BTO - British Trust for Ornithology - The difference we make

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

Science and our new strategy: why BTO is (and always has been) about more than counting birds

WEBSITEEDITOR — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 11:25:44 +0000

What does our new strategy mean for science at BTO? Director of Science James Pearce-Higgins explains why our data continue to play a crucial role in tackling the twin biodiversity and climate crises. No

James Pearce-Higgins

Director, Science

James is a member of the Senior Leadership Team at BTO. He is responsible for providing strategic leadership of the organisation’s science.

BirdTrackBreeding Bird SurveyGarden BirdWatchWoodcock SurveyBird Ringing SchemeHeronries CensusNest Record SchemeWaterways Breeding Bird SurveyWetland Bird SurveyNesting NeighboursCuckoo Tracking ProjectSeabird Monitoring ProgrammeGoose and Swan Monitoring Programme

Science

Staff voices

The difference we make

Now is an exciting time to be at BTO. At the start of July, we celebrated our 90th birthday with members and supporters, including some of our longest-serving volunteers. It is always a pleasure and a privilege to meet those who have been helping us monitor bird populations through decades of surveying, ringing, and nest recording.

Our 90th year has also seen the launch of an exciting new strategy for 2023–30. Our strategy focuses on maximising the impact of our science for birds, and growing the number and diversity of our supporters who will contribute to our science over the rest of this decade and beyond.

At the birthday celebration, I gave a talk which I subtitled ‘What is the point of the BTO?’ At the time of the twin global biodiversity and climate crises, what impact can a bird-focused NGO based in the UK really have? This is the question I want to consider in this blog, looking back at what we have already achieved, and looking forward to the impact we can have by 2030.

Looking back

The BTO monitoring schemes, many of which are supported through partnerships with JNCC, RSPB and other key environmental organisations, provide foundational information to support bird conservation in the UK. In combination, our schemes track changes in the abundance of around two-thirds of UK breeding bird species.

Our data contribute to official government statistics on the state of the environment, and underpin outputs such as The State of the UK’s Birds and the State of Nature Report. Ringing and nest monitoring data enable us to track changes in the survival and breeding success of more than 60 bird species, helping us to understand the causes of change.

For example, data gathered through the British and Irish Ringing Scheme showed us that crashes in England’s Lapwing population were mainly driven by low adult survival – the proportion of adults surviving each year. A run of cold winters reduced survival during the 1980s, and again in the winters of 2009/10 and 2010/11, decreasing the overall population size. The Nest Record Scheme then revealed a long-term decline in breeding success, which has meant the Lapwing population is not able to bounce back from the periods of low survival.

BTO scheme data revealed that crashes in England’s Lapwing populations were caused by low adult survival in cold winters. Population recovery was prevented by a long-term drop in breeding success, so the population continues to decline. © BTO

The value of counting birds

We are sometimes accused of simply monitoring species’ decline, focusing only on documenting the scale of biodiversity loss across the country. But these schemes also help us identify conservation solutions and track their effectiveness.

We are sometimes accused of simply monitoring species’ decline, focusing only on documenting the scale of biodiversity loss across the country. But these schemes also help us identify conservation solutions and track their effectiveness.

Our research into the declines of farmland bird species, identifying their causes and informing conservation solutions, is well known and continuing. We have documented the effects of climate change on biodiversity, and identified the species most vulnerable to future impacts, in order to inform conservation responses. And tracking of migratory birds such as the Cuckoo is helping to reveal the mysteries of migration to support the conservation of these declining species.

BirdTrack data are used by EuroBirdPortal’s mapping tool, to visualise birds’ migration across Europe in real-time.

The value of our monitoring schemes extends further still. Ringing has long been used to track the movements of marked birds, greatly increasing our understanding of migration. The recently launched Eurasian African Bird Migration Atlas makes this information available to scientists, policy-makers and the public, summarising ringing data from schemes across Britain and Europe for over 300 bird species.

BirdTrack provides an easy way for birdwatchers to submit sightings of birds and other wildlife, from anywhere, throughout the year. This information has always been valuable, contributing to our ability to track the migration of birds across Europe as it occurs. Amidst the current outbreak of avian influenza, however, easy reporting of bird mortalities through our award-winning app has enabled us to track the impact of the virus in real-time, as cases emerge. We report this information to governmental Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies and conservation NGOs on a weekly basis.

Looking forward: our new strategy

We want to build on these foundations to significantly expand our impact, so that the hard work of our volunteers and staff, and the funding that we receive, do even more for birds and for people. As part of our new strategy, we have identified four areas where our science will make a real difference in global attempts to address biodiversity loss.

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The BTO Acoustic Pipeline uses high-powered, algorithmic classifiers to identify wildlife from calls and song, like this Redwing flight call.

Charting change

Our long-term monitoring and demographic schemes remain foundational to UK bird conservation. In an increasingly devolved world, we want our data to highlight environmental change and track responses to policy interventions equally well across all nations of the UK.

We also want to improve coverage across different habitats, to make sure data collected through the schemes are representative of the UK’s diverse environments. Whilst continuing to grow our existing schemes, this will also provide opportunities to help us collect data from new places, like our Upland Rovers scheme (part of the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey) or in new ways, such as for the BTO Acoustic Pipeline.

Our new strategy gives us the opportunity to grow our monitoring surveys, such as the Upland Rovers scheme.

BirdFacts provides information and trend data for all UK bird species.

Delivering data

We need the data from our schemes to work harder to have maximum impact. This year, we made the information and trend data that these schemes produce more engaging and accessible through a relaunched BirdFacts, and the new Birds on your Doorstep data explorer – check them out if you haven’t seen them!

Building on this, we will continue to provide more local information about birds in your area. We are also keen to support landowners and conservation organisations who use our data, helping them identify the most important places for birds and to monitor the success of conservation on a landscape scale. Similarly, we will expand our Data Reports to make the best information available for Ecological Impact Assessments.

We’re also working in partnership with more organisations, to share our data, knowledge and expertise as widely as we can. For example, we recently joined Wildlife and Countryside Link, the largest environment and wildlife coalition in England.

Our research on offshore renewables is identifying the risks of wind farm development to birds and developing mitigation solutions.

Seeking solutions

We will continue to undertake cutting-edge research to develop and test conservation solutions, and to monitor their effectiveness.

Our recent high-impact work on protected sites shows the potential for our large-scale and long-term data to do this. In the context of the climate crisis, our research on offshore renewables is identifying the risks of wind farm development to birds, developing mitigation solutions, and reducing the conflict between renewable energy production and bird conservation.

Similarly, by working closely with NatureScot, Natural England and the forestry industry, BTO has developed maps which identify areas of the UK with the highest concentrations of breeding waders. These will inform plans for large-scale tree planting – part of this country’s progress towards its Net Zero climate goals – to ensure they do not conflict with the conservation of threatened and declining species such as Curlew.

Our research will inform plans for large-scale tree planting, to ensure they do not conflict with the conservation of threatened species such as Curlew.

Framing futures

Avian influenza research will be a key area of work over the next few years, as we identify the species and populations that have been most impacted by the outbreak.

We know that the world is changing rapidly. This means we need to be able to identify and tackle threats to birds as they emerge.

The most current of these threats is avian influenza. BTO has been working hard with partners to track the impacts of this virus and inform responses to the outbreak. This will be a key area of work over the next few years as we identify the species and populations that have been most impacted by the outbreak, providing data to inform their conservation, and for future risk assessments.

We will also continue to track and report on the impacts of climate change on birds. Increasingly, we will inform climate change adaptation to support species’ conservation in a changing climate, and to track the success of those interventions.

What next?

I hope I have provided a snapshot of the importance of our work and shown that there is indeed a point to BTO!

If you are one of our supporters and volunteers, thank you. I hope this blog has helped you see the difference your contribution has made, and that you are enthused as I am to continue to support BTO and help us have even more impact for birds and for people.

If you do not currently support BTO, please consider doing so either financially or through our surveys. And if you are a professional and would like to work with us to help us achieve these goals, then please do also get in touch.

Our work depends on people like you

Each year we need to raise thousands of pounds to fund our research and provide crucial evidence for the conservation of bird species and habitats.

Support our science with a donation.

Donate

Our research would not be possible without our extraordinary volunteers, who gave 2,029,493 hours to BTO work in 2021.

Join our community and support our research through our volunteer projects, from as little as 15 minutes a week.

Volunteer

2 July 2023

Cathy Ryden / BTO

Senior Leadership Team

28 Jul 2023

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

a-goldcrest-being-ringed-at-the-observatory-joe-carroll.jpg

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

Cuckoos’ clocks can’t adjust to climate change – now we know why

WEBSITEEDITOR — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 14:46:17 +0000

Why aren’t Cuckoos returning any earlier as spring advances, and why is this important? No

Chris Hewson

Senior Research Ecologist

Chris is a Senior Research Ecologist in the Framing Futures Team where he works on the status, ecology and conservation of Afro-Palaearctic migratory birds and of forest birds across the world.

Projects primarily focus on improving knowledge of the migration ecology of these species, with the aim of understanding the drivers of recent population changes and the likely population impacts of projected environmental change, with the ultimate aim of facilitating restoration of flyways and populations.

Cuckoo Tracking Project

Science

Staff voices

The difference we make

UK springs are starting earlier as the climate warms, with bud burst and the emergence of invertebrates such as caterpillars that eat this young vegetation happening earlier too. These invertebrates are a vital and ephemeral food source for breeding birds, so migratory species that have not advanced their migrations and subsequent breeding accordingly risk missing out.

One species that has not significantly shifted the timing of its spring migration forward is the Cuckoo, the iconic harbinger of spring. Previous BTO work has shown that the advance in the Cuckoo’s arrival has been smaller than that of many other species, and it has undergone a substantial population decline, in England especially.

In general, both migratory and resident species that have not advanced their breeding have undergone greater population declines than others, but there’s been limited evidence linking this to a reduction in breeding success in these species. This suggests that other demographic pathways, such as adult survival, may be important. Understanding why some migratory species have not advanced their arrival, and what the consequences of this are outside of the breeding season, is therefore vital for understanding population declines and helping us work out the best ways to help.

Investigating the drivers of the Cuckoo’s migratory schedule

Satellite-tagged Cuckoo. Mike Toms / BTO

Using data from 87 adult male Cuckoos tagged as part of BTO’s Cuckoo Tracking Project, we looked at which events across their annual migratory schedule were most important in determining when birds arrived back to the breeding grounds. We also looked at whether migratory timing affected mortality risk at different migratory stages. And to help us understand variation in timing across the annual cycle, we examined whether timing was consistent between individuals.

We found that the timing of departure from the pre-Sahara crossing stopover in West Africa in spring is the most important factor in determining when Cuckoos arrive back to the UK. Furthermore, both the high level of synchrony across the population at this stage and relatively modest levels of consistent timing differences between individuals suggest that environmental conditions constrain when birds can depart from this stopover.

Our tracking work has revealed that Cuckoos use this stopover in March and April each year. In this part of Africa, rains arrive at this time every year, moving up from the southern hemisphere in association with a system known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone. These rains bring about a flush of invertebrate prey, which migratory species such as the Cuckoo rely on to fuel their northward journeys. This study is the first to find that departure from a stopover site limits a land bird species’ arrival to its breeding grounds across multiple years.

In addition to departure from West Africa, we found that spring arrival on the breeding grounds was determined to lesser, but important, extent by migration speed during the northward journey across Europe, as well as the timing of Cuckoos’ arrival south of the Sahara the previous autumn. The latter is surprising given that earlier research has shown timing differences between individuals are largely reset during the winter period – there is usually only a limited carry-over effect of timing from autumn to spring migration.

Why can’t Cuckoos change their clocks?

Previous research looking at patterns across many species has shown that, in general, the timing of departure from the wintering grounds is the major determinant of variation in when migratory birds arrive back to their breeding sites. The timing of this departure also has a higher level of consistent differences between individuals than other events. This indicates a greater direct control by internal migration programmes. Hence, an advance in the timing of departure from wintering sites provides a potential evolutionary mechanism via which spring arrival at breeding grounds can also be advanced.

Our results show, however, that this is not an option for UK Cuckoos. The timing of their departure from their wintering grounds in the Congo rainforest zone has little effect on when they arrive back to their breeding sites; in fact, all other things being equal, birds that depart their wintering grounds later arrive back a little earlier.

These results help us to understand both why the phenological response (the timing of annual cycle events) to climate change is so limited in some species, and why migratory species which travel further are less likely to be able to advance their spring arrival timing than ones that make shorter journeys. Similar results might be found for some other very long-distance migrants which, like the Cuckoo, migrate to the southern hemisphere for the midwinter period and rely on stopovers in the northern tropics to prepare for crossing the Sahara in spring. Overall, the seasonality of sites used across the annual cycle is likely to be more important than their position in the annual cycle in determining their relationship to breeding grounds arrival and the potential for its advance.

Why is it important to understand what drives birds’ migratory behaviour?

Cuckoos which arrive earlier in the UK to establish the best territories risk a higher level of mortality. Edmund Fellowes / BTO

By looking at how mortality risk varied with timing across the annual cycle, we were able to gain some important insights into how these limitations to migratory change can impact individual birds, and therefore potentially populations.

In periods following the migration stages that were most important in determining the timing of arrival on breeding grounds, early birds were more likely to die than later ones. This suggests that, to try to gain the benefits of early breeding grounds arrival, such as claiming the best breeding territories, birds suffer increased mortality risk. In other words, there is a trade-off between survival and the benefits of early arrival, perhaps due to birds migrating with less on-board fuel than they otherwise would. Such risks may become more necessary as birds try to keep up with climate change on the breeding grounds.

The fact that we found that migration timing didn’t reset during the midwinter period, and that part of post-breeding migration is included in the periods when birds appear to be exposing themselves to these risks, suggests that in the case of UK Cuckoos, all ecological levers are being pulled in an attempt to advance spring arrival. The resulting increased mortality may form part of the demographic mechanisms linking failure to advance spring arrival to population declines.

Using our research to help birds adapt to global change

Providing higher quality habitat at breeding grounds like Wheatfen, Norfolk will support Cuckoos. Phil Atkinson / BTO

Not only do these results help in understanding why some species are not keeping pace with ever earlier springs and advancing their arrival to the breeding grounds, and how this might impact their populations, it also helps to show how we might help these birds cope better with the demands of global change.

We can identify pinch points in the annual cycle that impact spring arrival, and where early birds are at increased risk of mortality. The stresses these birds are under can potentially be alleviated by improving habitat quality at stopovers, to increase fattening rates and reduce costly trade-offs between survival and reproduction. The most important places to concentrate flyway restoration efforts are the stopovers used in spring and autumn to prepare for the Sahara crossings and, to lesser extent, the areas used to recover from the Sahara crossings and migration across Europe in spring.

As we also found that birds that were late leaving the breeding grounds were at greater risk of dying than those leaving earlier, suggesting they are energetically limited at this point, provision of better-quality habitat on the breeding grounds is also a priority.

Cuckoos in our past and in our future

These results shed light on one of the oldest mysteries in folklore – what determines when Cuckoos arrive back at their breeding sites, and whether they really are a sign that spring is here...Ultimately, they could help us reverse the Cuckoo’s population decline in the UK.

These results shed light on one of the oldest mysteries in folklore – what determines when Cuckoos arrive back at their breeding sites and whether they really are a sign that spring is here. These results show that in fact, events occurring more than three thousand miles away are more important in determining overall variation in Cuckoo arrival back to the UK than events closer to home. But when focusing specifically on whether individual birds are early or late relative to their own schedule in different years, it seems that conditions in Europe are much more important. So, as Cuckoos are very faithful to their breeding sites, the old adage that Cuckoos are a sign that spring is on the way may well contain some truth from a local perspective after all.

In our future work, we will need to assess exactly how the departure of Cuckoos from critical stopover sites is impacted by the combination of climatic and habitat factors birds experience. This will give us a better idea of how each currently contributes to the timing and success of migrations, and how best we might use habitat restoration to help birds improve migratory performance, and ultimately, reverse their population declines in the UK.

2 June 2023 Can Cuckoos adapt their clocks to climate change?

Several studies from BTO and elsewhere have revealed alarming declines in species that breed in the UK and spend our winter months in Africa. However, these declines are less severe in migratory species that have adjusted the timing of their arrival back to their UK breeding grounds to keep pace with ever earlier northern hemisphere springs. But one species that has not significantly shifted the timing of its spring migration forward is the Cuckoo, the iconic harbinger of spring.

21 Jun 2023 no

BTO’s role in the People’s Plan for Nature

WEBSITEEDITOR — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 14:07:44 +0000

BTO’s CEO Juliet Vickery explains how our new strategy will contribute to this ambitious call to action. Yes

Juliet Vickery

Chief Executive Officer

Juliet is responsible for leading the work of the Trust, under the governance and strategy of the Board.

Birds and people

Hot topics

Staff voices

The difference we make

Alongside this series, the same organisations – the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) – joined with the National Trust to launch a ‘People’s Plan for Nature’. This is a unique collaboration with the UK public, delivered through an assembly of 100 people from all over the UK. It challenges everyone, from governments and businesses to individuals, to do ‘no more harm to nature’.

It included a call for everyone to add their voice, asking for their ideas about how to come together to protect and renew nature in the UK. Over 30,000 responses were submitted, all of which were reviewed by a citizens’ assembly.

The People’s Plan for Nature considered the state of nature alongside these responses, creating a roadmap for the actions we need to take to save it. It contains six visionary statements, and a call to action for the Government, businesses, charities, communities and individuals to commit to realising these statements.

With our unique combination of people and science, BTO is able to respond to many of the ‘asks of charities’ outlined in the People’s Plan for Nature.

Nature is valued and respected by all
We understand that we need nature to thrive, to benefit all of our lives
There is a balance between human and non-human needs, and we are taking individual and collective responsibility to enhance, sustain and enable nature to flourish
Evidence-based nature renewal is central to lifelong education and involves real-life experiences
We are able to spend time in nature every day, whether to play, work or spend time where we live
Nature is prioritised, looked after, valued and cared for

Our strategy and the People’s Plan for Nature

With our unique combination of people and science, BTO is able to respond to many of the ‘asks of charities’ outlined in the People’s Plan for Nature. Here are a few current and future examples of where we can make the biggest difference.

Beccy Speight (RSPB), Juliet Vickery (BTO) and Gemma Harper (JNCC) sign the new partnership agreement in September 2022. Tom Stewart / BTO

Vision and leadership

The plan has a number of asks around ‘Vision and leadership’, recognising the need for nature to have a voice at the centre of decision-making. This call is specifically about charities agreeing on a collective pathway to protecting nature.

Our new strategy recognises the need for partnerships. We already have strong relationships with many other organisations, from conservation charities, funding bodies and research institutes.

Most recently, we’ve become a member of Wildlife and Countryside Link, the largest environment and wildlife coalition in England. We can now use our data and research to help this powerful coalition have confidence in its messages and campaigns.

We can now use our data and research to help coalitions like Wildlife and Countryside Link have confidence in their messages and campaigns.

BTO has conducted decades of research into declines of farmland birds. Mike Toms / BTO

Nature-friendly farming

We will continue to invest in this area under our new strategy (in our action area ‘seeking solutions’), helping to meet the ask to ‘undertake research into best practice and make information available to farmers’.

Historically, our extensive datasets have helped us understand the dramatic declines in key farmland species such as Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow and Reed Bunting. Identifying the drivers of these declines allowed us to support the development of suitable agri-environment schemes to halt these declines.

Now, with funding from the Esmeé Fairbairn Foundation, we are developing tools to help farmers evaluate what environmental approaches are working on their farms. And our long-term and bespoke monitoring schemes will continue to provide invaluable information on the success of agri-environment measures practices for birds and other wildlife.

The People’s Plan for Nature emphasises the need for marine protected areas. Katherine Booth Jones / BTO

Marine protection for our coastal waters

Our long-term monitoring schemes will also be vital in supporting calls for action under a third area in the plan, ‘Marine protections for our coastal waters’. This focuses on the damage caused by overfishing, and emphasises the need for greater protection of marine areas to increase biodiversity, protect fish stocks and recover our seabeds.

We have already conducted assessments about the impact of climate change on seabirds, and the degree to which protected areas will help mitigate some of these impacts.

BTO is investing more resources into our research on seabirds and seabird monitoring, and we will continue to provide the data which are urgently needed to identify the optimal location and extent of protected areas.

Using evidence effectively

By ‘empowering everyone’ and ‘delivering data’, we will support efforts to make nature and information about nature accessible to all.

Finally, there is a very welcome call for everyone to ‘Effectively use evidence’. The People’s Plan for Nature asks the charity and NGO sector to lead in ‘providing high-quality factual information to the public’ and ‘to produce a growing evidence/knowledge of why nature matters and make this more accessible and understandable’.

Once again, these are key elements of our new strategy, and are exemplified in our action areas ‘empowering everyone’ and ‘delivering data’.

We have recently launched the new BirdFacts and Birds on Your Doorstep, which together give everyone access to a one-stop shop for high-quality factual information on birds in the UK – be they breeding, wintering, resident migrant, common or rare. This information is based on the data collected over decades of research, volunteer projects and monitoring schemes.

We’re continuing to strive towards Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, so more people are able to appreciate, access and protect nature. And the work of BTO Youth continues to engage the next generation of naturalists and conservationists with birds, wildlife and the natural world.

The People’s Plan for Nature is a clear, inspiring and powerful call for us to all work together to do more for nature – and BTO has plans to do just that under our new Strategy.

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BTO strategy 2023–30

Like the People’s Plan for Nature, our new strategy calls for people to work together to do more for nature.

Discover the strategy’s objectives and actions areas, and how it aligns with our values on our dedicated strategy microsite.

BTO’s CEO Juliet Vickery explains how our new strategy will contribute to this ambitious call to action.

June 2023

Many of you will have been moved and inspired by the BBC series ‘Wild Isles’. This programme was a wonderful initiative, co-produced with and partly funded by two leading conservation organisations. It took viewers through the natural world in the UK, showcasing ‘our’ nature as never before.

Mike Toms / BTO

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