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Abstract from BTO Research Report No 219:

Henderson, I. (1999)

Birds Eye Walls: Partnership for Sustainability.
A resume of the usage of winter stubbles by birds on arable farmland in the UK.

Executive summary

In recent years a large number of ecological studies have been carried out in an attempt to identify the causative factors underlying the now well established decline of a range of farmland birds, both in Britain and elsewhere (Fuller et al. 1995, Gibbons et al. 1996, Pain & Pienkowski 1997). The vast majority of studies have focussed on factors operating in the breeding season and as a result winter ecology has been largely neglected. This is despite the fact that winter ecology has been highlighted as a key information need for several Biodiversity Action Plan species (Anon 1995a, 1995b & 1998). A small number of studies have considered farmland birds in winter, mainly in relation to a particular agricultural issue or management practice, such as organic farming (Wilson et al. 1996) or set-aside (Buckingham et al. in press). One study, focusing on Corn Buntings Miliaria calandra (Donald & Evans 1994) has examined a species’ ecology across a broad range of habitats in winter. The Skylark Alauda arvensis too has recently received attention in winter (see below).

Among the winter farmland habitats, stubble fields are recognised as one of the most important for providing food to seed-eating passerines in particular, many of which, such as Tree Sparrow Passer montanus, Linnet Carduelis cannabina, Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella and Corn Bunting, have experienced serious long-term declines in population size (Evans 1997a & b). However, winter stubbles are themselves only a small proportion of the arable landscape, and the displacement of spring-sown cereal by winter-sown cereals has seriously depleted this valuable resource (O’Connor & Shrubb 1986).

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