Richard D. Gregory
@richgreg3.bsky.social
1.3K followers 1.9K following 74 posts
Professor, Ecologist, Conservationist, Ornithologist, RSPB Centre for Conservation Science & Centre for Biodiversity & Environment Research, University College London - #biodiversity #conservation #ornithology #stateofnature – birder - views my own
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richgreg3.bsky.social
NEW Decline of European bird populations continues especially birds of farmland. Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS) presents updated wild bird indices 1980–2023. Data = 168 bird species 30 countries⬇️ @rspb.bsky.social @birdlifeeurope.bsky.social @ec.europa.eu @uclcber.bsky.social 📉🐦
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
bou.org.uk
Wild Birds Affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Worldwide: Epidemiological Insights Into the Recent Panzootic | onlinelibrary.wiley.... | Global Change Biology | #ornithology 🪶
richgreg3.bsky.social
Great views of Red-tailed shrike at @nationaltrust.org.uk Dunwich this morning - then a fly over white-tailed eagle at Minsmere - lovely staff & vols at a windy @rspbminsmere.bsky.social - #RareBirdsUK photo @alicegroom.bsky.social 🐦
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
rspbscience.bsky.social
Did you know? Plumicorns aren't for hearing

The long, pointy feathers on some owls' heads are neither horns not ears, but specialised feathers called plumicorns. Their function is not yet fully understood but could help with camouflage

#ScienceFactFriday
A Long-eared Owl stares through foliage at the camera. A label points to the long horn-like feathers on its head, labelling them as plumicorns.
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
lowcarbonkev.bsky.social
R4 Farming today: Farmland birds down *down 11%* in last five years 2019-24 (05:20 in).
RSPB prof: "rapid nosedive.. no research for period to hand yet.. can only speculate.. is it land use/farming practice changes or is it additional emerging climate change factors, just don't know at this stage"
🤔
Farming Today - 24/09/25: New farmland bird stats, Corn Buntings, precision Plum growing. - BBC Sounds
England's farmland birds are continuing to decline according to new government figures.
www.bbc.co.uk
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
richardkbroughton.bsky.social
UK is well on course for losing Willow Tit, Spotted Flycatcher & Wood Warbler as breeding species in our lifetime. Wood Warbler already virtually gone from England. I think Willow Tit would be first extinction of a resident bird since Capercaillie in 1700s or White-tailed Eagle in 1918. #ornithology
bbs-birds.bsky.social
3. The Woodland indicator has shown worrying recent short-term declines, but shows signs of stabilising. Favourable climatic conditions may explain this, favouring species like Blackcap. Nightingale too is shows a recent increase. But Willow Tit and migrants like Spotted Flycatcher are in decline.
Adpated image from the Defra official statistics for specialist woodland birds showing the long-term changes in percentage change - 1970-2023 on the left and short term changes (2018-2023) on the right. Species are ordered by the value of the long term change, with the largest declines at the top (in red/orange) to largest increases in green/blue). Species with no detectable change are in grey. Willow Tit and Wood Warbler are highlighted as species in trouble, Nightingale as species which have experienced big long term declines are showing some signs of improvement and Chiffchaff as a species with huge increases over both time periods
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
kirstyfranklin.bsky.social
Very cool new #seabird paper showing no difference in breeding success between healthy and black-eyed gannets, but a worrying overall decline in productivity following the #avianflu outbreak. 🦠🐣

Read the paper here 👉 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... #seabirds #ornithology
A breeding pair of Gannets on the Bass Rock with their chick. One of the adults clearly has a black eye, an indicator of past exposure to highly pathogenic avian influenza, while the other is normal/healthy.
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
heyjooode.bsky.social
Productivity 🐣 of gannets that have survived #avianflu does not differ from those that have never been infected - BUT productivity since the 2022 HPAI outbreak is worryingly low.

New paper in IBIS @bou.org.uk 👇

#seabirds #hpai #wildlifedisease

@rspbscience.bsky.social @rspbengland.bsky.social
bou.org.uk
BOU @bou.org.uk · 13d
EARLY VIEW in IBIS

Effect of a previous high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAIV) infection on the breeding success of Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) | onlinelibrary.wiley....

Sue Lewis et al | #ornithology 🪶
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
katiefullerart.bsky.social
I’m really excited to have some of my cards on sale at Kingfisher’s Bridge, a beautiful nature reserve between Cambridge and Ely. They do lovely coffee and cake, too! ☕️
kingfishersbridge.bsky.social
💗 We're thrilled to stock some of @katiefullerart.bsky.social beautiful greetings cards in our Visitor Centre shop!
👩‍🎨 Katie is a really talented local printmaker who uses innovative techniques and inks to highlight Fenland wildlife. All printed on sustainable materials in compostable packaging too!
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
thierryaaron.bsky.social
"Alarmingly, the new data show an accelerating pattern of decline in our bird populations, whether on our farmland, wetlands, uplands or seas, as they are pushed past their limits" - @richgreg3.bsky.social
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
rspbscience.bsky.social
Latest government stats show a continued decline in many bird species across the UK 🪶🧪

www.gov.uk/government/s...

These data are made possible by the dedication of expert volunteers, allowing us to track common bird populations for >50 years
Wild bird populations in the UK and England, 1970 to 2024
www.gov.uk
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
btobirds.bsky.social
The Wild Bird Indicators, using BTO data, have been updated today. It’s not good news. 😔 The ‘all bird species’ index shows an overall shallow decline of 16% since 1970. Find out more ➡️ www.gov.uk/government/s...
Image of a Turtle Dove alongside the wording: Wild Bird Indicators for populations in the UK and England, 1970 to 2023. Out Now!
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
btobirds.bsky.social
1/ The Wild Bird Indicators, using BTO data, have been updated today by Defra! ⬇️

Sadly, the ‘all bird species’ index, comprising the population trends of 130 species, has been in a slow continuous decline in the UK since the 1970s, down by 18% and by 4% in the last five years. 📉 #Ornithology
Image of two Turtle Doves perching on branches over water, one leans down to take a drink. Wording to the left reads: Wild Bird Indicators. For populations in the UK and England, 1970 to 2024. Out now!
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
bou.org.uk
BOU @bou.org.uk · 16d
North American bird declines are driven by reductions in common species | www.science.org/doi/... | Science Advances | #ornithology 🪶
richgreg3.bsky.social
🗒️Great new paper ↘️ 'Beyond Species Richness for Biological Conservation'
The Society for Conservation Biology conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@rspbscience.bsky.social
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
bou.org.uk
BOU @bou.org.uk · 23d
EARLY VIEW in IBIS

Wetland location and captive breeding influence trans-Mediterranean movements in the endangered Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris) | onlinelibrary.wiley....

Irene Pacheco-Guardiola et al | #ornithology 🪶
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
ibioconsultants.com
#OECD highlights rising interest in #BiodiversityCredits and mobilise private finance. Clear rules, robust monitoring & govn. oversight are vital to avoid greenwashing & ensure integrity. Benefits exist, but risks must be weighed. #NatureFinance #Conservation 🌍

www.oecd.org/en/publicati...
Biodiversity credits: Scaling Up Biodiversity-Positive Incentives
To halt and reverse nature loss, economic incentives must swiftly be aligned with global biodiversity goals. This OECD report provides strategic guidance on scaling up biodiversity-positive incentives...
www.oecd.org
richgreg3.bsky.social
Yep, you have first shot curlew sandpiper 🐦👍
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
ibioconsultants.com
New Zealand aims for Predator Free 2050 - eradication of #InvasiveAlienSpecies which harm native species (especially birds like the kiwi). It will be one of the biggest #conservation programs worldwide 🌍

#BiodiversityAction #IAS #PredatorFree2050 #EndangeredSpecies

www.npr.org/2025/09/08/n...
New Zealand's bold plan to save endangered animals: kill millions of invasive animals
Many of New Zealand's unique birds are heading toward extinction. So the country is taking on an ambitious conservation project: eradicating the invasive species that prey on them.
www.npr.org
Reposted by Richard D. Gregory
thijskuiken.bsky.social
Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 reaches Gough Island, where it is associated with mortality in three Tristan skuas. This is worrying because Gough Island is an important breeding site for seabirds, including several species of global conservation concern.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Tristan skua (Stercorarius antarcticus hamiltoni). Photo by Noah Strycker.