Raptor ID (2 sessions, Wednesdays 7pm)

Kestrel, by Philip Croft / BTO
Level
Beginner/Improver
Presenter
Nick Moran, Jenny Donelan, Rob Jaques
Date
Wednesday, January 22, 2025 - 19:00 to Wednesday, January 29, 2025 - 19:00
Places
Places available
Book places online

Improve your confidence identifying the raptors that are commonly found in the UK in this two-part online course.

The training will consist of two weekly online sessions of about 2 hours each, complemented by supported self-study exercises which will be provided after each session. The training will be run by BTO staff members Nick Moran, Jenny Donelan and Rob Jaques, all experienced birdwatchers and surveyors.

In order to participate you will need:

  • broadband of sufficient speed to view live video
  • a computer with sound and ideally a webcam, or a tablet/smartphone.

The two sessions will be as follows:

SESSION 1: Identifying smaller raptors - Wednesday 22 January, 7-9pm
We'll start by exploring the key elements of raptor identification using a range of interactive activities, then introduce two helpful 'reference species'. The main species we will cover in this session are Sparrowhawk and Goshawk, as well as the falcons: Kestrel, Peregrine, Hobby and Merlin. 

SESSION 2: Identifying larger raptors - Wednesday 29 January, 7-9pm
After reviewing the self-study exercises, we'll turn our attention to the skills needed to identify larger raptors. In this session, we will cover Buzzard, Osprey, Red Kite, Marsh and Hen Harriers, as well as White-tailed and Golden Eagles.

COST: The programme of two weekly online sessions and supported self-study exercises costs £24. There's an option to add a donation if you wish to further support the work of the BTO and are able to do so. If the cost is prohibitive, there is also a pricing option for those on lower incomes.

This course is designed for amateur birdwatchers and bird survey volunteers – professionals seeking training should contact us by email.

After booking you should receive an automatic confirmation email. If this doesn’t arrive, please check your spam/junk email folder and if it is not there, or you have any other questions or booking issues, please email the Training team.