Avian Influenza is killing large numbers of Black-headed Gulls at inland and coastal breeding colonies across central and northern England, prompting fears among scientists that a new wave of the disease could be building.
He’s back! First tracked Cuckoo of the 2023 makes landfall in the UK
The first Cuckoo from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Cuckoo Tracking Project to arrive back in the UK reached his breeding grounds in Wales over the weekend, researchers revealed today. The bird, named JAC, arrived near the Welsh town of Llangollen, marking the end of an extraordinary 12,000 km round trip between the UK and the rainforests of central Africa, where JAC and the other BTO Cuckoos spent the winter.
Five decades of finding the UK’s rarest breeding birds
The Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP) was founded 50 years ago this month. It uses data, mostly collected by volunteers, to track the fortunes of around 100 of the UK's rarest breeding species, including Golden Eagle, Crane and Turtle Dove. The Panel's work informs a wide range of conservation and monitoring work, including the reintroduction of Red Kite and White-tailed Eagle, and assessments of Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Special Protection Areas.
New report paints a mixed picture for Northern Ireland’s internationally important seabirds
The tenth annual Northern Ireland Seabird Report has been published today by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). It shows very different results for two species classified by the IUCN as Vulnerable at the European level, Fulmar and Kittiwake, as well as reporting concerning information on the breeding success of Common Terns.