Almost Half of All UK Bird Species in Decline
Bird populations in the UK continue to rapidly decline with almost half of all bird species between 2015 and 2020 in decline, with woodland bird species being the most affected. This is urgent. IT IS TIME TO PULL BACK.
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.
The RSPB Annual Garden Wildlife Survey
The RSPB has 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.
Why are UK birds declining?
According to wildlife experts, habitat loss, mainly driven by changes in agriculture, is one of the biggest drivers of UK bird decline.
This has resulted in farmland birds have suffering the worst declines over the past 50 years, which peaked in the late 1970's and 1980's. This was largely due to the rapid changes in farmland management during the 1950's and 1960's.
The loss of mixed farming, means less diversity of plants and animals and fewer opportunities for birds to forage in different habitats throughout the year. 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 it is woodland birds which have suffered the biggest impact with 59% of species declining between 2015-2020. Some potential causes are a lack of woodland management and pressures from increased deer browsing, reducing the availability of suitable nesting and foraging habitats. The housing crisis and overpopulation is also forcing birds out of what was once their natural habits.
Bird populations are considered a good indication of the broader state of wildlife in the UK. This is because they are a well-studied group that occupies a wide range of habitats and responds to environmental pressures that also impact other wildlife groups.
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. No one is pulling back, they need to pull back.
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% increase during this time.
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. We need to do more.
What can we do to attract birds into our gardens?
Whether your home is in the countryside or a suburban street, you can attract birds into your garden by following these easy steps.
Introduce a water source.
Whether you stand a bird bath in a border or leave out a saucer with fresh water the birds will delight in having a place not only to drink, but to bathe too.
Robins, chaffinches, and blackbirds will readily nest in garden hedgerows. For other species, instal nest boxes to attract mating pairs and new families to your garden.
An obvious choice for anyone wishing to attract birds to their garden is to install a bird feeder. Ensure that the feeders are cleaned frequently to prevent the spread of disease between visiting birds.
Fill the feeders with different seeds and mixes depending on the type of birds you wish to attract House sparrows enjoy mixed birdseed, goldfinch are partial to sunflower hearts and Nyjer seeds and blue tits love peanuts, although this is shared by the squirrels.
For the garden birds that are left, you can also help prevent them from becoming dinner by adding a bell to the collars of any household cats. The jingle gives the birds a chance to escape earlier. Please also think about feeding those who do make it to your gardens.
In 2023, these figures will have increased and the decline will be greater. The decrease in birds is largely man-made, also brought about through global-warming, which is heading into free-fall, through an over-population and a housing crisis, where birds are being pushed out of their natural habitats, without us putting on the brakes.
Governments need to make the bird species decline issue a priority, by putting measures in place to save the domestic bird, they're not.
Their decline will have an effect on the way we are able to live our lives moving forward. Lifestyles are very much contributing to their decline.
Source: https://www.nhm.ac.uk
https://www.theenglishhome.co.uk
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