Submitting Records
We encourage everyone to use the BTO’s BirdTrack as the recording system of choice. You can submit records via an app in the field or online, which the County Recorders can then access. It is also a free and convenient way of storing your bird records online, as well as a method to contribute data to conservation science and to have access to the latest trends across the UK for migration movements and distribution.
However, we understand that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea and so you can also submit records in the following ways:
eBird: eBird is a good alternative to BirdTrack and has a great app and website, which are very user-friendly. This is a good choice if you are submitting sound recordings as it automatically generates a sonogram that we can use for verification.
Other apps and websites: We also source data from iRecord and Living Record if you find these platforms work better for you.
Excel spreadsheet: If you would like your records to be included in WOS News, then you will need you submit records via email on our spreadsheet. You may use BirdTrack or eBird but then submit a summary of highlights via spreadsheet.
Download the spreadsheet here: WOS Record Spreadsheet
Once completed, please send to
Deadlines for inclusion in WOS News are:
- 12th April (for Jan to March records)
- 12th July (for Apr to June)
- 12th October (for July to Sept)
- 12th January (for Oct to Dec)
WSBRC: If you like spreadsheets and have records of different taxa as well as birds, you might want to submit them via Wiltshire and Swindon Biological Records Centre as they can then filter the bird records out and send them onto us.
Casual Record Form: Casual records can be emailed across on an ad hoc basis at any time, but we ask that if you are submitting records regularly that you please use another method as this is very time-consuming to process.
Paper records: Although we would encourage everyone to send records in electronically, we appreciate that some observers do not have access to this facility and may wish to send in paper records. Please contact us for the address.
In all cases, at the latest, please enter/send records in by the end of March of the following year. Late records will be accepted, but it may not be possible to include them in the report for that year.
Rarity Records
Please note that certain records of rare birds will need to be verified by the Records Panel. You can find out more about submitting rarity records here.