Bearded Tit National Survey in Britain 1992

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

Description

The Bearded Tit is a scarce breeding species in Britain, confined to extensive areas of reed-bed. A comprehensive survey of breeding Bearded Tits in 1992 estimated the total population in Britain to be 339-408 pairs. Preliminary surveys identified sites where breeding bearded tits were present and these were then revisited for detailed surveys. This dataset contains summary data for each site found to contain breeding Bearded Tits. Three count figures are given: the number of pairs observed during the survey and minimum and maximum estimates for the site based on this figure.

Geographic Description

Complete coverage of Britain. The locations given in the dataset are 100m resolution centroids of the sites which were surveyed and not exact locations. The boundary for one site was unknown so this record is represented as a 10km grid reference.

Data quality

These data have been gathered by trained field-workers and the data are of a high quality. These data have been mapped and checked for sensitivities and typographical/geographical errors

Methods

Potential sites were identified and these were then visited in April for a preliminary survey (for larger reedbeds suitable subsites of 300m x 300m were visited). Visits were made on 3 occasions in mid to late April, within 3 hours of sunrise and in suitable weather conditions, to record the locations of all Bearded Tits seen or heard. Detailed visits were then made in May, observers being asked to spend at least one hour per week observing each site or 300x300 subsite to detect feeding flights and map the destinations of adults returning with food. These observations could be made at any point in the day. For some of the larger/less accessible reedbeds, observers were asked to give priority to areas of Bearded Tit activity recorded in April and to record carefully the locations of any family parties containing newly fledged young during May. The confirmed pairs refer to where adults were seen making at least 3 visits carrying food to the same location, or where there were sightings in May/early June of recently fledged young.

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In order to verify records and validate the dataset, the data have been mapped and thoroughly checked. Geographical checks have included comparing the distribution with that shown in the published paper and ensuring that records with the same area name are located close to each other.

Citation

Data reproduced with the permission of RSPB

Rights

CC-BY

Digitised records