Tom Lansley

Research

My research interests are in ornithology and conservation biology. I am studying BirdLife International’s Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) programme. With over 13,600 sites, the IBA network highlights significant sites for bird and biodiversity conservation across the world. I began working on IBAs for my MRes at the University of St Andrews where I identified an area in Honduras that meets IBA criteria. I started my PhD in 2022, working with BirdLife International to assess the effectiveness of the IBA programme as a whole. The large quantity and variety of data required to maintain this network means that many country inventories are dated. The focus of my research will be to measure the effectiveness of IBAs at capturing global avian diversity, as well as assessing the effects on other biodiversity and habitat change in IBAs. I am also identifying shortfalls in the IBA programme which can be prioritised and improved. I hope show how effective the IBA network is, giving increased knowledge to the field of study and providing ways to improve conservation efforts for birds and biodiversity.

About me

I am a keen birder and wildlife enthusiast outside of my research as well as within it. I enjoy bird ringing and sharing this interest with others. I am very sporty, playing football, tennis, and skiing as well as being a qualified football coach. I love to travel which often focuses on hiking and wildlife. I also enjoy live music and have played the guitar for many years.