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Birds


ECOSA carry out a wide range of ornithological surveys using Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), Common Bird Census (CBC), Vantage Point Count methods and other established survey techniques. We have also carried out more specialised single species surveys.

Our project experience includes numerous surveys for proposed development sites including wind turbines, roads, housing developments, hospitals and schools.

For further details of legal protection and bird survey methods, please see links below.

Protection Under UK Legislation

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 (as amended) all birds, their nests and eggs are protected by law and it is thus an offence, with certain exceptions to intentionally:

  • Kill, injure or take any wild bird.
  • Take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built.
  • Take or destroy the egg of any wild bird.
  • Have in one's possession or control any wild bird (dead or alive) or any part of a wild bird which has been taken in contravention of the Act or the Protection of Birds Act 1954.
  • Have in one's possession or control any egg or part of an egg which has been taken in contravention to the Act. This includes items taken or killed before the passing of the Act.
  • Have in one's possession or control any live bird of prey of any species in the world (with the exception of vultures and condors) unless it is registered and ringed in accordance with the Secretary of State's regulations.
  • Have in one's possession or control any bird of a species occurring on Schedule 4 of the Act unless registered (and in some cases ringed) in accordance with the Secretary of State's regulations.
  • Disturb any wild bird listed on Schedule 1 while it is nest building, or at a nest containing eggs or young, or disturb the dependent young of such a bird.


Survey Methods

A wide range of bird surveys can be carried out, although most frequently these involve breeding and/or wintering bird surveys or surveys for specific species.

Breeding Bird Surveys

Breeding bird surveys need to be carried out between March and early July. The most frequently used survey methodologies are those based on standard British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) methods such as the Common Birds Census (CBC) or the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). These typically involve up to ten visits to the site during which a transect route is walked. During the transect walk, all birds showing signs of breeding or holding a territory are plotted onto a site map. These registrations are then transferred onto a species map. Clusters of registrations then indicate the activity of birds within a breeding territory. This method can be used to determine the actual numbers of birds breeding on a site.

Winter Bird Surveys

Winter bird surveys are carried out between October and March, inclusive. Most typically in England these surveys are carried out on estuaries, coasts or farmland. Farmland surveys involve direct counts of birds using a transect that is walked on a fortnightly basis.

Counts of wintering birds on estuaries are usually based on Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) Low Tide counts developed by the BTO. These are used to determine the spatial distribution of birds across a site and the relative importance of different areas. WeBS Core Count methods are carried out at high tide when wading birds gather into roost sites and are more easily counted. These can give accurate counts of the number of birds using a site.

Species Specific Surveys

Species specific surveys are usually carried out when the habitat present, or the geographic location of a site may indicate the presence of a particularly rare bird. For example, tree sparrow surveys may be required on sites in Wiltshire or Nightjar surveys may be required if a site supports heathland. Such species specific surveys are extremely varied and ECOSA have carried out a variety of different surveys.

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