UK Wild Bird Indicators

Grey partridge standing in short grass — Image: Chris Gomersall

Project objectives
Progress so far
Work planned or underway
Who to contact
Partners
Funding

Wild Bird Indicators are widely accepted to be an excellent way to report on not just general trends within wild bird populations but also in the wider environment. As such they are used by the UK Government and country administrations to measure progress in safeguarding and enhancing biodiversity. The RSPB, working closely with the BTO and other partners, has developed indicators for birds in a range of habitats and countries/regions. These are excellent tools for communicating the state of bird populations.

Project objectives

The annual reporting of the state of wild birds in the UK, disaggregated into habitats and countries/regions to highlight particular trends of concern (as listed previously).
The development of new indicators, and the improvement of existing ones as and when possible to ensure they remain the best possible resource for reporting general trends in biodiversity, and for addressing research needs.

Key dates so far

Indicators are produced annually for the following:
UK - farmland, woodland, seabirds, water & wetland birds, wintering waterbirds (UK Quality of Life, Biodiversity, and Sustainable Development Strategy indicators).
Regional - for farmland, woodland and all-species (indicators for the nine Government Office Regions, Wales and Northern Ireland).
Smoothed indicators for England are produced to measure progress towards Cross-Government Public Service Agreement Delivery Agreement 28 (natural environment: biodiversity) as well as the farmland bird PSA target.
Ongoing development includes improvements in the seabird indicator (with the production of a productivity-based indicator), inclusion of Barn Owl in the farmland bird indicator, revision of the wintering waterbird indicator and disaggregation of the woodland bird indicator.

Work planned or underway

The project works to an annual timetable, starting with the delivery of UK indicators in the late summer/autumn and finishing with regional indicators in the late winter, although public release may be delayed beyond these dates. Development work is ongoing throughout the year.