Press releases
Are sunflower hearts the secret to attracting garden Goldfinches?
January 2016
With record numbers of Goldfinches being seen in gardens this winter, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) wants to know what it is about our gardens that they are attracted to...
Fifty years counting ducks
January 2016
January 16th is the 50th anniversary of the International Waterbirds Census (IWC) in which volunteers from over one hundred countries will get out in search of their waterbirds...
British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) become Migration Festival Partner
January 2016
BTO are delighted to be able to report that they have signed a 'Friendship Agreement' with Spurn Bird Observatory Trust Ltd to deliver future migration festivals at Spurn...
Curlews and other upland birds are in decline
December 2015
The latest official statistics for Scotland’s terrestrial birds show significant declines for upland birds, such as the Curlew, but more positive trends elsewhere...
The north bears the brunt of a bad breeding season
December 2015
Information collected by British Trust for Ornithology volunteers shows that numbers of many resident bird species, and some migrants, increased in 2015...
Want to be Young Bird Photographer of the Year?
November 2015
Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) is a new competition that aims to set the gold standard for wildlife photography...
Cambridgeshire scientist wins prestigious national award
November 2015
Stuart Butchart of BirdLife International, based in Cambridge, scooped the British Trust for Ornithology BTO/ Marsh Award for Ornithology at a glittering ceremony in London...
Marsh Award for Local Ornithology - Devon man receives prestigious national award
November 2015
Malcolm Burgess, who founded PiedFly...
UK bird populations benefitting from innovative partnerships
November 2015
New report reveals conservation organisations partnered with farmers, supermarkets and even the brewing industry has positive impacts on bird populations...
Budding birder bags brilliant ornithology award.
November 2015
Thirteen year old Findlay Wilde from Cheshire was presented with the Marsh Award for Young Ornithologist of the Year in London last Wednesday, after proving to be truly ‘Wilde About Birds’...
Calling all gardens with Goldfinches
November 2015
If you have Goldfinches in your garden, you’re probably aware that they’re becoming increasingly common...
Poole-based organisation wins prestigious national award
November 2015
The Sound Approach has been awarded the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Marsh Award for innovative Ornithology...
Britain just got bigger - for some of our birds
October 2015
New research, just published in the scientific journal Bird Study, shows that many of our birds have expanded their geographic range in response to climate change...
Sparrow numbers rise at garden feeders
October 2015
With significant declines in both House Sparrow and Tree Sparrow populations, things could not have looked worse for UK sparrows...
Watch out for Nuthatches; new online tool reveals the garden birds to look out for
September 2015
Autumn is always an interesting time of year for garden birdwatchers and up-to-date movements of birds into gardens can now be tracked, for the first time, using the new interactive Garden BirdWatch results pages...
Feeding garden birds shown to affect their evolution
September 2015
New research by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has revealed that bird food provided in British gardens has helped Blackcaps to rapidly evolve a successful new migration route...
School children dig in for science
September 2015
School children across the country are getting ready to dig up their school playing fields in the name of science...
Kent school gets to name its own Cuckoo
September 2015
Valence School, Kent, beat schools across Britain to win the chance of naming a Cuckoo fitted with a satellite tag by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)...
Staffordshire school gets to name its own Cuckoo
September 2015
Forest Park Primary School, Stoke on Trent, beat schools across Britain to win the chance of naming a Cuckoo fitted with a satellite tag by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)...
Hampshire school gets to name its own Cuckoo
September 2015
St Albans C of E Primary and Nursery School, beat schools across the UK to win the chance of naming a Cuckoo fitted with a satellite tag by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)...
Cheshire school gets to name its own Cuckoo
September 2015
Lowton West Primary School in Warrington beat schools across Britain to win the chance of naming a Cuckoo fitted with a satellite tag by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)...
Conwy school gets to name its own Cuckoo
September 2015
Rydal Penrhos Preparatory School, Conwy, beat schools across Britain to win the chance of naming a Cuckoo fitted with a satellite tag by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)...
Northern Irish school gets to name its own Cuckoo
September 2015
Ballymacward Primary School, near Lisburn beat schools across Britain to win the chance of naming a Cuckoo fitted with a satellite tag by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)...
Wet summer delays garden dragonflies
September 2015
Garden dragonflies were slow to emerge this year, according to preliminary British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Garden BirdWatch results...
BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR – competition now open for entries
August 2015
COMPETITION LAUNCHED BY CHRIS PACKHAM AND ANDY CLEMENTS ON SATURDAY 22 AUGUST AT THE RUTLAND BIRDFAIR Crowds of people braved the searing heat on the BTO stand at the Rutland Birdfair to witness the launch of the inaugural 'Bird Photographer of the Year' competition by BTO President, Chris Packham...
Tense times for ornithologists as famous Cuckoo goes missing
August 2015
A satellite-tagged Cuckoo, named Chris after wildlife presenter Chris Packham, is giving scientists at the British Trust for Ornithology sleepless nights...
Scottish woodpeckers seen in record numbers
August 2015
It’s always a privilege to have Great Spotted Woodpeckers visiting your garden feeder and even more so if your garden is in Scotland...
Calling all photographers - Bird Photographer of the Year
August 2015
Introducing a brand new photography competition...
Some respite for Britain's birds
July 2015
Some stay, some go, but 2013 to 2014 was a good year for many of Britain’s birds...
Golden Plover in trouble but Siskin and warblers thrive across Scotland
July 2015
The latest Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) report, released today, reveals Golden Plover and Kestrel are in trouble across Scotland, whilst warbler and Siskin populations are thriving...
