British Trust for Ornithology

Abstract

THE fifth annual report of the British Trust for Ornithology reveals the remarkable progress made in the co-ordination of field studies in Britain in recent years, and much space is given to the results of these field investigations. They include the lapwing habitat inquiry, and that of the distribution of the corncrake, which is to be continued this year. In 1938, 1200 completed returns were received referring to the corncrake and noting its decreasing numbers, most marked in Ireland and least in Scotland; efforts are being made to get information from the Continent, where the species is also decreasing. The survey of black-headed gull colonies had 150 observers, and shows that few coastal counties have been colonized in the past twenty-five years, but there has been a marked inland spread. the sample census of heronries shows an incroase of breeding stock in many places, and three heronries in England now have between 120 and 150 nests. The bridled guillemot inquiry shows that few of this variety are in the English and Welsh colonies, but the percentage increases from about lat. 56° N. The woodcock inquiry showed by ringing that occasional British woodcock accompany the winter migrants when they return to their native breeding haunts. the woodland bird inquiry gave special attention to the British sub-species of birds, which can be divided into four groups showing thirty-soven distinctive races of bird entirely confined to Britain. A now inquiry on the redshank is planned for 1939–40 and a hatching and fledging inquiry will extend nationally the work started at Whipsnade Bird Sanctuary.