Bird Conservation Targeting Project (BCTP) in the UK, 2006-2011
Citation
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2025). Bird Conservation Targeting Project (BCTP) in the UK, 2006-2011. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/mep71d accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-05-20.Description
The Bird Conservation Targeting Project (BCTP) produces breeding distribution maps for a suite of rare and declining farmland and/or woodland birds. The maps can be used to guide the prescription of land management advice based on the species already breeding in an area, or for allocating funding towards sites known to be important for birds. The data cover a 5-year period, and are up-dated annually. Data are collated from a wide range of sources to produce the most comprehensive maps possible. The data are displayed as presence-only records. Absence of a record does not necessarily indicate a true absence record, as there may be no data available.
BCTP outputs were first produced in England in 2004, in Wales and Northern Ireland in 2008, and in Scotland in 2009. This dataset contains the non-sensitive records for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, compiled in 2012, covering the 2006 - 2010 breeding seasons (plus any 2011 data available). The sensitive records are in a separate dataset on the NBN.
The species selection varies in each country. There are non-sensitive records for 30 species in England, 26 species in Scotland, and 19 species in Northern Ireland. Welsh data are not included in this dataset, and will be added when they become available.
English data were not updated in 2012. Date ranges for the current English data are 2004-2009 for woodland birds, and 2005-2010 for other species.
The BCTP is a partnership between the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the Centre for Environmental Data and Recording (CEDaR), the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW), the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), Forestry Commission England (FCE), Forestry Commission Wales (FCW), Forest Service (FS), Natural England (NE), Northern Ireland Environment Agency, the RSPB and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). The BCTP partners are grateful to the contributions of the data providers listed at <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/targeting"http://www.rspb.org.uk/targeting>.
Purpose
Sampling Description
Quality Control
These data were collated from many sources, and include data gathered by trained field-workers, expert volunteers, and data submitted by the public. The data have been validated by local experts, and are of a high quality.These data have been mapped and checked for sensitivities and typographical/geographical errors.
Method steps
- The data were collated from a wide range of sources including local bird clubs and bird recorders, local record centres, BirdTrack, RSPB datasets, and BTO datasets (including data contributed to the 2007-2011 Bird Atlas), and the NBN. The data were summarised to the tetrad level, and validated by local experts to remove spurious, and non-breeding records. The data are presence-only records are summarised at 2 km resolution. In order to verify records and validate the dataset, the data have been mapped and thoroughly checked.
Taxonomic Coverages
Geographic Coverages
The data are presence-only records are summarised at 2 km resolution. In some cases, the data are shown at better resolution than advised by the Rare Breeding Bird Panel (RBBP). The resolution used for these data has been agreed by consultation with a selection of species experts (including RSPB, BTO and RBBP staff) who believe that this is the optimal resolution at which to show the data for conservation gain.
Due to the nature of the data collation, the extent of coverage is unknown. The data reflect the availability of data, and records may be sparser in more remote areas with fewer recorders, particularly in the north of Scotland and Northern Ireland. The lack of a species record should not be interpreted as absence of the species.
This dataset is not identical to the original dataset produced by the BCTP, which is used for targeting. This dataset shows data as 2km grid squares. The original dataset shows the data as circular buffers with 2km diameter, centred at the centroid of the corresponding 2km square.
Bibliographic Citations
Contacts
originatorRoyal Society for the Protection of Birds
metadata author
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
distributor
NBN Atlas
27 Old Gloucester St, Holborn
London
WC1N 3AX
London
GB
email: admin@nbnatlas.org
Conservation Data Management Unit
administrative point of contact
email: dataunit@rspb.org.uk