Wild bird numbers continue to fall in UK with some species in ‘dramatic freefall’ | Birds
The species of wild birds are faced with a drop in acceleration from the United Kingdom, show the figures, with certain species heading towards local extinction.
The number of birds has dropped since the 1970s, and government data show that the trend continues; Between 2019 and 2024, the species index decreased in the United Kingdom by 4% and England by 7%.
Intensive agricultural practices have had a significant impact on certain bird populations, due to the increase in the use of machines and pesticides, as well as the elimination of habitats such as hedges.
In some regions, rare bird species such as turtle doves are now making a return while farmers create habitats and gripped more permanently. The report, of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Department, notes that generalized these practices is necessary if the number of birds must recover.
Professor Richard Gregory, responsible for the science of the conservation of the RSPB, said: “Alarm, the new data shows an acceleration scheme of decline of our bird populations, whether on our agricultural land, our wetlands, our highlands or the seas, because they are pushed beyond their limits. In particular, sea birds have crushed increasing pressure. Time is exhausted to achieve government objectives to recover nature and yet we have solutions and know-how, now we need all the different actors to bring together to bring British birds on board. »»
The populations of agricultural land has dropped by around 62% in the long term and 11% in the short term, with more difficult reductions for specialized agricultural land than generalists. Those who faced the worst drops include turtle doves, a gray partridge and the tree sparrow.
However, there are also good news in the data, which shows that the populations of wooded birds are starting to stabilize because more habitat is restored through the United Kingdom. Last year’s data revealed that wood species had the largest number of species in the short term. This year, fewer wooded species are decreasing and more increases, although Defra says that it continues to be concerned with the green peak, which is highly decreasing in the short term (22% since 2018).
Species such as Lapwing and Yellowhammer manifest themselves concerning the decreases, the figures falling by more than 65% over the longer period and continue to decrease sharply in the past five years in England and the United Kingdom.
The objective of the government is to stop the decline of nature by 2030 and increase the abundance of species and biodiversity in the following years. This includes the numbers of wild birds.
Alice Groom, responsible for the policy of using RSPB, said: “New data again show the reductions in agricultural land. What we have seen in the past 50 years – that the Yellowhammers, the Turtle Doves, the reverse and other agricultural land is in spectacular free fall.
“However, we also know that farmers working with nature can reverse these drops while improving long -term food production. We need the British government to deploy a set of effective and well -funded and friendly programs on scale, allowing farmers to manage 10% for nature, providing resources all year round for agricultural birds to bounce back.
Defra was contacted for comments.
