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Peer Journal sample covers

It is BTO’s policy to make public the results of our research. Our aim is to publish as much as possible of our work in the peer reviewed scientific literature.  Many results are also published in our BTO Research Report series.

MacIsaac, J., Newson, S., Ashton-Butt, A., Pearce, H. & Milner, B. 2024. Improving acoustic species identification using data augmentation within a deep learning framework. Ecological Informatics 83 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2024.102851)
Davies, J.G., Dytham, C., Robinson, R.A. & Beale, C.M. 2024. Estimating the distribution of reed Phragmites australis in Britain demonstrates challenges of remotely sensing rare habitat types at large spatial scales. Scientific Reports 14 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-73030-6)
Kirkland, M., Atkinson, P.W., Aliácar, S., Saavedra, D., De Jong, M.C., Dowling, T.P.F. & Ashton-Butt, A. 2024. Protected areas, drought, and grazing regimes influence fire occurrence in a fire-prone Mediterranean region. Fire Ecology 30 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1186/s42408-024-00320-9)
Davies, J.G., Boersch-Supan, P.H., Clewley, G.D., Humphreys, E.M., O’Hanlon, N.J., Shamoun-Baranes, J., Thaxter, C.B., Weston, E. & Cook, A.S.C.P. 2024. Influence of wind on kittiwake Rissa tridactyla flight and offshore wind turbine collision risk. Marine Biology 171 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1007/s00227-024-04508-0)
O’Hanlon, N.J., van Bemmelen, R.S.A., Conway, G.J., Thaxter, C.B., Aiton, H., Aiton, D., Balmer, D.E., Calladine, J.R., Harris, S.J. & Humphreys, E.M. 2024. New insights into the migration and wintering areas of Scottish-breeding Arctic Skuas. British Birds 117 : 488-497 View Abstract
Stanbury, A.J., Burns, F., Aebischer, N.J., Baker, H., Balmer, D., Brown, A.F., Dunn, T., Lindley, P., Murphy, M., Noble, D.G., Owens, R. & Quinn, L. 2024. The status of the UK’s breeding seabirds: an addendum to the fifth Birds of Conservation Concern in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man and second IUCN Red List assessment of extinction risk for Great Britain. British Birds 117 : 471-487 View Abstract
Pickett, H.R.W., Robinson, R.A. & Nudds, R.L. 2024. Differential changes in the morphology and fuel loads of obligatory and partial migrant passerines over half a century in Britain. Movement Ecology 12 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00497-3)
Groh, C., Siriwardena, G.M. & McMahon, B.J. 2024. Diversity in Irish and British avifauna assemblages: What can variation in diversity profiles reveal about the forces that drive assemblage composition and structure?. Ecology and Evolution Link to Article (DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70143)
Bowler, D.E., Boyd, R.J., Callaghan, C.T., Robinson, R.A., Isaac, N.J.B. & Pocock, M.J.O. 2024. Treating gaps and biases in biodiversity data as a missing data problem. Biological Reviews Link to Article (DOI: 10.1111/brv.13127)
Woodward, I.D., Thaxter, C.B., Owen, E., Bolton, M., Ward, R.M. & Cook, A.S.C.P. 2024. The value of seabird foraging ranges as a tool to investigate the impact of offshore wind farms. Ocean and Coastal Management 254 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2024.107192)
Abraham, A., Doughty, C., Plummer, K. & Duvall, E. 2024. Supplementary bird feeding as an overlooked contribution to local phosphorus cycles.. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Heward, C.J., Conway, G.J., Hoodless, A.N., Norfolk, D. & Aebischer, N.J. 2024. Population and distribution change of Eurasian Woodcocks Scolopax rusticola breeding in the UK: results from the 2023 ‘Breeding Woodcock Survey’. Bird Study Link to Article (DOI: 10.1080/00063657.2024.2345272)
Russell, C., Franco, A., Atkinson, P., Väli, Ü. & Ashton-Butt, A. 2024. Active European warzone impacts raptor migration. Current Biology 35 : 2 272-2 277 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.047)
Border, J.A., Boersch-Supan, P., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Hewson, C., Howard, C., Stephens, P.A., Willis, S.G., Houston, A., Gargallo, G. & Baillie, S.R. 2024. Spatial variation in spring arrival patterns of Afro-Palearctic bird migration across Europe. Global Ecology and Biogeography Link to Article (DOI: 10.1111/geb.13850)
Gardner, E., Robinson, R.A., Julian, A., Boughey, K., Langham, S., Tse-Leon, J., Petrovskii, S., Baker, D.J., Bellamy, C., Buxton, A., Franks, S., Monk, C., Morris, N., Park, K.J., Petrovan, S., Pitt, K., Taylor, R., Turner, R.K., Allain, S.J.R., Bradley, V., Broughton, R.K., Cartwright, M., Clarke, K., Cranfield, J., Fuentes-Montemayor, E., Gandola, R., Gent, T., Hinsley, S.A., Madsen, T., Reading, C., Redhead, J.W., Reveley, S., Wilkinson, J., Williams, C., Woodward, I., Baker, J., Briggs, P., Dyason, S., Langton, S., Mawby, A., Pywell, R.F. & Bullock, J.M. 2024. A family of process-based models to simulate landscape use by multiple taxa. Landscape Ecology View Abstract Link to Article (DOI: 10.1007/s10980-024-01866-4)
Pirzio-Biroli, A., Crowley, S.L., Siriwardena, G.M., Plummer, K.E., Schroeder, J. & White, R.L. 2024. Not in the countryside please! Investigating UK residents’ perceptions of an introduced species, the ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri). NeoBiota 93 : 1-24 Link to Article (DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.93.110122)
Boersch-Supan, P.H., Brighton, C.H., Thaxter, C.B. & Cook, A.S.C.P. 2024. Natural body size variation in seabirds provides a fundamental challenge for flight height determination by single-camera photgrammetry. A comment on Humphries et al. 2023. Marine Biology Link to Article (DOI: 10.1007/s00227-024-04396-4)
Calladine, J., Southall, C., Wetherhill, A. & Morrison, N. 2024. Use of dwarf shrubland–grassland mosaics by a nomadic predatory bird, the Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus. Journal of Ornithology View Abstract Link to Article (DOI: 10.1007/s10336-024-02174-z)
Brighton, C.H., Massimino, D., Boersch-Supan, P., Barnes, A.E., Martay, B., Bowler, D.E., Hoskins, H.M.J. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. 2024. The benefits of protected areas for bird population trends may depend on their condition. Biological Conservation 292 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110553)
van Bemmelen, R., Moe, B., Schekkerman, H., Hanssen, S.A., Snell, K., Humphreys, L., Mäntylä, E., Hallgrimsson, G.T., Gilg, O., Ehrich, D., Calladine, J., Hammer, S., Harris, S., Lang, J., Vignisson, S., Kolbeinsson, Y., Kimmo, N., Sillanpää, M., Sittler, B., Sokolov, A., Klaassen, R., Phillips, R. & Tulp, I. 2024. Synchronous timing of return to breeding sites in a long-distance migratory seabird with ocean-scale variation in migration schedules. Movement Ecology Link to Article (DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00459-9)
Bonaldi, C., Vardanis, Y., Willemoes, M., Hewson, C.M., Atkinson, P.W., Nilsson, J-Å., Klaassen, R.H.G., Strandberg, R., Tøttrup, A.P., Howey, P.W., Alerstam, T. & Thorup, K. 2024. Fidelity and distance to previously visited sites throughout the annual cycle in a trans-Saharan migrant, the Common Cuckoo. Journal of Avian Biology Link to Article (DOI: 10.1111/jav.03183)
O'Hanlon, N.J., van Bemmelen, R.S.A., Snell, K.R.S., Conway, G.J, Thaxter, C.B., Aiton, H., Aiton, D., Balmer, D.E., Are Hanssen, S., Calladine, J.R., Hammer, S., Harris, S.J., Moe, B., Schekkerman, H., Tulp, I. & Humphreys, E.M. 2024. Atlantic populations of a declining oceanic seabird have complex migrations and weak migratory connectivity to staging areas. Marine Ecology Progress Series 730 : 113-129 Link to Article (DOI: 10.3354/meps14533)
Allain, S.J.R., Leech, D.I., Hopkins, K., Seilern-Moy, K., Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez, J., Griffiths, R.A. & Lawson, B. 2024. Characterisation, prevalence and severity of skin lesions caused by ophidiomycosis in a population of wild snakes. Scientific Reports 14 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55354-5)
O’Hanlon, N.J., Thaxter, C.B., Clewley, G.D., Davies, J.G., Humphreys, E.M., Miller, P.I. Pollock, C.J., Shamoun-Baranes, J., Weston, E. & Cook, A.S.C.P. 2024. Challenges in quantifying the responses of Black-legged Kittiwake to habitat variables and local stressors due to individual variation. Bird Study Link to Article (DOI: 10.1080/00063657.2024.2305169)
Duffield, S.J., Morecroft, M.D., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Taylor, S.D. 2024. Species- or habitat- based assessments of vulnerability to climate change? Informing climate change adaptation in special protection areas for birds in England. Biological Conservation 291 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110460)
Robinson, R.A. 2024. Understanding population change: the value of the EuroCES constant-effort ringing programme. Ringing & Migration 38 : 18-28 View Abstract Link to Article (DOI: 10.1080/03078698.2024.2311771)
Montràs-Janer, T., Suggitt, A.J., Fox, R., Jönsson, M., Martay, B., Roy, D.B., Walker, K.J. & Auffret, A.G. 2024. Anthropogenic climate and land-use change drive short-and long-term biodiversity shifts across taxa. Nature Ecology & Evolution Link to Article (DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02326-7)
Martín Vélez, V., Cano-Povedano, J., Cañuelo-Jurado, B., López-Calderón, C., Céspedes, V., Ros, M., Sánchez, M.I., Shamoun-Baranes, J., Müller, W., Thaxter, C.B., Camphuysen, C.J., Cózar & Green, A.J. 2024. Leakage of plastics and other debris from landfills to a highly protected lake by wintering gulls. Waste Management 177 : 13-23 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2024.01.034)
Cooper, J.E.J., Plummer, K.E., Middlebrook, I. & Siriwardena, G.M. 2024. Using butterfly survey data to model habitat associations in urban developments. Journal of Applied Ecology Link to Article (DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14583)
Tirozzi, P., Massimino, D. & Bani, L. 2024. Avian responses to climate extremes: insights into abundance curves and species sensitivity using the UK Breeding Bird Survey. Oecologia 204 : 241-255 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05504-9)
Thaxter, C.B., Green, R.M.W., Collier, M.P., Taylor, R.C., Middelveld, R.P., Scragg, E.S., Wright, L.J., Cook, A.S.C.P. & Fijn, R.C. 2024. Behavioural responses of Sandwich terns following the construction of offshore wind farms. Marine Biology Link to Article (DOI: 10.1007/s00227-023-04353-7)
Boersch-Supan, P.H., Hanmer, H.J. & Robinson, R.A. 2024. Extended moult phenology models improve inferences about moult duration and timing. Ornithology Link to Article (DOI: 10.1093/ornithology/ukae003)
Calladine, J., Hallgrimsson, G.T., Morrison, N., Southall, C., Gunnarsson, H., Jubete, F., Sergio, F. & Mougeot, F. 2024. Remote tracking unveils intercontinental movements of nomadic Short-eared Owls Asio flammeus with implications for resource tracking by irruptive specialist predators. Ibis View Abstract Link to Article (DOI: 10.1111/ibi.13304)
Boetzl, F.A., Sponsler, D., Albrecht, M., Batáry, P., Birkhofer, K., Knapp, M., Krauss, J., Maas, B., Martin, E.A., Sirami, C., Sutter, L., Bertrand, C., Bosem Baillod, A., Bota, G., Bretagnolle, V., Brotons, L., Frank, T., Fusser, M., Giralt, D., González, E., Hof, A.R., Luka, H., Marrec, R., Nash, M.A., Ng, K., Plantegenest, M., Poulin, B., Siriwardena, G.M., Tscharntke, T., Tschumi, M., Vialatte, A., Van Vooren, L., Zubair-Anjum, M., Entling, M.H., Steffan-Dewenter, I. & Schirmel, J. 2024. Distance functions of carabids in crop fields depend on functional traits, crop type and adjacent habitat: a synthesis. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 291 Link to Article (DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6984205)
Pell, R.J., Clark, J.A. & Robinson, R.A. 2024. Contrasting habitat use between and within Bar-tailed Godwit and Curlew wintering on the Wash, England. Wader Study 130 View Abstract
Walker, R.H., Robinson, R.A., Barimore, C.J., Blackburn, J.R., Barber, L.J., Bugg, N.R., McCambridge, H.E., Grantham, M.J., Griffin, B.M., Leighton, K. & Schäfer, S. 2024. Bird ringing and nest recording in Britain and Ireland in 2021. Ringing & Migration 38 : 44-88 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1080/03078698.2023.2284510)
Sutherland, W.J. Bennett, C., Brotherton, P.N.M., Butchart, S.H.M., Butterworth, H.M., Clarke, S.J., Esmail, N., Fleischman, E., Gaston, K.J., Herbert-Read, J.E., Hughes, A., Kaartokallio, H., Le Roux, X., Lickorish, F.A., Newport, S., Palardy, J.E., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Peck, L.S., Pettorelli, N., Primack, R.B., Primack. W.E., Schloss, I.R., Spalding, M.D., ten Brink, D., Tew, E., Timoshyna, A., Tubbs, N., Watson, J.E.M., Wentworth, J.E., Wilson, J.D. & Thornton, A. 2024. A horizon scan of global biological conservation issues for 2024. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 39 : 89-100 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.11.001)
Davies, J.G., Humphreys, E.M., Evans, T., Howells, R., O’Hara-Murray, R. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. 2023. Seabird abundances projected to decline in response to climate change in Britain and Ireland. Marine Ecology Progress Series Link to Article (DOI: 10.3354/meps14462)
Suggitt, A.J., Wheatley, C.J., Aucott, P., Beale, C.M., Fox, R., Hill, J.K., Isaac, N.J.B., Martay, B., Southall, H., Thomas, C.D., Walker, K.J. & Auffret , A.G. 2023. Linking climate warming and land conversion to species’ range changes across Great Britain. Nature Communications 14 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42475-0)
Johnston, D.T., Thaxter, C.B., Boersch-Supan, P.H., Davies, J.G., Clewley, G.D., Green, R.M.W., Shamoun-Baranes, J., Cook, A.S.C.P., Burton, N.H.K. & Humphreys, E.M. 2023. Flight heights obtained from GPS versus altimeters influence estimates of collision risk with offshore wind turbines in Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus. Movement Ecology 11 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00431-z)
Lathouwers, M., Dendoncker, N., Artois, T., Beenaerts, N., Conway, G., Henderson, I., Shewring, M., Cross, T., Ulenaers, E. & Evens, R. 2023. Multi-scale habitat selection throughout the annual cycle of a long-distance avian migrant. Ecological Indicators 156 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.111099)
Finch, T., Bradbury, R.B., Bradfer-Lawrence, T., Buchanan, G.M., Copping, J.P., Massimino, D., Smith, P., Peach, W.J. & Field, R.H. 2023. Spatially targeted nature-based solutions can mitigate climate change and nature loss but require a systems approach. One Earth 6 : 1 350-1 374 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2023.09.005)
van Bemmelen, R.A., Leemans, J.J., Collier, M.P., Green, R.M.W., Middelveld, R.P., Thaxter, C.B. & Fijn, R.C. 2023. Avoidance of offshore wind farms by Sandwich Terns in the North Sea increases with turbine density. Ornithological Applications Link to Article (DOI: 10.1093/ornithapp/duad055)
Buchan, C., Gilroy, J.J., Catry, I., Hewson, C.M., Atkinson, P.W. & Franco, A.M.A 2023. Combining remote sensing and tracking data to quantify species’ cumulative exposure to anthropogenic change. Global Change Biology Link to Article (DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16974)
Boersch-Supan, P.H., Lee, A.T.K & Oschadleus, H.D. 2023. A demonstration of the value of recapture data for informing moult phenology models for species with imperfect moult data.. Ostrich Link to Article (DOI: 10.2989/00306525.2023.2248396)
Stanbury, A.J., Balmer, D.E., Eaton, M.A., Grice, P.V., Khan, N.Z., Orchard, J.M. & Wotton, S.R. 2023. The status of the UK breeding European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur population in 2021. Bird Study Link to Article (DOI: 10.1080/00063657.2023.2256511)
O’Hanlon, N.J., Johnston, D.T., Cook, A.S.C.P., Robinson, R.A. & Humphreys, E.M. 2023. A crowded ocean: the need for demographic and movement data in seabird conservation. Ocean and Coastal Management 244 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106833)
Kenobi, K., Read, W., Bowgen, K., Macgregor, C., Taylor, R., Cámaro García, W., Hodges, C., Dennis, P. & Holloway, P. 2023. Lasso Penalisation identifies consistent trends over time in landscape and climate factors influencing the wintering distribution of the Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata). Ecological Informatics Link to Article (DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2023.102244)
Howard, C., Marjakangas, E.-M., Morán-Ordóñez, A., Milanesi, P., Abuladze, A., Aghababyan, K., Ajder, V., Arkumarev, V., Balmer, D.E., Bauer, H.-G., Beale, C.M., Bino, T., Ali Boyla, K., Burfield, I.J., Burke, B., Caffrey, B., Chodkiewicz, T., Del Moral, J.C., Dumbovic Mazal, V., Fernández, N., Fornasari, L., Gerlach, B., Godinho, C., Herrando, S., Ieronymidou, C., Johnston, A., Jovicevic, M., Kalyakin, M., Keller, V., Knaus, P., Kotrošan, D., Kuzmenko, T,, Leitão, D., Lindström, Å., Maxhuni, Q., Mihelič, T., Mikuska, T., Molina, B., Nagy, K., Noble, D., Jostein Øien, I., Paquet, J.-Y., Pladevall, C., Portolou, D., Radišić, D., Rajkov, S., Rajković, D.Z., Raudonikis, L., Sattler, T., Saveljić, D., Shimmings, P., Sjenicic, J., Šťastný, K., Stoychev, K., Strus, I., Sudfeldt, C., Sultanov, E., Szép, T., Teufelbauer, N., Uzunova, D., van Turnhout, C.A.M., Velevski, M., Vikstrøm, T., Vintche 2023. Local colonisations and extinctions of European birds are poorly explained by changes in climate suitability. Nature Communications 14 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39093-1)
Clark, B.L. et al. 2023. Global assessment of marine plastic exposure risk for oceanic birds. Nature Communications 14 Link to Article (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38900-z)

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