Bird Survey

Good ornithological work goes beyond producing a species list. We interpret how birds use a site, identify the features and periods that matter, and translate the evidence into practical recommendations for the project team.

Bird Survey services from specialist surveyors.

Birds can be an important consideration for developments of every scale, from works affecting a single building to major infrastructure and renewable energy schemes. Ecology by Design provides an end-to-end ornithology service, including breeding, wintering and migratory bird surveys; flight activity and vantage point surveys; collision risk modelling; species-specific surveys; impact assessment; mitigation; and post-consent monitoring.

Our experienced ornithologists tailor each survey programme to the site and proposed development. We assess not only which birds are present, but how they use the site and move through the wider landscape, helping clients identify constraints early, inform scheme design and gather robust evidence for planning.

Engaging an ornithologist early is particularly important as early scoping can prevent key survey windows being missed, reduce programme risk and allow ecological considerations to inform the design while there is still flexibility to make changes.

Our ornithology services

Our services include:

breeding bird surveys;
wintering and non-breeding bird surveys;
migratory bird surveys;
flight activity and vantage point surveys;
collision risk modelling and assessment;
species-specific surveys;
checks for active nests and advice on vegetation clearance or construction works;
Schedule 1 bird survey and assessment, where appropriate;
desk studies, data review and ornithological constraints assessments;
Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) support;
mitigation, compensation and enhancement strategies; and
construction-phase advice and post-consent monitoring.

Why and when do you need a bird survey?

In the UK, wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), which makes it illegal to kill, injure, or capture wild birds. All wild bird nests and eggs are safeguarded while in use, with additional protection for Schedule 1 species against disturbance. Other relevant legislation includes the European Birds Directive (2009) and the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006).

These protections are crucial as bird populations in the UK remain at risk with the Birds of Conservation Concern (BoCC), which tracks the conservation status of bird species, showing a continued decline across many species.

A bird survey may be required for a range of situations, including when submitting planning applications for developments that could impact bird habitats or species, particularly those that are protected or listed under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Surveys may also be necessary to inform conservation projects, changes in land use, or site management activities. These surveys help assess the potential impacts of proposed changes, ensuring compliance with legal protections and contributing to the conservation of bird species.

What does a bird survey entail?

An initial desk study can help establish whether a bird survey may be needed by looking at the context of the site, the potential habitats, local records and any potential connectivity to protected sites.

There are typically 2 types of bird survey: breeding bird surveys and wintering bird surveys (sometimes known as non-breeding bird surveys).

Breeding bird surveys

Breeding bird surveys establish the presence and abundance of species using a site during the breeding season and identify important territories, nesting habitats and areas of activity. They may be required where development could result in habitat loss, fragmentation or disturbance, particularly on larger or more ecologically sensitive sites.

Breeding bird surveys should generally be carried out between April and July, with the peak period typically in May and June, when most species are actively nesting. Surveys should aim to capture both early and late breeding periods to ensure as many species as possible are accounted for.

We design proportionate survey programmes and use the findings to inform site layouts, impact assessment, mitigation and habitat enhancement. Where protected, notable or specially protected species may be present, we can also provide targeted survey and specialist advice.

Wintering and migratory bird surveys

Sites may support very different bird communities outside the breeding season. Farmland, wetlands, floodplains, estuaries, reservoirs, brownfield land and other habitats can provide important feeding, roosting and refuge areas for wintering birds. Land outside a designated site may also be functionally linked to an SPA (Special Protection Area) or Ramsar site (wetlands of international importance protected under the Ramsar Convention) where it is used by the populations for which that site is designated.

Wintering bird surveys are commonly undertaken between November and March, but this is not the whole picture. September and October are important autumn migration months, when birds may move through sites or along established corridors. For developments such as wind farms, overhead infrastructure and tall or highly glazed buildings, waiting until November could miss an important period of flight activity. Early consultation allows the survey window to be matched to the species and risks relevant to the project.

Our surveys can assess species presence, abundance, distribution, flight activity and use of feeding or roosting habitat. Survey methods may include daytime walkovers, vantage point observations, wetland bird surveys and targeted dusk, dawn or nocturnal work.

Flight activity, vantage point surveys and collision risk

Understanding how birds move through the landscape is particularly important where development introduces a potential collision hazard. We undertake flight activity and vantage point surveys to identify important flight routes, movement patterns and areas where birds may interact with proposed infrastructure.

Our ornithologists record species, number, flight height, direction, duration and behaviour using established field methods. The resulting data can inform site selection, scheme layout, collision risk modelling, cumulative assessment, mitigation and planning decisions.

We have experience applying this approach to onshore wind energy projects and can support projects from early feasibility and vantage point selection through to collision risk modelling and reporting. Flight activity assessment can also be adapted for other types of development, including overhead lines, masts, tall buildings and extensively glazed façades, where the nature of the collision risk and the appropriate evidence base may differ.

Species-specific surveys and advice

Some projects require a bespoke approach focused on a particular species. Our team can design and deliver targeted surveys for species including black redstart, peregrine and barn owl, alongside other protected, notable or locally important birds.

Bird Survey Timing

Wintering bird surveys are conducted outside of the breeding season and therefore typically occur between November and March. These surveys focus on the presence and abundance of birds during migration or wintering periods, when species may be more concentrated in certain areas, helping to assess the use of habitats by birds that may not breed in the survey area but use it for feeding, shelter, or migration.

Certain species-specific surveys may have different timing requirements. Therefore, we recommend contacting us for further guidance and advice if this is a relevant consideration for your site.