More than half of world's migratory bird species are declining

The first comprehensive global assessment of migratory birds finds that 51% of species are declining across every major flyway on Earth.

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Seabirds trade survival for future breeding success after costly summers

An experiment with Kittiwakes found that high breeding costs reduced return rates, while longer winter movements were linked to greater future breeding success.

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Satellite tags to reveal how White-tailed Eagles interact with livestock

Forty GPS transmitters will track White-tailed Eagles across western Scotland, helping researchers investigate predation, movements and habitat use.

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The Rare Bird Alert birding round-up 24 - 30 Jul

Jon Dunn looks back at the best birds from around Britain, Ireland and the Western Palearctic.

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Disposable barbecue ban petition passes 10,000 signatures amid wildfire crisis

Campaigners are calling for a UK-wide sales ban as major fires in Suffolk and the Cairngorms expose the growing threat to wildlife-rich landscapes.

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Roseate Terns reach 50-year high on Coquet Island

A record 155 pairs nested on the Northumberland island in 2026, the highest total recorded there in more than half a century.

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Court ruling protects migrating European Turtle-doves in Sicily

A Palermo court has suspended Sicily's 2026-27 hunting calendar, removing September pre-opening days during the species' autumn passage.

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Major boost for migratory shorebirds as UNESCO expands Korean tidal flats site

Four additional coastal wetland areas have joined the Getbol World Heritage Site, strengthening protection for one of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway's most important staging areas for migratory sh...

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Dunwich Heath wildfire burns through key bird habitat

A wildfire covering around 100 hectares has spread from Dunwich Heath into parts of RSPB Minsmere, threatening nationally important habitat for heathland birds.

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NatureScot experts recommend refusal of 2026 Guga Hunt licence

The annual taking of young Gannets on Sula Sgeir may not go ahead after officials said scientific uncertainty prevents them ruling out harm to the protected colony.

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Amami Woodcock population quadruples after mongoose eradication

Numbers have risen from about 4,100 to around 17,000 following a long-running programme to remove an invasive predator from the Japanese island of Amami-Oshima.

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Bill Oddie, wildlife presenter and renowned birder, dies aged 85

The broadcaster, writer, comedian and conservationist inspired generations to discover birds and the natural world.

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More White-tailed Eagles confirmed poisoned in Dorset

Wildlife Poisoning Research UK says two eagles found dead in Dorset during 2024 carried potentially lethal concentrations of rat poison.

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Abernethy wildfire remains active after burning 10 square kilometres

Firefighters have made substantial progress at RSPB Abernethy, but hotspots remain, wildlife impacts are still being assessed and affected areas remain closed.

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Hawaiian Stilt reclassified from endangered to threatened

The endemic Hawaiian waterbird has been downlisted after its population recovered from around 200 birds to more than 1,500, although it remains dependent on active conservation.

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Curlew chicks rescued from wildfire returned to wild

Eggs were removed from a nest threatened by a major blaze in County Fermanagh before the young birds were reared, satellite-tagged and released at a protected site.

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Record breeding season for Bonelli’s Eagles in France

Ornithomedia is reporting that a provisional total of 44 young Bonelli’s Eagles have fledged or are expected to leave their nests in France this year, surpassing the previous national record

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The Rare Bird Alert birding round up 10 - 16 Jul

Jon Dunn brings looks back on the best birds from around Britain, Ireland and the Western Palearctic

rarebirdalert.co.uk

The Rare Bird Alert birding round up 10 - 16 Jul

Jon Dunn brings looks back on the best birds from around Britain, Ireland and the Western Palearctic

rarebirdalert.co.uk

Study suggests birds may genuinely enjoy flying

A study of Galahs found that the parrots almost always chose to fly when given the opportunity and showed signs of an improved emotional state after repeated free-flight sessions

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Egyptian Vultures may use hedgehog skins to protect their nest

An Egyptian Vulture pair in Bulgaria appears to have used the skins of hedgehogs to create a protective barrier around its nest, according to a newly published study of the unusual behaviour

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Swarovski Optik launches new lightweight spotting scope

The new AT Endura angled scope combines a 75 mm objective lens and high maximum magnification with a simpler, comparatively lightweight design

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Dunlin breeds again in the Netherlands after three-decade absence

Three recent breeding records have raised hopes that the threatened Baltic Dunlin could re-establish itself in the Netherlands

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RSPB Balranald marks 60 years of conservation on North Uist

One of the RSPB's earliest Scottish nature reserves is celebrating six decades of partnership between conservationists and crofters on the wildlife-rich machair of the Outer Hebrides

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Historic acquisition expands RSPB Cymru nature reserve

RSPB Cymru has acquired 96 hectares of wildlife-rich land in mid Wales, linking two previously separated parts of Gwenffrwd-Dinas nature reserve

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Major funding announced for one of Britain's rarest breeding waders

More than £650,000 will help expand conservation breeding and identify new release sites for Britain’s struggling Black-tailed Godwit population

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EU moves closer to banning lead fishing tackle after Parliament backs restrictions

The European Parliament has rejected an attempt to block new restrictions on lead fishing tackle, paving the way for an EU-wide ban on the sale of many lead weights and lures

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