Why Record Birds?

Pete Reay, September 2007

If you are recording and monitoring common and unusual birds, whether at you local patch, in your garden or elsewhere in Devon, you are encouraged to share your records with the others, and to facilitate this, the Society maintains a database for all bird records submitted from Devon. Birds often indicate the value of a habitat for other animals and plants as well as the general health of the environment. Therefore, those who watch birds have an important role to play at the local level by recording the species they observe. Site lists maintained by observers can provide useful information about the site, and the distribution of the recorded species at the time of the visit. However, a well-documented record provides additional valuable information which may lead to an improved understanding of a species' requirements and hence eventually contribute to the scientific basis for its conservation.

These records are shared on a national basis with other conservation bodies assisting in the recording of the biodiversity of our countryside. National breeding trends and movements of birds, whether migrating locally or in and out of Britain, can be assessed from records obtained from across the country. Changing agricultural practices and widespread development can affect bird populations and your records help to provide a national picture of any change. Research into survival rates and breeding trends is often subject to special surveys that are conducted on a local and national basis, but is also reliant on other records from birdwatchers in the field.

If you have not submitted records before, now is your opportunity to do so. The Society looks forward to hearing from you.

All records should be passed to the County Recorder. If you are a member already then you have the County Recorder address. If not then please submit records initially through:

Devon Birds Society, PO Box 71, Okehampton, Devon EX20 1WF

You can download Record Form as an Excel file here

Or

You can download Record Form as an MS Works (spreadsheet) file here

Or

You can download a Record Form as a PDF file for printing and posting here.

If you do not have a PDF reader you may download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader here or click on the logo below.