The State of the UK's Birds 2007 is the ninth 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 2007. 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:

• updates on species on the new BAP list, including Bitterns, Balearic Shearwater and Common Scotor
• new seabird productivity indicators for Scotland.
• results of the Winter Gull Roost Survey 2003-06
• Rare Breeding Bird Panel report on the divergent fortunes of Savi’s and Cetti’s Warblers.
• increasing concern about woodland species, especially long-distance migrants such as Spotted Flycatcher.
• monitoring annual productivity in breeding birds by the BTO’s long-running Nest Record Scheme and the Constant Effort Sites ringing programme, to help determine the cause of population declines and to act as early warning signals.
• the spread of inland breeding Cormorants.
• progress on the first winter of the BTO’s 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 to volunteer observers. Our detailed knowledge of the state of UK bird populations results from the tremendous efforts of volunteers, working in collaboration through the BTO, WWT, RSPB, bird clubs, raptor study groups and other bird-related networks. If you are one of these volunteers, we offer a big thank you for all your hard work and dedication, without which this report, and many others, would not be possible. If you are thinking of ways to help the cause of bird conservation, more volunteers are always needed. Please contact the appropriate organisation (see the links on this page) if you would like to participate in any surveys. Why not also check out our BirdWeb pages for details of getting involved with surveys.