LUC’s Ecology service has a dedicated ornithology team that works year-round, collecting data to inform the ornithological components of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and to support a range of other projects.

The busiest time for bird surveys (and ornithologists) is usually the spring, which marks the start of the breeding season when many species return to habitats from their wintering areas. During this period, birds are significantly more detectable as they sing and display to mark territories and attract a mate.

Our surveys focus on identifying breeding territories, nesting sites and other key locations. Raptor surveys, breeding bird surveys and vantage point (VP) watches are all undertaken, alongside specialist work on rare, specially protected or more secretive species.

Autumn marks a change as we enter the ‘non-breeding’ season, but it remains a busy time as migration gets back underway. As we say goodbye to summer visitors, we welcome back wintering birds from their northern and eastern breeding grounds in Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia and beyond. The UK is an internationally important winter refuge for many waterfowl species, including large numbers of geese, swans and tens of thousands of ducks and waders.  So, targeted non-breeding bird surveys are carried out in the autumn and winter, when surveyors find the warmth they need from several layers of clothing and a sneaky hot water bottle.

The new year sees some species begin displaying once more, with golden eagles engaged in dramatic swooping displays, and goshawks, one of our most secretive birds, circling high in the sky to signal the beginning of the breeding cycle.

Our surveyors rely on their ears as much as their eyes, and we are now using ‘bioacoustic’ survey and analysis methods to detect nocturnal and cryptic species to further improve the scope and quality of our bird survey data.

This will never replace precious field time and without the patient watches, pre-dawn starts and late-evening finishes, we would deprive ourselves of spectacular black grouse displays, atmospheric nightjar evenings, and the thrill of finally pinpointing a merlin nest.

However enjoyable our work is, it is not about twitching the rarities. Many UK bird populations have suffered in recent decades – a 37% decline in woodland birds and an astonishing 60% decline in farmland bird populations since 1970 is a critical reminder of the biodiversity crisis we are facing.

Much of LUC’s ornithology work supports EIAs for multi-scale energy infrastructure projects such as wind farms, solar and grid work like overhead lines (OHLs).

The potential impacts of these developments on birds are well understood and survey requirements have evolved to capture the right data. Effects largely fall into three groups – disturbance during construction, displacement from suitable habitat post-construction, and mortality due to collision (i.e. birds flying into turbines or OHLs).

Although work on onshore renewables and grid projects takes up much of our time, LUC’s ornithology consultants support a range of sectors, with our team aiding agri-environmental appraisals, undertaking bird hazard management at airports, writing species protection plans, and helping with the terrestrial elements of offshore renewable projects.

We carry out feasibility assessments and statistical modelling, including population modelling and collision risk modelling (CRM) and we support our planning and strategic ecology colleagues to ensure ornithology dovetails with wider initiatives and plans.

Birds are present in all habitats, from our city centres to our highest hills, and some populations can be sensitive to development.  Consequently, given the legal - and moral - responsibility to reverse biodiversity declines enshrined in recent national planning policies, ornithology consultancy has a pivotal role, helping to provide the data and creative thinking needed to foster and promote positive outcomes for birds within the development management process.