Ellie Leech

Head of Ringing & Nest Recording Team

Ellie is responsible for managing the Ringing Scheme and the Nest Record Scheme, which include the Constant Effort Scheme, the Retrapping Adults for Survival ringing project and Nesting Neighbours.

Interests & Responsibilities

Responsible for overseeing the two core demographic monitoring schemes operated under the BTO/JNCC Partnership, the Ringing Scheme, including the Constant Effort Site (CES) and the Retrapping Adults for Survival (RAS) projects, and the Nest Record Scheme (NRS), including the Nesting Neighbours project.
Bird ringing collects data on survival and productivity, while the NRS gathers information on nesting success; together, these initiatives provide data for BTO’s Integrated Population Monitoring programme, which allows us to understand what processes and environmental drivers are responsible for the changing numbers identified by census surveys, such as the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS).
Involved in development of novel monitoring schemes to collect avian productivity data, such as Nesting Neighbours and the Winter Ringing Pilot. Responsible for managing the 11 staff that comprise the Ringing & Nest Recording Team.
Involved in analysis of avian productivity data and author on over 30 refereed scientific papers, reports and reviews. Specific research interests include the effect of weather and climate change on breeding success and the role of nest predation in determining reproductive success.
Nest recorder, with experience of monitoring large nest box populations and finding nests of open-nesting species, and licensed bid ringer, currently holding a C Permit. Member of BTO’s HPAI Steering Group and contributing author of BTO’s avian influenza content.

Other Information

Established a long-term monitoring project focussing on wetland passerines, particularly Reed Warblers, and a Grass Snake monitoring project exploring the impacts of Snake Fungal Disease, both of which have supported PhD studentships.

Qualifications

BSc Biological Sciences, Oxford University
PhD Avian mating systems, Lancaster University

Recent BTO Publications

Hanmer, H.J. & Leech, D.I. 2024. Breeding periods of hedgerow-nesting birds in England. Research Report no. 762. ISBN: 978-1-912642-58-8

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 View at journal website (DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55354-5)

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 View at journal website (DOI: 10.1080/03078698.2023.2284510)

Branston, C.J., Whittingham, M.J., Phillimore, A.B., Leech, D. & Willis, S.G. 2023. The phenology and clutch size of UK Blue Tits does not differ with woodland composition. Ibis View at journal website (DOI: 10.1111/ibi.13248)

Martay, B., Leech, D.I., Shortall, C.R., Bell, J.R., Thackeray, S.J., Hemming, D.L. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W 2023. Aerial insect biomass, but not phenological mismatch, is associated with chick survival of an insectivorous bird. Ibis View at journal website (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.13190)

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. British Trust for Ornithology, Thetford, Norfolk Link to publication

View all BTO publications for this author

Other Publications

Leech, D.I., Hartley, I.R., Stewart, I.R.K., Griffith, S.G. & Burke, T. 2001. No effect of parental quality or extra-pair paternity on brood sex ratio in the blue tit Parus caeruleus. Behavioural Ecology 12: 674-680.