Almost half of all UK bird species in decline

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Bird populations in the U.K. continue to freefall as the government moves further away from achieving its own targets to protect nature

From RareBirdAlert

Between 2015 and 2020 almost half of all bird species declined, with woodland bird species being the most affected. UK bird populations have steadily declined over the past 50 years.

New data released by the UK government reveals that 48% of bird species have shown a decrease in just five years between 2015 and 2020. Birds such as the turtle dove, capercaillie, tree sparrow and grey partridge are now less than a tenth of their numbers from 50 years ago.

Campaigners say the government is in danger of missing out on their own targets set out in the Environment Act, which was passed into law in 2021 and requires a halt in species decline by 2030.

This week, the RSPB also released the results of their annual garden wildlife survey, the Big Garden Birdwatch.

It found that house sparrows were the most spotted bird for the twentieth year running, but since the survey began in 1979, almost 60% have been lost from UK gardens. Over the last 57 years it is thought that nearly 22 million house sparrows are believed to have disappeared from the country.
In response to the survey results, Beccy Speight, RSPB’s chief executive, says, “The numbers speak for themselves when it comes to the startling declines of some of our once common birds.”

“They no longer have the abundance across the UK that they used to have. We are in a nature and climate emergency and we’ve lost 38 million birds from our skies in the last 50 years.”

Why are UK birds declining?

According to wildlife experts, habitat loss, mainly driven by changes in agriculture, is considered one of the biggest drivers of UK bird decline.
This has resulted in farmland birds suffering the worst declines over the past 50 years, which peaked in the late 1970s and 1980s. This was largely due to the rapid changes in farmland management during the 1950s and 1960s.

The loss of mixed farming means less diversity of plants and animals and therefore fewer opportunities for birds to forage in different habitats throughout the year. A decrease in spring crops has resulted in less habitat for ground nesting birds such as lapwing, skylark, yellow wagtail and corn bunting.

Increased pesticide use has also led to the loss of weeds and insects as a food source, and the increased destruction of hedgerows further reduces the amount of suitable habitat.

But in the short term, woodland birds have suffered the biggest impact with 59% of species declining between 2015 and 2020. Some potential causes are a lack of woodland management and pressures from increased deer browsing, reducing the availability of suitable nesting and foraging habitats.

Bird populations are considered a good indication of the broader state of wildlife in the UK. This is because they are a well-studied taxonomic group that occupies a wide range of habitats and responds to environmental pressures that also impact other wildlife groups.

Dr. Richard Gregory, the RSPB’s head of science, says, “Everyone should be concerned that UK bird populations are continuing to decline as this is a crucial indicator of the condition of our environment and health of our natural world.”

“We cannot keep publishing report after report charting the decline of the UK’s wildlife without UK governments delivering on their commitments to take urgent action to restore nature and halt wildlife decline.”

Researchers have developed a tool that estimates the percentage of natural biodiversity that remains across the world and in individual countries.
It revealed that centuries of farming and industry have made the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in Europe. When compared to the G7 countries, the UK is at the very bottom in terms of how much biodiversity still survives.

“We are in a nature and climate emergency, and we need urgent action to keep common species common and save those already on the brink of being lost,” says Richard.

“This is not something on the distant horizon, but on our doorsteps but we can change this if we begin to seriously address the drivers of wildlife decline in the UK.”

Is it all bad news for the UK’s birds?

While many of the findings are a cause for concern, the report also highlights some positive trends in bird populations.

Although almost half of all species declined between 2015-2020, 24% increased during this time. In addition, some species have increased dramatically since 1970, including the Cetti’s warbler, blackcap, common buzzard, great spotted woodpecker, red kite and collared dove.

 

Positive conservation actions in the past 50 years have helped to drive the recovery of some of the UK’s birds.

For example, red kites were almost hunted to extinction in the UK, but an intense pioneering reintroduction programme which began in the 1980s has led to their almost miraculous recovery.

Despite there being some reasons to celebrate, pressure is building on the UK government to act if they want to achieve their targets of halting species loss entirely by 2030.

Richard Benwell, the CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, says, “As political parties turn their sights to the general election, they would do well to heed the warning written into today’s wild bird statistics. The decline of nature has continued, relentless and unabated, for decades.”

“Meeting the legally binding target to stop wildlife losses by the end of the next parliament can’t be achieved with a legal tweak here, some spare change there. Serious, sustained investment, proper penalties for pollution, and action in every sphere of government must be the hallmarks of any nature-positive manifesto.”

Read Wild bird populations in the UK, 1970 to 2021 here 

Campaign to create Seabird Reserve moves to next stage

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A campaign by Birds On The Edge to save the Island’s much loved puffin by the creation of a Seabird Reserve has moved a step closer with the submission of a planning application for a section of profile fencing.

The proposed Seabird Reserve will require the erection of a one-mile predator proof fence to protect the puffins, their eggs and chicks from non-native predators such as rats and ferrets (mammals like these are a threat to seabirds worldwide). An application is being submitted for the erection of a temporary section of the fence so that people can see for themselves what the Seabird Reserve might look like.

The profile fencing section will be a 15-metre-long section constructed in the same area where the real fence would be proposed in the future.  The mock-up will be identical in height, colour, and overall look of a real predator fence. It will be in place for a minimum of two months before being removed, to give all members of the community the opportunity to visit the area and see the section for themselves. The public will also be encouraged to engage with the project via a range of platforms including drop-in sessions, opinion polls, and social media.

 

It is hoped that this will demonstrate to the public both the visual impact the fence will have on the landscape as well as the protection that it will afford to coastal wildlife. The BOTE Partnership will also use the opportunity to help boost understanding of the project and wider appreciation of the wildlife found at Plémont.

BOTE ultimately wants the people of Jersey to see and decide for themselves if this project is a fair compromise in order to protect the puffins and other wildlife from becoming extinct in Jersey.

BOTE’s Cris Sellarés, Project Officer, commented on the application:

“There are now likely to only be eight puffins left in Jersey.  If we don’t do something now, there is a real risk that we will lose the iconic seabird which plays such an important part in Jersey’s natural and cultural heritage.

However, BOTE fully recognise that such a strategy comes at a price and the proposed fence will have some visual impact upon the coastal landscape. It is, therefore, imperative that Jersey’s community has the opportunity to assess the impact for themselves and decide whether they feel this project should go ahead. Such decisions are never easy but undoubtedly will be increasingly required if our community is going to play a full and active role in addressing the current biodiversity crisis.

The continuing loss of biodiversity in Jersey through local extinctions will inevitably result in a denuded and poorer environment for this generation and those that follow on. Already we have seen the loss of the yellowhammer and turtle dove and alarming declines in such species as starling and cuckoo. The time has now come to decide whether we wish to see the puffin and other seabirds follow suit or actively attempt to find solutions.”

Glyn Young, co-founder of BOTE said:

“Provision of a predator-proof fence to protect our Island’s remaining puffins and other seabirds may be the last hope we have to keep these wonderful birds in Jersey. Seabirds today face a multitude of global problems from changing sea temperatures and overfishing to pollution and human disturbance. They need safe areas to nest and rear their young away from non-native predators, who if left free to access nest sites would eat the birds’ eggs and chicks. The proposed site, free of predators, will likely see the return of former breeding seabirds such as the Manx shearwater and storm petrel too. They visit our coast annually but recognise that the Island is currently unsafe for nesting. BOTE invited Kirsty Swinnerton to draft an initial proposal in 2018. Delayed by the pandemic it is exciting to see this project progressing so well. Fencing of this kind has been very successful in protecting endangered seabird populations in Hawaii, New Zealand and elsewhere. Without making bold advances like this, Jersey will face the loss of large components of its natural environment and become a poorer place”.

Chough report – January 2023

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It’s too early!

With all this warm, not so wintery weather, it seems that all the choughs are becoming very attentive to one another. This is good news for pair bonds and for our team to acknowledge potential candidates for breeding this year. We’re happy to see that our eleven pairs from last year are starting to rekindle their bonds again, ready for the breeding season. But surely, it’s definitely too early for all these feeding courtship behaviours! Apart from our eleven adult pairs, we’ve again been seeing relationships blossoming between some of the juveniles from 2022. Liberty, who was hatched by Kevin & Wally, has been paying close attention to one of our three-year-old choughs; Archirondel. We have also been seeing mutual preening going on between some of the juveniles; Pine, one of Lee & Caûvette’s young from 2022 has taken to Aspen, one of Percy & Icho’s young from 2022. This may just be the juveniles learning to be attentive, in practice for future mates – but we can hope that this might bring forward some more real wild hatched chicks in the near future.

Chough foraging spots

Over the years it has been clear that the choughs spend a lot of time around the Les Landes area, whether that be at the Racecourse grounds, the model airfield or the tower. Les Landes provides the choughs with large stretches of semi-natural grassland to forage on; so, you can see the attraction. We’ve recently had sightings of pairs of choughs in Les Landes; namely Minty & Rey and Trevor & Noirmont. Minty & Rey may start foraging more often in this area once they start setting up their nest; but for the rest of the choughs, they’ll more likely be sticking a bit closer to the Sorel area; unless insect numbers here are too sparse. Interestingly, Lee & Cauvette, formerly almost resident at Les Landes, while undoubtedly doing well have not been seen at the Racecourse for many months.

Only one ‘wild’ nest box left!

At the end of the month, one of the nest-boxes installed on the cliffs eight years ago (in February 2015) in case there were too few natural crevices and caves available for nesting, was destroyed by the stormy weather. Our chough student, Kira, was able to pick up the pieces close to the cliffpath some distance east of where the box had been installed. Of three boxes installed on the cliffs in 2015, only one now remains and, while inspected, none have been used by the choughs! The same design of chough nest box has proven successful for nesting in other places around the Island and, although these cliff boxes haven’t persuaded a chough to use them as a nest yet, with the growing population, there is still a chance the remaining box will be used in the future – or even be used by another, grateful, bird species.

 

March volunteer activity

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Sunday 13th March 2023 – White Rock, Rozel, Trinity 10:30-13.00

From Jersey Conservation Volunteers

Task Come and help us manage some scrub on the headland of White Rock, above Rozel. Gorse has started to encroach into this area and is in need of cutting back so patches of short turf grassland can benefit from the work.

+If you have any questions, or if you wish to be added (or removed) to/from the Wild About Jersey email list, please contact either Julia Clively (tel: 441600; j.clively@gov.je) or Jon Parkes (tel: 483193; jon.parkes@nationaltrust.je).

The site Meet at White Rock car park, off La Rue du Câtel, Trinity.

Jersey phone directory: Map 5, GG6. Google maps here

Time Meet at 10.15, ready to start work at 10:30. We will finish work at approximately 12:30 to give us the chance for a catch up over a cuppa.

Parking White Rock car park.

Tools needed Please bring cutting tools such as loppers and pruning saws if you have any but we shall provide some tools. Please do bring your own gloves if possible.

Clothing needed Do wear appropriate (waterproof) clothing and sturdy boots and gloves, we go ahead whatever the weather 😊

Children All are welcome, although we do ask that volunteers under 16 years of age are accompanied by an adult. Due to the uneven ground, a reasonable level of fitness is required.

Refreshments Kim the Kake will provide us with some of her excellent home-made cake and a hot drink at the end of the task but *Please make sure you bring your own mug or reusable cup*

Hope to see you there!

February volunteer activity

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Sunday 12th February 2023 – Grantez, St Ouen 10:30-13.00

From Jersey Conservation Volunteers

Task Field cricket habitat restoration at Grantez.

Due to the depletion of heathlands and grasslands, field crickets are now some of the rarest species of crickets in the UK and Channel Islands. However, a population of them has been discovered at Grantez. We will be clearing and burning the gorse bushes to allow the grass to grow back and provide a habitat for the crickets.

If you have any questions, or if you wish to be added (or removed) to/from the Wild About Jersey email list, please contact either Julia Clively (tel: 441600; j.clively@gov.je) or Jon Parkes (tel: 483193; jon.parkes@nationaltrust.je).

The site Please click on screenshot (right) for where to park on the day. We will be working in a field near the Grantez Sunset Festival site.

Jersey phone directory: Map 1, F8. Google maps here

Time Meet at 10.15, ready to start work at 10:30. We will finish work at approximately 12:30 to give us the chance for a catch up over a cuppa.

Parking See maps above.

Tools needed All the tools/equipment will be supplied, but please do bring your own gloves if possible.

Clothing needed Please keep an eye out for the weather forecast as it could be wild and wet, so please wear appropriate (waterproof) clothing and sturdy boots and gloves.

Children All are welcome, although we do ask that volunteers under 16 years of age are accompanied by an adult. Due to the uneven ground, a reasonable level of fitness is required.

Refreshments The wonderful Kim will be providing cakes and refreshments for us. *Please make sure you bring your own mug or reusable cup*

Hope to see you there!

 

Jersey’s 22nd annual Great Garden Birdwatch – 4th and 5th February 2023

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Counting birds in the garden for a good cause, as well as for fun

By Andrew Koester, Survey coordinator and Glyn Young

The Action for Wildlife Jersey and Birds On The Edge annual Great Garden Birdwatch returns this year for its 22nd year in succession and it is hoped that as many people as possible will help to build up a picture of the health of the Island’s bird population. 

This year, the Great Garden Birdwatch will be held over the weekend of 4th and 5th February. The method of the count is very straight forward. Basically, you just need to grab a coffee, a comfy seat a handy garden bird guide and then look out into the garden for an hour on either Saturday or Sunday morning and write down what birds you see and the maximum number of each species at any one time.

Oh, and for one weekend a year, red squirrels are birds. We’re not sure what they think about that, we’ve tried asking but they are too busy – maybe they accept that it’s an honour.

Everyone who takes part in the count is a citizen scientist and doing their own small bit to help us understand our garden birds that bit better. Most of all though, it’s fun and will remind you how important our birds are to us and how much we need them to help us feel alive and well. And they’ll take your mind off things. So, please complete either an online form or download a copy (below) and email it on one day over the weekend and help us see how our birds are doing.

If you do see an red-billed chough, don’t be surprised and don’t forget – squirrels are birds!

Please use the online survey form Great Garden Birdwatch Survey Form 2023 or download from this website here and then return the form to us by any of the following methods: By Email: afw.jersey@outlook.com or birdsote@gmail.com by Message to Action for Wildlife Jersey on Facebook

Thank you for your participation in this year’s survey.

Andrew Koester, Survey coordinator and Glyn Young, Birds On The Edge

Chough report – December 2022

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By Charlotte Dean

Juveniles taking their pick

We may not have all our chicks blood sampled and sexed yet but there are plenty of signs of relationships developing between the juveniles and a few of our young females. We’re still seeing Sallow, a (potential) male chough from Kevin & Wally’s brood, getting very friendly with Portelet, a female which was wild hatched in 2020. Birch, another potential male chough from Dusty & Chickay’s brood, is becoming acquainted with Chewbacca. As the juveniles settle into their places within the flock, more may be taking their pick of the single ladies of the group. Rocco who was wild hatched in 2020 has been seen arriving at the aviary and allopreening with Alder another potential male from Dusty & Chickay’s clutch. Without the blood sample results we cannot be one hundred percent certain yet that these are true pairs emerging, but looking at the size of these birds, and we have some weights, we have a good idea that they are. Looking at behaviours we’ve been seeing between these new acquaintances too, it could be that within the next few years, or even next year, we’ll hopefully have a few new wild hatched pairs to produce truly wild chicks!

Grazers bring the goods

The National Trust for Jersey’s shepherd is currently managing the coastal landscapes by moving sheep (the grazers) around the Island. Some of those sheep are currently in several fields around Sorel, where the choughs spend most of their time foraging alongside them. The sheep act as a natural land management tool to help restore vegetation and plant and bird communities. The sheep graze in neighbouring fields around the aviary and on the coastline giving our choughs and other bird species a good place to forage. Choughs, favour shorter length grasslands and this is typically where insect diversity is higher. But the choughs do not only forage alongside the sheep, the sheep also provide the choughs with tasty insect larvae that are found in their faeces. During the year we’ve had sightings of the choughs regularly returning to a field containing cattle in St Mary; cattle provide similar benefits to the sheep. But once the cattle were moved, it was not a shock to find that the choughs had moved on to a new foraging spot. It won’t be too long until the choughs start using the grazers for another purpose too – their wool!

Everyone deserves a present

It’s coming to the end of the year, 2022, and we all know what that means, Christmas! But it’s not only us humans who get to enjoy celebrating over the Christmas holidays; the choughs deserve a piece of the joy at Sorel as well. The keepers got creative this year by making some ‘Christmas present’ enrichment. Compared to the scary bright orange pumpkin that loomed in the field at Halloween, the choughs were much less cautious of their new ‘Christmas present’ in one of their usual foraging fields. With some insect persuasion it wasn’t long until the choughs approached their Christmas gift. Interestingly, it was not the juvenile choughs that approached the present first, it was the adults.

End of year review

The wild chough flock on the island has a population of 43 currently. To our knowledge we’ve had no adults go missing over the course of this year. We have also had our highest record of chick survival since the project began; lucky number thirteen. There may be more breeding pairs in the coming year too, not just from the juveniles, as we located our highest number of nest sites around the Island – 15 nests! Who knows, we may even have a breeding pair nest in Guernsey as we know at least two of our females enjoyed a weekend trip away. The chough team are looking forward to what the new year brings for this growing population.

 

UK may ban sandeel fishing to save seabirds

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From BirdGuides

The fishing of sandeels in British waters might be banned this year under UK government plans to protect Atlantic puffin and (black-legged) kittiwake numbers

The tiny fish are important parts of seabird diets and many are harvested, mainly by non-UK fishing boats, to be made into feed for farmed salmon and livestock. While the largest threat to their population numbers is heating seas under climate breakdown, industrial fishing pressures them further.

A call for evidence by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) last year found that the industrial fishing of sandeels could be negatively affecting the populations of some of the UK’s endangered seabird species.

Now, as revealed by the Guardian, sources at the department have confirmed that a ban on the practice will be put in motion early this year, starting with a consultation of stakeholders in January. While the move is likely to dismay some in the fishing industry, wildlife campaigners have welcomed a potential ban.

The RSPB’s head of marine policy, Helen McLachlan, said: “A UK-wide ban on industrial trawling for sandeels would be gamechanging in our efforts to help save our threatened seabirds. The UK’s globally important seabird colonies are in trouble with iconic birds like puffins and kittiwakes at risk of being pushed to the brink of extinction.

“A ban on sandeel fishing in UK waters would protect the very fish that our amazing seabirds, their chicks and many other marine species need to survive. Over the last few decades our seabirds have declined in the face of increasing threats from climate change and other human activity.

“We’re running out of time to save some of the UK’s most loved wildlife and a ban on industrial sandeel fishing could be the single greatest thing decision-makers can do next year to throw our seabirds a lifeline.”

January volunteer activity

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Sunday 8th January 2023 – Les Blanches Banques, St Brelade 10:30-13.00

From Jersey Conservation Volunteers 

Happy New Year!!!

A new year, and a great task to burn off some of the Christmas indulgence 😊

Task In 2022 sheep grazed an area on the dunes for the first time and to add to their great work we will cut back blackthorn to improve floral diversity on this very special dune system.

If you have any questions, or if you wish to be added (or removed) to/from the Wild About Jersey email list, please contact either Julia Clively (tel: 441600; j.clively@gov.je) or Jon Parkes (tel: 483193; jon.parkes@nationaltrust.je).

The site Meet at La Carriere car park, Les Blanches Banques SSI (sand dunes)

Jersey Phone Directory Map 12, F16. Google maps here  

Time Meet at 10.15, ready to start work at 10:30. We will finish work at approximately 12:30 to give us the chance for a catch up over a cuppa.

Parking See maps above.

Tools needed We shall provide some tools but if you have loppers or pruning saws, they will be useful. Please do bring your own gloves if possible.

Clothing needed Please keep an eye out for the weather forecast as it could be wild and wet, so please wear appropriate (waterproof) clothing and sturdy boots and gloves.

Children All are welcome, although we do ask that volunteers under 16 years of age are accompanied by an adult. Due to the uneven ground, a reasonable level of fitness is required.

Refreshments 

*Please make sure you bring your own mug or reusable cup*

Kim the Kake will provide us with some of her excellent home-made cake and a hot drink at the end of the task.

Hope to see you there!

Chough report: November 2022

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By Charlotte Dean

Wind, rain & DIY!

The wind and rain have been battering the aviary a lot this month, so the keepers have been kept hard at work carrying out regular aviary structure checks, keeping the hatch wires tight and tying down and fixing any loose panelling. With all these strong winds, the aviary definitely has a low groan, while still standing strong. Thanks to the strong winds and heavy downpours it’s been a month of aviary surprises. As you will see in the photograph, one of our release hatches broke at the hinges – just goes to show how windy it has been! Thankfully, it wasn’t a hatch that is regularly used so it didn’t cause any harm to the keepers or the birds. The hatch was fixed but will eventually be replaced with a new one in the New Year. Considering the aviary was built almost 10 years ago, it is surprising that it doesn’t have more wear and tear and, despite the terrible weather, it is quite clear that it doesn’t stop the choughs from having fun!

Colour-rings

It has come to that time of year when colour rings start dropping off our choughs; this is most likely caused by the drastic change in temperature making the already long worn colour rings brittle enough to fall off. This in turn can bring identification concerns, but nothing a catch-up and re-ring can’t fix! If we can catch them that is. We have recently had a few of our adults fly into the aviary with colour-rings missing but thankfully these are some of our pairs and, therefore, it’s easy to know who’s who by identifying the other bird in the pair. We can just be thankful though that they’ve been lost and haven’t caused any ring-related issues. As choughs are relatively large birds, we use ‘wrap-around’ plastic rings which can, luckily very rarely, trap toes and/or claws; but in most cases, other ring options can have similar problems.

When a chough has its toe and/or claw stuck in a colour-ring, it doesn’t worry the keepers too much as this is a common occurrence for some birds. Furthermore, trapped digits are often more common in female choughs during the breeding season as their rings get stuck while they’re incubating. However, the birds generally manage to correct themselves without the keepers intervening. At the moment, however, we have a two adults in the flock that have their digits stuck in their colour rings, which we are closely monitoring. So far, they’ve not shown any signs of injury, but it may be that they will be caught up in the near future if the problem doesn’t naturally correct itself.

Juveniles catch-up

An attempt was made at the end of November to catch some adults with plastic ring issues; however, as ever, the adults outsmarted the keepers and flew away before they had a chance to set up! As we had arranged a ‘back up’ of other happy helpers to the aviary, we took the opportunity to catch some unsuspecting juveniles that let their hunger get the better of them by entering the aviary. So, five of the thirteen 2022 chicks were caught in the aviary. Although the newest additions to this wild populations have already been given names, we took blood samples from the briefly held juveniles to find out their sexes! The first five choughs caught, and blood sampled were: Willow, Liberty, Pine, Sallow & Birch. The blood samples themselves will take a few weeks to be processed and for us to receive the results. However, on visual observations, some choughs are more obvious through sexual size dimorphism than others. Male choughs are generally much heavier and larger than female choughs. On close inspection it became very clear that Sallow is a very large bird and most likely a male, it was the largest of all five caught. Portelet, a female which hatched in 2020, has been warming to Sallow of late and was spotted waiting outside the aviary for Sallow’s release. This brings great hope for a new pairing of Sallow & Portelet in the near future. Birch was quite average in size, however, but like Sallow & Portelet; Chewbacca was also seen waiting outside the aviary for its release so there could be another pair on the horizon. In the meantime, watch this space!