Vine House Farm is forging a long-term partnership with The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). The new collaboration, will bring together BTO’s ornithological expertise and Vine House Farm’s commitment to local and sustainably produced bird food, and is motivated by a shared ambition to making a positive impact for birds, science and people.

It is estimated that more than half of all households in the UK engage in feeding birds in their gardens. BTO has long been at the forefront of monitoring and researching the effects of food provision on wild birds. This work has yielded fascinating insights into how the UK public’s bird feeding habits have impacted wild bird populations and helped to produce best practice guidance for feeding birds safely. The new partnership between BTO and Vine House Farm will provide an opportunity to engage many more people in the enjoyable habit of feeding garden birds and to help them learn how to do this in the best ways for their birds.

Nicholas Watts has been associated with BTO since 1960, contributing to many BTO surveys and monitoring schemes.

Professor Juliet Vickery, BTO Chief Executive Officer, said “BTO is delighted to be joining Vine House Farm in a partnership that recognises the joy that feeding birds in gardens brings to thousands of people and the need to ensure that this food is high quality and sustainably sourced. Their support of BTO will help us to engage more people in discovering birds and help to conserve and understand them on our doorstep and further afield.”

Lucy Taylor, General Manager, said “The BTO  is a natural partner for Vine House Farm and this partnership will help our customers, understand more about the birds they feed and enable us to contribute even more to bird conservation..”

BTO is the UK's leading bird research charity. A growing membership and up to 60,000 volunteer birdwatchers contribute to BTO's surveys, collecting information that underpins conservation action in the UK. BTO maintains a staff of 120 at its offices in Thetford, Stirling, Bangor (Wales) and Belfast (Northern Ireland), who analyse and publicise the results of surveys and projects. BTO's work is funded by BTO supporters, government, trusts, industry and conservation organisations. www.bto.org