The latest update from the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), Waterbirds in the UK 2024/25, providing information on wetland birds up to June 2025, has been published today. Waterbirds in the UK 2024/25, published by the British Trust for Ornithology, is underpinned by the Official Statistic on wintering waterbird population trends, also released today.
The UK is host to internationally important numbers of wintering waterbirds, and the long-term monitoring Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) and Goose and Swan Monitoring Programme (GSMP) provide essential data that inform decision makers when considering conservation measures for these birds.
WeBS is a joint project managed by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC). GSMP is a joint project managed by BTO, JNCC, and NatureScot.
The surveys form part of JNCC’s 11 schemes that monitor species throughout the UK. These monitoring schemes provide the evidence base that underpins effective conservation action. They are critical to helping us understand how nature is faring and whether policies impacting conservation are being successful. These insights on the impact of policies on species, combined with other monitoring data, will also enable us to project the likely impact of conservation polices and their effectiveness.
The project managers and coordinators are indebted to the thousands of WeBS and GSMP volunteers who give their time and skills to collect the data.
More information is available in Waterbirds in the UK 2024/25, and in the underpinning Official Statistic on wintering waterbird population trends.
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