BTO - British Trust for Ornithology - BTO Youth

BTO’s Youth Engagement: nothing about us, without us

WEBSITEEDITOR — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 11:27:44 +0000

Former BTO Youth Representative Keir writes about what BTO Youth has meant to him. No

Keir Chauhan Independent researcher Keir Chauhan is an independent researcher currently studying History at UCL. A former BTO Youth Rep, he is passionate about conservation, birds, and getting people out in nature.

Birds and people

The difference we make

Youth voices

My BTO journey has been so intricately linked to my personal growth that it feels remiss to mention it merely through descriptions of what I did and what I achieved. I know my experience is not unique. The connections made between both volunteers and young people who engage with BTO Youth are substantial in shaping people’s lives. It was one of the many reasons why I loved volunteering with BTO Youth.

So, when I agreed to write this blog, the dilemma remained about how to sum up BTO Youth. I decided I would spotlight what I loved about it.

Teamwork and collaboration

As a community, BTO Youth empowers everyone through a shared love of birds. It is built on teamwork and mutual respect. The principle of “nothing about us, without us” could not be more clearly demonstrated than in my time at BTO.

BTO Youth gave me the chance to work collaboratively with peers to implement and deliver the youth engagement strategies of the organisation — in the process, changing me as much as it changed the lives of the wonderful young people who engage with the organisation every day.

Empowering everyone

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BTO’s journey to inclusivity is a lifetime mission, and inclusivity will continue to be a challenge to reckon with across conservation and environmental science organisations. Yet BTO Youth has made significant strides to increase inclusivity and accessibility of youth engagement for all young people.

What this means in practice is reducing the barriers facing young people getting interested in birding — running bird ID training courses, demystifying the sector in Nature Natter talks, and running the Equipment Donation Scheme.

Celebrating unique connections to birds

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On a personal level, the confidence BTO Youth has provided me and others has been invaluable. I want to emphasise confidence because, by allowing people the space to grow and develop their skills, BTO Youth helps both volunteers and young people celebrate their unique connections to birds. People’s relationships with nature have similarities through shared cultures, but also some profound differences.

Individual encounters between people and birds are laced with meaning. Whether it was the common bird that got you interested in birding, or finally seeing a rare bird of almost mythical proportions, these encounters matter. By providing opportunities for young people to learn more about birds both online and in person, greater connections between people and birds can be developed.

Sharing nature’s value for mental and physical health

On a fundamental level, if more young people are connected to nature, more young people can understand its value for both mental and physical health. For me, the effects have been profound, and birding has become an important source for finding mindfulness.

As BTO moves on in 2024, I hope that it will continue to develop and engage more young people in innovative and unusual ways. But I thought I would end this short blog by highlighting what attracted me to BTO Youth in the first place. This was to engage more young people in the natural world so they too could see the benefits of nature for their mental and physical health.

Waxwings, by Edmund Fellowes / BTO

What I wish

to be a part of the

birdwatchers after sunrise,

Looking for birds today,

Seeking the unknown,

A hidden world,

Here I stand and it is freezing.

Yet, watching lapwings in the snow,

Keeps my heart soaring.

Never let go of that …

Exhilaration.

Oh, birdwatchers before sunset,

Looking out for a surprise

In the hope of something feathery feeding

Nobody told these birds to come here,

Yet the birds keep coming.

Even as the day draws near.

The simplicity of birding provides the vision.

To project on bird’s greater glories

Deeper meanings

Feeding the rational into a place of dreaming for the irrational

Birds cut the cage that keeps my soul.

Trapped and out of reach.

Helps me breathe and helps me speak.

To live life in the presence of birds

Oh, birdwatchers are up late at night.

Listening out for the birds

Migrating in starlight

Never expected to see birds I have seen.

In my local park, but now I know.

Even cities are full of life.

Makes me, me.

Oh, birdwatchers up at sunrise.

Who will be the first up and the first to rise?

For the waxwings arrived last night.

Get involved in BTO Youth

Visit the BTO Youth hub to explore news, events and blogs as well as updates from the Youth Advisory Panel and our Youth Representatives.

BTO Youth Hub

1 January 2024

How do I even begin to sum up what BTO Youth has meant for me? This was the question I immediately asked myself when I promised I would write this blog for BTO Youth Engagement Manager Faye Vogely.

19 Jan 2024

BTO Youth

Learning to lead: stories from the Young Leaders Course 2023

WEBSITEEDITOR — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 10:14:40 +0000

BTO Youth speak to attendees of the 2023 Young Leaders Course about their experiences.

BTO Youth Visit the BTO Youth Hub BTO Youth’s vision is of a diverse, vibrant community of young birders supported by BTO, with accessible, youth-led opportunities inspiring young people to engage with nature and science.

Lilia, James and Jasmine spoke to us about their experience of the course, and how it helped them grow as budding conservation leaders.

Lilia (she/her), 18

“I applied for the BTO Young Leaders Course as the qualities of being a leader and having to confidently assert myself were not things I’d previously had a lot of opportunity to practice. I was excited to spend time in the beautiful New Forest but slightly apprehensive about putting myself outside of my comfort zone. However, I am so glad I went as I had such an amazing time with really lovely people and have taken away a lot!

The four-day course was jam-packed with so many really great sessions that it’s hard to choose a favourite: talks given by the lovely Jack Baker (creator of Pangolin: The Conservation Podcast) and the inspirational Dr Anjana Khatwa (Earth Scientist, presenter, advocate and author), practising debating an environmental issue with Richard Benwell (Chief Executive at Wildlife and Countryside Link) acting as an MP, and running our own guided walks while being kept on our toes by seeing how we would react to unexpected scenarios – someone pretending to talk really loudly on a call, run off, or even have a heart attack!

I now feel much more confident within myself, and being surrounded by other enthusiastic young people already studying or working in different interesting areas has made me really hopeful and excited for the future.”

I now feel much more confident within myself, and being surrounded by other enthusiastic young people ... has made me really hopeful and excited for the future.Lilia

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James (he/him), 22

“The BTO Young Leaders Course came at a perfect time for me, as I’m just starting my second year at university, taking on a new role in its Ecological Society, and getting involved with other local projects.

I signed up for the course with the intention of developing my public interaction and communication skills, to become more comfortable leading walks and talks. It’s fair to say I left having gained so much more!

My fellow course members were massively welcoming ... it was an unforgettable few days, and a privilege to meet and learn from so many other people who care about the natural world.James

The range of guest speakers was excellent, and they covered fascinating topics and skills that, up until then, I had no previous experience with. Personal highlights included ending up in a simulated Whitehall testing my environmental negotiation skills, and spotting Crossbills whilst learning how to plan and run a guided walk in the forest!

For someone who, at times, struggles to interact with big groups of people, the staff and my fellow course members were massively welcoming, and coupled with the guest sessions, this really helped me build my self-confidence. It was an unforgettable few days, and a privilege to meet and learn from so many other people who care about the natural world.”

The highlight of the course was planning and leading my own 15-minute activity ... everyone in the group was so supportive and engaged, and even though I was nervous beforehand I really enjoyed delivering the session and would love to do it again.Jasmine

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Jasmine (she/her), 21

“I had an amazing time at the BTO Young Leaders Course this summer – it was so exciting to meet other young leaders in conservation and hear their stories.

We also got to experience workshops run by some fantastic speakers and explore brand-new topics. And of course, getting to spend the course in the New Forest was a treat!

The highlight of the course for me was planning and leading my own 15-minute activity, which all of the participants got to do. Everyone in the group was so supportive and engaged, and even though I was nervous beforehand I really enjoyed delivering the session and would love to do it again.

Overall, the course really helped me push myself to interact with new people, ask and answer questions from the speakers and helped me feel more confident in myself and my abilities.”

Young people are the future of BTO

Donate to the BTO Youth Appeal today

Partners and support

The Young Leaders Course is supported by the following organisations:

Cameron Bespolka Trust

The generous support of the Cameron Bespolka Trust made the course and its contents possible.

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Raptor Aid

Funding from Raptor Aid supported the provision of travel bursaries for young people travelling to the course.

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2 September 2023

At this year’s Young Leaders Course in the beautiful New Forest, 11 dedicated young people and five inspirational lecturers joined forces to share and learn from each other’s experiences in leadership.

26 Sep 2023

BTO Youth

A BTO Bird Camp bonanza

WEBSITEEDITOR — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:31:41 +0000

Following a great summer of Bird Camps, our campers, Youth volunteers and BTO staff share their experiences and thanks with the wider public.

Bird Camp staff, volunteers and campers

SOC/BTO Scottish Bird Camp

Buoyed by the success of the first-ever Scottish Bird Camp in 2022, the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (SOC) and BTO were excited to launch Bird Camp 2023, which took place over the weekend of 26–28 May.

Once again, we based the camp in East Lothian, and campers began to arrive late on Friday afternoon – all tooled up with binoculars, scopes and cameras (so many cameras!) – to get settled into the accommodation.

Perhaps miraculously, we enjoyed superb weather for the whole weekend and all the planned activities could go ahead! It was an action-packed weekend which included moth trapping, arts and crafts, nest monitoring, a boat trip to Bass Rock, building bird boxes, a ringing demonstration and a nature walk at the coast.

Our huge thanks go to the group of amazing young people who joined us for the weekend. They did everything with great enthusiasm and were always keen to learn more. They were great company and we’re sure we’ll be seeing them again in the future!

Thanks also to all our volunteer leaders, and everyone who helped make it such a special weekend.

Steve Willis – Scottish Bird Camp lead for BTO Scotland

Read more about the SOC/BTO Bird Camp 2023 on the SOC Blog.

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The SOC/BTO Bird Camp was made possible by the generous support of our funders:

The family of Ronald Guild - teacher, environmental activist, lifelong lover of nature and of all things East Lothian
The Cameron Bespolka Trust
The British Birds Charitable Trust
Anonymous SOC Lothian Branch members

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Bird Camp Wales

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On 16–18 June, I attended BTO Bird Camp Wales for the second year in a row, in Pembrokeshire. There were a lot of old faces and friends there, but also some new people who came. It was lovely to see everyone again in person because I have only been in contact via WhatsApp since last year. My friends at school don’t have the same interests as me so I love bird camp because it lets me make friends with people who do.

I loved every minute of bird camp but here are my favourite bits:

The places: Some of these are amazing! We went to places like Skomer Island and Stack Rocks. At these places, we saw some of the star species like Puffins, Guillemots, Peregrines and Manx Shearwaters.

The food: There was lovely food back at camp that the volunteers had made for dinner and lunch. My favourite food was the chilli on the first night there.

I loved bird camp with all my heart and hope to go again next year. Thank you to all the staff for making it a blast for me and everyone else.

The staff: The volunteers working with us were beyond wonderful and I learnt so much from them. I hope to work with them in the future again. Faye and Chris (BTO Youth staff) who ran the camp were as wonderful as the volunteers and I hope to meet them again next year.

I would talk about the bad bits of bird camp – but there are none! I loved bird camp with all my heart and hope to go again next year. Thank you to all the staff for making it a blast for me and everyone else.

Henry (12) – Bird Camp Wales camper

Read more about Bird Camp Wales 2023 >

Bird Camp England

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Summarising the Bird Camp experience is as difficult as resisting the temptation to raise your binoculars when you’re there. I had an incredible experience as a camper in 2022, and this was mirrored for me in 2023, when I found myself on the other side of the experience as a youth volunteer. I loved seeing lifelong memories being made and new friendships forming, just as I had experienced the year prior.

We had fifteen enthusiastic and knowledgeable campers who each had their own creative flair. I particularly enjoyed seeing the campers working on exhibition pieces for parents and guardians to see at the end of the weekend. These included paintings of habitats, nature journalling, and even acrostic poems! Our base of operations was the classroom at Flatford Mill in Suffolk where exhibition pieces (and sightings lists!) were worked on between wildlife-watching trips.

One of the many highlights of the weekend was the boat trip from Harwich Harbour. The coastal air added Little Terns, Cormorants, seals and more to the sightings lists, following on from the day before, which included the excitement of seeing Turtle Doves!

Seeing the fantastic young people all having a blast reminded me of the importance of these camps. No matter your birding knowledge or confidence level, for those two nights, Bird Camp is your home.

As well as the boat trip, campers were given insights into how to contribute to BTO science – bird ringing and point count surveys – and taking part in moth trapping and pollinator surveys. And of course, the healthy competition of the bioblitz and relaxation from the mindfulness session brought campers closer together too.

I was hugely grateful for the England Bird Camp after I attended as a camper last year, for the way it opened up the world of birdwatching for me. This year, seeing the fantastic young people all having a blast reminded me of the importance of these camps. No matter your birding knowledge or confidence level, for those two nights, Bird Camp is your home.

Adam (16) – Bird Camp England 2023 Volunteer and Youth Advisory Panel Member

Read more about Bird Camp England 2023 >

Bird Camp Northern Ireland

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Where do I start? How about with the weather? I would say it rained for about 75% of the weekend. But despite this not once did I hear a young person complain. Instead, they put on their coats, grabbed their binoculars and marched out into the rain. This is the second year BTO has run a camp in Northern Ireland, and in both years I have been so inspired by the knowledge, curiosity and enthusiasm the young people have for the natural world and everything it brings.

For me, the highlights of this camp include the bioblitz in Davagh Forest, archery at Gortin Activity Centre and the bird ringing demonstration run by Stephen, Sorrel and Emma. After the disappointment of having no birds at last year’s ringing demonstration, it was amazing to catch 22 birds this year. The team was amazing and kept all the young people interested and getting to release a goldcrest is an experience I will never forget.

Bird Camp also happened to fall on my birthday this year. A 5:30 wake up, a titanic cake decoration, 14 young people singing happy birthday, and spending 3 hours in the rain sums up one of the stranger birthdays I’ve had, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

I have been so inspired by the knowledge, curiosity and enthusiasm the young people have for the natural world and everything it brings.

Each year, I’ve taken something different away from Bird Camp. Last year I learned never to treat a bird as if it’s boring. Doesn’t matter how common you think it is, to someone else it could be the most exciting bird they’ve seen all year.

This year, I learnt how to adapt to changing circumstances and be flexible and how to prepare for and run a session of my own. Most of all, I learned that there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing. Oh, and I’m also apparently amazing at archery!

Benjamin – Bird Camp Northern Ireland 2023 volunteer, Youth Representative for Northern Ireland and Mental Health & Mindfulness (MMH) project participant

Read more about Bird Camp Northern Ireland 2023 >

BTO Bird Camps in England, Northern Ireland and Wales are made possible thanks to the support of the Cameron Bespolka Trust.

Young people are the future of BTO

With your help, we can reach more young people through events like Bird Camp.

Donate to the BTO Youth Appeal today

2 August 2023

Following a great summer of Bird Camps, our campers, Youth volunteers and BTO staff share their experiences and thanks with the wider public.

BTO Youth Appeal 24 Aug 2023

My BTO journey

WEBSITEEDITOR — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 08:44:00 +0000

Kate Fox started her journey with BTO as a bird ringing trainee in her teens. Now a BTO Training Officer, she explains how her role helps her inspire the next generation of naturalists. No

Kate Fox

Training Officer

Kate’s role is to encourage birdwatchers to support and engage with BTO, and to train them to take part in surveys: both central to BTO’s goals. Kate is responsible for helping to create and deliver educational material and training activities around bird identification and BTO surveys. She provides support to the survey teams to help increase the profile of BTO’s long-term monitoring schemes and recording programmes.

I soon learnt that birds are brilliant – they come in all shapes and sizes, make funky noises, and are everywhere. I still remember the sense of satisfaction from identifying my first male Kestrel, sitting on a cliff on the Dorset coast. Looking up from the pages of my bird book, it was like seeing a celebrity!

I first became aware of BTO at a bird ringing demonstration at Durlston Country Park in Dorset. Seeing the birds up close and learning about their ecology captivated me. The best bit: ANYONE could apply to learn! After emailing a few trainers who were fully subscribed, I finally found my wonderfully eccentric ringing trainer, Barry, who took a chance on a shy young birder. Seven years on, Barry is still a dear friend and mentor, and I love popping round for some ringing and a slice of ‘cakey’!

Bird ringing was brilliant for building my confidence and integrating me into the birding community. It was great being surrounded by the knowledge and enthusiasm of fellow ringers. Many of these ringers have been volunteering for the scheme for decades and have some brilliant stories! Ringing also forced me out of my comfort zone, because the rewards were too exciting to miss out on.

However, I still hadn’t met any nature enthusiasts my age.

That all changed when I was 17. I saw a tweet advertising a Young Birders Week at Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory in Wales, and I booked a place with financial support from BTO’s Young Bird Observatory Volunteers (YBOV) programme. This proved to be a pivotal experience for me. From the moment I arrived it was clear I wasn’t alone, and after a week of pure nature nerdiness I left inspired by the birds, the place and the people. I still can’t stay away from that magical island, having returned since for another Young Birders Week and as a volunteer.

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A lifelong obsession begins... Kate meets her first Storm Petrel on that pivotal trip to Bardsey Island.

As well as building networks, this trip also reinforced that I could pursue my passion and make it a career. I went on to study Zoology at the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall, where I soon found my tribe among the various wildlife societies.

It was through these societies that I realised my love for engagement. For instance, during my time as Bird Representative for the campus Ecological Society, I ran bird-related events such as bird walks, practical conservation days and surveying. One of my proudest achievements in this role was setting up a student BTO/RSPB/JNCC Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) site, surveying the site with a group and helping people to develop their bird ID and fieldwork skills. This put me in contact with the brilliant BTO Regional Network volunteers, who were very supportive in the early days of the project.

A year on, I was very lucky to be selected as one of the first BTO Youth Representatives, based in Gloucestershire where I was on placement at the time, working with the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust Reserve Team at their Slimbridge site. Due to COVID-19 and my slightly nomadic life moving between Gloucestershire, Cornwall and Dorset for my studies (I liked to think of myself as a ‘Roving Youth Rep’!), I mainly focused on developing online resources for young people with the other BTO Youth Reps.

These were well received, reaching young people across such broad age and geographic ranges, and showing them they were not alone during such an isolating time. I particularly enjoyed making our Birding 101 series, but always wished I could put more time into it… More on this wish later! It’s been so lovely to hear how much the young people enjoyed this series and to watch their confidence grow, with many Equipment Donation Scheme recipients and Bird Campers having taken part.

In the autumn of 2022, after finishing my degree and spending some time volunteering at Bardsey and Spurn Bird Observatories, a position as a Training Officer at BTO was advertised. I’ll always remember the moment I got the call to say I’d got the job: I was sitting watching Bearded Tits pinging around a reedbed at RSPB Lakenheath Fen, Suffolk, on a freezing cold winter’s day. Perfect!

I’ll always remember the moment I got the call to say I’d got the job: I was sitting watching Bearded Tits pinging around a reedbed at RSPB Lakenheath Fen on a freezing cold winter’s day. Perfect!

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Bird Camp Wales 2023, where Kate supported BTO Youth to deliver a weekend of nature-filled adventure for young people.

My role involves organising and delivering training courses, largely focusing on bird identification, and creating website and magazine content for our supporters and volunteers. It still feels like a dream that I am working for BTO, where it’s actually my job is to share my bird knowledge and passion for wildlife with others. The wish to have more time to run training events has come true!

Engagement is such an important part of BTO’s work. Whether it is interacting with our wonderful existing supporters, or reaching new audiences, it all helps to raise awareness of our work and build a sense of community. The training courses also upskill our attendees, equipping them with the skills to take part in our citizen science surveys, which in turn helps us better understand our bird populations. At BTO’s recent 90th anniversary event it was lovely to meet some of our participants in person, and hear how much they had enjoyed the courses. One attendee said our training had completely changed the way they birdwatch! It’s that sort of feedback which makes it all worthwhile.

I hope that my work can reach out to those who are perhaps less sure of themselves or don’t feel as integrated into the birding community, and help boost their confidence. It’s my way of giving back to an organisation that has given me so much.

For me, it all goes back to those first interactions at bird ringing demonstrations, YBOV, volunteering and the associated support which opened up my world. Those opportunities had such an impact, and I hope that my work can reach out to those who are perhaps less sure of themselves or don’t feel as integrated into the birding community, and help boost their confidence. It’s my way of giving back to an organisation that has given me so much.

I think we all are all guilty of comparing ourselves to others and convincing ourselves that everybody else knows everything… But I like to remember that everyone starts somewhere, and that a hobby is only worth doing if you enjoy it. Expect some ID challenges, but if the pressure becomes too much, take a step back! It’s also important to appreciate that people enjoy engaging with nature differently, and we should celebrate that.

I am very grateful to everyone who has been so supportive throughout my journey. To all of the staff and volunteers in the sector who have taken me under their wing over the past 10 years, made me feel so welcome, and offered me opportunities, thank you!

Inspired by Kate’s journey?

Join BTO Youth

BTO Youth offers a range of exciting opportunities and support for young people aged 11–24. Check out the BTO Youth Hub to find out how you can get involved!

Get involved

Boost your birding

Whether you’re just starting your birdwatching journey or have years of experience, BTO training courses can help you improve and refresh your birding skills.

Explore our training courses

From bird ringing trainee and BTO Youth Representative to one of our very own Training Officers, Kate Fox explains how her journey with BTO led her to her current role.

August 2023

My first bird book was the gateway for me: the RSPB Pocket Guide to British Birds. I studied the illustrations intensely, marvelling at the colours and diversity.

Kate Fox

Engagement

04 Aug 2023

BTO Youth

Young Bird Observatory Volunteering: the first step towards a career in conservation

WEBSITEEDITOR — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 08:48:26 +0000

BTO Youth spoke to recipients of the YBOV grant, to hear how the programme has helped them take their first steps in their careers. No

BTO Young Bird Observatory Volunteers Abi (22), Leah (21), Duerden (22) and Joe (14) were able to volunteer at bird observatories across Britain and Ireland thanks to grants provided by the Young Bird Observatory Volunteers programme.

Birds and people

Careers

The difference we make

Youth voices

The YBOV programme has benefited over 100 young people, helping them learn about opportunities available to them at bird observatories, and the work that observatories do for ornithology and conservation.

We spoke to some of the more recent recipients of the grant to hear how the programme has helped them take their first steps in their careers.

Abi (22) – Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory, Gwynedd, Wales

I spent a week on Bardsey Island at Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory with a group from university. I learnt to keep a detailed field notebook, conducted shore surveys for the Shoresearch project (the Wildlife Trusts citizen science survey) and for the island biodiversity report, and I even ringed my first bird. I learnt what life as a warden takes and participated in practical conservation tasks and surveys such as bird censuses.

Since the training week, I have been collaborating with the Observatory and fellow student Leah to develop a children’s resources pack for schools. The aim is to facilitate teachers in the education of children about nature and the work of the Observatory. We emphasised integrating the pack into the school curriculum, and the benefits of interacting with nature. The pack even discusses conservation careers, and where to start.

I have been inspired to conduct seabird research, and am now working on a citizen science seabird survey project. Abi (22)

I have returned to the island for a day trip and for a week as a volunteer – it was really rewarding to see that the Manx Shearwaters had laid eggs since the training week. I have been inspired to conduct seabird research, and am working on a citizen science seabird survey project as part of my job as one of the historical tall ship Bark EUROPA’s onboard researchers.

Leah (21) – Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory, Gwynedd, Wales

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My week on Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island) gave me an opportunity to grow my relationships with other aspiring conservationists and provided invaluable hands-on experience in conservation.

Along with other volunteers, I did a guided wildlife walk which looked at some of the rare plant life on the island. I also did rock pooling, small bird ringing (Blackcaps, Goldfinches, and I even got to ring a Sedge Warbler!), Manx Shearwater ringing at night, took part in the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), and learned practical habitat management skills.

During the week I saw several really exciting species including Cuckoo, Ring Ouzel, Dotterel, Alpine Swift, and Pied Flycatcher. There were Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs in the hundreds as well as many local Bardsey birds such as Peregrines, Choughs, and Wheatears!

For me, the stay on the island was a turning point in my life. I was just about to finish up my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science, a field I enjoy but felt very lost and confused in. Getting to see these incredible birds up close in the hand, unable to comprehend all they’d accomplished in their lifetime or the incredible distances they’d travelled, was what made me realise my future needed to involve more of this. I decided then and there that I wanted to begin working towards a future in seabird research.

The experience truly changed my life and has catapulted my career into conservation. I have reached out to Bangor University to discuss a master’s research project involving Bardsey’s Manx Shearwaters and applied for positions with the RSPB, and I have received a place as a volunteer on a biosecurity rapid response team tackling invasive species on seabird islands such as Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island), Ynys Seiriol (Puffin Island) and Ynysoedd y Moelrhoniaid (The Skerries, Anglesey).

Coming from a background in medicine, the choice of changing fields was a daunting one, but it was an easy one to make after my week on Bardsey. To Steve, Emma, and the assistant wardens at the Observatory, it was an honour to attend, and I will forever be grateful for the experiences we had because of the Observatory team. A big thank you to BTO Youth and the grant funders who made it all possible for us.

I decided then and there that I wanted to begin working towards a future in seabird research...the experience truly changed my life and has catapulted my career into conservation. Leah (22)

Duerden (22) – Spurn Bird Observatory, East Yorkshire, England

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I did six weeks of volunteering at Spurn Bird Observatory, but this wasn’t my first visit. Having lived in Leeds for university for the last four years I had made the journey to this renowned bird migration hotspot whenever the forecast was promising (and my timetable allowed)!

Over the six weeks, I conducted daily point count surveys to monitor migrant birds grounded by bad weather, and carried out various practical tasks such as footpath maintenance and willow coppicing. For ‘landlocked’ birders, there are few better places to visit than Spurn to get to know coastal species, and spending a longer period at the Observatory was invaluable. I learnt how to identify divers, ducks, and waders at sea, and became familiar with the calls and habits of uncommon species such as Lapland Bunting and Twite.

I learnt a lot about the bird ringing that takes place at the Observatory. I assisted with catching coastal waders for ringing, and learnt how to identify the age and sex of species such as Blyth’s Reed Warbler, Snow Bunting, and Bearded Tit in the hand. I also spent a lot of time working with other volunteers constructing a new Heligoland trap – a large, walk-in funnel which small birds fly into and can be safely extracted from before being ringed and released – that will hopefully catch species to inspire and educate the next cohort of residential volunteers.

To be surrounded by like-minded people, to make new friends and spend time with old ones, and to share stories of birding with other birders is what really makes the observatory experience special.Duerden (22)

As good as the birding was, what makes Spurn Bird Observatory unique is its community of resident and visiting birdwatchers. To be surrounded by like-minded people, to make new friends and spend time with old ones, and to share stories of birding with other birders is what really makes the observatory experience special.

I would encourage any young birders who have the opportunity to stay at an observatory to go for it – you won’t be disappointed!

Joe (14) – North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory, Orkney, Scotland

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As soon as I landed on North Ronaldsay, the island’s remoteness and isolation struck me: a small oasis of land nestled inside a rough ocean. The head warden drove me down a small track towards the Observatory, flushing a large flock of Golden Plovers as we passed, their mournful calls echoing the slightly ominous grey sky. When we arrived, I headed to my room. From the window, I could see the Golden Plovers circling over Gretchen Loch, and all the way to the lighthouse at the north tip of the island.

The main function of the Observatory is to monitor bird migration, and this is done by extensive recording of the bird numbers, and by ringing a large number of birds. It was spectacular seeing birds like pipits suddenly heading out over the rough sea, and watching as over the space of two weeks first Chiffchaffs, then Blackcaps, then Willow Warblers turned up on the island. Because of the island’s small size and limited cover, birds are very visible and often appeared in places I didn’t expect – such as Woodcocks roosting in fields and Sparrowhawks hunting for waders on the coast!

Each day on North Ronaldsay was full of things to do, from the daily bird census which covers almost the entire island, to operating the mist nets and Heligoland traps in order to ring birds, to helping out with the kitchen and general fixing. It would seem that everything on the island was either brand new or falling apart and made of rust as a result of strong winds and salty air!

It was spectacular seeing birds like pipits suddenly heading out over the rough sea, and watching as over the space of two weeks first Chiffchaffs, then Blackcaps, then Willow Warblers turn up on the island.Joe (14)

The Observatory also functions as the island’s shop, café, restaurant, chippie and hotel, and there were several visitors staying and eating with the volunteers almost every night. The staff were all very friendly and extremely knowledgeable, always happy to teach new things, so there was a great atmosphere. Occasionally one of the island’s residents would come to cook dinner, a special treat as her cooking was truly phenomenal.

I was sad when my two weeks were up and it was time to leave, as it had been such an amazing experience that I learnt so much from. I was constantly discovering new things every day! A huge thanks to the Observatory for taking me and to the BTO Young Bird Observatory Volunteer programme.

Apply for a grant from the Young Bird Observatory Volunteers programme

Would you like to volunteer at a bird observatory, develop your ornithological knowledge, learn new skills and make lifelong memories?

Find out more and apply

1 July 2023 Young Bird Observatory Volunteering

The Young Bird Observatory Volunteers (YBOV) programme has been providing grants for young people to visit and volunteer at accredited bird observatories across Britain and Ireland since 2013. Bird observatories are located at prime bird migration points across Britain and Ireland, and conduct long-term monitoring of bird populations and migration. BTO has a strong relationship with the observatories, which, like BTO, encourage volunteers to participate in scientific studies of birds and the environment.

Isle of May Bird Observatory. Gary Clewley / BTO

13 Jul 2023

BTO Youth

Launching the new BTO Youth Engagement Strategy

WEBSITEEDITOR — Mon, 15 May 2023 13:20:30 +0000

Youth Advisory Panel member Katie Monk discusses developing BTO Youth’s new strategy, and why an inclusive environment for young people is vital for nature’s future. Yes

Katie Monk BTO Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) member Katie has always had a passion for the outdoors. She works to help break the stigma and barriers surrounding nature-based actions, encouraging more young people to appreciate and protect the natural world around them.

Birds and people

Volunteer voices

Youth voices

The BTO Youth Engagement Strategy’s primary objective is to connect with its younger supporters, acknowledge the barriers they encounter, and consider their views on how to encourage more young people to engage with BTO.

Alongside this, it aims to give young nature enthusiasts and people who may not already be engaged with nature a voice and an opportunity to learn.

The Strategy targets inspiring the next generation of birdwatchers and promoting the well-being of young people by creating accessible, youth-led opportunities to engage with nature and science.

Implementing this Strategy and executing the projects outlined within it will establish partnerships with organisations that share our vision. BTO, young people and the natural environment stand to gain mutual benefits by working together.

Looking back

Over the course of 2020, the first BTO Youth Engagement Strategy was created by 10 Youth Advisory Panel members. This Strategy was developed as a support to guide BTO Youth’s work for the period of 2021–22. Its purpose was to help us concentrate on key areas of youth engagement, while also outlining our foundational values and target demographics.

Our vision for BTO Youth was established, and we identified our priorities: constructing a youth network, interacting with schools and universities, and generating content and resources to engage with 11–25 year-olds. The COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges, but initiatives like Birding 101, Nature Natters, and the Equipment Donation Scheme helped develop skills and build the confidence of young nature enthusiasts. Over 50 volunteers have now represented BTO Youth as a member of the Youth Advisory Panel or as Youth Representatives.

What is the new Strategy?

The BTO Youth Engagement Strategy 2023–28 is a wide, inclusive approach to connecting young people with nature and birdwatching. This Strategy is to be implemented from 2023 until 2028 by the Youth Advisory Panel, with the support of the Youth Representatives and staff across BTO.

BTO Youth works under six core values formed and defined by the Youth Advisory Panel for this Strategy: Inclusive & accessible, Youth-led, Helping people grow, Collaborative & transparent, Innovative & dynamic and Celebrating people’s connection to nature. Within each value, up to four core principles are outlined to ensure the development of future and existing BTO Youth programs focuses on and achieves these principles and the overarching value.

The implementation of the free youth membership, under the value of Inclusive & accessible, aims to foster a sense of community among young members, providing targeted support that caters to their unique needs and interests and aids in breaking down the financial barrier to some young people. There will also be a strong focus on mental health and mindfulness with explicit links both internally within the volunteer group and externally in the events we run, further emphasised in Celebrating people’s connection to nature.

Equipment Donation Scheme recipients.

Whilst these new initiatives will be central to the future agenda, continuing projects are just as important.

The Equipment Donation Scheme has benefitted over 2,300 people since 2021 through the donations of second-hand birdwatching equipment.

The Youth-led Youth Representative scheme, one of the core objectives of the 2021–22 Strategy, with the support of the Youth Advisory Panel, creates a community of young people across the UK engaging them with various topics through both local and online events. To Help people grow, a diverse range of events and activities pull an even stronger focus of the Strategy towards removing the barriers young people may face when becoming involved with nature conservation.

Youth in Nature Summit 2022. Alicia Hayden (YAP)

Being Innovative and dynamic involves offering online resources and training for young people, as well as providing a platform for MPhil students to undertake research which benefits both them and BTO as an organisation.

This value also accounts for amplifying youth voices, which was principally seen at the BTO Youth in Nature Summit. Looking to the future, the 2022 Summit has provided the opportunity to co-create the next Summit in partnership with other organisations, allowing us the opportunity to inspire other organisations to incorporate more young people.

Partnerships, like at the Youth in Nature Summit, can deliver conservation success stories. Outlined under Collaborative & transparent, these partnerships can allow BTO to engage diverse audiences and have shared input with a wider variety of perspectives and ideas. Whilst working with local communities, schools and other organisations, BTO can help to raise the importance of conservation and inspire other young people to get involved.

How did we create the new Strategy?

It has been an incredible opportunity over this past year to contribute to writing BTO’s Youth Engagement Strategy 2023–28.

Although the process of developing the Strategy was time-consuming, it was extremely rewarding to build a vision of an inclusive, diverse and engaged community of young people united by their love for nature. Writing the Strategy from our youth perspective allowed us to demonstrate to others how young people can make a difference, and by working in the conservation sector and being engaged with nature they can ensure their voices are represented throughout organisations and at the heart of decision–making processes.

It was challenging, as it required us to understand and reflect on all the barriers that young people might face and translate every one into an actionable vision and projects. Working against a tight deadline during exam season added to the stress to perfect this Strategy, and navigating conflicting opinions to decide certain visions and values made it difficult to finally choose parts.

However, overall, it was a fulfilling experience knowing our work will make a significant impact in engaging more young people with nature. The process of writing the Strategy was both challenging and rewarding, and I am proud to have been part of the effort to engage young people with nature and birdwatching, and I am proud to be a part of BTO Youth.

Looking forward

Our vision is of a diverse, vibrant community of young birders supported by BTO, with accessible, youth-led opportunities inspiring young people to engage with nature and science.

As outlined in our Strategy, BTO Youth envisions a future where a thriving and engaged community of young people with a passion for nature comes together in an inclusive and diverse environment.

Our goal is to ensure that young people have a voice in the conservation sector, and their ideas and opinions are represented in the decision-making processes of organisations. Our hope is to provide meaningful opportunities for young people to engage with the sector, and for their voices to be heard at every level.

This Strategy will shape these projects which enable us to achieve, or work towards, our vision over the next five years. We recognize the importance of diversity in the community and strive to make it a welcoming space for everyone.

By working together and empowering the next generation, we can ensure that nature is protected and conserved for generations to come.

Youth Engagement at BTO

Read the full Youth Engagement Strategy to learn more about how we’re working to create a diverse, inclusive and thriving youth community at BTO.

BTO Youth Engagement Strategy 2023–28

Did you know?

BTO Youth runs regular events for young people, in-person and online. It also has its very own BTO Youth Blog and regularly publishes updates on BTO youth engagement work.

Visit the BTO Youth Hub to stay up to date.

1 May 2023

The urgency of global challenges makes it crucial to engage young people in conservation efforts, and the BTO Youth Engagement Strategy provides a comprehensive approach to doing so.

Engagement

15 May 2023

BTO Youth

Why we built the Youth in Nature Summit

WEBSITEEDITOR — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 11:29:44 +0000

BTO Youth discuss the environmental sector's failure to consistently engage with young people, and set out their goals for the first ever BTO Youth in Nature Summit. No

BTO Youth Advisory Panel Helping steer BTO to better serve our younger supporters More about the YAP The Youth Advisory Panel has developed an inclusive and extensive Youth Engagement Strategy, helping BTO inspire the next generation of birdwatchers.

Birds and people

The environmental sector often caters well for younger children, but not for people in their mid-to-late teens and early twenties. This causes a drop-off in interest and involvement in this age group. Several organisations have started to act on this issue – the development of BTO Youth through the Youth Rep network and Youth Advisory Panel reflects BTO’s work in this area.

However, this task is gargantuan, far too big for just one organisation; we could achieve so much more if we could unite and work together to run events and create an inclusive community for young people who love nature.

BTO’s Youth Advisory Panel have shaped and planned the Summit, ensuring that the visions of young people are carried forward into reality and building useful skills as we go. In a sense, the Summit embodies what we’re aiming for: youth-led youth engagement that’s valuable for everyone who’s involved.

It has been a steep learning curve for us. As the day approaches (doesn’t time seem to speed up at moments like this!), we can look back and consider how we will plan aspects differently in the future. But we are also full of pride for our Summit. We know it will be an enjoyable, useful and inspirational day for all.

The Summit: goals for the day

The Summit’s biggest aim is to bring people together to share, celebrate and increase youth engagement. After years of disrupted youth events thanks to COVID-19, this is an opportunity to bring people together in the same room and form valuable connections – there will be ample opportunities for networking and with-sandwich conversations.

However, part of bringing people together is making everyone feel welcome and at home in this community of nature lovers. In the environmental sector, many groups are underrepresented; being actively inclusive and building a more diverse community is therefore a focus of the day and a focus for the future.

Financial barriers have been consistently identified as a problem for young people wanting to engage in nature, so we have made entry free for all under-30s, with travel bursaries also available. On the day itself, Lauren Rudd’s Inclusivity session will open the door for important conversations in a welcoming space around inclusivity and diversity. Defining the barriers faced by young people, and ensuring these barriers are recognised by senior leaders, are valuable outcomes of this session. They are also crucial precursors to building a diverse, inclusive and welcoming community of young people in nature going forward.

Inspiring attendees is also at the heart of the sessions we’ve planned. During the Young People’s Panel, we’ll be hearing a group of young people talk about how volunteering in an organisation and developing their own ideas has benefitted them. Demonstrating the positive impact of young people on conservation organisations is the focus of the Leaders’ Panel.

Between these two panels and a session on Youth Networks, Partnerships and Driving Change led by Emily Fox, Charlie Nwanodi and Bobbi Benjamin from the London Wildlife Trust, we’re hoping that young people will leave the Summit feeling they can make a positive difference in the sector. We’re also hoping that more senior attendees will leave feeling positive about the future and with more drive to support young people in their organisations.

The Summit: going forward

We know that partnerships deliver conservation success stories. Whilst the BTO Youth Advisory Panel has organised the Summit, eight other key conservation organisations are represented by speakers and session leaders. Long term, we can move towards building together a framework of youth engagement to ensure integrating young people into organisations is valuable for young people, for organisations and for nature. Signing off the day with pledges from organisations which commit to action is just the beginning of this process.

Going forward, the Summit will lay the groundwork for organisations to collaborate through a network of young people, creating partnership opportunities that will enhance both the experiences of young people within organisations, and the young people that those organisations affect.

The combination of youth engagement goals and passion across the panels, speakers and workshops will be sure to produce some inspiring stories. The Summit is not a stand-alone event: this sharing of experiences will be a springboard for attendees and organisations to form connections which last beyond the Summit.

For the future, as the Youth Advisory Panel, we have a vision of building an inclusive, diverse and engaged community of young people, united by their love of nature, who have meaningful opportunities within the conservation and nature sector to ensure their voices are represented throughout organisations and at the heart of decision-making processes. The Youth in Nature Summit will celebrate what everyone has achieved so far and unite our community to make positive steps forward with young people in nature.

Young people are the future of BTO

With your help, we can do more to reach out to, connect with and support them.

Donate to the BTO Youth Appeal today

BTO Youth discuss the environmental sector's failure to consistently engage with young people, and set out their goals for the first ever BTO Youth in Nature Summit.

2 October 2022

BTO’s first Youth in Nature Summit will unite young people, senior leaders, and everyone in-between around the topic of youth engagement in nature. The day offers a unique opportunity to learn about and share the benefits of involving young people meaningfully in conservation organisations and decision-making processes: for young people, for organisations and for nature.

Our future? It's in your hands 25 Oct 2022

BTO Youth

Both sides of the camera

WEBSITEEDITOR — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 09:20:05 +0000

BTO Youth's Birding 101 events are part of a free training programme for young people, by young people. Lizzie, BTO Youth Representative and Birding 101 host, writes about their experience. No

Lizzie Youth Representative (Aberystwyth) Lizzie is studying for a masters as part of the Mycology Research Group at Aberystwyth University. They hope that, by being a BTO Youth Representative, they can repay the service of those who inspired them to pursue a life in science and nature.

Birds and people

A while ago you had to be part of a specific career field to attend video calls or to present online training sessions. If you did, it probably would’ve had something to do with Skype, and it probably would’ve been vaguely infuriating.

A zoom link means something completely different now.

Hosting Birding 101 was my first time seeing how the type of events I’ve attended throughout my birding youth are thought up, planned out, practised, promoted, delivered, and reviewed. My main takeaway is this - that the BTO work really, really hard. That gliding duck analogy about hidden feet paddling under the surface seems appropriate here.

I didn’t know people could do things like that so well. I hadn’t experienced how a group of people could just think things up, turn it into something physical, and then roll it out to the public. Professionally. I didn’t know how some people handled promotion, and others registration and admin. How logos and art are commissioned. How safeguarding works. How not to swear in front of 90 young people.

That’s been cool. I’ve enjoyed learning how that’s done.

But we can do all that hard work, and still have the thing not be successful. This thing has been very successful, I like to think. Humbly. With a big grin on my face. Our attendees brought these sessions to life - it turns out those pesky youths are really good fun.

We are Eli and Izzy from Cornwall. We love being outdoors and in nature, even if it's raining!

Eli & Izzy (Birding 101)

Eli & Izzy

Our mum saw the Birding 101 course being run by BTO Youth in November last year and asked if we wanted to do it, as we love birds. We couldn't wait and she signed us up.

The sessions were run in the evening on Zoom by different BTO Youth representatives. We both enjoyed the sessions on how to identify birds by sight and sound. We got to look at different pictures and hear different bird calls. To help us remember, we did little quizzes, which got us a bit competitive! We also loved learning about the different gulls - they are more interesting than you think! After each session we were given challenges so we could test out our new skills.

The migration session was fascinating. Did you know Swifts can fly almost nonstop when they migrate to Africa each winter, and migrating birds can rest half of their brain whilst flying?

We were keen to hear about the BTO Equipment Donation Scheme. Our mum asked for a pair of binoculars and we were fortunate to get a couple of pairs and a birding book. We were so excited, as we can now see the birds up close. We have also used them to spot deer! We even got goodie bags sent in the post after the course, as we went to all the sessions.

We really recommend this course. Birding 101 has given us new skills and even more appreciation for our beautiful world. Our birds are so precious and vulnerable, it is all our responsibility to keep them safe.

Join the discussion

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Leave your comments and questions below.

It’s stressful to present to so many people, and it’s difficult to balance content for both primary school and university students. It was a really big undertaking. Lots of things were brand new.

The energy that knitted everything together came from finding out who’d spotted what birds since the last session, who’d used new skills, who’d seen a new first species. It was fielding questions to the group to receive a wave of detailed responses, or to see someone ask for help and be answered by another participant.

The shape of the birding community is changing. There are new niches to be filled. The force of the BTO Youth Engagement Team can do an enormous amount, but they’re met halfway by other young people so willing to share in the work. Both are facilitated by the power of the internet.

In-person events are gladly returning, but online events like Birding 101 are something wonderful that have developed in the interim. I hope they stick around.

June 2022

BTO Youth's Birding 101 events are part of a free training programme for young people, by young people - a series of live online sessions hosted by BTO's Youth Representatives designed to connect, inspire and educate anyone aged 25 or younger who is interested in nature. Arising out of the increased awareness of online events in the wake of the pandemic, Birding 101 series have been a success, not just for participants, but for the leaders too. Lizzie, BTO Youth Representative and Birding 101 host, writes about their experience.

06 Jun 2022

BTO Youth

Exploring Birds through Art

WEBSITEEDITOR — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 15:34:01 +0000

Alicia Hayden, BTO Youth Advisory Panel member, writes about her love of birds and art, and how they coalesce in her growing portfolio. Yes

Alicia Hayden BTO Youth Advisory Panel Member Alicia Hayden Wildlife Alicia has a Biological Sciences degree from Oxford University and currently studies Wildlife Filmmaking at UWE. An award-winning artist, photographer, filmmaker, and writer, she combines science with art to convey the need to protect the natural world.

Birds and people

long-tailed_tit_alicia_hayden.jpg

My Volery

A softness.
Their twinkling cheeps and chirps
As they hop from branch to branch,
Scattering rain droplets like leaves in Autumn.

Together.
They huddle so close, so tight
That you can feel their warmth,
The pink blush on their chests almost glowing.

Light.
As a feather. They move like
Dolphins leaping through frothing waves,
Like salmon of the skies.

And now they perch on trees laden full of food,
My feathered family - my volery.

Alicia Hayden

Flights of fancy

Since I was little, I’ve always wished I could fly like a bird.

One of my favourite animals is the Arctic Tern because they get the best of all worlds: they can dive into the ocean, fly through the sky, and rest on land. They’re also so elegant, like angels of the ocean, and exceptional fliers – covering an estimated 25,000 miles per year during their annual migration. I would give anything to experience the world as they do.

However, I can’t fly like a bird, so I’ve found that the next best way for me to explore the lives of these extraordinary creatures is through art. Of the many different types of art my favourites to work in are visual and written forms – especially drawings, paintings, and poems. I like merging my love for the arts with my love for the environment and science to show the general public the beauty of the natural world, and demonstrate the reasons we need to protect it.

Lockdown slowdown

During the first lockdown in 2020, I immersed myself in nature even more than usual.

Living in North Yorkshire, my walks have always been nature-filled, but the stress of lockdown meant I slowed down during these moments and really listened to the birds around me.

Over the summer, I followed a family of Long-tailed Tits, seeing them every evening at around 7 pm in June and July – it filled me with joy whenever I heard their sweet pissp-pissp-pissp, and I was constantly trying to photograph them. I find Long-tailed Tits are particularly charismatic birds, and I quickly started sketching and writing about them after my walks.

My Volery is written about this family; “volery” is the collective noun for Long-tailed Tits, which I think fits their sweet persona well. Like most of my poems, I wrote My Volery while out in the field, as I am particularly inspired by my experiences in nature.

Art is such a personal process – laying your thoughts and emotions bare for others to view. I am always most nervous about sharing my poetry, perhaps because it feels the most intimate art form – like I’m speaking directly to the reader. I think poetry can be a powerful way of drawing attention to species and ecosystems, and I hope that when people read my work, they feel inspired to connect with nature.

Discovering birds through artistic media

When I create visual art, I love to experiment with different media, and I think this helps me explore birds more deeply; when I use different materials and techniques, I focus on different characteristics of the species I am depicting.

One of the first media I used to sketch birds was biro. I enjoy the precision it allows, and I also like the depth and shade I can achieve – I find it particularly effective for fine feathers and smooth surfaces like beaks.

I’ve also started to work with coffee, which I find works particularly well for birds with hues of brown and gold, such as Hen Harriers and Ospreys. Drawing with ink pens allows me to retain detail while the coffee gives more tone and creates light and shade in my bird sketches. The overall effect is a simplicity which I think makes the pieces more dynamic.

goldcrest_portrait_alicia_hayden.jpg

Goldcrest (Biro)

Osprey_Alicia_Hayden

Osprey (Coffee and Ink)

sarus_crane_alicia_hayden.jpg

Sarus Crane (Acrylic Inks)

Art may be passive compared to more practical methods of conservation, but it can be a powerful way of connecting with new audiences.

More recently, I have been working in acrylic inks to explore the world’s most colourful birds, from the more exotic Sarus Crane to birds with beautiful plumage within the UK, such as the Long-tailed Tit.

The aim of my plumage series is to focus on the diversity of bird feathers – so I’ve been working with acrylic inks to emphasise the colours, patterns, and textures. Acrylic inks are so vibrant, and while working on this series, I’ve purposefully limited myself by not using black ink and created dark colours using purple, blue, red, and green. Reducing my colour palette means I have paid more attention to the incremental colour changes within birds’ plumage, which hopefully makes my paintings more accurate as well as detailed!

Hook Net Sinker. Alicia Hayden

Art as activism

As well as depicting the beauty of birds, in my wildlife artivism work I try and explicitly illustrate how anthropogenic activities are negatively impacting the environment. I hope that this work makes people stop and think, and that my art will ultimately inspire change. Art may be passive compared to more practical methods of conservation, but it can be a powerful way of connecting with new audiences.

With all my work, be it visual or written, I aspire to instil a curiosity for discovering birds in my audience, and a desire to protect them. These days, it is so easy for people to become disconnected from nature by spending an increasing amount of time on digital devices – I hope that if people come across my work, it will inspire them to head outside to explore the natural world for themselves, and experience the beauty of birds.

Young people are the future of BTO

With your help, we can do more to reach out to, connect with and support them.

Donate to the BTO Youth Appeal today

2 March 2022 Red Sixty SevenYouth Advisory Panel (YAP)Flight Lines: Tracking the wonders of bird migration

Birds have been depicted in art since prehistory, from Neolithic cave paintings to modern identification guides. More recently, art has been used to draw attention to the plight of wildlife in works such as Red Sixty Seven, a collection of visual and written art celebrating Britain’s most vulnerable bird species. As a new generation of young birders joins BTO, the representation of birds in art continues to evolve. Alicia Hayden, BTO Youth Advisory Panel member, writes about her love of birds and art, and how they coalesce in her growing portfolio.

Hen Harrier. Alicia Hayden

21 Mar 2022

BTO Youth

Yorkshire and the Humber

A Word with Tim Birkhead

WEBSITEEDITOR — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 16:12:21 +0000

BTO Youth Rep Jasmine Canham sits down with Tim Birkhead to talk about the inspiration and ideas behind his new book, Birds and Us. No

Jasmine Canham BTO Youth Rep

Jasmine is a BTO Youth Rep and is currently studying Wildlife Conservation at Bangor University. She loves hands-on conservation work, birdwatching and helping with toad patrols, and hopes to inspire other young people to get out in nature.

Birds and people

Conservation

birds_and_us_book_cover.jpg

Birds and Us: A 12,000 Year History, from Cave Art to Conservation

is available to buy from NHBS.

**What inspired the idea for Birds and Us?**

“Lockdown!” Tim answered.

Having recently retired from teaching at Sheffield University, he missed the busy day-to-day existence and socialising with colleagues. Birds & Us became a perfect escape from the pandemic, and the project gave a certain focus to the lockdown existence.

A book along these lines had been in the pipeline for a few years as Tim found himself becoming increasingly interested in history. “I hated history at school”, he told me, “probably because it was so badly taught! But having a focus - in this case, birds - made history come alive for me”.

One book he encountered was ‘The Folklore of Birds’ written by E.A. Armstrong, a collection of different folk beliefs about birds such as the well-known magpie rhyme one for sorrow, two for joy…

But as a scientist, he is interested in how we’ve come to acquire our knowledge of birds. “I found Armstrong’s collection very unsatisfying at some level,” he said, “as I wanted a proper explanation of why the folklore developed!” So, combining a scientific and cultural perspective, he decided to adopt a more historical approach, looking at relationships between birds and people over time.

El Tajo cave entrance. Tim Birkhead

The biggest inspiration for the book came about in 2018 when Tim was visiting Spain. Although he had stayed in Andalucia many times over the years, it was only on this most recent trip that he learnt of El Tajo de las Figuras, a tiny cave with walls covered in hundreds of spectacular paintings of birds, left behind from the Neolithic era.

“As soon as I saw it, I knew it would be the perfect opening chapter for the book, but also the framework for how I thought about our relationships with birds,” Tim told me.

What Tim found particularly striking about the paintings was that these paintings seemed to capture the birds’ living essence. Unlike more recent portrayals, like the dead game birds in still life of the 17th and 18th centuries, these cave paintings reflect just how the Neolithic people would have seen the birds whilst gazing out over the vast wetlands.

“They were represented with uncanny yet simplistic beauty,” Tim reflected. “These paintings definitely set the stage for looking at how our views of birds have changed over time.”

Tim Birkhead

El Tajo cave paintings depicting flamingos, a man with an axe and several deer.

Timeless beauty

Still Life with Grapes and Game. Frans Snyders c1630. Courtesy of Washington National Gallery of Art.

Art is a very prevalent theme throughout the book, from the mysteries of El Tajo cave to the works of artists like J.J. Audobon. I ask Tim why he thinks it is so universal to express birds through art.

“In many ways, birds are so much more evident than other wildlife,” he says. “They are abundant, visible and have such diverse structure and colour”.

“They are good to eat in many cases too,” he continued with a laugh, “although that’s not so popular as a notion today!”

I can’t imagine many BTO members wanting to snack on any of our charismatic native species, but it certainly raises the point on how reliant we once were on these animals.

As to why people felt compelled to paint them, Tim believes the answer has varied over time. “When I was in the cave with Dr María Lazarich [archaeologist], I asked her about the functions of the art. I said to her - and this reflects my career as a university teacher - it smacks of a tutorial!”.

His interpretation was that the paintings functioned almost like an instruction manual, the original ID guide; though the paintings were simple, one can still distinguish the different species. “They were painted as they were seen and behaving, because this was key to identifying - and identifying with - the birds”.

But Tim believes the continued presence of birds in art is more simple than that. “People were inspired by birds, and painted birds, because they are beautiful”.

The music of birds

Bullfinch. John Harding / BTO

But birds aren't only beautiful to look at. Does Tim have a favourite birdsong, I wonder?

“I’m going to say Bullfinch,” he replied, after considering it for a minute.

“In the wild, they have the most pathetic, simple song you’ve ever heard” he laughed, but went on to explain their redeeming feature: the ability of hand-reared young to learn and mimic tunes from their trainers.

“The males could repeat the tunes as the trainer whistled them, and infinitely better!” Tim told me. Tim witnessed this in a video by Jürgen Nicolai, who in the 1960s and 70s was a PhD student investigating the relationship between bullfinches and their trainers. “Jürgen’s Bullfinch burst into song every time he walked into the room. It was heart-rending: the Bullfinch seemed completely in love with him, and he with the Bullfinch”.

Tim explained how Bullfinches are very monogamous birds, and there is evidence that suggests this requires more cognitive ability than promiscuity for better awareness of, and communication with, a partner. In captivity, the trainer takes the place of its mate, and so by repeating the song the young Bullfinch is reinforcing the bond with its human owner.

Ornithological pioneers

Frances Willughby. Courtesy of Lord Middleton

There are plenty of historical figures and research discoveries that Tim discusses in ‘Birds & Us’, but Tim feels that two men - Frances Willughby and John Ray - deserve a special mention, for pioneering the scientific approach to birds and influencing the future of ornithology.

Tim initially focused on John Ray, the more well-known of the two. However, he realised through meeting with Willughby’s descendants - and hearing their declaration that “Willughby was the genius!”, that it was, in fact, Willughby he should be researching.

“It was one of the most exciting and most productive ventures of my life,” Tim said. “Willughby’s book on birds, published in 1676, was a model for all subsequent ornithological encyclopedias”. The fruit of this research was another of Tim’s excellent popular science books - ‘The Wonderful Mr Willoughby: The First True Ornithologist’.

Our future with birds

Tim hopes that his book will draw attention to our changing attitudes towards birds over time, and encourage us not to take how we feel about them today for granted.

“For most of human history, birds have been seen as a resource - they’ve been eaten, hunted, used to stuff pillows, and studied in destructive ways such as shooting and egg collecting”.

“Today, we are acutely sensitive to threats to birds and the severe declines populations are facing. We shouldn’t take it for granted that what we feel about birds today, wanting to protect them, is what people will feel in the future."

Above all, it is about encouraging people to care about birds. “Making people care now - and raising awareness that our attitudes can change – will, I hope, instil care in future generations.”

“By making birds more interesting and more accessible, I hope I might be successful.”

Tim Birkhead. J Riordan

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Ornithologist and author of Birds and Us: A 12,000 Year History, from Cave Art to Conservation

March 2022 The status of our bird populations: the fifth Birds of Conservation Concern in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man and second IUCN Red List assessment of extinction risk for Great BritainEngaging schools with long-term monitoring of natureBirding 101 challenges young people to explore birds through written art

Tim Birkhead is a well renowned British ornithologist, researcher, author and Vice President of the BTO, known for his rich research history looking at sperm competition and promiscuity in birds. He has written several popular science books, covering topics ranging from bird eggs to the history of ornithology.

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down (virtually) with Tim to talk about his new book, Birds and Us: A 12,000 Year History, from Cave Art to Conservation. Tim has an incredible wealth of knowledge of all things ornithological, I really enjoyed chatting with him and I’m excited to share with you some extracts from our interview.

Tajo Figuras. Reproduced from Breuil & Burkitt (1929 Rock Paintings of Southern Andalusia. Oxford University Press)

01 Mar 2022

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