BirdTrack

BirdTrack

BirdTrack is an exciting project that looks at migration movements and distributions of birds throughout Britain and Ireland.

Time, skill and support

There is no minimum time commitment. Spend as much time as you like recording the birds you identify.

You need to be confident in the identification of the birds you record.

Videos and training courses are available to help you develop your bird ID skills.

About BirdTrack

BirdTrack allows volunteers to store and manage their own personal bird records, and uses these to support species conservation at local, regional, national and international scales.

Created through a partnership between the BTO, the RSPB, BirdWatch Ireland, the Scottish Ornithologists' Club and the Welsh Ornithological Society, BirdTrack is an exciting project that looks at migration movements and distributions of birds throughout Britain and Ireland. 

The project is a free and convenient way of storing your bird records online, and lets you keep up to date with what others are seeing, view the latest trends, and contribute your data to BTO science.

Record on the go with BirdTrack Apps

Log your bird sightings anywhere in the world - Learn more about our mobile apps.

  • 'Smart' species list for adding sightings, containing the birds most likely to be seen in that area.
  • Sync all your existing BirdTrack places and upload everything into your BirdTrack account.

Go beyond just data entry and use the app to:

  • View a map of recent sightings.
  • View target species that you haven't seen this year / ever.
  • View your year and life lists.

Delve into your records

Use the 'Explore my records' function in BirdTrack to view your data in a range of exciting ways.

  • View your life and year lists at global, regional or local levels.
  • View maps of all your birding locations.
  • Extract the data as tables and graphs.

Important note about auto-ID tools

We recognise the growing popularity of auto-ID tools that use audio or image inputs to provide species identification, but we currently ask volunteers not to solely rely on these tools when submitting data to us.


Code of Conduct

Volunteers must follow BTO’s Code of Conduct. This code applies to our staff, our members, and volunteers, including surveyors and participants in the Ringing and Nest Record Schemes, (hereafter referred to collectively as ‘staff and supporters’). It applies to all BTO activities, whether online (including meetings and events, telephone, letter, and email) or offline (any face-to-face interaction). We've also written some guidance for volunteer fieldworkers, which will help beginners in particular.


Migration blog

BirdTrack Migration Blog. © BennyTrapp

Your BirdTrack data allows us to follow the arrival and departure of migrants through the seasons.

What's been seen this week? How will the weather affect migration next week? And which species will be arriving near you?

 


Help us track the outbreak of avian influenza with BirdTrack

You can now send us sightings of sick and dead birds through BirdTrack. These records give us a real-time picture of the locations and species affected by the disease, to help us track its impact and spread. Please remember to report all dead birds to Defra (England, Scotland and Wales) or Daera (Northern Ireland) as well, to assist in efforts to test dead birds for the disease.
More information about avian influenza can be found on our dedicated avian influenza page

Project team

Follow this project

Contact

  • birdtrack@bto.org

Project timeline

  • 2002 Migration watch started, with the initial aim of mapping migration
  • 2004 Re-named BirdTrack and expanded to cover all seasons
  • 2013 BirdTrack apps released on iOS and android
  • 2014 BirdTrack global portal released, allowing data to be entered from anywhere in the world
  • 2019 BirdTrack moved to a single site handling both British/Irish records and those from elsewhere in the world
  • 2021 Additional taxa added to BirdTrack: Amphibians, Butterflies, Dragonflies, Mammals, Orchids, and Reptiles can all be recorded
  • 2022 Link to iRecord set-up to facilitate a daily flow of non-avian records from BirdTrack to iRecord
  • 2022 New revised version of the mobile app released.

Contact BirdTrack

Britain

BirdTrack Organiser
c/o BTO, The Nunnery
Thetford, Norfolk
IP24 2PU

Tel: +44 (0)1842 750050

Email: birdtrack@bto.org

Ireland

BirdWatch Ireland (BirdTrack contact)
c/o BirdWatch Ireland
Unit 20, Block D
Bullford Business Campus
Kilcoole, Greystones
Co. Wicklow, Ireland

Tel: +353 579151676

Email: bcaffrey@birdwatchireland.ie