BTO - Breeding Birds of the Wider Countryside: Linnet

LINNET
Carduelis cannabina

Linnet © Tommy Holden

Conservation listings

Europe: SPEC category 2 (declining)
UK: red (>50% population decline)

Long-term trend

England: rapid decline

Distribution maps

Maps and statistics from British and Irish
atlases can be viewed here.

Status summary

Linnet abundance declined rapidly in the UK between the mid 1970s and mid 1980s. Numbers have subsequently remained stable, although with shallow decline in England since 1994 and apparently some recovery in Scotland and Wales. CES has shown steep and continuing declines. Nest failure rates rose during the principal period of population decline, and this represents the most likely demographic mechanism driving the observed decreases in abundance (Siriwardena et al. 1999, 2000b). CES results suggest that low productivity is still a problem for the species, possibly due to reductions in hedgerow quality leaving nests more exposed to predation. Following decreases in northwest Europe during the 1990s, the European status is no longer considered 'secure'.

Table of population changes for Linnet

Source Period
(yrs) Years Plots
(n) Change
(%) Lower
limit Upper
limit Alert Comment

CBC/BBS England 35 1967-2002 294 -68 -76 -60 >50

25 1977-2002 365 -54 -63 -42 >50

10 1992-2002 746 -6 -18 4

5 1997-2002 955 -2 -8 3

CES adults 18 1984-2002 20 -94 . . [>50*]

10 1992-2002 22 -82 . . [>50*]

5 1997-2002 17 -56 . . [>50*] Small sample

CES juveniles 18 1984-2002 14 -97 . . [>50*] Small sample

10 1992-2002 15 -87 . . [>50*] Small sample

5 1997-2002 14 -64 . . [>50*] Small sample

BBS UK 9 1994-2003 1024 -1 -8 6

BBS England 9 1994-2003 836 -9 -16 -2

BBS Scotland 9 1994-2003 79 23 -5 60

BBS Wales 9 1994-2003 78 26 -5 67

Table of productivity information for Linnet

Variable	Period (yrs)	Years	Mean annual sample	Trend	Predicted in first year	Predicted in last year	Change	Comment
Clutch size	34	1968-2002	107	None
Brood size	34	1968-2002	122	Curvilinear	4.07 chicks	4.2 chicks	0.13 chicks
Daily failure rate (eggs)	34	1968-2002	151	Curvilinear	0.0158 nests/day	0.0191 nests/day	0.0033 nests/day
Daily failure rate (chicks)	34	1968-2002	108	Linear increase	0.0151 nests/day	0.0218 nests/day	0.0067 nests/day
Laying date	34	1968-2002	110	None
Percentage juveniles (CES)	18	1984-2002	23	Smoothed trend	334 productivity index	102 productivity index	-70%[>50]
Percentage juveniles (CES)	10	1992-2002	26	Smoothed trend	164 productivity index	102 productivity index	-39%[>25]
Percentage juveniles (CES)	5	1997-2002	21	Smoothed trend	139 productivity index	102 productivity index	-28%[>25]


	BTO Home \| JNCC Home BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, UK. © British Trust for Ornithology (Registered Charity Number 216652). Terms and Conditions \| Privacy Statement Email:
This report should be cited as: Baillie, S.R., Marchant, J.H., Crick, H.Q.P., Noble, D.G., Balmer, D.E., Beaven, L.P., Coombes, R.H., Downie, I.S., Freeman, S.N., Joys, A.C., Leech, D.I., Raven, M.J., Robinson, R.A. and Thewlis, R.M. (2005) Breeding Birds in the Wider Countryside: their conservation status 2004. BTO Research Report No. 385. BTO, Thetford. (http://www.bto.org/birdtrends) Pages maintained by Susan Waghorn and Iain Downie: Last updated 18 January, 2006