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The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is an organisation founded in 1932 for the study of birds in the British Isles.
Contents |
Activities
The BTO carries out research into the lives of birds, chiefly by conducting population and breeding surveys, and by bird ringing, all through the activities of a large number of volunteers. Its Garden Birdwatch survey, for example, allows large numbers of non-expert birdwatchers to participate, by making a weekly count of the birds they see in their gardens.
It also awards the Bernard Tucker Medal for services to ornithology, named in memory of Bernard Tucker, their first Secretary.
Journals
The BTO publishes a number of journals:
- Bird Study [1] - a scientific journal, published since 1953. ISSN 0006-3657
- BTO News [2] - the newsletter for all members. ISSN 0005-3392
- Bird Table [3] - for participants in the Garden BirdWatch Project. ISSN 1460-6755
- Ringing & Migration [4] - Journal of the BTO Ringing Scheme.
Atlases
In September 1967, inspired by on-going work on the innovative Atlas of Breeding Birds of the West Midlands, produced by the West Midland Bird Club, and in partnership with the Irish Wildbird Conservancy (now BirdWatch Ireland), work began on the first Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland. 3,862 10km squares were surveyed and the atlas was published in 1976.
The New Atlas (1993) updated and refined this huge survey, again with the help of IWC and the Scottish Ornithologists Club. A Winter Atlas and a Historical Atlas have also been published. The groundbreaking Migration Atlas presents the results of almost 100 years of bird ringing. As with all BTO studies, the vast majority of the fieldwork was undertaken by volunteers. The Bird Atlas 2007-2011 will combine breeding and winter surveys across the entire UK and Ireland, involving the BTO, Birdwatch Ireland, and the Scottish Ornithologist's Club, in order to produce a new atlas. Fieldwork began in Winter 2007 and will continue until the end of 2011.
History
Beginnings
In 1931 Max Nicholson wrote:
In the United States, Hungary, Holland and elsewhere a clearing-house for research is provided by the state: in this country such a solution would be uncongenial, and we must look for some alternative centre of national scope not imposed from above but built up from below. An experiment on these lines has been undertaken at Oxford since the founding of the Oxford Bird Census in 1927 [...]. The scheme now has a full-time director, Mr W.B.Alexander. [...] It is intended to put this undertaking on a permanent footing and to build it up as a clearing-house for bird-watching results in this country.
This led to a meeting at the British Museum (Natural History) in February 1932, which in turn led to the foundation of an organisation to develop the Oxford scheme. The name British Trust for Ornithology was used from May 1933 and an appeal for funds was published in The Times on 1 July.
Max Nicholson was the first treasurer, Bernard Tucker the secretary. Harry Witherby was an early benefactor and vice-chairman.
Edward Grey Institute
In 1938 the BTO contributed funds to the new Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology.
In 1947, the institute became part of a new department of Zoological Field Studies at Oxford University, and the BTO again concentrated on a programme of volunteer-based surveys.
Beech Grove
In December 1962, at the behest of Tony Norris, the BTO purchased Beech Grove, a large Victorian house in Tring, Hertfordshire, relocating there from Oxford, along with their Ringing Office, which had been at the British Museum.
The Nunnery
In April 1991, the BTO moved to The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, a large property which had been generously donated to them. Parts of the medieval Benedictine Nunnery of St George can still be seen on this site. In the early 2000s, a new library was created there, dedicated to the memory of Chris Mead. Following the recent retirement of Professor Jeremy Greenwood PhD the Director is Andy Clements.