Upland Birds on CBC Sites

Concerns over declining upland birds on grazed farmland led the BTO to undertake a small-scale survey of upland farmland birds during the summer 2000, by revisiting old Common Birds Census (CBC) sites last visited in the 1970s.

The field work involved five visits to sites in Dumfries, Brecknockshire, Cumbria, Yorkshire and Lancashire.

This study found significant widespread declines in abundance for 16 bird species in marginal upland across England, Wales and southern Scotland. Of these species, 14 are either commonly associated with grassland landscapes (Grey Partridge, Lapwing, Redshank, Snipe, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Whinchat & Wheatear) or frequently forage in grassland habitats (Blackbird, Song Thrush, Linnet, Yellowhammer & Reed Bunting). In contrast, on the same plots, seven species recorded a significant increase in abundance between survey periods. Of these, six species commonly forage on grassland (Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow and Goldfinch), but are also closely associated with woodland or woodland edge habitats. Curlew was exceptional in being the only grassland-dependent species that did not show a declining trend. These results are consistent with published studies from lowland grasslands (Vickery et al. 2001) and with overall national population trends from atlas studies (Gibbons et al. 1993).

Please contact at the BTO in Thetford for further details. Also see Henderson et al. 2004.