachkin Road,Inverness, IV3 8NWTel: 01463 725000snh.org.uk

Joint Nature Conservation CommitteeMonkstone House, City Road,Peterborough PE1 1JYTel: 01733 562626, Fax: 01733 555948

jncc.defra.gov.uk




D a r t f or d w

a r b l er b yA n d r ewM

a s on ( r s p b - i m a g e s . c om )



Working together to give nature a home

rspb state of birds uk report

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