The Alfred Newton Lecture is awarded annually to an internationally renowned figure who will present this prestige lecture on the theme of the BOU’s annual conference.

Nominations are now open, with a nomination deadline of 15 September 2026.

The theme of the 2028 annual conference, for which we are now seeking Alfred Newton Lecture nominations, is bird demography. You can read more about the conference here.

Make a nomination for the Alfred Newton Lecture at BOU2028 Bird demography

The name behind the award

Alfred Newton (1829-1907) was one of the best-known British ornithologists of the nineteenth-century. He held the position of chair of Zoology and Comparative Zoology at the University of Cambridge in 1866 where he remained for the rest of his career. Newton published extensively through his career, including the Dictionary of Birds (1896), regarded as the first modern synthesis of ornithological knowledge. Alfred Newton was one of the founding members of the BOU, served as editor of IBIS, and was a Fellow of the Royal Society.

Read more about Alfred Newton’s contribution to ornithology

Criteria

Nominee’s will have an international reputation in the field that is the theme of the BOU’s annual conference. This reputation could be for:

• scientific research
• application of science to practical conservation
• scientific monitoring

This award is open to any ornithologist and they are not required to be a BOU member.

The award

The award recipient delivers the Alfred Newton Lecture at the BOU annual conference. They are provided with a free place at the conference and two nights’ accommodation close to the venue.

Award frequency

Nominations will be sought annually, approximately 2 years in advance of each Alfred Newton Lecture.

Previous recipients

2026 Prof Claire Spottiswoode (South Africa) Read abstract

2025 Prof Judy Shamoun-Baranes (Netherlands) Read abstract Read Bluesky presentation
2024 Prof Amanda D. Rodewald (USA) Read abstract Read Bluesky presentation
2023 Prof Jane M. Reid (UK/Norway) Read abstract Read X presentation
2022 Prof Nicholas B. Davies (UK) Read abstract View lecture recording Read X presentation
2021 Prof Carl Jones (UK) Read abstract View lecture recording Read X presentation
2019 Prof Lei Cao (China) Read abstract
2018 Prof Hugh Possingham (Australia) Read abstract
2009 Prof Tim R. Birkhead (UK)
2003 Prof Chris M. Perrins (UK)
1998 Prof Jared Diamond (US)
1995 Prof Janet Kear (UK)
1994 Prof Ian Newton (UK)