Understanding birds

Razorbill, by Sarah Kelman / BTO

Delve deeper

We have been at the forefront of bird monitoring and research since 1933. Explore our vast body of knowledge with blogs, masterclass articles, data tools and more. 

Birds on the BTO Blog

Cuckoos can’t change their clocks

Many bird species have shifted the timing of their spring migration in response to climate change – but the Cuckoo has not. Now we know why.

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A journey through the bird breeding season

Great Crested Grebes. Sarah Kelman

From Great Crested Grebes to Goldcrests, Dunnocks to Lapwings and Cuckoos, the breeding season is full of amazing nesters. Discover them today.

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Foraging ‘fingerprints’ of Gannets

Gannets and Herring Gulls foraging at sea. Edmund Fellowes

Understanding an individual bird's behaviour helps us predict how species may be affected by change. But how do we research a bird’s ‘personality’?

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Explore our data

By species

BirdFacts gives in-depth information about all of the bird species recorded in the wild in Britain.

By postcode

Enter your postcode and Birds on your Doorstep shows you the changing fortunes of birds in your area.

Birds on your Doorstep

Masterclass articles

Gulls allowed?

Our experts unpick the facts behind the headlines about gulls.

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A Blue Tit diary

A day in the life of an average Blue Tit during the breeding season.

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Birds and pollution

Plastic and oil, light and sound – how does pollution affect birds?

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Avian influenza

At BTO, we are dedicated to tackling the challenge of avian influenza (AI).

Learn more about the virus and the disease it causes, its impact on our wild birds, and the work we are doing to help devastated populations recover.

our work on AI
Oil spill. MSR Photo

Featured article

Birds and pollution

Increasing human activity brings more pollution into the environment. This can take many forms and can affect birds in a number of ways, as Nina O'Hanlon explains.


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