National Nightjar (SCARABBS) survey in 2004

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

Project objectives

• To produce an accurate and precise population estimate of churring male Nightjars in the UK, to describe the current distribution accurately and to examine associations with forestry and heathland features.

Key dates so far

• Survey coverage encompassed:
• High priority: sites occupied in the 1992 survey and subsequently; a random sample of 500 1-km squares containing apparently suitable habitat in each 100-km buffer centred around clusters of 1992 sites.
• Medium priority: a 30% sample of all the sites found occupied in the 1981 survey but not subsequently; a sample from areas likely to be considered for future SPA designation or extension.
• Low priority: a 10% sample of sites with apparently suitable habitat though not found occupied in either of the previous surveys; additional sites that observers considered to hold potentially suitable habitat.
• The survey period was from late May to late July, with a minimum of two visits to each square suggested. The survey was carried out mainly by volunteers but with professional ornithologists covering gaps in coverage, particularly in parts of Scotland, Wales and Dorset.

Work planned or underway

Results

Who to contact

Simon Wotton
Senior Conservation Scientist
E-mail: simon.wotton@rspb.org.uk

Partners

Funding

Forestry Commission (England)

Natural England

RSPB