All too often in nature conservation, stories are full of doom and gloom; highlighting species in steep decline. However, today is World Wetland Day and I thought it would be a great opportunity to celebrate a real conservation success story; the return of common cranes to the UK.

Following the natural recolonisation of a few birds in 1979 and extensive conservation work, including a reintroduction programme, they are…

Today's blog is by Linda Wilson, Senior Conservation Scientist.

One of my first tasks when I joined RSPB’s Centre for Conservation Science in 2016 was to visit some beautiful sand and shingle beaches along Britain’s stunning coastline. Not a bad way to spend a few summer days. But why was this important to RSPB? It just so happens that the same places that we flock to during the great British summer are also home…

Today’s blog by Derek Gruar, RSPB’s Senior Research Assistant, gives us the latest results for the winter bird count at Hope Farm, Cambridge.

These result go out with many thanks to the intrepid surveyors braving extremely soggy conditions underfoot. Luckily that wasn't enough to deter them and the first fieldwork of the year was carried out late last week, with the second winter bird count on Hope Fa…

A study by Durham University, UK, in collaboration with the RSPB, investigated how human activities such as agriculture, deforestation, and the drainage of wetlands have shaped where bird species are found in Great Britain today.

Data was used on the geographical distributions of bird species alongside simulation models to predict where bird species would exist today if the effects of human activities on the landscape…

Guest blog by Nick Littlewood, Lecturer in Wildlife Conservation Management at SRUC, and Mark Hancock, Senior Conservation Scientist, RSPB

We’ve known for some time that planting non-native conifer trees on blanket bog is bad news for biodiversity. As well as the habitat directly impacted, the effects of plantations, and especially of the generalist predators that they support, extend out across unplanted peatland. What…

Today’s blog is by RSPB Ellie Dimambro-Denson, Monitoring Officer and Pip Gullett, Conservation Scientist – both working with the Cairngorms Connect project.

Twinflower (Linnaea borealis) is a small delicate flower, native to pinewoods in Scotland. Interestingly, the first half of twinflower’s scientific name, Linnaea, comes from Carl Linnaeus, the ‘father of modern taxonomy’ who created the system…

Today's guest blog is by the Endangered Landscapes Programme which aims to restore natural ecological processes, species populations and habitats for a better and more sustainable future. It signals a shift away from a narrative of ‘slowing declines’ and ‘no net loss’ to a positive and creative conservation agenda in which the potential of our land and seas is recognised.

Scientists, policymakers…

Guest blog by Dr Jeremy Cusack, researcher at the Centre for Ecosystem Modelling and Monitoring, Universidad Mayor, Chile, and Dr Tom Bradfer-Lawrence, Conservation Scientist at RSPB

We live in a time of unprecedented biodiversity loss, driven by the intensification and expansion of human activities. But while conserving natural ecosystems and their component species is of the utmost priority for some, for many others…

Guest blog by Alan Munro, International Marine Policy Project Officer.

Everyone loves a good news story! And boy do we have one…hold on tight.

After over a decade of work with the country’s fishing industry and fisheries managers, the Albatross Task Force (ATF) in Namibia are celebrating a major conservation success. A new paper hot off the press shows that seabird deaths in the Namibian demersal longline…

Today's blog is by one of our newest puffineers, Will Bevan.

A couple of months ago I joined the RSPB's Project Puffin team as a volunteer. Originating in 2017, the project set out to discover how puffin diet was changing at colonies around the UK, and whether this was linked to worrying declines of this iconic seabird. A great example of citizen science in action, it is beginning to reveal how warming oceans might…

Today’s blog by Derek Gruar, RSPB’s Senior Research Assistant, gives us the latest results for their winter bird count at Hope Farm, Cambridge.

After a summer of furlough, it was great to be back out surveying birds on Hope Farm earlier this month. Our survey of the whole farm yielded a total of 1259 individual birds of 38 species which again favourably compared the first ever winter farm survey in December…

A new paper published today assesses the impact on biodiversity that the global food system could have if not changed. It also estimates the reduction in impact associated with changes in food production and diet. Graeme Buchanan, Head of International Conservation Science, explains more.

As international biodiversity targets are set to be updated in 2021, discussions on slowing and reversing biodiversity loss focus are…

Today’s report, the State of the UK’s Birds, highlights what’s been happening with our avian fauna, looking at the winner and losers over time. Fiona Burns, Senior Conservation Scientist, explains in this blog.

For over twenty years, the State of the UK’s Birds (SUKB) report has been a comprehensive snapshot of how birds are doing in the UK, and its Overseas Territories and Crown dependencies. Thanks…

Blog by Professor Richard Gregory, Head of Monitoring Conservation Science at the RSPB, on a new paper published today by a group of international researchers in the journal Conservation Letters, that argues for a robust and ‘SMART’ goal for species in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

As if waking from a troublesome dream comes the realisation that humanity…

Today marks a milestone for biodiversity monitoring with launch of the second European Breeding Bird Atlas (“EBBA2”). Mark Eaton, RSPB Principal Conservation Scientist and chair of the European Bird Census Council, explains why this book will be invaluable for supporting conservation across Europe for years to come.

The first European breeding bird atlas was published in 1997, based on data collected in the…

The official results for the Wild Bird Indicators have been released by Government today. Here, Mark Eaton, Principal Conservation Scientist, gives a breakdown on the results and what this means for conservation

The new Wild Bird Indicators for the UK were published by Defra this morning, and can be found online here. Similar metrics have also been released for England, and can be found here. These indicators are official…

Today's blog is a long-read by Professor Rhys Green, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge on the conservation of corncrake in Scotland.

The corncrake is an iconic bird for an unfortunate reason. It is one of the best-known examples of a bird species that was formerly widespread in Britain and Ireland, but rapidly disappeared from most areas and continued to decline in numbers quite quickly thereafter.

The…

In the land sparing and sharing debate, the question is often how food and wildlife can find space around each other. In today’s blog Tom Finch, Senior Conservation Scientist, discusses his latest paper which considers other factors. This new research reviews what’s best for protecting against global warming, recreation and reducing pollution, whilst still growing food and protecting nature.

We are placing…

Today’s blog is by Professor Jeremy Wilson, Director of Science, on last night’s awards ceremony, where five outstanding scientists and one outstanding communicator were presented with the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) annual Marsh Awards.

Every year, the Marsh Christian Trust supports around 350 charities through the Grants Programme and gives around 80 different Awards to individuals and groups…

Dr Graeme Buchanan will be taking up the role of Head of International Conservation Science.

We are delighted to announce that Dr Graeme Buchanan will be taking up the role of Head of International Conservation Science, leading the exceptional conservation science team working to support RSPB and Birdlife International’s conservation work.

Graeme is well placed to take up this role, having worked for RSPB’s International…

The soft purr of the turtle dove has become an increasingly rare sound of summer. In today’s blog, Simon Wotton, Senior Conservation Scientist, explains why a national survey is needed for these birds and calls for volunteers

As the fastest declining UK species, the turtle dove is one of the highest conservation priority species for the RSPB. Between 1995 and 2018, we lost 95% of our turtle doves, and with such…

Dr Jen Smart will be taking on the role of Head of Conservation Science, Scotland & Northern Ireland, leading the exceptional conservation science team working in these countries.

Before coming to the RSPB, Jen had a career in conservation management which began in Scotland but saw her eventually move south of the Border. A keen ringer and bird surveyor, she eventually found science and did an Ecology degree and PhD…

Today’s blog is by Mark Eaton, Principal Conservation Scientist.

Today saw the annual update of the UK’s Biodiversity Indicators, published by Defra and available here. These are valuable metrics – a total of 42 measures, grouped as 24 indicators in all – which report on the state of the UK’s biodiversity, on the factors which are driving change in this biodiversity, and on the action that is being taken to…

In today’s blog Graeme Buchanan, Principal Conservation Scientist, reveals a landmark new study which highlights the value of habitat restoration. Restoration of 30% of the World’s ecosystems in Priority Areas could stave off more than 70% of projected extinctions, and absorb nearly half of the carbon built up in the atmosphere since the industrial revolution.

As the world focuses on dual crises of climate…

Guest blog by Ian Newton, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and RSPB Vice President, on his new paper published in Ibis, detailing how raptors in Britain are still affected by illegal persecution.

Anyone who lives in Britain will be familiar with the frequent reports in the media of raptors being killed on grouse moors, despite all species being ‘protected’ by law. These reports concern instances where the killing was…