BTO Scotland

09/06/2026

Take part in our brand new Birds in Greenspaces survey for a day ➡️ https://www.bto.org/greenspaces 🐦

We’re encouraging everyone to sign up, download the app and give it a go. 🦢

On the day all you have to do is explore your local greenspace, which could be a park, football pitch or cemetery and record the birds that you see or hear. 🌳

04/06/2026

This is a great survey to take part in- thanks to folks that are already helping!

This Volunteers Week, we're shining a light on you, our amazing citizen scientists who have submitted a whopping 10,959,289 submissions from 48,600 gardens since January 1995!!!

Thanks to your efforts, we've been at the forefront of garden wildlife monitoring, and are uniquely placed to provide evidence-based guidance on how best to support birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, bumblebees and dragonflies in gardens.

Join today to help us continue this work.
https://www.bto.org/get-involved/volunteer/projects/gbw/get-involved

01/06/2026

This is a long shot but worth a go- we have three places available on 'Upland Birds and BTO Surveys' training this coming Wednesday. It's on Dumyat, just outside Stirling. The training is free, and these spaces have just become available. Full info. and how to book here: https://www.bto.org/about/where/scotland/events-training
Booking closes at 9pm tonight (Monday 1st)!

Upcoming events for BTO volunteers and supporters in ScotlandFrom walks and talks to our annual conference, BTO runs lots of events throughout the year. Browse the listing below and use the filters to find an event that's right for you. If you would like to book multiple places, please book your pla...

19/05/2026

There have been interesting habitat related findings from the 2025 Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) Report for Scotland.

🌳 Three species that have a particular liking for Oak trees have increased across Scotland in recent years. This includes Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch.

⛰️ However, several species that are associated with upland habitats have declined in recent years. This includes a short term decline for the Red Grouse, and a longer term decline of Wheatear and Whinchat.

📖 Discover how to take part in BBS and read the full report at https://www.bto.org/bbs

19/05/2026

The new advice about feeding garden birds seasonally came in at the start of May.

Two weeks in, BTO Senior Research Ecologist Dr Kate Plummer, part of the Technical Steering Group for the evidence review on which the new guidance is based, sets out the scientific rationale behind the changes in our latest BTO blog ➡️ https://www.bto.org/our-work/news/blog/rethinking-how-we-feed-garden-birds

BTO Garden BirdWatch | Garden Wildlife Health | RSPB | ZSL

14/05/2026

Job alert 📢 Last chance to apply to join the BTO Scotland team ➡️ www.bto.org/jobs

We're looking for a raptor enthusiast and great people person to take a coordinating role within the raptor monitoring scheme on behalf of all its partners.

📝 Deadline for applications: Sunday 17 May.

12/05/2026

Our team are working night and day (possibly a slight exaggeration) on a Scottish e-newsletter that we hope to get sent out by email this week. Want to sign up? Follow this link: https://www.bto.org/about/where/scotland/enews

05/05/2026

This is fantastic opportunity! Please share with any young folk who might be keen!

Apply for our Young Bird Observatory Visitors Programme grant ➡️ https://www.bto.org/ybov

Each year the BTO provide a number of grants of up to £250, to support young people looking to visit one of the accredited British and Irish Bird Observatories. 🐦

📆 Closing date: Sunday 31 May

04/05/2026

This Birds in Greenspaces artwork 😍 Huge thanks to Will Rose for bringing to life this survey with his incredible designs.

Have you signed up to the Birds in Greenspaces survey yet? Discover how to get involved at https://www.bto.org/greenspaces