Decline in the numbers of Eurasian Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus on the Exe estuary Special Protection Area

The study found that kleptoparasitism by Carrion Crows and Herring Gulls could help to explain the trends observed on the Exe Estuary. Here, Carrion Crows and Herring Gulls steal the...

Factors influencing nest site selection in a rapidly declining shorebird, the Eurasian curlew

This paper reports on work done studying Curlew in the New Forest, in collaboration with the University of Bournemouth, and in association with the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. In the New...

Estimating the distribution of reed Phragmites australis in Britain demonstrates challenges of remotely sensing rare habitat types at large spatial scales

Although the reed plant is an invasive species in much of the world, in Britain reedbed is a relatively scarce habitat, but one that is important for a several bird species. Sending people out to...

Diversity in Irish and British avifauna assemblages: What can variation in diversity profiles reveal about the forces that drive assemblage composition and structure?

Protected areas, drought, and grazing regimes influence fire occurrence in a fire-prone Mediterranean region

This study builds on previous work as part of the ‘Polesia: wilderness without borders’ project, which developed methods to map and analyse fires using satellite imagery and other remote-sensing...

The benefits of protected areas for bird population trends may depend on their condition

BTO-led research highlights the importance of the quality of protected areas in their effectiveness.

Identifying habitat needs for Short-eared Owls

A substantial proportion of Britain’s Short-eared Owl population breeds on managed moorland, where these avian predators specialise on small mammal prey. Such moorland is widely managed for Red...

Species- or habitat- based assessments of vulnerability to climate change? Informing climate change adaptation in special protection areas for birds in England

In this paper, two approaches commonly adopted by Natural England for climate change vulnerability assessments were used to assess the vulnerability to climate change of Special Protection Areas...

Spatially targeted nature-based solutions can mitigate climate change and nature loss but require a systems approach

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is one of the greatest challenges humankind is currently facing. A growing coalition of countries are now pledging to achieve net zero emissions, which means...

Anthropogenic climate and land-use change drive short-and long-term biodiversity shifts across taxa

This collaborative research involving BTO attempted to start understanding how habitat change and climate change interact. The study examined changes in over 1,000 bird, butterfly, moth and plant...

Distance functions of carabids in crop fields depend on functional traits, crop type and adjacent habitat: a synthesis

Using butterfly survey data to model habitat associations in urban developments

This study used data from 160 urban sites in England, collected by volunteers taking part in the Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey, in which BTO is a partner. Butterflies were chosen as the species...

Linking climate warming and land conversion to species’ range changes across Great Britain

The most notable changes over the past 75 years have been an increase in temperature and a loss of roughly 90% of lowland meadow and pasture, mainly converted to arable farmland and improved...

Multi-scale habitat selection throughout the annual cycle of a long-distance avian migrant

There are several geographical barriers to negotiate and large expanses of inhospitable habitat, such as sea and desert, to cross. In this collaborative study, high resolution GPS tracking data were...

Lasso Penalisation identifies consistent trends over time in landscape and climate factors influencing the wintering distribution of the Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)

Butterflies find safe haven in UK gardens

Data from 7,971 gardens between 2007 and 2020 have been used to produce garden-specific abundance trends for 22 widespread butterfly species.

Landscape fires disproportionally affect areas of conservation priority but only under low moisture conditions

This study identified five fires reaching more than 100 km2, a threshold often used to classify ‘megafires’. Frequent spring and summer fires predominantly started in agricultural areas, where...

Inconsistent relationships between area, heterogeneity and plant species richness in temperate farmed landscapes

Using satellite data to assess spatial drivers of bird diversity

​Curlew collaboration to boost breeding success

Research from BTO and the University of East Anglia reveals how land management can support the breeding success of this declining species.

Evidence that rural wintering populations supplement suburban breeding populations

Informing decisions for the benefit of breeding waders

Is there a garden feeding link to finch decline?

Urban and coastal breeding lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) segregate by foraging habitat

Identifying the drivers influencing mountain and upland bird populations

A tale of two warblers

Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) results show very different population trends for Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff - but what is driving this difference? BTO research reveals climate is key.

An assessment of relative habitat use as a metric for species’ habitat association and degree of specialization

Habitat selection and specialisation of Herring Gulls during the non-breeding season

New collaborative BTO research has used GPS to provide insights into the movements and habitat needs of Herring Gulls outside the breeding season. Researcher fixed GPS tags to 20 Herring Gulls...

A burning question?