BTO - Breeding Birds of the Wider Countryside: Linnet

LINNET
Carduelis cannabina

Linnet © Tommy Holden

• Population
changes

• Productivity
trends

• Additional
information

Conservation listings

Europe: SPEC category 2, declining
UK: red (>50% population decline)
UK Biodiversity Action Plan: click here

Long-term trend

England: rapid decline

UK population size

556,000 territories in 2000 (1988–91 Atlas estimate updated using CBC/BBS trend: BiE04, APEP06)

Status summary

Linnet abundance fell rapidly in the UK between the mid 1970s and mid 1980s. Numbers have subsequently changed little overall, although with further decrease in England and Wales and possibly some increase in Northern Ireland. CES has shown declines continuing strongly in recent years. 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 and nest record results suggest that low productivity is still a problem for the species, possibly due to reductions in hedgerow quality leaving nests more exposed and therefore at greater risk of predation. Recent decreases in clutch and brood sizes, and in nest survival at the chick stage, raise NRS concern (Leech & Barimore 2008). Nestling diet incorporates a high proportion of oilseed rape seeds, suggesting that the inclusion of this crop in arable rotations may be important in maintaining Linnet populations (Moorcroft et al. 2006). Linnets are estimated to have declined by 54% across Europe during 1980–2005 (PECBMS 2007). Following widespread declines across Europe during the 1990s, the European status of this species is no longer considered 'secure' (BirdLife International 2004).

Population changes

CBC/BBS England graph

Table of population changes for Linnet

Source	Period (yrs)	Years	Plots (n)	Change (%)	Lower limit	Upper limit	Alert	Comment
CBC/BBS England	39	1967-2006	367	-75	-81	-66	>50
	25	1981-2006	501	-47	-57	-32	>25
	10	1996-2006	967	-27	-32	-21	>25
	5	2001-2006	953	-22	-25	-16
CES adults	22	1984-2006	20	-92	-97	-84	>50
	10	1996-2006	18	-62	-84	-35	>50	Small sample
	5	2001-2006	14	-14	-54	40		Small sample
CES juveniles	22	1984-2006	14	-96	-99	-87	>50	Small sample
	10	1996-2006	14	-67	-91	-38	>50	Small sample
	5	2001-2006	12	-6	-64	71		Small sample
BBS UK	11	1995-2006	1122	-22	-29	-16
	10	1996-2006	1145	-20	-26	-14
	5	2001-2006	1193	-16	-22	-10
BBS England	11	1995-2006	909	-30	-35	-23	>25
	10	1996-2006	925	-26	-31	-19	>25
	5	2001-2006	953	-20	-23	-14
BBS Scotland	11	1995-2006	84	3	-22	24
	10	1996-2006	85	1	-24	21
	5	2001-2006	88	-3	-20	18
BBS Wales	11	1995-2006	91	-14	-34	14
	10	1996-2006	94	-17	-37	7
	5	2001-2006	106	-26	-40	-8	>25
BBS N.Ireland	11	1995-2006	31	48	-7	109
	10	1996-2006	33	37	-10	93
	5	2001-2006	37	4	-19	36

CES adult abundance graph

CES juvenile abundance graph

BBS UK graph

BBS England graph

BBS Scotland graph

BBS Wales graph

Productivity trends

Table of productivity changes for Linnet

Variable	Period (yrs)	Years	Mean annual sample	Trend	Modelled in first year	Modelled in 2006	Change	Comment
Clutch size	38	1968-2006	108	Curvilinear	4.7 eggs	4.57 eggs	-2.7%
Brood size	38	1968-2006	122	Curvilinear	4.07 chicks	4.08 chicks	0.3%
Daily failure rate (eggs)	38	1968-2006	154	Curvilinear	1.65% nests/day	2.29% nests/day	38.8%
Daily failure rate (chicks)	38	1968-2006	110	Linear increase	1.52% nests/day	2.24% nests/day	47.4%
Laying date	38	1968-2006	109	None
Juvenile to Adult ratio (CES)	22	1984-2006	22	Smoothed trend	474 Index value	100 Index value	-79% >50
Juvenile to Adult ratio (CES)	10	1996-2006	21	Smoothed trend	177 Index value	100 Index value	-44%
Juvenile to Adult ratio (CES)	5	2001-2006	18	Smoothed trend	186 Index value	100 Index value	-46%	Small sample

Clutch size graph

Brood size graph

Egg nest failure graph

Chick nest failure graph

Laying date graph

CES productivity graph

Additional information


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This report should be cited as: Baillie, S.R., Marchant, J.H., Leech, D.I., Joys, A.C., Noble, D.G., Barimore, C., Grantham, M.J., Risely, K. & Robinson, R.A. (2009). Breeding Birds in the Wider Countryside: their conservation status 2008. BTO Research Report No. 516. BTO, Thetford. (http://www.bto.org/birdtrends) Pages maintained by Iain Downie, Mandy T Andrews and Laura Smith: Last updated 18.02.2009