Develop your skills

A BTO training course. Jamie Murray-Grant

Sharpen your birding and surveying skills with BTO

Become a better birder with our guides on basic birding and surveying skills, and browse our range of training courses and bird identification videos.

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Birding Basics

Stumped on what binoculars you need or which bird guide to choose? Take a look at our advice on birding basics.

Survey Essentials

Resources and general guidance for surveyors and fieldworkers.

Bird Identification

Build your bird ID confidence with our breakdown of the principles and techniques of identification, and tackle confusion species in our bird ID videos.

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Bird Song Basics - Collard Dove and Wood Pigeon

In this video, Training manager Nick Moran explains the differences between Collared Dove and Woodpigeon songs.

Two of our more common garden visitors, they sound very similar - so make sure to find a mnemonic to help you keep them apart.

Recent articles

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Identifying Ruff

By learning how to recognise Ruff in their various guises through this video, you’ll be able to pick them out with confidence.

Herring Gull. Photograph by Edmund Fellowes

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Identifying Common & Herring Gull

Build up your gull ID skills by learning to recognise two ideal reference species: Common Gull and Herring Gull.

Corn Bunting. Photograph by John Harding

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Identifying farmland buntings

Yellowhammer, Cirl and Corn Bunting all breed in farmland in the UK, and can all present identification challenges.

Develop your skills

Birding Basics

Survey Essentials

Bird Identification

Bird Song Basics - Collard Dove and Wood Pigeon

Recent articles

Identifying Ruff

Identifying Common & Herring Gull

Identifying farmland buntings

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