About the survey

Rivers and canals are great places for birds and birdwatchers, creating wildlife corridors that strike into the heart of our cities and stretch from moorland to estuary. The Waterways Breeding Bird Survey (WBBS) provides both a great excuse for a summer morning walk and an effective way to monitor the health of the species that live by our waterways.

The WBBS uses transect methods akin to those of the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) but with minor adaptations to a linear habitat. Volunteers walk along from just 500 metres to a maximum of 5 km of waterway, making a note of all of the adult birds that they see and hear. Surveys are conducted twice a year, between April and June, along with a reconnaissance before that to check the route. Data is then submitted by the end of August, via field recording forms or to submit your data on BBS-Online.

WBBS results supplement BBS with additional data on the birds and mammals specifically in waterside habitats. WBBS covers all bird and mammal species but is especially valuable for monitoring the population trends of specialist animals of linear waters, such as Goosander, Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher and Dipper.

Read the Breeding Bird Survey report

Incorporating the WBBS

The annual Breeding Bird Survey report is produced every year and contains population changes and other results from both the BBS and WBBS schemes.

This year’s report highlights the plight of Dipper, an iconic species of fast-flowing streams and rivers of the north and west of the UK. After declining by 32% between 1999–2023, the UK Dipper population fell by a staggering 31% between 2023 and 2024 alone.

• Read the 2024 Breeding Bird Survey report