Riverdale Ecology can offer specialist ornithological surveys. Our team of ornithologists have backgrounds in academic research, reserve management and consultancy. All our ornithologists are experts in avian ecology with exemplary field identification skills and undergo rigorous testing to ensure we only use the most qualified individuals. We have a network of regionally-based specialist sub-consultants assembled over 20 years of working in the industry allowing us to undertake bird survey work anywhere in the UK and abroad whilst ensuring the high technical standards expected and also allowing large teams to be assembled for large scale or complex projects. We maintain close relationships with the British Trust for Ornithology, RSPB and many UK university academic schools ensuring that the quality of our work is at the highest standards possible.

We have experience of a wide range of survey techniques for a variety of project types including:

  • Vantage-point (VP) surveys to record flight lines of ‘target species.’ Used for wind farm proposals, solar farm and large coastal development projects;
  • Breeding Bird Survey broadly in accordance with Common Birds Census (CBC) methods or standard upland bird survey techniques;
  • Farmland bird surveys; focussed surveys to identify breeding/wintering populations of important farmland passerine species including corn bunting, yellowhammer, tree sparrow, skylark and meadow pipit;
  • Species specific surveys for Schedule 1 (Wildlife and Countryside Act) listed species such as barn owl, black redstart, woodlark, peregrine, little ringed plover, avocet and stone curlew; all surveys undertaken by Schedule 1 Licenced surveyors;
  • Surveys for nightjar, including territory mapping and habitat utilisation behaviour;
  • Wetland Bird Surveys (WeBS) we have huge experience of undertaking wetland bird surveys at coastal, estuarine and inland sites using the data to feed into Habitat Regulations
  • Assessments and Ecological Impact Assessments;
  • Use of boat and land-based survey for undertaking breeding and wintering waterfowl numbers in estuarine, coastal and freshwater habitats;
  • Winter farmland surveys to map the distribution of waders and wildfowl across farmland to establish habitat preference; and,
  • Mark and recapture projects using our in-house team of BTO licenced bird ringers.