Farmland bird populations plummet to record low in England

The overall farmland bird index for England, covering 19 species, fell by 5 per cent last year, taking it to an all time low of 53 per cent below its 1966 starting value. Figures published by Defra today also show a new long term five-year decline of 10 per cent.

The RSPB said the ‘most worrying’ declines were recorded for lapwings (12 per cent down), corn bunting (7 per cent) and grey partridge (23 per cent). 

‘Significant’ declines were also recorded for kestrel, skylark, starling and greenfinch, while numbers of tree sparrow, yellow wagtail, linnet, wood pigeon and rook also fell.

Seven species increased between 2008 and 2009 – goldfinch, jackdaw, reed bunting, stock dove, turtle dove, whitethroat and yellowhammer.

The RSPB blamed the cold winter and the loss of set-aside for the 2009 decline and said the longer-term decline suggested the Environmental Stewardship scheme was failing to deliver.

 “It’s difficult to draw any hard and fast conclusions from a short one-year time span, but this certainly makes for some depressing reading,” said RSPB director of conservation Dr Mark Avery.

“The winter before last was a moderately cold one which could have impacted on birds’ ability to find food. We may also be seeing the knock on effect of set-aside being abolished in 2007, removing valuable foraging and nesting habitats for wild birds in the farmed countryside.

“Lapwings – known to some as the ‘farmer’s friend’ - are particularly vulnerable and their populations have been steadily falling for more than 30 years, so a decline of 12 per cent in one year across England is really bad news.

He said the Higher Level Stewardship scheme was achieving ‘some great results’ in protecting the lapwing but it currently covers just 1 per cent of farmland and is under threat from Defra budget cuts. “To cut this important environmental scheme now could be disastrous,” he said.

But he said ELS, which covers 56 per cent of farmland in England, appears to be failing to deliver its aim of reversing the overall decline in farmland birds.

“The five year decline of 10 per cent is a real cause for concern. It indicates that ELS is not working as intended,” Dr Avery said.

 He said bird numbers had nearly trebled on the RSPB’s own farm in Cambridgeshire ‘thanks to ELS’ but elsewhere farmers were ‘not using the right options used in the right ways’.

Dr Avery said the figures showed the NFU and CLA-led Campaign for the Farmed Environment is ‘crucial’ in efforts to reverse the trend.

“The Campaign has the RSPB’s full support, and we applaud those farmers who are adapting their farms to care for wildlife as well as producing high-quality food. We just need more people to join in,” he said.

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