The fifth edition of Birds of Conservation Concern (BoCC) has been published today. Undertaken every five years, BoCC covers the population status of birds regularly found in the UK, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man to provide an up-to-date assessment of conservation priorities. This fifth review has assessed a total of 246 species and placed them onto one of three lists, red, amber or green, according to their level of conservation concern. 52 species are red-listed (up from 40 at the previous review), 126 are amber-listed (previously 121) and 68 are green-listed (down from 86).
View Birds of Conservation Concern 5 summary leaflet
More about Birds of Conservation Concern 5
Seven quantitative criteria have been used to assess the population status of each species and to place it on the red, amber or green list: global conservation status, recent decline, historical decline, European conservation status, rare breeders, localised species and international importance.
Most of the data for these assessments are based on bird surveys undertaken by volunteers, such as those run by the British Trust for Ornithology.
The BOU has endorsed Birds of Conservation Concern for the first time, after Council (at its November 2021 meeting) reviewed how we should deal with requests to endorse reports by other parties. Council was unanimous in its view that reports which present facts, based on robust scientific monitoring, can be properly endorsed by Council, on an individual, case-by-case basis.
