UK could be set to lose its first bird species due to climate change The UK’s breeding Dotterel population has declined by 89% since 1988 The rate of decline has increased since the last national survey in 2011 Declines are similar inside and outside of Special Protection Areas, suggesting climate change could be one of the main causes Results from…
Category: THE WILDLIFE NGOs – RSPB, Wildlife Trusts Wild Justice, BSBI etc
RSPB reconnects precious Welsh landscape to protect rare Celtic rainforest and Pied Flycatchers
The RSPB reconnects precious Welsh landscape to protect rare Celtic rainforest and Pied Flycatchers RSPB Cymru announces the purchase of Gallt-y-bere, an area boasting a diverse range of habitats in mid Wales Landmark acquisition creates a connected landscape for wildlife at RSPB Gwenffrwd-Dinas nature reserve for the first time in 60 years The acquisition will…
Oldest Avocet
Oldest bird of its kind discovered on RSPB nature reserve A record-breaking Avocet, found at RSPB Middleton Lakes, has been confirmed as the oldest of its kind at 36 years old – more than five times the average lifespan for the species. The individual has set a new national record after fledging in 1990, an…
Bass Rock and Grassholm Gannet colonies may not recover from bird flu until 2041
Two of the world’s largest Gannet colonies may not recover from the impact of bird flu until 2041, study finds Northern Gannet colonies on the islands of Bass Rock in Scotland and Grassholm in Wales may take almost two decades to recover from the impact of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird…
RSPB statement re Climate Change Committee’s annual report on the UK’s progress in cutting emissions
RSPB statement re Climate Change Committee’s annual report on the UK’s progress in cutting emissions Katie-jo Luxton, the RSPB’s director of conservation, said: “Nature is our greatest ally in tackling climate change and this week’s extreme heat is yet another reminder of why we need to go further and faster. From renewable energy in the right places helping to reduce…
Swift Awareness Week starts 27 June
Swifts return in time for a week of awareness and celebration! Just in time for UK Swift Awareness Week 2026 (starts 27th June), Swifts have returned in numbers to their colonies, and started their amazing screaming parties again following the cold wet spell, much to the joy of the many Swift watchers throughout the UK. More than 150 local…
Stuart Butchart FRS
BirdLife International’s Chief Scientist, Dr Stuart Butchart, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. This appears to be the first time a scientist working in a wildlife NGO has had this honour and it reflects well on both Dr Butchart himself and the overall science of the BirdLife family. The…
Garden bird feeding – new RSPB advice
Today the RSPB has issued new advice to its million members and the public at large on feeding birds in gardens. The new advice represents a big change to current practice (amongst many), won’t be universally popular and will cost the RSPB a lot of money. This advice is based on the perceived dangers of…
RSPB – UK’s tallest bird, the Crane, has record high year
UK’s tallest bird, the Crane, has record high year A record number of Cranes bred in the UK last year, with 87 pairs raising 37 young, bringing the total to around 250 individuals Cranes went extinct in the UK around four hundred years ago due to overhunting and the loss of wetlands, but thanks to…
BSBI – Plant of ancient woodlands confirmed in northern Scotland
Plant of ancient woodlands confirmed in northern Scotland Herb-paris, a plant typical of ancient woodlands, has been confirmed growing in upland birch woodland on a ravine ledge in East Sutherland, in northern Scotland. The plant was originally spotted by James Rainey, a botanist and ecological consultant, seven years ago but wasn’t reported to the Botanical…