Current research projects
BTO/University of St Andrews Project
SongBird Survival has commissioned a detailed statistical analysis of long term data sets in order to examine the effects of the abundance of avian predators on trends in the abundance of songbirds. It will take about one year to complete and will be carried out by the British Trust for Ornithology and the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling (CREEM) at the University of St Andrews.
The University of Reading Project
Our own appraisal of past research on predation indicates that much of the material that is quoted by major conservation bodies is either out of date, suffers from flawed methodologies or lacks objectivity.
We have been fortunate to engage The Centre for Agri-Environmental Research (CAER) at the University of Reading, one of the leading institutions in this field, to carry out a comprehensive review of predation research. The aim of the review will be to:
1. Clearly describe the state of current knowledge on predation.
2. Critically evaluate the existing evidence linking changes in predator populations with changes in the numbers of their avian prey.
3. Identify key issues requiring future research.
The project will be conducted by Dr. Malcolm Nicoll, a post-doctoral Research Fellow within the centre under the supervision of Professor Ken Norris, Director of CAER. It will take approximately two years and cost about £70,000. The intention is for it to be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. We will be updating donors with progress reports on a quarterly basis.
What do we hope to achieve?
This project has been initiated to provide SongBird Survival with a defensible evidence-base on which we can build our future policy and support for further research. It is part of a process to establish the best way to manage our wildlife and biodiversity and to save our songbirds. Whilst one cannot predict the outcome of scientific research we believe that we have identified the vital initial work that needs to be done.
Funding these projects
We are currently seeking funding for these and subsequent research projects.
If you would like to make a donation please use our Research Fund Appeal form and return with your cheque or CAF voucher to:
SongBird Survival
PO Box 311
Diss
IP22 1WW