Publications

Publications

BTO create and publish a variety of important articles, papers, journals and other publications, independently and with our partners, for organisations, government and the private sector. Some of our publications (books, guides and atlases) are also available to buy in our online shop.

Annual report of the Seabird Monitoring Programme

Seabird Population Trends and Causes of Change: 1986–2023

This report presents the latest seabird population trends in breeding abundance and productivity using data from the Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP). 

The report documents changes in the abundance and productivity of breeding seabird species in Britain and Ireland from 1986 to 2023, and provides a detailed account of the 2021, 2022 and 2023 breeding seasons.

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Annual report of the Seabird Monitoring Programme

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Global population status of the migratory Holarctic species Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus

Author: Langlois Lopez, S., Snell, K., van Bemmelen, R.S.A., Pokrovsky, I., O’Hanlon, N.J., Boertmann, D., Gilg, O., Green, M., Hanssen, S.A., Harrison, A.-L., Moe, B., dos Santos, I.M., Smith, P.A. Helge Systad, G. & Humphreys, E.M.

Published: 2026

BTO-led research estimates a minimum Arctic Skua breeding population of 185,131–395,315 pairs across Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Europe combined, but highlights a data gap for Asian Russia, where an additional 40,000–600,000 pairs could be present.

12.01.26

Papers

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Producing breeding population estimates to monitor Little Egret trends

Author: Woodward, I., Eaton, M., Massimino, D., Birtles, G., Noble, D. & Balmer, D.

Published: 2026

Data from the Heronries Census and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP) were combined to produce population estimates for Little Egret. The population was estimated at 2,236 pairs / apparently occupied nests in 2022, which was around 40% higher than the total number of nests reported to the RBBP in that year.

06.01.26

Papers

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A framework for monitoring ecosystem restoration at landscape scale

Author: Ockendon, N., Gullet, P.R., Hancock, M.H., Noble, D., Shaw, T. & Thomas, D.

Published: 2025

Ecological restoration projects tend to be large, involve multiple stakeholders and include a range of ambitions including a move towards more natural ecological processes. This paper evaluates the monitoring framework developed for the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme (ELSP) by BTO and the ELSP team, based on six years of experience with14 funded projects.

18.12.25

Papers

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Acoustic monitoring enables multi-taxa conservation assessment and prioritisation over large scales and for rare and cryptic species

Author: Ashton-Butt, A., Newson, S.E., Doser, J., Gillings, S., Kuzmenko, T., Fenchuk, V., Scott, C., Pearce-Higgins, J. & Atkinson, P.W.

Published: 2025

Passive acoustic monitoring provides landscape-scale data on rare and cryptic species across multiple taxa in the Polesia region (northern Ukraine and southern Belarus), acting as a relatively quick and cost-effective tool for informing effective conservation action.

17.12.25

Papers

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Assessment of non-breeding Hen Harrier records in relation to Special Protection Areas in England: insights from the Hen Harrier Winter Roost Survey and BirdTrack

Author: Wetherhill, A. & Wilson, M.

Published: Winter 2025

This study uses Hen Harrier records from the Hen Harrier Winter Roost Survey and BirdTrack to explore the distribution of wintering Hen Harriers in relation to the distribution of Special Protection Areas (SPAs). There is a particular need to enhance survey effort in and around SPAs, to improve our understanding of the distribution and habitat use of non-breeding Hen Harriers in England, and to evaluate whether there is a need for site protection to be extended to more areas.

10.12.25

BTO Research Reports

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