The Marsh Awards are supported by the Marsh Charitable Trust and presented by BTO at the Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA) annual exhibition The Natural Eye in London. The awards recognise achievements and contributions to different aspects of ornithological study.
Marsh Award for Ornithology
Awarded to an individual or group who has had or is likely to have a significant impact in science, policy, practice, innovation, communication or engagement in the field of ornithology and particularly in relation to the UK’s birds.
2010: Dr Jennifer Gill
2011: Dr Ian Hartley
2012: Prof Jeremy Wilson
2013: Dr Jane Reid
2014: Dr Francis Daunt
2015: Dr Stuart Butchart
2016: Prof Will Cresswell
2017: Dr Becki Lawson
2018: Dr Juliet Vickery
2019: Dr Dan Chamberlain
2020: Dr Jen Smart
2021: Dr Alison Johnston
2022: Dr Alex Bond
2023: Dr Aldina Franco
2024: Dirk Raes
Marsh Award for Local Ornithology
Awarded to a bird club or group that publishes a book, completes a study or conducts any other exceptional activity in the preceding calendar year that advances knowledge about birds.
2010: Cheshire & Wirral Ornithology Society
2011: Henfield Birdwatch
2012: Herts Bird Club
2013: Arran Natural History Society
2014: Friends of Skokholm & Skomer
2015: Dr Malcolm Burgess & Piedfly.net
2016: Cross & Stratford Welsh Chough Project
2017: Bardsey Bird Observatory
2018: Spurn Bird Observatory
2019: Mike Smart
2020: Scottish Ornithologists' Club
2021: Vic Fairbrother & Ken Hutchinson
2022: The Chilterns Landscape Partnership project ‘Tracking the Impact'
2023: Royal Air Force Ornithological Society
2024: Woodpecker Network
Marsh Award for Young Ornithologist
Awarded to an individual (or group of people) under the age of 21 who has/have made a significant contribution to BTO either by contributing to BTO’s bird monitoring schemes or by spreading awareness of BTO with their peers, or both.
2015: Findlay Wilde
2016: Josie Hewitt
2017: Toby Carter
2018: Louis Driver
2019: Kabir Kaul
2020: Mike Sinclair
2021: Siân Mercer
2022: Anna Webberley
2023: Mya Bambrick
2024: Katie Monk
The Marsh Award for International Ornithology
Awarded to an individual scientist whose work on the international stage has had significant influence on British ornithology, especially as reflected in the work of BTO scientists and volunteers.
2013: Lars Svensson
2014: Dr Shiiwua Manu
2015: Prof Franz Bairlein
2016: Prof Pertti Saurola
2017: Prof Theunis Piersma
2018: David Stroud MBE
2019: Dr Petr Voříšek
2020: Dr Verena Keller
2021: Prof Lukas Jenni (last awarded)
The Marsh Award for Innovative Ornithology
Celebrates an important contribution which takes forward our understanding of avian ecology or conservation science.
2012: BTO Cuckoo Team
2013: Dr Christian Rutz
2014: The Spoon-billed Sandpiper Recovery Team
2015: Mark Constantine & The Sound Approach
2016: Dick Newell & Action for Swifts
2017: Ben Kibel (Hookpod)
2018: Dr Stuart Newson
2019: EuroBirdPortal (Gabriel Gargallo & David Marti)
2020: Dr Ellie Owen (Project Puffin)
2021: West Midlands Ringing Group
2022: Rob Clements