The latest annual Wetland Bird Survey report, Waterbirds in the UK 2023/24, covering the period up to 2023/24 has been published today.
The new report reveals yet more changes in the fortunes of many of our wildfowl and waders, including the impact of Avian Influenza, as well as highlighting the importance of maintaining protected areas for key wintering and migratory wildfowl and waders.
The UK is host to internationally important numbers of wintering waterbirds, and the long-standing Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) and Goose and Swan Monitoring Programme (GSMP) provide essential data that inform decision makers when considering conservation measures for these birds.
With data provided by over 3,800 dedicated volunteers across the UK, the surveys deliver an annual assessment of ducks, geese, swans, waders, and other waterbirds residing on, or passing through, our coasts, estuaries, lakes, reservoirs, and rivers.
The latest results demonstrate that some species such as Little Egret, Avocet, Whooper Swan, Black-tailed Godwit and Shoveler numbers wintering in the UK continue to increase. However, other species including Pochard, Scaup, European White-fronted Goose, Coot and Moorhen have a downward trend. While climate change is impacting on numbers and migration patterns of many species, recent sudden declines in species such as Mute Swan and Greenland Barnacle Goose, attributed to mortality from avian influenza, illustrate how vulnerable our waterbirds are to new, unpredictable pressures.
In addition to the annual assessment of wetland birds, this year’s WeBS annual report also includes ‘WeBS Alerts’ data. WeBS Alerts are produced every few years and provide major ‘stocktakes’ that look at how wintering waterbirds are doing on sites which are legally designated to protect them, compared to how they may be faring in the wider landscape.
The results from the Webs Alerts demonstrate that only by measuring the quality of the protected areas, and their value to key species, can conservation decisions reflect the needs of the birds that use them, as well as flag concerns that may direct future conservation efforts.
The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) is just one of JNCC’s 11 schemes that monitor species throughout the UK. These monitoring schemes provide the evidence base that underpins effective conservation action. They are critical to helping us understand how nature is faring and whether policies impacting conservation are being successful. These insights on the impact of policies on species, combined with other monitoring data, will also enable us to project the likely impact of conservation polices and their effectiveness.
The project managers and coordinators are indebted to the thousands of WeBS and GSMP volunteers who give their time and skills to collect the data used in these statistics. Thanks to the dedicated work of all the volunteers across the country, and to the partner organisations, these vital schemes provide the scientific foundation for protecting the future of our birds and their habitats.
Waterbirds in the UK 2023/24 is underpinned by the WeBS Official Statistics also released today, and the WeBS Alerts official statistics released on 24 April 2025 and funded by Natural England and the WeBS Partnership.