Raptors need our help
Please help us ensure a brighter future for birds of prey - support our vital work increasing and improving the monitoring of raptors, for their effective conservation.
Many people are surprised to learn that, despite our best efforts, there are significant gaps in our knowledge and limited data in relation to birds of prey. Using Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme (SRMS) data, we can currently only produce a fully representative national trend in breeding numbers for one species in Scotland, the White-tailed Eagle.
We urgently need to have trends for all raptors across the UK to inform conservation actions. To do this, BTO plans to develop raptor surveys in the same way that we successfully developed high-quality monitoring for waterbirds (WeBS), terrestrial widespread birds (BBS), seabirds (SMP), as well as other crucial surveys.
Our birds of prey have a long history of being severely impacted by a range of issues including illegal killing, secondary poisoning, habitat and prey loss – sadly these things are still happening now.
Hen Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier and Merlin are Red-listed in the most recent Birds of Conservation Concern UK report. Eight more raptor species are Amber-listed, and all need more survey coverage.
White-tailed Eagles
Hunted to extinction in the UK in the early 20th century.
There are now over 150 breeding pairs after a successful reintroduction, and we need more survey coverage to understand how and why their population is changing.
Kestrels
Declined by more than half since 1970.
The drivers of this change are uncertain, but we are aiming to gather more information through our new patch-based raptor monitoring initiatives.
Sparrowhawks
Suffered an 18% decline in England in the last 20 years.
Despite being widespread, these birds are secretive and difficult to study. We need more research to understand and help mitigate the fall in their population.
We urgently need to do more for these iconic birds.
The risk is that worrying levels of decline may not be noticed, and evidence for successful conservation actions could be missed. This is why we urgently need your support today.
.... assess the impacts of land-use change, habitat loss and diseases.
... understand and mitigate the impacts of poisoning and persecution.
... clarify the impacts of on-shore renewables development.
... evaluate the effectiveness of protected areas, afforestation and rewilding.
It is absolutely essential to have high-quality monitoring to inform effective conservation action, and by helping inspire more people to get involved we can monitor a much wider range of raptors.
Your support will help BTO and our partners to gather crucial data on raptor populations, to enable conservation that will really make a difference.