BirdWatch Ireland (BWI) is a voluntary conservation organisation and registered charity devoted to the conservation and protection of wild birds and their habitats in Ireland. It was formerly known as the Irish Wildbird Conservancy (IWC). Irish Wildbird Conservancy was founded in 1968, among others by Major Robert (Robin) Ruttledge, an Irish ornithologist who became its first president.
BWI has over 15,000 active members and supporters, and a network of 30 branches actively promoting the importance of birds and habitats, and general conservation issues. It publishes the annual journal Irish Birds and the quarterly magazine Wings. It manages a number of nature reserves including Little Skellig.
BirdWatch Ireland is a member of the Irish Environmental Network, the Sustainable Water Network (SWAN), Environmental (Ecological) NGOs Core Funding Ltd (EENGO), Working and Educating for Biodiversity (WEB) and the Irish Uplands Forum (IUF). They also work closely with the Irish National Biodiversity Data Centre in providing wildlife monitoring data.
Controversy The Charities Regulator reported in November 2022 that there had been misuse of funds and inadequate internal controls. This followed revelations that the organisation had misspent restricted funds designated for specific projects on general expenditure including repairs to the chief executive's wife's car.
Activities and programmes BirdTrack
BirdTrack is an online citizen science website, operated by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) on behalf of a partnership of the BTO, the RSPB, BirdWatch Ireland, the Scottish Ornithologists' Club and the Welsh Ornithological Society.
Garden Bird Survey
The Garden Bird Survey (GBS) is one of BirdWatch Ireland's most popular volunteer surveys which receives over 1,000 submissions annually when it takes place between December and February.
Report on declining Irish bird populations The organization released the Irish Wetland Bird Survey in the 1990s, when there were 1.2 million wintering waterbirds in Ireland. A recent analysis in April 2019 put the number at 760,000."Wintering waterbirds in decline across Ireland": Green News, published 4/3/2019
In July 2019, Birdwatch Ireland reported that the Irish bird population was in "dramatic" decline, with 40 percent of the country's waterbirds, or half a million, lost in the prior 20 years. Loss of habitat was cited as the reason for the decline."Irish bird population in ‘dramatic’ decline, Oireachtas committee to hear": The Irish Times, Jack Horgan-Jones, published 2/2/2019 Other reasons were climate changes, agriculture, hedge cutting, pollution, and the burning of scrub. Birdwatch Ireland called for Citizens' Assembly to examine the biodiversity loss."Birdwatch call for examination of biodiversity loss": RTÉ, published 7/2/2019 One of every five Irish bird species assessed in the survey was threatened with extinction."Legislative changes have ‘weakened protections’ for breeding birds, TDs told": Irish Times, published 7/2/2019 Lapwing numbers, according to Birdwatch Ireland, were down 67% in twenty years."Bird populations collapse: Today's warning": Irish Examiner, published 7/3/2019 It also said there had been an "almost complete extermination" of farmland birds, for example the corncrake."Bird populations suffering serious decline - Birdwatch Ireland": RTÉ, David Murphy, published 7/2/2019 The curlew was reported on the verge of extinction in Ireland, with only 150 pairs remaining. In the 1960s, 5,000 pairs had been reported."Irish bird numbers 'dramatically' declining with some species facing extinction": The Journal, published 2/2/2019
Reserves Managed by BirdWatch Ireland East Coast Nature Reserve, Co. Wicklow Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow Wexford Wildfowl Reserve, Co. Wexford Capel Island & Knockadoon Head, Co. Cork Cuskinny Marsh, Co. Cork Sheskinmore Lough, Co. Donegal Rogerstown, Co. Dublin Shenick Island, Co. Dublin Bullock Island, Co. Offaly Bishop's Island, Co. Galway Small Wood, Co Galway Little Skellig, Co. Kerry Puffin Island, Co. Kerry Illaunmaistir, Co. Mayo Termoncarragh Lake, Co. Mayo Termoncarragh Meadows, Co. Mayo Annagh Marsh, Co. Mayo
References
External links BWI Home Page