 The State of the UK's Birds 2008 is the tenth in a series of annual reports providing an overview of the status of wild bird populations in the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. It draws together the most recent data from a range of reliable sources, including annual, periodically repeated and one-off surveys, up to 2008. Apart from the annual updates of the wild bird indicators, and of the breeding and wintering population trends for a large range of species in the UK and Overseas Territories, highlights of this year’s report include:
A review of headlines over the first decade of State of the UK's birds reporting
The recently-published new red and amber lists of Birds of Conservation Concern
An update on the conservation status of three UK Biodiversity Action Plan species: Greenland White-fronted Goose, Scottish Crossbill and Twite
Rare Breeding Bird Panel report on new colonists such as Black-winged Stilt, Spoonbill Cattle Egret, and the increasingly common Little Egret
Trends in wintering waterbirds, focusing on Greenland Barnacle Goose, waders of rocky coasts (NEWS) and wintering Golden Plover and Lapwing
Trends in common terrestrial birds and how changes in survival or productivity for species such as Song Thrush and House Sparrow have influenced these trends
Trends in the numbers and reproductive success of seabirds such as Arctic Skua, Guillemot and Herring Gull
Results of the Ringed and Little Ringed Plover surveys
Progress on the first full season of the Bird Atlas 2007-11
The UK has one of the best programmes of bird monitoring in the world, from familiar common species to rare and local breeders and winter visitors. Special thanks go the BTO army of volunteer observers, working in collaboration through the BTO, WWT, RSPB, bird clubs, raptor study groups and other bird-related networks. Without these tremendous efforts and detailed knowledge, we would not be able to publish these reports, and others, on the state of UK bird populations. If you are one of these volunteers, we offer a big thank you for all your hard work and dedication. If you are thinking of ways to help the cause of bird conservation, more volunteers are always needed. Please contact the appropriate organisation if you would like to participate in any surveys.
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