The new Bird Atlas - Part 4

Shane Wolsey has been providing us with an overview of the new Bird Atlas and in particular species that have had range expansions.

The breeding abundance maps and the abundance change maps included in Bird Atlas 2007-11 show really interesting changes for many species, with a significant number showing changes on either side of a northeast – southwest line.  These species include Grasshopper Warbler, Swallow, Cuckoo, Song Thrush, Bullfinch, Tree Sparrow and Willow Warbler.  All these species show decreases in abundance in the southeast and increases in the northwest – thus they are mostly good news stories for Northern Ireland (though this cannot be said for Cuckoo in the east of the province). The three maps below illustrate this trend (the stronger the red, the bigger the increase):

Willow Warbler

Bullfinch

Great Tit

If you would like to buy Bird Atlas 2007-11 then follow this link: http://www.bto.org/shop/bird-atlas

Shane Wolsey (with thanks to Dawn Balmer and Simon Gillings)

BTO NI Office

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Distribution maps from Bird Atlas 2007-11 which is a joint project between BTO, BirdWatch Ireland and the Scottish Ornithologists' Club. Maps reproduced with permission from the BTO.