How to take part in the BBS

If you are interested in taking part in the BBS, please read the following text and visit the links provided.

1. A brief introduction to the BBS.

2. What is required?

3. Once you have found out what is required and would like to participate, you will need to contact your BBS Regional Organiser.

4. You have now been allocated a BBS square and have received your recording forms. Before starting your survey fieldwork, please read the BBS survey instructions (a copy of the yellow instructions booklet).

5. You have started your survey fieldwork and would like to find out how to set yourself up as a BBS-Online user enabling you to enter your BBS counts electronically.

6. Your details have been loaded into the online system and you have registered as a BTO online surveys user. Please read the BBS-Online instructions before entering your data.

7. Login to BBS-Online to enter your counts or view historical data.

** Please ensure that you submit your data online, or return completed paper forms as soon as possible. The earlier we can publish BBS results, the more power they have to influence UK bird conservation policy and priorities. BBS results are now widely used by UK Government and the European Union.

The BBS web pages showing results from the survey are updated periodically throughout the year. Population trends are calculated from the BBS data once electronic submissions and completed paper forms have been received from nearly all of the BBS observers. These results are usually published early in the following summer.