BTO Scotland publications

Recent publications written by and resulting from work by BTO Scotland staff.
Peer-reviewed papers
Short-eared Owl, by Liz Cutting / BTO

Use of dwarf shrubland–grassland mosaics by a nomadic predatory bird, the Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus

Identifying habitat needs for Short-eared Owls

2024 | Calladine, J., Southall, C., Wetherhill, A. & Morrison, N. Journal of Ornithology

A substantial proportion of Britain’s Short-eared Owl population breeds on managed moorland, where these avian predators specialise on small mammal prey.

Peer-reviewed papers
Short-eared Owl in flight, by Liz Cutting / BTO

Remote tracking unveils intercontinental movements of nomadic Short-eared Owls Asio flammeus with implications for resource tracking by irruptive specialist predators

Astounding Short-eared Owl movements revealed

2024 | Calladine, J., Hallgrimsson, G.T., Morrison, N., Southall, C., Gunnarsson, H., Jubete, F., Sergio, F. & Mougeot, F. Ibis

International research led by BTO has revealed that Short-eared Owls make astonishing nomadic migrations between nest sites as far apart as Scotland and Arctic Russia. 

Peer-reviewed papers
A Redshank perched on a fencepost with its bill open photographed by Philip Croft

Changes in breeding wader populations of the Uist machair and adjacent habitats between 1983 and 2022

Study shows 25% decline in breeding waders between 1983 and 2022

2023 | Calladine, J., Fuller, R., Hodkinson, D., Franks, S. & Boyle, J. Scottish Birds

BirdTrends
Swallow.

BirdTrends 2022

BirdTrends 2022

2023 | Massimino, D., Woodward, I.D., Barber, L., Barimore, C., Harris, S.J., Leech, D.I., Noble, D.G., Walker, R.H., Baillie, S.R. & Robinson, R.A.

The BirdTrends 2022 report is a one-stop shop for authoritative information about the population status of the common breeding birds of the wider UK countryside.

Research Reports
Fulmar, Philip Croft/BTO

A review to inform the assessment of the risk of collision and displacement in petrels and shearwaters from offshore wind developments in Scotland

2022 | Deakin, Z., Cook, A., Daunt, F., McCluskie, A., Morley, N., Witcutt, E., Wright, L. Bolton, M. Scottish Government report

Research Reports
Osprey, by Graham Catley / BTO

Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme Trends Summary 2009–2018

2022 | Challis, A., Wilson, M.W., Eaton, M.A., Etheridge, B., Kortland, K., Mattingley, W., Steele, L.D., Stevenson, A., Stirling-Aird, P., Thornton, M., Titherington, J., Wernham, C.V. and Wilkinson, N.I.

Peer-reviewed papers
Loth Ferry Port, Sanday, Orkney.

Behavioural responses of non-breeding waterbirds to marine traffic in the near-shore environment

2022 | Jarrett, D., Calladine, J., Cook, A.S.C.P., Upton, A., Williams, J.,Williams, S., Wilson, J.M., Wilson, M.W., Woodward, I. & Humphreys, E.M. Bird Study

Peer-reviewed papers
Whinchat. Edmund Fellowes

Upward elevational shift by breeding Whinchat Saxicola rubetra in response to cessation of grazing in upland grassland

Whinchats move upwards when grazing stops

2021 | Calladine, J. & Jarrett, D. Bird Study

Changes in land use cause breeding Whinchat to head for higher ground.

Peer-reviewed papers
Lapwing in flight. Allan Drewitt

The Shetland Bird Survey: Population trends for widespead breeding birds 2002-2019

The Shetland Bird Survey: Population trends

2021 | Hughes, R., O'Hanlon, N.J., Calladine, J. & Harvey, P.V. Bird Study/Ringing & Migration

Population trends are estimated for the first time for twelve species based on Shetland Breeding Bird Survey data collected between 2002 and 2019.

Peer-reviewed papers
Oystercatcher feeding along the shoreline

Wader populations on the UK’s open coast: results of the 2015/16 Non-Estuarine Waterbird Survey (NEWS-III) and a review of population trends

Wader population trends on the UK's open coast

2021 | Humphreys, E.M., Austin, G.E., Frost, T.M., Mellan, H.J., Boersch-Supan, P., Burton, N.H.K., Balmer, D.E. Bird Study

Newly published research from BTO underlines the importance of the UK’s rocky shores and sandy beaches for waterbird species.

BirdTrends
Meadow Pipit. Graham Clarke

BirdTrends 2020

BirdTrends 2020

2021 | Woodward, I.D., Massimino, D., Hammond, M.J., Barber, L., Barimore, C., Harris, S.J., Leech, D.I., Noble, D.G., Walker, R.H., Baillie, S.R. & Robinson, R.A.

The BirdTrends 2020 report is a one-stop shop for authoritative information about the population status of the common breeding birds of the wider UK countryside.

Research Reports
Northern Ireland Lowland Breeding Wader Survey (cover)

Northern Ireland Lowland Breeding Wader Survey

2021 | Booth Jones, K., O’Connell, P., Calladine, J., Noble, D., Wolsey, S., Carrington-Cotton A. & Wernham, C. BTO Research Report 731

Peer-reviewed papers
Peregrine. Philip Croft

Contrasting long‐term trends in age‐specific survival of Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) in Britain using smoothed estimates of recovery probabilities

Living fast: using ringing data to look at survival of British Peregrines

2021 | Robinson, R.A. & Wilson, M. Ibis

The State of the UK's Birds
BTO volunteers. David Tipling

The State of the UK's Birds 2020

2020 | Burns, F., Eaton, M.A., Balmer, D.E., Banks, A., Caldow, R., Donelan, J.L., Douse, A., Duigan, C., Foster, S., Frost, T., Grice, P.V., Hall, C., Hanmer, H.J., Harris, S.J., Johnstone, I., Lindley, P., McCulloch, N., Noble, D.G., Risely, K., Robinson, R.A. & Wotton, S.

Providing an annual overview of the status of the UK’s breeding and non-breeding bird species in the UK, this year’s report highlights the continuing poor fortunes of the UK’s woodland birds, and the huge efforts of BTO volunteers collecting data.

Peer-reviewed papers
Loch A'an, Steve Willis

Delivering robust population trends for Scotland's widespread breeding birds

2020 | Darvill, B., Harris, S.J., Martay, B., Wilson, M. & Gillings, S. Scottish Birds

Research from BTO Scotland investigating how to improve the effectiveness of the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) in monitoring Scotland’s birds.

Peer-reviewed papers
Pink-footed Goose flock, Chris Knights

Behavioural responses of non-breeding waterbirds to drone approach are associated with flock size and habitat

Do drones disturb wintering waterbirds?

2020 | Jarrett, D., Calladine, J., Cotton, A., Wilson, M.W. & Humphreys, E. Bird Study

Newly published research, carried out by staff at BTO Scotland, has investigated the response to wintering waterbirds to drones, and shown that they can be easily scared into flight by drone use.

Research Reports
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Audit of local studies of breeding Curlew and other waders in Britain and Ireland

2020 | Wilson, M., Calladine, J. & Wernham, C.

The Eurasian Curlew is widely considered to be one of the highest bird conservation priorities in the UK and Ireland. A number of other breeding waders have also showed marked declines during a similar time frame, and a multitude of field initiatives across Britain and Ireland have been established, or tailored, to support conservation of these wader species. This audit aimed to collate information from as many of these breeding wader projects as possible, to allow BTO to assess how best it might assist local to national initiatives through partnership working in future.

Peer-reviewed papers

A schematic sampling protocol for contaminant monitoring in raptors

2020 | Espín, S., Andevski, J., Duke, G., Eulaers, I., Gómez-Ramírez, P., Hallgrimsson, G.T., Helander, B., Herzke, D., Jaspers, V.L.B., Krone, O., Lourenço, R., María-Mojica, P., Martínez-López, E., Mateo, R., Movalli, P., Sánchez-Virosta, P., Shore, R.F., Sonne, C., van den Brink, N.W., van Hattum, B., Vrezec, A., Wernham, C. & García-Fernández, A.J. Ambio

Peer-reviewed papers

Integrating scientific and local knowledge to address conservation conflicts: Towards a practical framework based on lessons learned from a Scottish case study

2020 | Ainsworth, G.B., Redpath, S.M., Wilson, M., Wernham, C. & Young, J.C. Environmental Science & Policy

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