Press Releases - September/October 2007
Item 2

No. 2007/09/68
September 2007

DECLINING GARDEN BIRDS GET RECOGNITION

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has welcomed the inclusion of three ‘common’ birds in a new Government list of species to receive priority conservation action. House Sparrow, Starling and Dunnock now sit alongside species like Corncrake, Stone Curlew and Marsh Warbler.

The Government uses a number of different processes to help it determine the best ways in which to deliver conservation action within the United Kingdom. One of these is a periodic review of all our plants, animals and habitats to see how they are faring, and to identify priority targets for future conservation action. This results in the establishment of a series of national Biodiversity Action Plans (or BAPS as they are more commonly called). The latest list of BAPs has just been published and the British Trust for Ornithology is delighted to see the inclusion of some of our closest neighbours.

Mike Toms, BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch Organiser commented, “Quite understandably, it is our rarest species that attract the most attention, either from the media or from targeted conservation action. However, the very large declines seen in populations of more common species, like House Sparrow and Starling, are also worthy of attention. It is because of the efforts of BTO volunteers, contributing to long-term monitoring of garden birds, that we have been alerted to the declines in such species and this has prompted their inclusion on the new Government list. ”

Since the mid-1970s, roughly six million pairs of breeding House Sparrows have been lost and conservation action is urgently needed to reverse this dramatic decline. The new BAP for House Sparrow will outline how this can be achieved, drawing together what we know about the causes behind the decline, setting conservation objectives and attracting funding for much-needed research. Information collected through BTO surveys, including the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch, will feed into this process and will also help to monitor the success of the Biodiversity Action Plans.

Mike Toms added, “Now that the declines in these species have triggered their inclusion on the new BAP list, we should see more resources being directed towards their conservation. This has to be a good thing for these garden birds.”

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Notes for Editors

1. Biodiversity Action Plan species. The new BAP list sees the addition of 33 bird species to the 26 originally on the list following the first review, which took place in 1995. Species qualify for BAP listing on the basis of sizeable population declines or because their populations are threatened on a global scale. Both House Sparrow and Starling have been added to the list because they have shown declines of greater than 50%.

2. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch is the only nationwide survey of garden birds to run weekly throughout the year. It provides important information on how birds use gardens and how this use changes over time. Currently, some 16,000 people take part in the project. The scheme is funded by participants’ contributions and supported by CJ WildBird Foods Ltd. For more information see www.bto.org/gbw

3. CJ WildBird Foods Ltd is Europe’s leading supplier of bird food and bird feeding products. The company has been responsible for a number of significant developments within the bird food and feeding industry, including the introduction of black sunflower seeds to the UK as a major new bird food and the development of specialist seed mixes for use in tubular feeders. CJ WildBird Foods Ltd has also been supporting research into the changing fortunes of garden bird populations, most notably through its association with the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch.

4. Colour photographs of House Sparrows, Starlings and Dunnocks are freely available for use in association with this press release. Please contact to request an electronic version, quoting reference 2007/09/68

5. The BTO has an ISDN line available for radio interviews.

For further information, please contact:

Mike Toms - BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch Organiser
Office: 01842-750050
Email:

Paul Stancliffe - BTO Promotions Officer
Office: 01842-750050
Mobile: 07845-900559
Email:

Images - for image requests
Office: 01842-750050
Email: