BTO's international research cuts across many of the organisation's research themes and has a broad remit, taking in classical ecological studies, as well as incorporating elements from the social and economic sciences. We operate in three broad areas:

1. research into the ecology of long-distance migrant birds,
2. provision of technology transfer and capacity building,
3. research into the links between biodiversity, the natural environment and people in developing African countries.

Long-distance migrant birds

By definition, our work studying the ecology of migrant birds that visit the UK also includes an international component. For example, our work on declining summer migrants, such as Nightingale and Cuckoo, has taken our scientific staff to West Africa, where we have also been involved in a partnership project exploring the cultural perception of migrant birds. Closer to home, in Europe, we have studied the movements of Greater Spotted Eagles in Polesia – part of a wider project on this incredibly important wilderness area – to understand why this species has declined and to identify the resources that it needs. These tracked eagles wintered across three continents, underlining the scale of global connectivity evident in many migrant birds.

BTO’s work tracking the migration of UK Swifts has contributed to an improved understanding of how Common Swifts from across their European breeding range migrate. BTO research has already identified which areas are important for UK Swifts on their journeys to and from Africa. Importantly, we now know that the wintering range of individual Swifts is huge, with birds visiting several countries across Africa once they’ve completed their autumn migration. The work, published in the journal Evolution in September, puts the migration strategies of UK Swifts into a wider context. Using BTO tracking data alongside that from 13 other organisations, it was found that Common Swifts show a different migration strategy to most other species.

Capacity building and knowledge transfer

BTO regularly provides advice and training in how to establish and run monitoring schemes, whether they are new national bird monitoring projects or the setting up of new bird ringing schemes. We also undertake specific research projects in Africa, Continental Europe, the Middle East, Asia and in the US. These have been as diverse as developing an action plan for the safeguarding the Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper in Myanmar, understanding how fishing of Horseshoe Crabs is impacting on shorebird populations in Delaware Bay, to the setting up of a Mangrove Centre in Oman.

The BTO's reputation for robust science has led to impact assessment work and the provision of impartial advice to regulatory institutions. Examples include reviewing a waterbird monitoring scheme in Kazakhstan, providing advice on Environmental Impact Assessment approaches to the offshore wind industry in the United States, providing impartial evidence on controversial canal-type developments in Australia and the provision of advice to Unilever on how to improve the environmental sustainability of crops grown in developing countries.

When working in other countries, one of our aims has always been to support local ornithology and develop capacity. Working with the A P Leventis Ornithological Institute (APLORI) in Nigeria – the only institute in West Africa focusing on ornithology – and the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, we have delivered a new academic course, developing promising students to Master’s degree level. BTO staff teach on the undergraduate module and supervise two Master’s students each year. The students are offered the opportunity to undertake the BSc in Applied Ecology and Ornithology at APLORI, returning to Cape Coast where they carry out a research project, which BTO helps supervise.