BTO
@_BTO
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The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is the UK's leading charity working with volunteers to improve our knowledge of birds through monitoring and research.
Joined April 2009
To continue to see updates from BTO, follow us on the accounts below. ⬇️🐦 #Ornithology #Birds
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An Osprey ringed as a chick close to Glasgow last year turned up this winter in Barbados, the first known example of a British Osprey recorded in the Americas. Although Ospreys are known to travel long distances on migration, this bird's extraordinary journey across more than
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A Robin has crossed the North Sea in just under 4 hours, completing a 140-mile stretch as part of its autumn migration! A new nano-tag fitted on the bird sends a signal to any nearby receiver, helping us learn about their journey. Find out more at
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Skye, the 28-year-old White-tailed Eagle featured on #Winterwatch tonight has smashed the species’ UK longevity record, which was set just last year at 23 years & 11 months. What an extraordinary story! @BBCSpringwatch
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To kick off our Youth Summit we have a clip from none other than than our Patron, His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales
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Long-eared Owls take over and use old Crow nests for breeding, but they may also occupy woven baskets put up by conservationists to encourage these secretive birds to nest in forest and mature scrub. Find out more @BBCSpringwatch #Springwatch
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Hello old friends! We are back and very happy to see you all again after our week locked out of Twitter! 🥳
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We are very excited to announce that His Royal Highness, Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge is taking on the patronage of @_BTO. He is taking over from The Duke of Edinburgh who has held the role for over 30 years. @KensingtonRoyal
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Birds need to keep their feathers in top condition. One of the ways they do this is to “ant”. They actively pick up ants and rub them on their feathers; the chemical excretion from the ants is thought to help get rid of parasites. #Springwatch @BBCSpringwatch video: @PAStancliffe
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Ellis has become the first #BTOCuckoo to arrive back in the UK! He left the rainforests of central Africa in February, crossed the Sahara last month and is now back on his breeding grounds in the @lomondtrossachs National Park! Welcome home Ellis! 🤩
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The oldest known bird in Britain is this Manx Shearwater. It was tagged as an adult on Bardsey at @bardseyobs in 1957 and caught again, in the same place, in 2008! .#Autumnwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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The UK is home to 73 million fewer birds this #DawnChorusDay than it was in 1970. This staggering decline of almost a third is almost impossible to comprehend, so we have created a website that allows you to see what’s changed in your area 👉
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Look at them! MT @JWentomologist: 12 long-tailed tits settling down for the night on their current favourite roost branch in a holly bush this evening in Hembury Woods Devon
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Earthworm numbers have shrunk by a third in the UK in just 25 years! Leaving leaf litter in your garden, not installing artificial grass, & not using pesticides are all actions you can take that are likely to help these underrated animals. #WildIsles
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We're incredibly pleased for our former president for this recognition of his tireless work for the natural world. Congratulations @chrisgpackham!
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A significant proportion of the world's Razorbill population breeds in Britain & Ireland, making their coastal habitats here important in a global context. More razorbill #BirdFacts 👉 . #SpringWatch @BBCSpringwatch
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Small migratory birds resting on vessels far out in the North Sea remind us just how treacherous their journeys are. Raptors such as this Long-eared Owl will rest on ships during migration too, when they may also take advantage of an easy meal… #AutumnWatch 📸 Mike Ambler
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The oldest bird we know of with a BTO ring is a Manx Shearwater that was ringed in 1957 and seen again in 2008, almost 51 years later. You can find astonishing records like this one in our online ringing report 👉 #Winterwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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A female bittern that was found injured by the side of the road in Hertfordshire two years ago, nursed back to health and ringed, has been spotted again in @RSPBFens Lakenheath reserve in May this year. What an incredible journey for this rare bird! @BBCSpringwatch #Springwatch
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Ravens are often found in mythology - in Norse mythology, Huginn and Muninn were the 2 Ravens that flew around the world and brought Odin information. @BBCSpringwatch
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BTO President @FrankRGardner is investigating the threats Hen Harriers face on #Springwatch. Where their range overlaps with managed grouse moors, persecution is a significant threat, as this recent @RSPBScience study shows 👉
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The #BirdPOTY shortlist for 2018 has just been announced and the images are simply breathtaking! Check out at the contenders for this year's title and see the winners of the crowd vote. @NatGeo @audubonsociety @GettyImages @Natures_Voice @guardianeco
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Britain’s oldest Black-headed Gull was ringed as a first year bird in Herefordshire in 1986, and spotted alive in northern Germany an incredible 32 years, 3 months & 23 days later! #springwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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We see your Bittern on a mitten @WWTworldwide and your Turtle Dove on a glove @EssexWildlife! May we introduce.
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🎉PJ the super Cuckoo has made it back to the UK! Since he was tagged back in 2016, PJ has completed six full migration cycles, clocking up almost 96,000 km (60,000 miles) in the process. Welcome home PJ! 🤩. #BTOCuckoos #BTOScience #ornithology
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Spare a thought (and some mud) for Swallows & House Martins, returning from their long migrations to find the soil parched by this dry weather. Why not leave a shallow tray of mud in your garden, so they can use this to build their nests? #ornithology
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41 years, 1 month, 5 days! That’s the age of the oldest recorded Oystercatcher from ringing. 😮 It's amazing to think that if the chicks on #Springwatch survive they could make it to such an age.
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Great to see Wisdom, the oldest known wild bird in the world, return to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.
SHE DID IT AGAIN!. Wisdom, the world’s oldest known wild bird, is back with a new partner and just laid yet another egg. At an approximate age of 74, the queen of seabirds returned to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge last week and began interacting with a male.
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If the #Springwatch Kestrel chicks are among the approximately one third that survive their first year, then their chances will be much better after that because around two thirds of adult Kestrels survive year to year. More Kestrel #BirdFacts 👉
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Wondering where all the #Swifts have gone? Here's 18,000 of them streaming south over the Swiss Alps!.
Anfang August ziehen die #Mauersegler bereits in ihre Winterquartiere. Vor dem schlechten Wetter am vergangenen Wochenende sind nicht weniger als 17 959 Mauersegler über den Col de Bretolet gezogen, ein eindrückliches Erlebnis! Video © Julia Wildi
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1. Sadly, we must announce that PJ the Cuckoo has died at his breeding grounds at King's Forest, Suffolk, bringing to a close an extraordinary chapter in the history of bird migration research. #Ornithology #BTOScience #BTOCuckoos Read the news article 👉
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Wow!! RT @ntmidlands: Amazing shots of a Wren feeding its "baby" #Cuckoo. Taken by Peter Allman at @NTCalkeAbbey
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This unnerving Nightjar was made out of rusty old saw blades by artist @HarrietMead1. Head to the BTO and @swlanaturaleye Flightlines exhibition at @Haslemeremuseum before 25 June to see work by Harriet and a host of other wonderful wildlife artists #SpringWatch @BBCSpringwatch
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To maintain their body temperature overnight Long-tailed Tits will huddle together in thick shrubbery such as Hawthorn. Their small body mass means they lose warmth and energy quickly so this is vital for survival in cold weather. #Winterwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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This #WorldMigratoryBirdDay, we are in awe of the incredible journeys birds take all across the globe in search of food. Which of these migratory journeys inspires you? #WMBD18
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Pesticide and fertiliser use are the main drivers of decline in most European bird populations, reveals a new study led by @RSPBScience with #BTOScience input and data from @BBS_birds 👉 #Ornithology #OpenAccess
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Blackbird is one of the most commonly heard bird species during the dawn chorus. Their rich and varied song can be heard in the earliest hours of the morning, and is reconigsable for most of us. What's your favourite dawn chorus song?.#Springwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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Did you know, the oldest Jackdaw on record is at least 19 years 5 months 8 days old? It was ringed as a nestling in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire in 2001, then re-sighted just 2 km away in 2020! . Learn more about Jackdaws 👉 #Winterwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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The oldest Stone Curlew ever recorded in the UK was ringed as a chick in Wiltshire in 1990. It was seen again in 2012 – when it would have been at least 22 years, 4 months and 1 day old – just 1km from the original site #AutumnWatch
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. @BBCSpringwatch is going to Scotland for three whole seasons, starting with Winterwatch in January. Who else is excited?! 💚.@BTO_Scotland .
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The world’s oldest known wild breeding bird, 67+ year-old Wisdom the Laysan Albatross has returned and has laid another egg! @USFWSPacific #Seabirds #BirdRinging
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Aw! A beautifully captured moment between a parent Pied Wagtail & its offspring is photo of the week @birdguides:
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One of our tagged owls, named 'Dumyat', abandoned her territory, leaving her mate to rear the chicks, then flew to Norway and bred again! Two broods in two countries in the same year, with different mates, quite extraordinary! .#Springwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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Did you know many garden birds, like Blackbird, will have two broods in a season? So although you may see lots of newly fledged young now, the parents could be having another clutch soon. Find out more at BirdFacts: @BBCSpringwatch #Springwatch
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Did you know the oldest recovered Great Tit with a ring was an incredible 13 years, 11 months and 5 days old? With a bit of luck, the #Springwatch chicks will have a long life ahead of them still! @BBCSpringwatch
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Originally, House Martins nested on cliffs, but they have now taken to nesting on buildings, attaching their mud nest cup under eaves. Each cup takes up to 10 days to build, and over 1000 beak sized pellets of mud!.@BBCSpringwatch #Springwatch
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The oldest Brambling recorded through ringing reached the age of 8 years, 7 months and 16 days! It was ringed in Sussex, and found all those years later in Italy. #Winterwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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1⃣ The UK Red List 🚨 now includes 70 species of bird, almost twice as many as 25 years ago. Swift & Greenfinch are among 11 species to join the likes of Curlew & Turtle Dove as top conservation priorities👉 #BTOScience #BoCC5 @britishbirds
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Tawny Owls are nocturnal and hard to see, so the male’s ‘hooting’ or the sharp ‘ke-wick’ call of a female is often the best clue they’re around. They breed early in the season and are very vocal at this time of year, so it’s worth keeping an ear out #Winterwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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Did you know that two subspecies of Redwing are found in the UK? There is the Scandinavian/western Russian Turdus iliacus iliacus and Icelandic Turdus iliacus coburni. Coburni can be found in the west of the UK and is darker, streakier and larger. #Winterwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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They’re on their way! Our satellite-tagged Cuckoos are heading to West Africa to fuel up before their epic Sahara crossings. Worcestershire Cuckoo Trent is already in Guinea!. Track their progress & sponsor a Cuckoo to help us investigate their declines👉
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Knot don’t eat Knotgrass, which isn’t really a type of grass. There’s also a moth called Knot Grass, which does eat Knotgrass (but not grass) #Winterwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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As one of the smallest birds in the country, it’s an incredible feat that Goldcrests have clutches of 7–12 eggs! Weighing in at only 5.3 grams, they are tied for the smallest bird of Britain with the closely related Firecrest. #Springwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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Linnet was rather unfairly described by @MarkAvery as "one of the least attractive of all UK birds." We think that he's wrong, and hope you do too. Here's a video to help you identify this cracking little finch #Springwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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As the warmer weather continues, you can help your House Martins by leaving a muddy puddle in the garden. They use the mud to build their iconic nests, and will use over 1,000 beakfuls of mud!.@BBCSpringwatch #Springwatch
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We’re delighted to announce that @juliet_vickery will be taking over from @_AndyClements as @_BTO CEO at the end of this year. Juliet will be joining us after leading the International Science department at @Natures_Voice and brings with her a wealth of experience. #ornithology
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Eiders are one of the fastest birds in level, continuous flight and have been clocked maintaining an impressive 47mph! .#Winterwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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The weather's changed and PJ the Cuckoo knows it! He's started his migration north, gearing up for an incredible 10th Sahara crossing since we satellite-tagged him back in 2016. His Suffolk breeding grounds clearly beckon!. #ornithology #cuckoos
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Bullfinches are widespread across the UK, but often heard before they are seen. They prefer woodlands, hedgerows and mature gardens, so you may well see these birds visit your feeders. Have you seen any around?.#Springwatch #Gardenwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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Joe has crossed the Sahara 🙌🌍 He set off across the Mediterranean from Sardinia on Saturday night covering 150 miles of open water before arriving in North Africa, then he moved southward & took a non-stop flight across the Sahara. 😮 Who will be next?➡️
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The UK is currently experiencing an influx of Alpine Swifts – bigger, faster cousins of the Swifts that fill our skies with their screaming calls each summer. If you’re lucky enough to glimpse one of these rare visitors, please make sure to add your sighting to @BirdTrack
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For the first time in their 91 years of co-existence BTO and RSPB Trustees come together to understand respective strengths and how we can work even more effectively together to do more for birds.🐦
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And we have a winner🏆🎉 Trent was the first Cuckoo to reach the UK. He covered 1,025 miles over the weekend! 😀 Check out his incredible journey. 👇 . If you’d like to support this project, find out how to sponsor a Cuckoo 👉 Thank you💚 #BTOCuckoos
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Epic sea crossing alert! 🌊 KP has reached Ireland but rather than following a land-based route, he left northern Spain and set off across the Bay of Biscay then continued his flight over the sea. 😮 We’re pleased to say he’s made it! 🙌 @NPWSIreland
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📢 Four members of the #BTOYouth Advisory Panel met our patron HRH The Duke of Cambridge @KensingtonRoyal at Kensington Palace today. The Duke heard how engaging with citizen science projects equips young people with valuable skills and supports their mental health. (1/2)
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#ReclaimSocial.Time for good news! Our Cuckoos have started their journey back, and that can only mean on thing: spring is on the way! Soon the cold, dark days will move over for longer evenings and warmer days. Hang in there, and follow our Cuckoos at
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Did you know Ravens are incredibly intelligent? A recent study suggests they are as intelligent as chimpanzees, showing that it's not the size of the brain that matters. Read more about it here: /bit.ly/cleverraven #Springwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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A pair of #Spoonbill have bred in Essex for the first time since the hunting and land use change led to the species’ extinction in the UK around 350 years ago. Spoonbills returned to Norfolk in 1989 and the first chicks fledged in 1998. (1/2)
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Wonderful capture of a Mistle Thrush delicately plucking a berry makes photo of the week @BirdGuides:
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🦉 Thank you to Charlotte Cook for sending us this dramatic footage of a Barn Owl hunting in the snow and dodging attempted kleptoparasitism (food stealing) by a Red Kite and a Buzzard! #WildIsles #MyBTO
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Today is #WorldSparrowDay, the perfect occasion to turn our attention to these familiar, characterful and often overlooked birds. The UK is home to two species of sparrow, House Sparrow and Tree Sparrow – both of them are in real trouble.
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We’ve tagged 9 new birds for our Cuckoo Tracking Project 😀 Sadly, we’ve lost more than a third of UK Cuckoos in the past 25 years, but satellite tracking is helping BTO to understand the pressures these birds face on their migrations.🌍 Follow the birds➡️
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Farmland covers more than two-thirds of UK land area, and to many people farmland 'is' the countryside. What is happening to farmland birds matters and, as the newly-published breeding farmland bird indicator shows, their populations are not doing well.
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The oldest Pink-footed Goose ever recorded in the UK was found dead an extraordinary 38 years, 7 months and 7 days after it was ringed in central Scotland. Despite the 38 return migrations the goose will have made, it was found just 60 miles from the ringing site #AutumnWatch
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Today marks 30 years since @DEBALMER’s first day at BTO! 🎉. Dawn’s contribution to British ornithology is truly legendary and her achievements too many to list. She is an inspiration and we are privileged to work alongside her. Congratulations Dawn – here’s to the next 30!
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Fortunately for the #Springwatch Goshawk chicks, their species' population is increasing after almost being lost from our shores as a breeding species during the late 1800s. Find out more 👉
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2018 is the year of the owl for BTO and we are currently fundraising for a major programme of work on all our owl species. Please support our appeal if you can #ProjectOwl #SuperbOwl
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The UK’s oldest ever Grey Heron (that we know of)? 23 years, 9 months, 2 days. Ringing birds lets us to collect all sorts of data about them, including, when a ringed bird is re-caught or re-sighted, how old they are. Learn more here 👉 #AutumnWatch
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Before Swifts take off on their first flight, they'll spend time in the nest performing "press-ups". This helps build up the strength they need to keep flying for up to four years after leaving the next! .#SwiftAwarenessWeek @swiftsweek
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The oldest recorded Dipper in Britain & Ireland was ringed as a nestling in County Laois, Ireland, and caught alive in the same location 8 years, 9 months and 6 days later! The typical lifespan is 3 years. #BirdFacts 👉 #Springwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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This growing website uses simple vector graphics to show key structural and plumage differences between the world's birds, with hopes to one day cover all known species. Check it out 👀.
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Today is #WorldMigratoryBirdDay. Last year, we looked at some of the amazing journeys birds make, sharing our favourite facts. You can read our new Masterclass on migration at What are your favourite migratory birds? .@WMBD #WMBD2019 #Migration
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Chough are acrobatic corvids found in western rocky landscapes, from seacliffs to the mountains of Eyri. They breed in coastal caves above the high-water mark, quarry tunnels & crevices in abandoned stone constructions. Find out more 👉 #Springwatch
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Red alert for Greenfinch! Following declines of 60% since the early 1990s, Greenfinch was added to the UK Red List last year. Read more #Winterwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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It's World Sparrow Day today! Did you know the decline of the Tree Sparrow started in the 70s? And even with recent increases, the population consists of fewer than 10 per cent of those present in the late 1960s. When's the last time you saw one? #BTOScience
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Happy #InternationalBatWeekend! There are 18 species of bats in the UK, and we love this infographic by @_BCT_ helping you identify the bats in the sky. Which species have you seen before?
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The Chough owes its scientific name to its colourfal appearance: Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax comes from the Greek for flame-coloured (phurros) and raven (korax). @BBCSpringwatch #Springwatch
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Crikey. check out the #BirdTrack reporting rate graph for Hawfinch! Blue is this year, red is historical average @BBCSpringwatch
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Why is 3rd July #WorldSeabirdDay ? because it's the anniversary of the last sighting of the Great Auk
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The oldest ringed Buzzard in the 2016 Ringing Report is a whopping 30 years old! #AutumnWatch @BBCSpringwatch
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A wonderful example of the healing power of being in nature and of birds.
"Nature helps me to recover my speech, my voice. I'm so happy, I'm alive and well. It's magic" - find out more about @EdwynCollins' story on #Springwatch on @BBCTwo right now 💙 #Springwatch
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Short-eared Owls are nomadic birds that can travel huge distances during each season. One female we tracked bred in Perthshire in April 2018 and again in Norway 2 months later. Another bred on Arran in 2020 and then >3,000km away in Russia in 2021 #Winterwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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Goldcrest counts are slightly lower this year, possibly due to a poor breeding season and a mild weather in Scandinavia. They rarely visit feeders, preferring insects and spiders, but freezing weather will bring them to fat balls and suet. #winterwatch @bbcspringwatch
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Tawny Owls have occasionally been reported from Ireland, though these are thought to be vagrants or escaped birds as Tawny Owls don’t like to cross open water. This Long-eared Owl, on the other hand, was spotted on a ship in the North Sea! #Winterwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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Around 150 pairs of White-tailed Eagle now breed in the UK. It might still be a small number, but this conservation success story led scientists to move the species off the UK Red List in 2021. Read the report 👉 #Winterwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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You can help House Sparrows by improving their access to nest sites. One way to do this is by putting up a nest box with a 32mm hole. Unlike most birds, House Sparrows aren’t territorial, meaning you can put up several boxes on a single wall. #Winterwatch @BBCSpringwatch
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Our oldest Barn Owl was still alive more than 15 years after it was ringed as a owlet: #birdringing #winterwatch
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