View source for Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

{{short description|Charitable organisation focused on the conservation of birds and other wildlife in the UK}}
{{Redirect-distinguish|RSPB|Railways Sports Promotion Board|Royal Samoan Police Band}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox organisation
| name                     = Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
| logo                     = [[File:RSPB_logo_2022.svg| 250px]]
| type                     = [[Wildlife conservation|Conservation]] [[charitable organisation|charity]]
| headquarters             = [[RSPB The Lodge|The Lodge]], Sandy, Bedfordshire, England<br />2 Lochside View, Edinburgh, Scotland
| area_served              = United Kingdom
| leader_title             = President
| leader_name              = Dr Amir Khan
| key_people               = {{Plainlist|
* Kevin Cox {{small|(Chairman)}}
* Beccy Speight {{small|(Chief Executive)}}
}}
| revenue                  = {{increase}} £157.7 million [[GBP]] (2022)
| staff                    = 2,231
| staff_year               = 2022
| volunteers               = 10,500
| volunteers_year          = 2022
| website                  = {{URL|https://rspb.org.uk/}}
| formation                = {{Start date|1889}}, [[Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden]], [[Manchester]]
}}
The '''Royal Society for the Protection of Birds''' ('''RSPB''') is a [[Charitable_organization#United_Kingdom|charitable organisation]] registered in [[Charity Commission for England and Wales|England and Wales]]<ref>{{EW charity|207076}}</ref> and in [[Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator|Scotland]].<ref>{{Scottish charity|SC037654}}</ref> It was founded in 1889. It works to promote [[bird conservation|conservation]] and protection of [[bird]]s and the wider [[Natural environment|environment]] through public awareness campaigns, [[petition]]s and through the operation of [[Nature Reserve|nature reserves]] throughout the United Kingdom.<ref name="do?">{{cite web |url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/about/fdIII/what_does_the_rspb_do_.asp |title=What does the RSPB do? |publisher=RSPB |access-date=19 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102193600/http://www.rspb.org.uk/about/fdIII/what_does_the_rspb_do_.asp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=2 January 2007}}</ref>

In 2021/22 the RSPB had revenue of £157 million, 2,200 employees, 10,500 volunteers and 1.1 million members (including 195,000 youth members), making it one of the world's largest wildlife conservation organisations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Annual Report 2021-2022 |url=https://www.rspb.org.uk/globalassets/downloads/annual-report-2022/annual-report-2021-22_digital_full_final.pdf?sourcecode=GENWEB0059 |access-date=28 January 2023 |website=RSPB}}</ref> The RSPB has many local groups and maintains 222 nature reserves.

{{TOC limit|4}}

==History==
[[File:Fletcher moss croft2.jpg|thumb|upright|Plaque at Fletcher Moss Park, Manchester, commemorating the foundation of the RSPB]]

The origins of the RSPB lie with two groups of women, both formed in 1889:
* The Plumage League{{sfnp|Penna|1999|p=99}} was founded by [[Emily Williamson]] at her house in [[Didsbury]], Manchester, as a [[advocacy group|protest group]] campaigning against the use of [[great crested grebe]] and [[Black-legged Kittiwake|kittiwake]] skins and feathers in [[fur clothing]]. The house is now in [[Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden]].<ref name="milestones">{{cite web |url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/about/history/milestones.asp |title=Milestones  |publisher=RSPB |access-date=19 February 2007}}</ref>
* The Fin, Fur and Feather Folk was founded in [[Croydon]] by [[Eliza Phillips]], [[Etta Lemon]], [[Catherine Victoria Hall|Catherine Hall]], [[Hannah Poland]] and others.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fin, Fur and Feather leaflet|url=http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/view/edition/19341|publisher=Bodleian Library|access-date=18 December 2022|archive-date=18 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221218083902/http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/view/edition/19341|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The groups gained in popularity and amalgamated in 1891 to form the Society for the Protection of Birds in London.<ref name="history"/> The Society gained its Royal Charter in 1904.<ref>{{cite web|title=Charter and Statutes|url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/about/run/charter_statutes.aspx|publisher=RSPB|access-date=3 February 2016}}</ref>

The original members of the SPB were all women<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/community/ourwork/b/natureshomemagazine/archive/2018/07/26/five-women-who-founded-the-rspb.aspx|title=Five women who founded the RSPB - Natures Home magazine uncovered - Our work - The RSPB Community|website=ww2.rspb.org.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-07-30}}</ref> who campaigned against the fashion of the time for women to wear exotic feathers in hats, and the consequent encouragement of "[[plume hunting]]". To this end the Society had two simple rules:<ref name='history'/>

{{blockquote|
* That Members shall discourage the wanton destruction of Birds, and interest themselves generally in their protection
* That Lady-Members shall refrain from wearing the feathers of any bird not killed for purposes of food, the ostrich only excepted.}}

At the time of founding, the trade in plumage for use in hats was very large: in the first quarter of 1884, almost 7,000 [[bird-of-paradise]] skins were being imported to Britain, along with 400,000 birds from [[West India]] and [[Brazil]], and 360,000 birds from [[East India]].{{sfnp|Adams|2004|p=189}}

In 1890, the society published its first leaflet, entitled ''Destruction of Ornamental-Plumaged Birds'',<ref>{{cite report|last=Phillips|first=Eliza|title=Destruction of Ornamental-Plumaged Birds|year=1890}}</ref> aimed at saving the [[egret]] population by informing wealthy women of the environmental damage wrought by the use of feathers in fashion. A later 1897 publication, ''Bird Food in Winter'',<ref>{{cite report|last=Phillips|first=Eliza|title=Bird Food in Winter|year=1897}}</ref> aimed to address the use of berries as winter decoration and encouraged the use of synthetic berries to preserve the birds food source. In 1897 the SPB distributed over 16,000 letters and 50,000 leaflets and by 1898 had 20,000 members.<ref name="ODNB">{{Cite ODNB|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/50752|title=Phillips <nowiki>[</nowiki>née Barron<nowiki>]</nowiki>, Eliza <nowiki>[</nowiki>known as Mrs Edward Phillips<nowiki>]</nowiki> (1822/3–1916)|author=Jonathan Burt|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/50752|access-date=19 October 2012}}</ref>

The Society attracted support from some women of high social standing who belonged to the social classes that popularised the wearing of feathered hats, including the [[Winifred Cavendish-Bentinck, Duchess of Portland|Duchess of Portland]] (who became the Society's first President) and the [[Margaret Brooke|Ranee of Sarawak]]. As the organisation began to attract the support of many other influential figures, both male and female, such as the [[ornithologist]] Professor [[Alfred Newton]], it gained in popularity and attracted many new members. The society received a [[Royal Charter]] in 1904<ref name="history">{{cite web |url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/whatwedo/history/index.aspx |title=A history of the RSPB, from its humble beginnings, to the thriving far-reaching organisation it is today. |publisher=Royal Society for the Protection of Birds |access-date=13 February 2017}}</ref> from [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward VII]], just 15 years after its founding, and was instrumental in petitioning the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] to introduce laws banning the use of [[plumage]] in clothing.<ref name="milestones"/>

At the time that the Society was founded in Britain, similar societies were also founded in other European countries.{{sfnp|Boardman|2006|p=36}}{{which|date=October 2013}} In 1961, the society acquired [[RSPB The Lodge|The Lodge]] in [[Sandy, Bedfordshire]], as its new headquarters.<ref name='milestones'/> The RSPB's logo depicts an [[Pied avocet|avocet]]. The first version was designed by [[Robert Gillmor]].<ref name= "Gillmor">{{Cite episode |title=&nbsp; |series=Springwatch |series-link=Springwatch |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b611k8 |access-date=4 June 2018 |network=[[BBC Television]] |date=4 June 2018 |season=2018 |number=5 }}</ref>

==Activities==
[[File:Avocet - Minsmere (5681376618) (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|An [[Pied avocet|avocet]] at the RSPB's [[RSPB Minsmere|Minsmere reserve]]. This species is used in the RSPB's logo.]]

Today, the RSPB works with both the [[civil service]] and the [[Her Majesty's Government|Government]] to advise Government policies on conservation and [[environmentalism]].<ref name="Gov">{{cite web|url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/policy/waterwetlands/workingtogether/government.asp|title=Working Together: Government|publisher=RSPB |access-date=19 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103074629/http://www.rspb.org.uk/policy/waterwetlands/workingtogether/government.asp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=3 January 2007}}</ref> It is one of several organisations that determine the official [[conservation status]] list for all birds found in the UK.

The RSPB does not run bird hospitals nor offer animal rescue services.<ref name="FAQ-health">{{cite web|title=Frequently asked questions|url=https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/read-and-learn/helping-birds/health/faqs.aspx|publisher=RSPB|access-date=19 October 2017}}</ref>

The RSPB entered into a partnership with UK housebuilder [[Barratt Redrow|Barratt Developments]] in 2014.

===Reserves===
[[File:The RSPB's Ellin's Tower from the road - geograph.org.uk - 902755.jpg|thumb|[[South Stack]] reserve, [[Anglesey]], with Ellin's Tower, housing a [[visitor centre]]]][[File:SumburghHead webcam.jpg|thumb|A [[webcam]] installed near [[Sumburgh Head]] lighthouse, Shetland. The cliffs are home to large numbers of seabirds and the area is an RSPB nature reserve.]]

The RSPB maintains over [[List of RSPB reserves|200 reserves]] throughout the United Kingdom, covering a wide range of [[habitat]]s, from [[estuary|estuaries]] and [[mudflat]]s to [[forest]]s and [[Urban ecology|urban habitat]]s.<ref name="Habitat">{{cite web |url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/habitat/index.asp |title=Reserves by habitat |publisher=RSPB |access-date=20 February 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070220235704/http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/habitat/index.asp |archive-date=20 February 2007}}</ref> The reserves often have [[bird hide]]s provided for [[birdwatching|birdwatchers]] and many provide [[visitor centre]]s, which include information about the wildlife that can be seen there.<ref name="FAQ-reserves">{{cite web |url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/faq.asp |title=Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=RSPB |access-date=20 February 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070220235558/http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/faq.asp |archive-date=20 February 2007}}</ref>

===Awards===
The RSPB confers awards, including the President's Award, for volunteers who make a notable contribution to the work of the society.

====RSPB Medal====
{{Main|RSPB Medal}}

According to the RSPB:

<blockquote>The RSPB Medal is the Society's most prestigious award. It is presented to an individual in recognition of wild bird protection and countryside conservation. It is usually awarded annually to one or occasionally two people.<ref name="Gifted">{{cite web|url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/media/releases/175798-gifted-naturalist-is-awarded-prestigious-rspb-medal|title=Gifted naturalist is awarded prestigious RSPB medal|last=Reynolds|first=James|date=23 August 2007|publisher=RSPB|access-date=10 October 2011}}</ref></blockquote>

===Magazines===
The RSPB has published a members-only magazine for over a century.

====''Bird Notes''====
{{Infobox journal
| italic title  = no
| title         = Bird Notes
| cover         = [[File:BirdNotes-22-3.jpg|180px]]
| caption       = Cover of Autumn 1946 issue of ''Bird Notes'', Vol. 23, No. 3
| discipline    = Ornithology
| language      = English
| abbreviation  = Bird Notes
| publisher     = RSPB
| country       = United Kingdom
| history       = {{Start date|1903}}–1966
| ISSN          = 0406-3392
}}

[[File:RSPB advert 1934.jpg|thumb|right|Advert for ''Bird Notes and News'' from the March 1934 edition of ''North Western Naturalist'' magazine. Note early logo.]]

''Bird Notes and News'' ({{ISSN|0406-3392}}) was first published in April 1903.

The title changed to ''Bird Notes'' in 1947. In the 1950s, there were four copies per year (one for each season, published on the 1st of each third month, March, June, September and December). Each volume covered two years, spread over three calendar years. For example, volume XXV (25), number one was dated Winter 1951, and number eight in the same volume was dated Autumn 1953.

From the mid-1950s, many of the covers were by [[Charles Tunnicliffe]]. Two of the originals are on long-term loan to the Tunnicliffe gallery at [[Oriel Ynys Môn]], but in 1995 the RSPB sold 114 at a [[Sotheby's]] auction, raising £210,000, the most expensive being a picture of a partridge which sold for £6,440.<ref name="Birds16:01">RSPB ''Birds'' magazine, Vol 16 No 01, February–April 1996, page 10</ref>

From January 1964 (vol. 31, no. 1), publication increased to six per year, (issued in the odd-numbered months, January, March and so on, but dated "January–February", "March–April", etc.). Volumes again covered two years, so vol. 30, covering 1962–63, therefore included nine issues, ending with the "Winter 1963–64" edition instead of eight. The final edition, vol. 31 no. 12, was published in late 1965.

=====Editors=====
{{Expand list|date=August 2008}}
* Miss M. G. Davies, BA, MBOU (for many years, until vol. 30 no. 9)
* John Clegg (from vol. 31 No. 1 – vol. 31 no. 3)
* Jeremy Boswell (from vol. 31 no. 4 – vol. 31 no. 12)

====''Birds''====
{{Infobox journal
| italic title  = no
| title         = Birds
| cover         =
| editor        = Mark Ward
| discipline    = Ornithology
| language      = English
| abbreviation  = Birds
| publisher     = RSPB
| country       = United Kingdom
| frequency     = Quarterly
| history       = {{Start date|1966}}–{{End date|2013}}
| impact        =
| impact-year   =
| website       = http://rspb.org.uk/birdsmagazine
| ISSN          = 1367-983X
| eISSN         =
| boxwidth      =
}}

''Bird Notes''' successor ''Birds'' ({{ISSN|1367-983X}}) replaced it immediately, with volume 1, number 1 being the January–February 1966 edition. Issues were published quarterly, numbered so that a new volume started every other year.

The Autumn 2013 edition, dated August–October 2013, being vol. 25 no. 7, was the last.<ref name="Ward">{{cite journal|last=Ward|first=Mark|date=Autumn 2013|title=Introducing your new magazine, ''Nature's Voice''|journal=Birds|volume=25|issue=7|issn=1367-983X}}</ref>

==== ''Nature's Home'' ====
{{Infobox journal
| italic title  = no
| title         = Nature's Home
| cover         =
| editor        = Mark Ward
| discipline    = Ornithology
| language      = English
| abbreviation  = Nat.'s Home
| publisher     = RSPB
| country       = United Kingdom
| frequency     = Quarterly
| history       = {{Start date|2013}}–present
| impact        =
| impact-year   =
| website       = http://www.rspb.org.uk/natureshome/
| ISSN          = 2054-3433
| eISSN         =
| boxwidth      =
}}

In Winter 2013 ''Birds'' was replaced by a new magazine, ''Nature's Home''. The editor was Mark Ward. The magazine had an ABC-certified circulation of 600,885.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/ourwork/b/natureshomemagazine/archive/2013/09/30/nature-39-s-home-is-coming.aspx |title=Nature's Home is coming... |date=30 September 2013 |publisher=RSPB |first=Mark |last=Ward |access-date=15 October 2013}}</ref>

==== ''The RSPB Magazine'' ====

With the Summer/Autumn 2022 issue, the magazine has been re-titled.

===Junior divisions===
The RSPB has two separate groups for children and teenagers: Wildlife Explorers (founded in 1943 as the Junior Bird Recorders' Club; from 1965 to 2000 the Young [[Ornithologist]]s' Club or YOC<ref name='milestones'/>) and RSPB Phoenix. Wildlife Explorers is targeted at children aged between 8 and 12, although it also has some younger members,<ref name="youth">{{cite web|url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/volunteering/type/communitygroups/youthgroups.asp|title=About youth groups|publisher=RSPB|access-date=20 February 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927234413/http://www.rspb.org.uk/volunteering/type/communitygroups/youthgroups.asp|archive-date=27 September 2007}}</ref> and has two different magazines: ''Wild Times'' for 0–7-year-olds, and ''Wild Explorer'' for 8–12-year-olds. RSPB Phoenix is aimed at teenagers, and produces ''Wingbeat'' magazine, which is primarily written by young people for young people.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rspb.org.uk/join-and-donate/join-as-a-family/?channel=paidsearch|title = RSPB Family membership - Join Us}}</ref> The RSPB is a member of The [[National Council for Voluntary Youth Services]].<ref name="NCVYS members">{{cite web |url=http://www.ncvys.org.uk/index.php?page=392 |title=Full list of NCVYS members |publisher=Ncvys.org.uk |access-date=31 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512231646/http://www.ncvys.org.uk/index.php?page=392 |archive-date=12 May 2013}}</ref>

===Big Garden Birdwatch===
RSPB organises bird record data collection in annual collective birdwatching days in Britain. The RSPB describes this as the "world's biggest wildlife survey" and helps inform conservationists to gain a better knowledge on bird population trends in gardens in Britain.<ref name="Birds 25">''Birds'', Spring 2013, vol. 25, nº5. February – April 2013, page 18.</ref> The Big Garden Birdwatch was launched as a children's activity in 1979, but from 2001 it encouraged adults to partake as well. In 2011, over 600,000 people took part, only 37% of whom were RSPB members. This event usually takes place in the last weekend of January. From the start of this annual survey records for [[House sparrow|house sparrows]] showed a decline of 60%, while [[Common starling|starling]] populations declined by about 80% from 1979 to 2012.<ref name="Birds 25" />

In 2022, nearly 700,000 people took part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, counting more than 11 billion birds.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-08 |title=Annual bird count in UK gardens raises hopes for greenfinch |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/08/annual-bird-count-uk-gardens-greenfinch |access-date=2022-07-01 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

=== 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]] ({{langx|cy|Cymdeithas Adaryddol Cymru}}).<ref name="partners">{{cite web|url=http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/birdtrack/about/partners|title=BirdTrack partners |publisher=[[British Trust for Ornithology]] |access-date=25 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="NBN">{{cite web|url=http://nbn.org.uk/biological-recording-scheme/bird-track/|title=Bird Track|date=26 January 2016|publisher=[[National Biodiversity Network]]|access-date=25 April 2016}}</ref>

==Finances==
{{stack|[[File:RSPB at the Great British Beer Festival 2016.jpg|thumb|Fund-raising at the [[Great British Beer Festival|Great British Beer Festival 2016]]]]}}
The RSPB is funded primarily by its members; in 2006, over 50% of the society's £88&nbsp;million income came from [[subscription]]s, [[donation]]s and [[inheritance|legacies]], worth a total of £53.669&nbsp;million.<ref name="annual">[http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/trusteereport2005-2006_tcm9-132482.pdf RSPB Annual Report] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071128161540/http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/trusteereport2005-2006_tcm9-132482.pdf |date=28 November 2007 }}, 2005–2006. Retrieved 19 February 2007.</ref> As a [[registered charity]], the organisation is entitled to [[gift aid]] worth an extra £0.25 on every £1.00 donated by [[income tax]] payers.<ref name="GA">{{cite web |url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/supporting/giftaid/index.asp |title=Gift Aid |publisher=RSPB |access-date=19 February 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070222173947/http://www.rspb.org.uk/supporting/giftaid/index.asp |archive-date=22 February 2007}}</ref> The bulk of the income (£63.757&nbsp;million in 2006) is spent on conservation projects, maintenance of the reserves and on education projects, with the rest going on fundraising efforts and reducing the pension deficit, worth £19.8&nbsp;million in 2006.

== Advertising ==
<!--please do not attempt to remove this: it is cited to a reliable source, the Charity Commission, and records a historical event which certainly occurred. Instead, go to the talk page and discuss it first. -->

It was reported in an article in ''[[The Daily Mail]]'' on 2 November 2014 that claims that the charity "was spending 90 per cent of its income on conservation" by the [[Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom)|UK Advertising Standards Authority]] were incorrect. The article claimed that the true figure was closer to 26%. The [[Charity Commission]] investigated the claims, and contacted the RSPB to get it to clarify its web statement. The RSPB complied, with the clarification that 90% of its net income (after expenses, not gross income as received) was spent on conservation, and that conservation activities were diverse, not limited to spending on its own nature reserves. This was accepted by the Charity Commission.<ref name=CharityCommission>{{cite web|last1=Iles|first1=Harry|title=RSPB - 207076|url=https://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/response-to-issues-in-mail_tcm9-388842.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122070757/http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/response-to-issues-in-mail_tcm9-388842.pdf |archive-date=2015-01-22 |url-status=live|publisher=Charity Commission|access-date=15 May 2016}}</ref>
<!--please do not attempt to remove this: it is cited to a reliable source, the Charity Commission, and records a historical event which certainly occurred. Instead, go to the talk page and discuss it first. -->

==Patrons==
*[[Queen Elizabeth II]] (until 2022)<ref name="patrons">{{cite web|url=https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/royal-patron-announcement|title=The RSPB honoured to have His Majesty, The King as new Royal patron|work=The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds|date=9 May 2024|access-date=31 July 2024}}</ref>
*[[King Charles III]] (since 2024)<ref name="patrons"/>

==Presidents==
[[File:Laszlo - Winifred Anna Cavendish-Bentinck (née Dallas-Yorke), 6th Duchess of Portland, 1912.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Winifred Cavendish-Bentinck, Duchess of Portland|Winifred Cavendish-Bentinck]], Duchess of Portland, painted by [[Philip Alexius de László]] in 1912]]

*[[Winifred Cavendish-Bentinck, Duchess of Portland]] 1891–1954
*Lord Forester to 1961
*[[Cyril Hurcomb, 1st Baron Hurcomb|Cyril Hurcomb]] 1961-
*Colonel Sir [[Tufton Beamish, Baron Chelwood|Tufton Beamish]] to 1970
*[[Robert Dougall]] 1970-1975
*[[Jack Donaldson, Baron Donaldson of Kingsbridge|Jack Donaldson]] 1975-1980<ref>''Dod's Parliamentary Companion'', 1998</ref>
*[[Edward Max Nicholson|Max Nicholson]] 1980–1985
*[[Magnus Magnusson]] 1985–1990
*Sir [[Derek Barber]] 1990–1991<ref name="Birds13:7">RSPB ''Birds'' magazine, Vol 13 No 7, Autumn 1991</ref> <!-- Profile. Birds Summer 1977 -->
*[[Ian Prestt]] 1991–1994<ref name="Birds13:7" />
*[[Julian Pettifer]] 1994–?
*[[Jonathan Dimbleby]] 2001–?
*[[Julian Pettifer]] 2004–2009
*[[Kate Humble]] 2009<ref>{{cite news |title=Springwatch star Kate Humble appointed president of RSPB |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6257616/Springwatch-star-Kate-Humble-appointed-president-of-RSPB.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091006100629/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6257616/Springwatch-star-Kate-Humble-appointed-president-of-RSPB.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 October 2009 |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|publisher=www.telegraph.co.uk |date=3 October 2009 |access-date=4 October 2009|first=Alastair |last=Jamieson}}</ref>–2013
* [[Miranda Krestovnikoff]] 2013–2022 <ref name="RSPB Press Release">{{cite press release |last=Hogg |first=Gemma |url = http://www.rspb.org.uk/media/releases/355188-miranda-krestovnikoff-becomes-rspb-president |title=Miranda Krestovnikoff becomes RSPB President |publisher=RSPB|date=12 October 2013}}</ref>
* Dr Amir Khan 2022–(incumbent)

==Chief officers==
Over time, the organisation's [[Chief executive officer|chief officer]]s have been given different titles.<ref name='milestones'/><ref name="Birds13:7"/>

* [[William Henry Hudson]] – Chairman of Committee 1894
* Sir [[Montagu Sharpe]], [[Order of the British Empire|KBE]] [[Deputy Lieutenant|DL]] – Chairman of Committee 1895–1942
* Phillip Brown
* [[Peter Conder]] [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] – Secretary 1963. Director 1964–1975
* Ian Prestt [[Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|CBE]] – Director General 1975–1991
* [[Barbara Young, Baroness Young of Old Scone|Barbara Young]] – CEO 1991–1998
* Sir Graham Wynne – CEO 1998–2010
* Mike Clarke – Chief Executive 2010–2019
* [[Beccy Speight]] - Chief Executive 2019–<ref name="TS">{{cite web |title=RSPB appoints Beccy Speight as chief executive |url=https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/rspb-appoints-beccy-speight-chief-executive/management/article/1584788 |website=www.thirdsector.co.uk |access-date=23 August 2019}}</ref>

==Associate organisations==
The RSPB is a member of [[Wildlife and Countryside Link]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcl.org.uk/our-members.asp |title=Wildlife and Countryside Link, Our members |publisher=Wcl.org.uk |access-date=31 January 2014}}</ref> The RSPB is the UK Partner of [[BirdLife International]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/international/birdlife.asp |title=RSPB, Our partnership with BirdLife International |publisher=Rspb.org.uk |access-date=31 January 2014}}</ref> and manages the [[South Atlantic Invasive Species Project]] on behalf of the partner governments.

==See also==
*[[List of Birdlife International national partner organisations]]
*[[Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals]]
*[[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty]]
*[[Wildlife law in England and Wales]] <!--guess we can see what this might be for, but it would be much better incorporated into the main text-->
*[[:Category:Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reserves]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book |last=Adams |first=William Mark |title=Against Extinction: The Story of Conservation |url=https://archive.org/details/againstextinctio0000adam |url-access=registration |year=2004 |location=London Sterling, VA|publisher=[[Earthscan]] |isbn=978-1-84407-055-8 }}
*{{cite book |last=Boardman |first=Robert |title=The International Politics of Bird Conservation: Biodiversity, Regionalism And Global Governance |location=Cheltenham, UK Northampton, MA |year=2006 |publisher=[[Edward Elgar Publishing]] |isbn=978-1-84542-403-9 }}
*{{cite book |last=Penna |first=Anthony N. |location=Armonk, N.Y. U.S.A. |title=Nature's Bounty: Historical and Modern Environmental Perspectives |year=1999 |publisher=[[M. E. Sharpe]] |isbn=978-0-7656-0187-2 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/naturesbountyhis0000penn }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
*[https://rspb.org.uk/ RSPB.org.uk] — official website
*[https://www.rspb-images.com/default.aspx RSPB images]
*{{YouTube|u=rspbvideo|suffix='}}
*{{EW charity|207076}}
*{{Scottish charity|SC037654}}

{{European birding journals}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Society For The Protection Of Birds}}
[[Category:Royal Society for the Protection of Birds| ]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1889]]
[[Category:BirdLife partners]]
[[Category:Environmental organisations based in England]]
[[Category:Ornithological organisations in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Animal charities based in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1889 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1889 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Charities based in Bedfordshire]]
[[Category:Bird conservation organizations]]
[[Category:British landowners]]