Farmland bird decline prompts renewed calls for agriculture overhaul

Official figures show a 9% decline between 2010-15 in birds living and breeding on the UK’s farmland

Press Association

Thursday 23 November 2017 16.39 GMTLast modified on Monday 27 November 2017 11.56 GMT

Birds living and breeding on the UK’s farmland have seen numbers decline by almost a tenth in five years, official figures show.

Farmland bird populations have declined by 56% since 1970, largely due to agricultural changes including the loss of mixed farming, a switch to autumn sowing of crops, a reduction in hay meadows and the stripping out of hedgerows.

While the majority of the decline happened in between the late 1970s and 1980s as farming practices changed rapidly, there was a 9% decline between 2010 and 2015, the statistics from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) show.

The latest figures have prompted renewed calls for an overhaul of farming as the UK leaves the EU and its system of agricultural subsidies, to support wildlife and farming.

The data showed some “specialist” species, those restricted to or highly dependent on farmland habitats, have seen precipitous falls.

Corn buntings, grey partridge, turtle doves and tree sparrows have all suffered declines of more than 90% since 1970, though others such as stock doves and goldfinches saw populations double.

For turtle doves in particular, dramatic falls continue, with numbers down 71% between 2010 and 2015.

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BTO launches appeal to help farmland birds

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has launched a new appeal to help tackle the continuing decline of many once familiar farmland birds. 

Despite conservation efforts farmland populations have still not recovered to former levels and some are still actually declining.

BTO research has been central to the whole ‘farmland bird story’, from identifying declines, through diagnosing causes, to designing solutions for this conservation problem.

The chief government policy response has been to instigate agri-environment schemes. These schemes, which are funded through the EU Common Agricultural Policy, were set up to support farmers and land managers to farm in ways that promote biodiversity, protect soil and water and enhance the landscape.

Some of the scheme options were wholly or partly designed to provide resources for declining farmland birds.

Previous BTO research has highlighted limitations to some of the schemes, prompting modifications to improve their design.

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Bad news for farmland birds, says RSPB

First published Thursday 30 October 2014 in News

The RSPB has called on Defra to make “every pound count” in a new wildlife-friendly farm scheme as official figures reveal another huge drop in the number of bird species, such as turtle dove, skylark and yellowhammer, reliant on farmed landscapes.

The Government’s Farmland Bird Indicator published today has revealed another significant fall in numbers. This indicator has been tracking the fortunes of 19 bird species that are dependent entirely on farmland.

Although partly driven by exceptionally bad weather in 2012, the underlying steady decline of the UK Farmland Bird Indicator has continued, with a 10 per cent decline in the last five years. The UK Farmland Bird Indicator has declined by more than half (55 per cent) since 1970.

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Farmland birds show rapid decline

23 October 2014 Last updated at 15:39

By Claire Marshall

BBC environment correspondent

Farmland birds are at their lowest levels since records began, according to government figures.

Numbers of birds such as grey partridge, turtle dove and the starling are down more than 85% since 1970s.

But there has been an increase in some other bird species, including seabirds.

The figures come from an assessment of wild bird populations in England, which has been compiled by the Department for Environment and covers 118 different bird species.

It includes data on 19 species reliant on the farmed countryside.

Over the last 40 years, indicators used in the report show a decline in farmland birds of 56%, with turtle doves declining the most rapidly - down 96% since 1970.

Other species under pressure include skylarks - down 62% since 1970 - and lapwings which are down by 50%.

Much of this decline is blamed on the rapid change in farmland management in the late 1970s and early 1990s.

Modern intensive farming methods means that fields have become much bigger, and more chemicals are used. With a significant loss of hedgerows, birds have fewer places to nest.

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Farmland birds flock to Isle, says RSPB

Isle residents know that the area they live in is the best in Britain - and now so do the nation’s farmland birds.

A report from the RSPB has says the Isle of Axholme stands out as one of the best places to spot arable birds such as corn bunting, grey partridge, lapwing, tree sparrow, turtle dove and yellow wagtail.

RSPB farmland conservation advisor Kirsty Brannan said: “The reason why this area stands out as one of the best places in England for farmland birds is because it still has good numbers of bird species that are particularly dependent on arable farming and that are no longer widespread throughout most of the countryside.

“A separate project which the RSPB worked with the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology), Natural England and local bird clubs brought together all records of these particular birds, and highlighted parts of the country where most of these species could still be found.

“While many farmland birds are still a common site almost wherever you go, such as skylark and yellowhammer, these six have become more scarce, so it’s especially exciting to find an area where all of them may be doing well.

“The bird monitoring work started last year. Clearly something about the Isle of Axholme is helping these birds, and we’re keen to work with local farmers to understand why.”

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/farmland-birds-flock-to-isle-says-rspb-1-6520560

UK farmland bird numbers are still declining

Farmland bird numbers continue to fall as Government mulls countryside spending

October 2013: The latest official figures on farmland birds reveal that they are continuing to decline. The annual Wild Bird Indicator statistics have been released ahead of a decision that the Secretary of State for the Environment, Owen Paterson, is due to make about spending on the English countryside.

The Farmland Bird Index, which covers 19 species reliant on the farmed countryside, has seen a five-year decline of eight percent. However looking back over the last 40 years the decline in farmland birds is a staggering 50 percent. The fastest declining species since 1970 include turtle doves (down 95 percent), corn buntings (down 90 percent) and lapwings (down 63 percent). But it is not all bad news as some species numbers have increased since 1970, including jackdaws who have seen a 140 percent increase in numbers and a 134 percent increase for woodpigeons. 

Martin Harper, RSPB Conservation Director, said: “The trend for farmland birds continues to go downwards. The decline has slowed, and wildlife friendly farmers who put conservation measures in place on their land must be congratulated for their hard work. But if we are all going to work together to bring wildlife back to our countryside then the funding must be there for these measures to continue. 

“Before the end of the year, Owen Paterson will need to decide how much funding he can allocate to wildlife-friendly farmers, those farmers doing the most for wildlife. Without Owen Paterson’s help farmland wildlife will continue to struggle, along with those farmers trying to help. These figures tell us that the volume of birdsong – the soundtrack to our summer - in our farmed countryside has halved in my lifetime. Mr Paterson has the power to turn up the volume!” 

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/decline-in-farmland-birds.html