BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
@btobirds.bsky.social
11K followers 390 following 910 posts
BTO is the UK's leading Registered Charity working with volunteers to improve our knowledge of birds through monitoring and research. www.bto.org
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btobirds.bsky.social
We're looking for Youth Reps for our BTO Youth team! ➡️ bit.ly/YouthRep25

If you love nature and would like to join our amazing team of volunteers (expenses paid) aged 16-24 then apply to become a BTO Youth Rep today!🐦

📝 Closing date: Sunday 9th November 2025.
A group of young people standing outside in a semi-circle listening to a member of the team talk. Wording reads: BTO Youth. Become a BTO Youth Rep! Scan the QR code to find out more and apply. A QR Code is in the bottom right of the image.
btobirds.bsky.social
Hello. The two surveys are separate with Garden BirdWatch looking at a longer, large-term scale whereas Blackbirds in Gardens gathered data at a finer scale, including info not captured in GBW, with data helping us to understand how Blackbirds use gardens & the potential effects of the Usutu virus.
btobirds.bsky.social
Join BTO Youth, @myabambrick.bsky.social & incredible keynote speakers at the 'Be the Future of Nature’s Recovery in Dorset & Beyond’ Conference on Saturday 22 November 1-6pm @bournemouthuni.bsky.social!

Book tickets ➡️ www.bto.org/our-work/eve...
myabambrick.bsky.social
Announcing an exciting new event 🤩

🌿 Be the Future of Nature’s Recovery in Dorset & Beyond
📍 Bournemouth Uni
🗓️ Sat 22 Nov 1–6pm

A free @btobirds.bsky.social x @bournemouthuni.bsky.social conference with Megan McCubbin, Paul Morton, Katiana Saleiko & more! 🙌🏻

More info👉🏻 www.bto.org/our-work/eve...
btobirds.bsky.social
Thanks very much for taking part in the Winter Bird Survey John!
btobirds.bsky.social
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme @ukbms.bsky.social 50th anniversary conference at the weekend! @jncc.bsky.social
jncc.bsky.social
Last session of the day, a panel Q&A session about the future of the @ukbms.bsky.social

Chaired by @btobirds.bsky.social David Noble with James Haywood, JNCC’s Jasmine SalvatI, @savebutterflies.bsky.social Ian Middlebrook and @ukceh.bsky.social Prof David Roy
btobirds.bsky.social
Thanks for your kind feedback Corinne! Great to hear the course was helpful to you.
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
smp-seabirds.bsky.social
Species Focus 3: The Gannet - A striking species both by looks and aerial/aquatic ability, as elegant glides quickly become dramatic plunge-dives!

Keep your eyes peeled for more on them in the week! #seabirds #birds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social
Graphic displays an image of two gannets by Richard Jackson, labelled with the English and Latin names (Morus bassanus). There is a 'key facts' box with the following adapted facts - has a wingspan of 170 - 192 cm, has an average lifespan of 17 years, eats fish, lays 1 egg, is seen year round, and there are 295,000 pairs breeding in the UK. The SMP logo is found in the top left hand corner. The caption reads: 'Species Focus 3: The Gannet - A striking species both by looks and aerial/aquatic ability, as elegant glides quickly become dramatic plunge-dives! 
Keep your eyes peeled for more on them in the week! #seabirds #birds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social'
btobirds.bsky.social
Confused by gulls? 🤔 Join our online Gull ID training sessions in November ➡️ www.bto.org/training

Our two-part, online Gull ID course run by our expert team helps you build knowledge and confidence to make gull ID easier! #UKBirding #Ornithology
A Black-headed Gull stands with its beak wide open. The wording ‘Gull ID training sessions’ features bottom right of the image, and the BTO logo features top right.
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
webs-gsmp.bsky.social
This weekend is the October Core Count! Did you know that with WeBS beginning as the National Wildlife Counts, we are continuing a tradition of counting that began in 1947! Learn more about our history here▶️https://www.bto.org/get-involved/volunteer/projects/wetland-bird-survey/about/history-webs
A male Pochard is floating on still water, facing forward. Above is the heading 'October WeBS Core Count Sunday 12th' and below is the WeBS logo and the web address 'www.bto.org/webs'.
btobirds.bsky.social
In case you've missed it - check out this fab blog from our very own Ellie Leech on why gender equity matters to us here at BTO.

#ornithology
bou.org.uk
NEW on the #BOUdiversityBlog from Ellie Leech

Redressing the balance: why gender equity matters to BTO

bou.org.uk/blog-leec...

#ornithology 🪶
btobirds.bsky.social
Grab yourself a cup of tea, and sit back and enjoy this week's BTO Migration Blog.

And then head out and let us know what you spot over the weekend!

www.bto.org/our-work/new...

📷 Whooper Swans by Sarah Kelman/BTO

#UKBirding #ornithology @birdtrack.bsky.social
Three Whooper Swans in flight. Photograph by Sarah Kelman/BTO.
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
btoshropshire.bsky.social
As every @btobirds.bsky.social volunteer knows!

Taking part in BTO surveys also meets the internationally recognised five steps to wellbeing:

Connect with others
Be active
Learn new skills
Give to others
Be mindful (pay attention to the present moment)

There's a BTO survey for everyone 🙂
btobirds.bsky.social
At BTO we’re committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all staff and volunteers, as we work together for birds and nature. You can discover more on our website: www.bto.org/about/how/pr...
bbs-birds.bsky.social
(1/) Hi, I’m David, and I help to run the BBS social media channels. This #DyslexiaAwarenessWeek, I am sharing something about myself, rather than the usual BBS posts, in order to raise awareness of my mild learning difficulties.
David White saying that he is Dyslexic and Dyspraxic.
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
marcgilles.bsky.social
Want to know everything about bird smell?
I wrote an "Ornithological masterclass" on Avian Olfaction for BTO News @btobirds.bsky.social #ornithology
Link to the article 👉 www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
bbs-birds.bsky.social
(1/) Two species that feature in the Woodland Wild Bird Indicators are Long-tailed Tit and Bullfinch. Whereas Long-tailed Tit has increased by 91% across the UK since 1970, Bullfinch has declined by 53% during the same time period. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social
Long-tailed Tit and Bullfinch.
btobirds.bsky.social
Ashok spent some time on the border of Chad and the Central African Republic, before moving nearly 310 miles south close to the northern border of Republic of the Congo.

Frederic recently achieved crossing the Sahara, the last of our Cuckoos to do so, and is now in Mali. 😀
btobirds.bsky.social
After a lengthy stay in southern Sudan, Sayaan flew some 1,056 miles! He passed through the Central African Republic and continued down into the dense tropical rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he will likely remain for the winter.
btobirds.bsky.social
Our satellite-tagged Cuckoos are moving across Africa! 🌍 Follow the tagged Cuckoos and sponsor a bird at www.bto.org/cuckoos #Ornithology #Birds
Image of a map of Africa with pins showing the locations of BTO satellite-tagged Cuckoos. Three Cuckoo headshots feature of Sayaan, Frederic and Ashok. The wording BTO cuckoo tracking, latest update and BTO logo feature top of image.
btobirds.bsky.social
Beautiful song! Thank you for taking part in the survey.
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
ianexton.bsky.social
Our first @btobirds.bsky.social Winter Bird Survey at Ludshott Common, Hampshire, today. Don't know if you can hear but there's a Woodlark singing his head off like it's the first day of Spring. Also Siskin, Redpoll, Crossbill, Dartford, Linnet and Stonechat in this one spot.
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
smp-seabirds.bsky.social
1/ Despite a reasonable difference in size, Cormorants and Shags can be quite difficult to differentiate unless side by side!

In this thread ⬇️, we take a look at some of the key differences between adults and juveniles... #seabirds #birds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social
Graphic displays a Cormorant photographed by John Harding/BTO (left) and a Shag photographed by Liz Cutting/BTO (right). The species are labelled with their English and Latin names, Phalacrocorax carbo and Phalacrocorax aristotelis, respectively. Each image is labelled with key identifying features. For the Cormorant, these are: 'Heavy bill and a gradually sloped forehead', 'White chin', 'Blue sheen', 'White patch on thigh', and 'Variable amounts of white in the neck'. For the Shag, these are: 'Breeding crest', 'Green sheen', 'Lacks white in chin and neck', and 'Light bill and a steeply sloped forehead'. The Seabird Monitoring Programme logo is found in the bottom right hand corner. 
The caption reads: '1/ 1/ Despite a reasonable difference in size, Cormorants and Shags can be quite difficult to differentiate unless side by side!

In this thread ⬇️, we take a look at some of the key differences between adults and juveniles... #seabirds #birds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social'
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
scottishbirding.bsky.social
Were looking forward to working closely with the BTO and other partners on Bird Atlas 2027-31, and to supporting the vital role that Scotland’s birdwatching community will play in its success.
btobirds.bsky.social
Exciting news! We’re planning the upcoming Bird Atlas 2027-31, and have met with @birdwatchireland.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social and @birdsinwales.bsky.social to discuss how we can work together on what we hope will be the most productive Atlas yet. #Ornithology #UKBirding
A group photo of the BTO and BirdWatch Ireland team together on the top of a cliff with green vegetation in the foreground and blue sea in the background. A group photo of the BTO and SOC team together sitting on a bench and standing in front of a wood timber building. A group photo of the BTO and WOS team together standing in front of a building with a small tree behind them.