Bird Atlas 2027–31 Partnership: mapping Britain and Ireland's birds, together

The result is a bird atlas, and it's one of the best tools we have for understanding how our birds are faring. In a new partnership, led by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), we’re working with BirdWatch Ireland, the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club and the Welsh Ornithological Society to deliver Bird Atlas 2027–31.

The final fieldwork for the last bird atlas was completed back in 2011, and a lot has changed since then. Climate change, habitat loss and other environmental pressures mean life’s getting more challenging for birds and other wildlife. To identify the species and places most in need of conservation and provide them with the protection they need, an updated Atlas is essential to make sure decisions are based on the latest evidence.

Bird Atlas 2027–31 will give us the clearest picture yet of bird populations across Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. By mapping where birds breed and where they spend the winter, it’ll show us which species are doing well, which are struggling, and how things are changing over time. We need this new atlas so that we can identify the species and sites most in need of conservation action.

We will need thousands of volunteers to head outside and collect data on the birds they see and hear through both the breeding and winter seasons, starting from November 2027. Every sighting matters, and together, all those records will help build an in-depth evidence base that’ll guide bird conservation and environmental policy for years to come.

We’ll share ways to get involved and volunteer for the Bird Atlas 2027–31 as the project progresses.

Together, the partnership wants this to be the most inclusive bird atlas ever, open to everyone, whether you're a lifelong birder or you've never picked up a pair of binoculars. Our hope is that Bird Atlas 2027–31 will get even more people outside enjoying nature, while tackling the combined challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Past bird atlases have already taught us so much about how our bird populations are changing. You can explore the results from earlier projects through the BTO’s Atlas Mapstore, home to decades of bird data, all collected by volunteers like you.