Bird Surveys
Our team at Pioneer Environment includes experienced ornithologists committed to helping you make informed decisions and safeguard the birds living or breeding on your construction or development site. If your project could disturb birds, active nests, or any protected species, contact us to learn what steps you need to take.
Why Do You Need a Bird Survey?
Wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which gives blanket protection to all migrant, native, and nesting birds, making it an offence to:
Intentionally kill, injure or take wild birds
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Intentionally take, damage or destroy a wild bird’s nest while it’s being used or built
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Intentionally take or destroy a wild bird’s egg
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Possess, control or transport live or dead wild birds, or parts of them, or their eggs
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Sell wild birds or put them on display for sale
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Use prohibited methods to kill or take wild birds
Some birds, known as ‘schedule 1 birds’, e.g. barn owls Tyto alba and red kites Milvus milvus, have extra legal protection. For these species it is also an offence to disturb actively nesting birds and their dependant young.
You could get an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison for each offence if you are found guilty. If unsure, always check whether you need a bird survey.
When to Carry Out a Survey
An initial survey will usually include a desk-based and/or walkover survey of a site to establish the presence of habitats that are potentially suitable for breeding and wintering birds​. The data collected is used to determine the likelihood of birds being impacted by the proposed development based on known local bird records and professional judgement. A two-phase approach can be used, and initial surveys can be followed up, if necessary, with protected species-specific studies.
There are three types of bird survey:
Breeding Bird Surveys
​These surveys are carried out while birds are making nests, laying eggs and rearing young – typically between March and July in the UK. To carry out a breeding bird survey, we will visit your site at least four individual times, each starting at dawn, to spot and record bird species and their numbers.
Winter Bird Surveys
A winter bird survey can involve up to four separate visits, which are carried out monthly from November to February. One of our highly experienced ecologists will visit your site at least three times, mapping the bird species present, their behaviour and estimated numbers to assess their significance.
Wetland Bird Surveys
Wetland bird surveys record waders, wildfowl and gulls found around rivers, mudflats, sand bars, estuaries, coasts and big bodies of inland water. These surveys are usually carried out from October to March, at least one per month.
What Will Pioneer Supply?
A Pioneer Environment bird report will present all relevant survey results and include a summary report of the legal implications of their presence or absence. If required, mitigation or work plan recommendations will be included.
About Birds
In Britain we have more than 250 species of birds; there are resident birds which breed and overwinter in the country and migrants who visit at different times throughout the year, some in summer and others in winter. In addition, we also see migrant species that stop off here briefly on their way elsewhere.
Many of Britain’s birds are suffering a decline. There are over 60 species on the Birds of Conservation Concern Red List. Populations of red list species are declining and as such, they have all been given a high conservation priority.
