David Noble

Head & Principal Ecologist

David is responsible for the strategic development of BTO’s monitoring programme and associated research, is the main contact for biodiversity indicators, surveys of taxa other than birds, and for conservation initiatives such as BAP and Birds of Conservation Concern.

Interests & Responsibilities

Senior investigator with extensive experience in the analysis and interpretation of biological data.
Represents BTO on a range of scientific and statutory committees related to bird and mammal conservation.
Interested in capacity building and development of monitoring programmes for birds and other taxa in the UK and internationally, particularly in Europe.
Committed to an evidence-based approach to tackling a range of conservation issues.
Experience leading a team of researchers on projects related to bird conservation, temporal and spatial variation in bird abundance and distribution and the development of analytical methods.
Development of bird indicators in the UK and in Europe.
Previously, researcher on the ecology and behaviour of seabirds in Canada and cuckoo hosts in the UK and Africa, currently investigating effects of pollutants on migratory waders in North America.

Other Information

European Bird Census Council (EBCC) – Delegate, and Observer on Executive Committee Tracking Mammals Partnership

Qualifications

BSc Guelph University, Canada. MSc Queen’s University,

Recent BTO Publications

View all BTO publications for this author

Other Publications

Pratte, I., Noble, D., Mallory, L.M., Canada. PhD University of Cambridge, UK. -item"> 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. 2023. BirdTrends 2022: Trends in numbers, breeding success and survival for UK breeding birds. British Trust for Ornithology, Thetford, Norfolk Link to publication

Martay, B. & Noble, D. 2022. Scoping the feasibility of developments to the Terrestrial Bird Indicator for Scotland – urban, farmland and wetland indicators. NatureScot Research Report 1 300 Link to publication

Barnes, A.E., Davies, J.G., Martay, B., Boersch-Supan, P. H., Harris, S.J., Noble, D.G., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Robinson, R.A. 2022. Rare and declining bird species benefit most from designating protected areas for conservation in the UK. Nature Ecology & Evolution View at journal website (DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01927-4)

Barnes, A., Noble D., Austin, G. & Atkinson, P.W. 2022. A review of the capacity of current avian monitoring schemes in Guernsey to assess the population status of breeding and wintering bird species.. Research Report no. 742. British Trust for Ornithology, Thetford, Norfolk ISBN: 978-1-912642-33-5 109pp

Broughton, R.K., Searle, K.R., Walker, L.A., Potter, E.D., Glória Pereira, M., Carter, H., Sleep, D., Noble, D.G., Butler, A. & Johnson, A.C. 2022. Long-term trends of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) show widespread contamination of a bird-eating predator, the Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) in Britain. Environmental Pollution 314 View at journal website (DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120269)

Booth Jones, K.A., O’Connell, P., Wolsey, S., Carrington-Cotton, A., Noble, D.G., McCulloch, N. & Calladine, J.R. 2022. Loss of breeding waders from key lowland grassland sites in Northern Ireland. Irish Birds 44 : 11-22

Braun, B.M. & Provencher, J.F. 2020. The influence of migration patterns on exposure to contaminants in Nearctic shorebirds: a historical study. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 192 (DOI: 10.1007/s10661-020-8218-1)

Gaston, A.J., Chapdelaine, G. & Noble, D.G. 1983. The growth of Thick-billed Murre chicks at colonies in Hudson Strait: inter- and intra-colony variation. Canadian Journal of Zoology 61 (part 11) : 2 465-2 475 View Abstract Link to Article (DOI: 10.1139/z83-327)