Dr James Pearce-Higgins

Biography

I completed a first class Zoology degree at the University of Nottingham in 1994, and PhD in Environmental Biology from the University of Manchester in 2000. I worked for the RSPB Conservation Science Department in Edinburgh from 1999 to 2010, when I joined the BTO as Head of the Population Ecology and Monitoring team. I have been the BTO Director of Science from 2014.

Research

Much of my research has been to understand the processes driving animal populations, working primarily on birds, and often within a conservation science context. As Director of Science at the British Trust for Ornithology I am responsible for providing strategic leadership of the science of the organisation.

In the last ten years I have particularly focussed on the subject of climate change. I lead the BTO’s research in this area to document the impacts of climate change on biodiversity, undertake projections of future climate change impacts on species' distributions and abundance, and to inform the development of climate change adaptation (http://www.bto.org/science/climate-change). I also work on the impacts of renewable energy, particularly wind farms, upon biodiversity. I have also worked extensively on upland birds in the UK, and on waders (shorebirds).

Publications

Key publications:

Hewson, C.M., Thorup, K., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Atkinson, P.W. (2016) Population decline is linked to migration route in the Common Cuckoo. Nature Communications 7: 12296.
Martay, B., Brewer, M.J., Elston, D.A., Bell, J.R., Harrington, R., Brereton, T.M., Barlow, K.E., Botham, M.S. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (In press) Impacts of climate change on national biodiversity population trends. Ecography
Morrison, C.A., Robinson, R.A. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2016) Winter wren populations show adaptation to local climate. Open Science 3:160250.
Thackeray, S.J., Henrys, P.A, Hemming, D., Bell, J.R., Botham, M.S., Burthe, S., Halaouet, P., Johns, D.G., Jones, I.D., Leech, D.I., Mackay, E.B., Massimino, D., Atkinson, S., Bacon, P.J., Brereton, T.M., Carvalho, L., Clutton-Brock, T.H., Duck, C., Edwards, M., Elliott, J.M., Hall, S.J.G., Harrington, R., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Hoye, T.T., Kruuk, L.E.B., Pemberton, J.M., Sparks, T.H., Thompson, P.M., White, I., Winfield, I.J. & Wanless, S. (2016) Phenological sensitivity to climate across taxa and trophic levels. Nature 535: 241-245.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Green, R.E. (2014) Birds and Climate Change: Impacts and Conservation Responses. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Carroll, M.J., Heinemeyer, A., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Dennis, P., West, C., Holden, J., Wallage, Z.E. & Thomas, C.D. (2015) Ecosystem processes and the survival of species under climate change. Nature Communications 6: 7851.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Eglington, S.M., Martay, B. & Chamberlain, D.E. (2015) Drivers of climate change impacts on bird communities. Journal of Animal Ecology 84: 943-954.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Ockendon, N., Baker, D.J., Carr, J., White, E.C., Almond, R.E.A., Amano, T., Bertram, E., Bradbury, R.B., Bradley, C., Butchart, S.H.M., Doswald, N., Foden, W., Gill, D.J.C., Green, R.E., Sutherland, W.J. & Tanner, E.V.J. (2015) Geographical variation in species’ population responses to changes in temperature and precipitation. Proceedings Royal Society, Series B. 282: 20151561.
Ockendon, N., Baker, D.J., Carr, J.A., Almond, R.E.A., Amano, T., Bertram, E., Bradbury, R.B., Bradley, C., Butchart, S.H.M., Doswald, N., Foden, W., Gill, D.J.C., Green, R.E., Sutherland, W.J., Tanner, E.V.J. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2014) Mechanisms underpinning climatic impacts on natural populations: altered species interactions are more important than direct effects. Global Change Biology 20: 2221-2229.
Johnston, A., Ausden, M., Dodd, A.M., Bradbury, R.B., Chamberlain, D.E., Jiguet, F., Thomas, C.D., Cook, A.S.C.P., Newson, S.E., Ockendon, N., Rehfisch, M.M., Roos, S., Thaxter, C.B., Brown, A., Crick, H.Q.P., Douse, A., McCall, R.A., Pontier, H., Stroud, D.A., Cadiou, B., Crowe, O., Deceuninck, B., Hornman, M. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2013) Observed and predicted effects of climate change on species abundance in protected areas. Nature Climate Change 3: 1055–1061.
Ockendon, N., Leech, D. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2013) Climate effects on breeding grounds are more important drivers of breeding phenology in migrant birds than carry-over effects from wintering grounds. Biology Letters 9: 20130669.
Thomas, C.D., Gillingham, P.K., Bradbury, R.B., Roy, D.B., Anderson, B.J., Baxter, J.M., Bourn, N.A.D., Crick, H.Q.P., Findon, R.A., Fox, R., Hodgson, J.A., Holt, A.R., Morecroft, M.D., O’Hanlon, N., Oliver, T.H., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Procter, D.A., Thomas, J.A., Walker, K.J., Walmsley, C.A., Wilson, R.J. & Hill, J.K. (2012) Protected areas facilitate species’ range expansions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 109: 14063-14068.
Pearce-Higgins, J. W., Stephen, L., Douse, A. & Langston, R. H. W. (2012) Greater impacts of wind farms on bird populations during construction than subsequent operation: results of a multi-site and multi-species analysis. Journal of Applied Ecology 49: 386-394.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Dennis, P., Whittingham, M.J. & Yalden, D.W. (2010) Impacts of climate on prey abundance account for fluctuations in a population of a northern wader at the southern edge of its range. Global Change Biology 16: 12-23.

Other publications:

In press

Buchanan, G.M., Bond, A.L., Crockford, N.J., Kamp, J., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Hilton, G.M. (In press) The potential breeding range of Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris identified from stable-isotope analysis. Bird Conservation International.

2018

Martay, B. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. 2018. Using data from schools to model variation in soil invertebrates across the UK: the importance of weather, climate, season and habitat. Pedobiologia - International Journal of Soil Biology 67: 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedobi.2018.01.002

2017

Baker, D.J., Hartley, A.J., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Jones, R.G. & Willis, S.G. (2017) Neglected issues in using weather and climate information in ecology and biogeography. Diversity and Distributions 23(3): 329–340.
Buchanan, G.M., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Douglas, D.J.T. & Grant, M.C. (2017) Quantifying the importance of multi-scale management and environmental variables on moorland bird abundance. Ibis 159: 744–756. doi: 10.1111/ibi.12488
Miller, M.W., Leech, D.I., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Robinson, R.A. (2017) Multi-state multi-stage modelling of nest-success suggest interaction between weather and land-use. Ecology 98: 175–186.
Oliver, T.H., Gillings, S., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Brereton, T., Crick, H.Q.P., Duffield, S., Morecroft, M.D., Roy, D.B. (2017) Large extents of intensive land use limit community reorganisation during climate warming. Global Change Biology 23: 2272–2283.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Beale, C.M., Oliver, T.H., August, T.A., Carroll, M., Massimino, D., Ockendon, N., Savage, J., Wheatley, C.J., Ausden, M.A., Bradbury, R.B., Duffield, S.J., Macgregor, N.A., McClean, C., Morecroft, M.D., Thomas, C.D., Watts, O., Beckmann, B.C., Fox, R., Sutton, P.G. & Crick, H.Q.P. 2017. A national-scale assessment of climate change impacts on species: Assessing the balance of risks and opportunities for multiple taxa.. Biological Conservation 213: 124–134.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Brown, D.J., Douglas, D.J.T., Alves, J.A., Bellio, M., Bocher, P., Buchanan, G.M., Clay, R.P., Conlkin, J., Crockford, N., Dann, P., Elts, J., Friis, C., Fuller, R.A., Gill, J.A., Gosbell, K., Johnson, J.A., Marquez-Ferrando, R., Masero, J.A., Melville, D.S., Millington, S., Minton, C., Mundkur, T., Nol, E., Pehlak, H., Piersma, T., Robin, F., Rogers, D.I., Ruthrauff, D.R., Senner, N.R., Shah, J.N., Sheldon, R.D., Soloviev, S.A., Tomkovich, P.S. & Verkuil, Y.I. (2017) A global threats overview for Numeniini populations: synthesising expert knowledge for a group of declining migratory birds. Bird Conservation International 27:6–34.
Sutherland, W.J., Barnard, P., Broad, S., Clout M., Connor, B., Cote, I.M., Dicks, L.V., Doran, H., Entwhisle, A.C., Fleishman, E., Fox, M., Gibbons, D.W., Jiang, Z., Keim, B., Lickorish, F.A., Markillie, P., Monk, K.A., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Peck, L.S., Pretty, J., Spalding, M.D., Tonneijck, F.H., Wintle, B.C & Ockendon, N. 2017. A 2017 horizon scan of emerging issues for global conservation and biological diversity. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 32(1): 31–40.
Wheatley, C.J., Beale, C.M., Bradbury, R.B., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Critchlow, R. & Thomas, C.D. 2017. Climate change vulnerability for species – assessing the assessments. Global Change Biology 23(9): 3704–3715 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13759

2016

Martay, B., Monteith, D.T., Brewer, M.J., Brereton, T., Shortall, C.R. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2016) An indicator highlights seasonal variation in the response of Lepidoptera communities to warming. Ecological Indicators doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.01.057
Newson, S.E., Moran, N.J., Musgrove, A.J., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Gillings, S., Atkinson, P.W., Miller, R., Grantham, M.J. & Baillie, S.R. (2016) Long-term change in spring and autumn migration phenology of common migrant breeding birds in Britain: results from large-scale citizen science bird recording schemes. Ibis doi: 1111/ibi.12367.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Wright, L.J, Grant, M.C., & Douglas, D.J.T. (2016) The role of habitat change in driving Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix population declines across Scotland. Bird Study 63: 66–72.
Phillimore, A.B., Leech, D., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Hadfield, J.D. (2016) Passerines may be sufficiently plastic to track temperature-mediated shifts in optimum lay date. Global Change Biology
Samsom, A., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Douglas, D.J.T. (2016) Negative impact of wind energy development on a breeding shorebird assessed with a BACI study design. Ibis doi: 1111/ibi.12364.
Sullivan, M.J.P., Newson, S.E. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2016) Changing densities of generalist species underlie apparent homogenization of UK bird communities. Ibis DOI: 10.1111/ibi.12370.
Sutherland, W.J., Broad, S., Caine, J., Clout, M., Dicks, L.V., Doran, H., Entwistle, A.C., Fleishman, E., Gibbons, D.W., Keim, B., LeAnstey, B., Lickorish, F.A., Markillie, P., Monk, K.A., Mortimer, D., Ockendon, N., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Peck, L.S., Pretty, J., Rockström, J., Spalding, M.D., Tonneijck, F.H., Wintle, B.C., Wright, K.E. (2016) A horizon scan of global conservation issues for 2016. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 31: 44-53.

2015

Carroll, M.J., Heinemeyer, A., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Dennis, P., West, C., Holden, J., Wallage, Z.E. & Thomas, C.D. (2015) Ecosystem processes and the survival of species under climate change. Nature Communications 6: 7851.
Eglington, S.M., Brereton, T.M., Tayleur, C.M., Noble, D., Risely, K., Roy, D.B. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2015) Patterns and causes of covariation in bird and butterfly community structure. Landscape Ecology 30: 1461-1472.
Eglington, S.M., Julliard, R., Gargallo, G., van der Jeugd, H.P., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Baillie, S.R. & Robinson, R.A. (2015) Latitudinal gradients in the productivity of European migrant warblers have not shifted northwards during a period of climate change. Global Ecology & Biogeography 24: 427-436.
Evans, K. & Pearce-Higgins, J. (2015) Mechanisms driving UK biodiversity responses to climate change: assessment and indicators. Terrestrial biodiversity climate change impacts report card technical papers 14.
Gillingham, P.K., Bradbury, R.B., Roy, D.B., Anderson, B.J., Baxter, J.M., Bourn, N.A.D., Crick, H.Q.P., Findon, R.A., Fox, R., Franco, A., Hodgson, J.A., Holt, A.R., Morecroft, M.D., O’Hanlon, N.J., Oliver, T.H., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Hill, J.K., Procter, D.A., Thomas, J.A., Walker, K.J., Walmsley, C.A., Wilson, R.J., Thomas, C.D. (2015) The effectiveness of protected areas to conserve species undertaking geographic range shifts. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 115: 707-717.
Harrison, P.J., Yuan, Y., Buckland, S.T., Elston, D.A., Brewer, M.J., Johnston, A. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2015) Quantifying turnover in biodiversity of British breeding birds. Journal of Applied Ecology. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.12539
Howard, C., Stephens, P.A., Pearce-Higgins, J. & Willis, S.G. (2015) The drivers of avian abundance: patterns in the relative importance of climate and land-use. Global Ecology and Biogeography 24: 1249-1260.
Massimino, D., Johnston, A., Noble, D.G. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2015) Multi-species spatially-explicit indicators reveal spatially structured trends in bird communities. Ecological Indicators 58: 277-285.
Massimino, D., Johnston, A. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2015) The geographical range of British birds expands during 15 years of warming. Bird Study 62: 523-534.
Minderman, J., Fuentes-Montemayor, E., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Pendlebury, C.J. & Park, K.J. (2015) Estimates and correlates of bird and bat mortality at small wind turbine sites. Biodiversity Conservation 24: 467-482.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2015) Amateur scientists: Citizen projects can minimise conflicts. Nature 525: 455.
Pearce-Higgins, J. (2015) Evidence of climate change impacts on populations using long-term datasets. Terrestrial biodiversity climate change impacts report card technical papers 7.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Eglington, S.M., Martay, B. & Chamberlain, D.E. (2015) Drivers of climate change impacts on bird communities. Journal of Animal Ecology 84: 943-954.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Ockendon, N., Baker, D.J., Carr, J., White, E.C., Almond, R.E.A., Amano, T., Bertram, E., Bradbury, R.B., Bradley, C., Butchart, S.H.M., Doswald, N., Foden, W., Gill, D.J.C., Green, R.E., Sutherland, W.J. & Tanner, E.V.J. (2015) Geographical variation in species’ population responses to changes in temperature and precipitation. Proceedings Royal Society, Series B. 282: 20151561.
Sullivan, M.J.P., Newson, S.E. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2015) Evidence for the buffer effect operating in multiple species at a national scale. Biology Letters 11:20140930.
Sullivan, M.J.P., Newson, S.E. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2015) Using habitat-specific population trends to evaluate the consistency of the effects of species traits on bird population change. Biological Conservation 192: 343-352.

2014

Douglas, D.J.T., Bellamy, P.E., Stephen, L.S., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Wilson, J.D. & Grant, M.C. (2014) Upland land use predicts population decline in a globally near-threatened wader. Journal of Applied Ecology 51: 194-203.
Douglas, D.J.T. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2014) Relative importance of prey abundance and habitat structure as drivers of shorebird breeding success and abundance. Animal Conservation 17: 535-543.
Finch, T., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Leech, D.I. & Evans, K.L. (2014) Carry-over effects from passage regions are more important than breeding climate in determining the breeding phenology and performance of three avian migrants of conservation concern. Biodiversity and Conservation 23: 2427-2444.
Harrison, P.J., Buckland, S.T., Yuan, Y., Elston, D.A., Brewer, M.J., Johnston, A. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2014) Assessing trends in biodiversity over space and time using the example of British breeding birds. Journal of Applied Ecology 51: 1650-1660.
Johnston, A., Newson, S.E., Risely, K., Musgrove, A.J., Massimino, D., Baillie, S.R. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2014) Species traits explain variation in detectability of UK birds. Bird Study 61: 340-350.
Howard, C., Stephens, P.A., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Gregory, R.D. & Willis, S.G. (2014) Improving species distribution models: the value of data on abundance. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 5: 506-513.
Newson, S.E., Oliver, T.H., Gillings, S., Crick, H.Q.P., Morecroft, M.D., Duffield, S.J., Macgregor, N.A. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2014) Can site and landscape-scale environmental attributes buffer bird populations against weather events? Ecography 37: 872-882.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Green, R.E. (2014) Birds and Climate Change: Impacts and Conservation Responses. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Ockendon, N., Baker, D.J., Carr, J.A., Almond, R.E.A., Amano, T., Bertram, E., Bradbury, R.B., Bradley, C., Butchart, S.H.M., Doswald, N., Foden, W., Gill, D.J.C., Green, R.E., Sutherland, W.J., Tanner, E.V.J. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2014) Mechanisms underpinning climatic impacts on natural populations: altered species interactions are more important than direct effects. Global Change Biology 20: 2221-2229.

2013

Chamberlain, D. & Pearce-Higgins, J. (2013) Impacts of climate change on upland birds: complex interactions, compensatory mechanisms and the need for long-term data. Ibis 155: 451-455.
Evans, K. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2013) Mechanisms driving UK biodiversity responses to climate change: assessment and indicators. Terrestrial biodiversity climate change impacts report card technical papers 14.
Johnston, A., Ausden, M., Dodd, A.M., Bradbury, R.B., Chamberlain, D.E., Jiguet, F., Thomas, C.D., Cook, A.S.C.P., Newson, S.E., Ockendon, N., Rehfisch, M.M., Roos, S., Thaxter, C.B., Brown, A., Crick, H.Q.P., Douse, A., McCall, R.A., Pontier, H., Stroud, D.A., Cadiou, B., Crowe, O., Deceuninck, B., Hornman, M. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2013) Observed and predicted effects of climate change on species abundance in protected areas. Nature Climate Change 3: 1055–106.
Newson, S.E., Massimino, D., Johnston, A., Baillie, R. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2013) Should we account for detectability in population trends? Bird Study 60: 384-390.
Ockendon, N., Leech, D. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2013) Climate effects on breeding grounds are more important drivers of breeding phenology in migrant birds than carry-over effects from wintering grounds. Biology Letters 9: 2013066.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2013) Evidence of climate change impacts on populations using long-term datasets. Terrestrial biodiversity climate change impacts report card technical papers 7.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Holt, C.A. (2013) Impacts of climate change on waterbirds. MCCIP Science Review 2013:149-154.

2012

Douglas, D.J.T., Follestad, A., Langston, R.H.W. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2012) Modelled sensitivity of avian collision rate at wind turbines varies with number of hours of flight activity input data. Ibis 154: 858-861.
Eglington, S, M. & Pearce-Higgins, J. W. (2012) Disentangling the relative importance of changes in climate and land-use intensity in driving recent bird population trends. PLoS ONE 7: e30407.
Grant, M.C. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2012) Spatial variation and habitat relationships in moorland bird assemblages: a British perspective. In Fuller, R.J. (ed) Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 207-236.
Le Viol, I., Jiguet, F., Brotons, L., Herrando, S., Lindström, A., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Reif, J., Van Turnhout, C. & Devictor, V. (2012) More and more generalists: two decades of changes in the European avifauna. Biology Letters 8: 780–782.
Minderman, J., Pendlebury, C.J., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Park, K.J. (2012) Experimental evidence for the effect of small wind turbine proximity and operation on bird and bat activity. PLoS ONE 7: e41177.
Thomas, C.D., Gillingham, P.K., Bradbury, R.B., Roy, D.B., Anderson, B.J., Baxter, J.M., Bourn, N.A.D., Crick, H.Q.P., Findon, R.A., Fox, R., Hodgson, J.A., Holt, A.R., Morecroft, M.D., O’Hanlon, N., Oliver, T.H., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Procter, D.A., Thomas, J.A., Walker, K.J., Walmsley, C.A., Wilson, R.J. & Hill, J.K. (2012) Protected areas facilitate species’ range expansions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 109: 14063-14068.
Pearce-Higgins, J. W., Stephen, L., Douse, A. & Langston, R. H. W. (2012) Greater impacts of wind farms on bird populations during construction than subsequent operation: results of a multi-site and multi-species analysis. Journal of Applied Ecology 49: 386-394.
Renwick, A.R., Johston, A., Joys, A., Newson, S.E., Noble, D.G. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2012) Composite bird indicators robust to variation in species selection and habitat specificity. Ecological Indicators 18:200-207.
Renwick, A.R., Massimino, D., Newson, S.E., Chamberlain, D.E., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Johnston, A. (2012) Modeling changes in species’ abundance in response to projected climate change. Diversity & Distributions 18: 121-132.

2011

Amar, A., Grant, M., Buchanan, G., Sim, I., Wilson, J., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Redpath, S. (2011) Exploring the relationships between wader declines and current land-use in the British uplands. Bird Study 58: 13–26.
Bradbury, R.B., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Wotton, S.R., Conway, G.J. & Grice, P.V. (2011) The influence of climate and topography in patterns of territory establishment in a range-expanding bird. Ibis 153:336-344.
Carroll, M.J., Dennis, P., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Thomas, C.D. (2011) Maintaining northern peatland ecosystems in a changing climate: effects of soil moisture, drainage and drain blocking on craneflies. Global Change Biology 17: 2991-3001.
Douglas, D.J.T., Bellamy, P.E. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2011) Changes in the abundance and distribution of upland breeding birds at an operational wind farm. Bird Study 58: 37–43.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2011) Modelling conservation management options for a southern range-margin population of Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria vulnerable to climate change. Ibis 153: 345-356.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2011) How ecological science can help manage the effects of climate change: a case study of upland birds. In Marrs, S.J., Foster, S., Hendrie, C., Mackey, E.C. & Thompson, D.B.A. (eds) The Changing Nature of Scotland. TSO Scotland, Edinburgh pp397-414.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Bradbury, R.B., Chamberlain, D.E., Drewitt, A., Langston, R.H.W. & Willis, S.G. (2011) Targeting research to underpin climate change adaptation for birds. Ibis 153: 207–211.
Evans, R.J., Pearce-Higgins, J., Whitfield, D.P., Grant, J.R., MacLennan, A. & Reid, R. (2011) Comparative nest habitat characteristics of sympatric White-tailed Haliaeetus albicilla and Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos in western Scotland. Bird Study 57: 473-482.

2010

Green, R.E. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2010) Species management in the face of a changing climate. In Baxter, J.M. & Galbraith, C.A. (eds) Species Management: Challenges and Solutions for the 21st Century. TSO Scotland, Edinburgh pp 517-536.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2010) Using diet to assess the sensitivity of northern and upland birds to climate change. Climate Research 45: 119–130.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Dennis, P., Whittingham, M.J. & Yalden, D.W. (2010) Impacts of climate on prey abundance account for fluctuations in a population of a northern wader at the southern edge of its range. Global Change Biology 16: 12-23.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Gill, J.A. (2010) Unravelling the mechanisms linking climate change, agriculture and avian population declines. Ibis 152: 439-442.

2009

Grant, M.C., Cowie, N., Donald, D., Dugan, D., Johnstone, I., Lindley, P., Moncreiff, R., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Thorpe, R. & Tomes, D. (2009) Black grouse response to dedicated conservation management. Folia Zoologica 58: 195-206.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Grant, M.C., Beale, C.M., Buchanan, G.M. & Sim, I.M.W. (2009) International importance and drivers of change of upland bird populations. In Bonn A, Allot T, Hubacek K, Stewart J (eds) Drivers of Environmental Change in Uplands. Routledge, London & New York, pp 209-227.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Stephen, L., Langston, R.H.W., Bainbridge, I.P. & Bullman, R. (2009) The distribution of breeding birds around upland wind farms. Journal of Applied Ecology 46: 1323-1331.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Yalden, D.W., Dougall, T.W. & Beale, C.M. (2009) Does climate change explain the decline of a trans-Saharan Afro-Palaearctic migrant? Oecologia 159: 649-659.

2008

Amar, A., Thirgood, S., Pearce-Higgins, J. & Redpath, S. (2008) The impact of raptors on the abundance of upland passerines and waders. Oikos 117: 1143-1152.
Bright, J., Langston, R., Bullman, R., Evans, R., Gardner, S. & Pearce-Higgins, J. (2008) Map of bird sensitivities to wind farms in Scotland: A tool to aid planning and conservation. Biological Conservation 141: 2342-2356.
Bright, J.A., Langston, R.H.W., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Bullman, R., Evans, R. & Gardner, S. (2008) Spatial overlap of wind farms on peatland with sensitive areas for birds. Mires and Peat 4: 1-12.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Stephen, L., Langston, R.H.W. & Bright, J.A. (2008) Assessing the cumulative impacts of wind farms on peatland birds: a case study of golden plover Pluvialis apricaria in Scotland. Mires and Peat 4: 1-13.

2007

Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Brace, R.C. & Hornbuckle, J (2007) Survival of Band-tailed Manakins. The Condor 109: 167-172.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Finney, S.K., Yalden, D.W. & Langston, R.W. (2007) Testing the effects of recreational disturbance on two upland breeding waders. Ibis 149 (S1): 45-55.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Grant, M.C., Robinson, M.C. & Haysom, S.L. (2007) The role of forest maturation in causing the decline of Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix. Ibis 149: 143-155.
Sim, I.M.W., Burfield, I.J., Grant, M.C., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Brooke, M. de L. (2007) The role of habitat composition in determining breeding site occupancy in a declining Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus) population. Ibis 149: 374-385.
Summers, R., McFarlane, J. & Pearce-Higgins, J. (2007) Measuring avoidance by capercaillies Tetrao urogallus of woodland close to tracks. Wildlife Biology 13: 19-27.

2006

Beale, C.M., Burfield, I.J., Sim, I.M.W., Rebecca, G.W., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Grant, M.C. (2006). Climate change may account for the decline in British ring ouzels Turdus torquatus. Journal of Animal Ecology 75: 826-835.
Beale, C.M., Dodd, S. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2006) Wader recruitment indices suggest Dunlin nesting success is temperature-dependent. Ibis 148:405-410.
Buchanan, G.M., Grant, M.C., Sanderson, R.A. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2006) The contribution of invertebrate taxa to moorland bird diets and the potential implications of land-use management. Ibis 148:615-628.
Buchanan, G.M., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Grant, M.C. (2006). Observer variation in estimates of Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis and Skylark Alauda arvensis abundance on moorland. Bird Study 53: 92-95.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Grant, M.C. (2006) Relationships between bird abundance and the composition and structure of moorland vegetation. Bird Study 53: 112-125.
Waterhouse, T., Gardner, S., Pearce-Higgins, J. & Grant, M. (2006) How might CAP reform influence land management, moorland vegetation, birds, economy and employment? International Journal of Biodiversity Science and Management 2: 235-237.

2005

Buchanan, G, Pearce-Higgins, J., Grant, M., Robertson, D. & Waterhouse, A. (2005) Characterization of moorland vegetation and the prediction of bird abundance using remote sensing. Journal of Biogeography 32: 697-707.
Finney, S.K., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Yalden, D.W. (2005) The effect of recreational disturbance on an upland breeding bird, the golden plover Pluvialis apricaria. Biological Conservation 121: 53-63.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Yalden, D.W. (2005) The difficulties of counting breeding Golden Plovers Pluvialis apricaria. Bird Study 52: 339-342.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Yalden, D.W. & Whittingham, M.J. (2005). Warmer springs advance the breeding phenology of golden plovers Pluvialis apricaria and their prey (Tipulidae). Oecologia 143: 470-476.

2004

Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Yalden, D.W. (2004) Habitat selection, diet, arthropod availability and growth of a moorland wader: the ecology of European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria chicks. Ibis 146: 335-346.

2003

Buchanan, G.M., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Wotton, S.R., Grant, M.C. & Whitfield, D.P. (2003) Correlates of the change in Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus abundance in Scotland from 1988-91 to 1999. Bird Study 50: 97-105.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Yalden, D.W. (2003) Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria breeding success on a moor managed for shooting Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus. Bird Study 50:170-177.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Yalden, D.W. (2003). Variation in the use of pasture by breeding European Golden Plovers Pluvialis apricaria in relation to prey availability. Ibis 145: 365-381.

2002

Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Grant, M.C. (2002) The effects of grazing-related variation in habitat on the distribution of moorland skylarks Alauda arvensis and meadow pipits Anthus pratensis. Aspects of Applied Biology 67: 155-163.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Yalden, D.W. (2002) Variation in the growth and survival of Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria chicks. Ibis 144: 200-209.
Yalden, D.W. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2002) The trapping of breeding Golden Plovers using a simple walk-in trap. Wader Study Group Bulletin 98: 38-40.
Yalden, D.W. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2002) Biometrics and moult of breeding Eurasian Golden Plovers. Wader Study Group Bulletin 98: 50.

2001

Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2001) A model describing the exchange of individuals between Turnstone Arenaria interpres roosts on the North Wales coast. Ringing & Migration 20: 209-212.

2000

Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2000) The avian community structure of a Bolivian savanna on the edge of the cerrado system. Hornero 15: 77-84.

1998

Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (1998) The loss of a brood and production of a replacement clutch in Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria. Wader Study Group Bulletin 85: 39-40.

1997

Brace, R.C., Hornbuckle, J. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (1997) The avifauna of the Beni Biological Station, Bolivia. Bird Conservation International 7: 117-159.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Yalden, D.W. (1997) The effect of resurfacing the Pennine Way on recreational use of blanket bog in the Peak District National Park, England. Biological Conservation 82: 337-343.
Yalden, D.W. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (1997) Density-dependence and winter weather as factors affecting the size of a population of Golden Plovers Pluvialis apricaria. Bird Study 44: 227-234.

1996

Brace, R.C., Hornbuckle, J. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (1996) Records of wintering Hudson’s Black-tyrant Knopolegus hudsoni at Estacion Biologica Beni. Cotinga 5: 67-68.
Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (1996) Seedeaters in the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park. Cotinga 5: 69-71.

Honorary Research Fellow

Director of Science, British Trust for Ornithology,

BTO Office, David Attenborough Building