"Urgent action" needed to save UK's birds
RSPB issues bird decline warning
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Friday, 18, Aug 2006 11:54
A new report into the state of the UK's birds has warned that "urgent action" is needed to prevent the further decline of widespread species.
The report, which was conducted jointly by three conservation groups and four government agencies, found that of the 26 birds most under threat in the UK, most of the rare species have increased while more widespread species have largely continued to decline.
In 1995 the 26 birds were given a biodiversity action plan but 11 years on the report has revealed that although nine species are performing strongly, the rest are continuing to decline or at best have only stable populations.
The song thrush and tree sparrow are both increasing in numbers while scarcer birds including the bittern, woodlark, and the nightjar have all increased "spectacularly", which is thought to be due to work carried out as part of their action plans.
However, seven of the ten widespread species are continuing to decline, with particular concern expressed for the turtle dove as the species has almost halved in number over the last decade.
The RSPB, one of the groups involved with the report, said that it hoped payments to farmers who use wildlife-friendly farming techniques will create the conditions these widespread species need to prosper.
The RSPB's conservation director, Dr Mark Avery, said: "The recovery of some species has been sufficient to prove the success of biodiversity action plans. However, the challenge now is to see all priority species turning around their fortunes.
"The UK government has agreed to halt the decline of wildlife by 2010. With less than four years to go, we'll need to see urgent action before some of our most rapidly declining species turn the corner, especially as a review this year is forecast to highlight the inclusion of many more birds which are currently declining."
Dr Phil Grice of English Nature added: "Tackling the declines in widespread bird species will require sympathetic land management right across the countryside and not just on nature reserves.
"The UK's various agri-environment schemes, such as Environmental Stewardship in England, now include measures targeted on declining farmland birds, such as the skylark and grey partridge. If enough farmers take part in these schemes, there is every chance that we will see a turn around in the fortunes of the declining species over the coming decade."
As well as the RSPB and English Nature, the British Trust for Ornithology; the Countryside Council for Wales, the Environment and Heritage Service (Northern Ireland) and The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust worked on the study.