Breeding Bird Surveys (BBS)

Bullfinch and trend graph.

The shy but brightly coloured Bullfinch is present across much of the UK, apart from in upland areas. Its population increased for the first 15 years of the millennium. However, there has been a decline in recent years. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social

Greenfinch and trend graph.

After we covered Chaffinch yesterday, the closely related Greenfinch has declined markedly across the UK since BBS began in the mid-1990’s. Again, the disease Trichomonosis is likely to be a significant factor. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social

Visit 2 to my Hesleden Winter Bird Survey square this morning. Coveys of 6 and 10 Grey Partridge were the highlight in this ocean of winter cereal. Only a third of potential Cleveland squares are allocated for this important project @teesbirds.bsky.social @bbs-birds.bsky.social

Thanks for doing your second Winter Bird Survey visit to that square Mike. It is very much appreciated! David W, BBS Team

Freezing morning, warm bed but persuaded myself that the Winter Bird Survey was worth getting up for. A calling Treecreeper probably most different bird to usual, nice couple of Fallow Deer giving good Christmas sleigh impression across frosty ground. @bbs-birds.bsky.social #essexbirding

Thanks so much for doing your second Winter Bird Survey visit Dave, it is very much appreciated. I wish I could have got out myself this morning as well! David W, BBS Team

A close up image of a women showing the back of her head as she stands in a field writing bird survey notes on a notebook, with trees visible in the background.

£54 million! 😮 That’s the estimated financial value of our incredible volunteers’ efforts in 2024. They contributed an estimated over 2.6 million hours to BTO work. 📝 A huge thank you to our amazing volunteers! #InternationalVolunteerDay

📷 Ben Igglesden / BTO

This video showcases the importance of volunteers! BBS volunteers can take part in the Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey on their BBS squares, which is part of the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. Find out more about how you can get involved here: www.bto.org/get-involved... @ukbms.bsky.social

The colourful Chaffinch has declined across the UK in recent years. This has especially been the case over the last decade. Diseases such as Trichomonosis are thought to be a major contributor to its decline. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology

Winter bird Survey generates interesting comparisons of species and abundance using Spring Breeding bird habitat. @bbs-birds.bsky.social @btoscotland.bsky.social fewer birds differing species. Join in the fun at BTO WinBS.

A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker on the trunk of a tree. A grey box to the left features the words: New study. Bioacoustics as a tool for the detection and monitoring of a scarce woodland bird – the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. ww.bto.org/LSWBioacoustics. BTO logo is top left of the image. Image credit bottom left reads: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker © Denja1 from Getty Images via Canva.com.

1/ A new study from @lesserspotnet.bsky.social & BTO in @britishbirds.bsky.social looks at how passive acoustic monitoring is an effective way of surveying Lesser Spotted Woodpecker ➡️ www.bto.org/LSWBioacoust...

#bioacoustics #ornithology @simongillings.bsky.social @hosbirding.bsky.social

Black Guillemot (aka Tystie). Daniel Johnston/ BTO

Many of you are familiar with using GPS tags to track birds' movements. A recent study on Black Guillemots added a new element into learning more about these wonderful birds' behaviour and foraging habits- depth recorders. 1/2

The aerobatic Long-tailed Tit is almost always seen in groups. This species has increased across the UK since BBS began in the mid 1990s. However, this species is susceptible to cold winters, which may explain a recent decline. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social

Coal Tit is often found around Pine trees. It also often visits gardens in a rather ‘smash and grab’ fashion, as it is often outcompeted by the larger Tit species at bird feeders. It has declined across the UK since around 2010. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social

A Tree Sparrow perches on a branch. Wording above reads: UK Biodiversity Indicators 2025. Out now!

1/ The UK Biodiversity Indicators, some using BTO data, have been updated by Defra and @jncc.bsky.social ➡️ jncc.gov.uk/our-work/uk-...

Here’s how BTO contributes to these indicators, which show the state of #biodiversity, its pressures and conservation responses. ⬇️

Little Egret.

(2/) This graceful species has also increased along linear waterways across the UK. We are able to produce a 10 year trend for this species in this habitat, which showed a 232% increase between 2013 and 2023. Find out more about this species here: www.bto.org/learn/ab...

Little Egret and trend graph.

(1/) Little Egret is a recent coloniser to the UK. It nested for the first time in 1996, on Brownsea Island in Dorset. It has increased rapidly across the UK since the mid-1990’s, with a 2,276% increase between 1995 and 2023. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social

We would really welcome volunteers helping out with this important survey this winter. Can you help? It's all part of a much bigger international survey, so taking part really has an impact. #BirdingScotland

There is still time to sign up to take part in the Winter Bird Survey on a BBS square near you. More information here: bto.org/winbs

Great Tit and trend graph.

Great Tit is a familiar species to most of us. Despite a moderate decline in this species across the UK since the mid-2000’s, this species remains one of the most widespread species recorded on BBS squares in most calendar years. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social

Blue Tit and trend graph.

Now that Christmas is on its way, it's time to launch our BBS Advent Calendar 2025! Each day in the run up to the big day, we will share a Breeding Bird Survey trend of a resident bird species from across the UK! Blue Tit is first… @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social

Most encountered mammals on BBS squares across the UK in 2024.

Last but not least, here are the most encountered mammal species recorded on BBS squares across the UK in 2024. Again, these are all common and familiar species. Find out more about mammal recording: www.bto.org/get-invo... @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social

Grey Heron.

(2/) This distinctive species has also declined along linear waterways across the UK. Data from the Waterways Breeding Bird Survey shows a 30% decline between 1999 and 2023. Find out more about this species on our BirdFacts pages: www.bto.org/learn/ab...

Grey Heron and trend graph.

(1/) As well as being monitored by the Heronries Census since 1928, there is also a BBS trend for Grey Heron! It declined across the UK by 13% between 1995 and 2023. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology #CitizenScience

Want a FREE resource pack with an ID guide to 30 species you’re likely to see in your local greenspace? 🐦🌳 Sign up to our Birds in #Greenspaces newsletter to receive one! ➡️ www.bto.org/greenspaces #Ornithology 🪶

Illustrations by @willrose.bsky.social

Attendees of the BTO NI Birdwatchers' Conference going around the stands, photo by Nia Potapova / BTO

Photo of the audience attending the Birdwatchers' Conference, photo by Jemma Davies / BTO

Photo from the birdwatching walk around the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, by Nia Potapova / BTO

A photo of Whooper and Mute Swans taken during the birdwatching walk in the Oxford Island Nature Reserve, photo by Nia Potapova / BTO

(1/5) Our BTO NI Birdwatchers’ Conference at the start of November was a blast! 🪺 We had fascinating talks, brilliant birding, and a wonderful workshop on waders 👇

A list of species recorded on one BBS square across the UK in 2024.

Occasionally, some more unusual species are recorded on BBS squares across the UK. Here are some of the species that were only recorded on a single square during the 2024 survey season. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology #CitizenScience

Common Tern.

(2/) The Waterways Breeding Bird Survey trend for this species shows a 65% decline along linear waterways between 1999 and 2023 across the UK. You can find out more about this graceful species, and possible reasons why it is declining on our BirdFacts pages: www.bto.org/learn/ab...

Common Tern and trend graph.

(1/) This week, it's a throwback to the summer months with Common Tern! This elegant species declined by 4% between 1995 and 2023. The 10 year trend for this species shows a 20% decline across the UK. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology #CitizenScience

A Fieldfare stands on snow. A medium-sized thrush with a grey head, grey rump, brown back and wings, and a patterned orange-yellow breast with dark speckles or chevrons. The beak is yellow with a darker tip. A boxed section shows icons and facts: fieldfares lay 4–6 eggs, can live up to 14 years, feed on berries and invertebrates, are present in the UK mainly from October to March, appear in about 6% of gardens, and around 700,000 spend winter in the UK. The bottom right corner displays the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) logo.

🐦✨ Fieldfares are popping up in gardens again! Right on cue for the season. 🍂
If you hear that “chak-chak” call or spot those grey heads and speckled chests, add them to your weekly list! 📝

#UKBirding