Save Our Birds!
UK wildlife in crisis
What’s The Problem?
There’s a real crisis facing the UK’s bird population. Tens of millions of birds have vanished from our countryside over the past few decades. 95% of turtle doves are gone; grey partridge, corn buntings and tree sparrows are down by 90%; and only a third of skylarks, lapwings and barn owls remain. House sparrows have declined by around 150 million birds in the past 30 years while starlings have seen their numbers fall by 45 million.
Intensive farming, the destruction of hedgerows, use of chemical fertilisers and insecticides, as well as the ending of crop rotation are to blame for this decline. However, housing development is playing a part, too. Most towns and cities are creeping outwards, encroaching on bird habitats.
Why Birds Matter
It makes us happy to listen to birdsong, or to watch their antics at a garden feeder. Poets have found inspiration in our feathered friends. But how much do they really matter?
From an environmental perspective, quite a lot. Birds are vital to maintain the balance of an ecosystem. They keep pest species under control, both insects and small rodents. For example, over an average four-year lifetime, a barn owl will eat 11,000 mice – those mice would have eaten 13 tons of crops.
They’re also vital in dispersing seeds. The birds eat the fruit of a plant or tree and, the seed passes through the bird and is dropped quite some distance away. More than 90% of woody trees are dispersed this way, as are hundreds of other plants.
Then come the scavengers. We’ve all seen crows on the roads and gulls anywhere there’s rubbish. Without them tidying up behind us, our highways would be littered with disease-ridden roadkill and we’d be overwhelmed with mountains of trash.
Helping Birds In Your Garden
You can’t solve all the problems facing the bird population yourself, but you can make sure the birds in your garden have the best support you can give them. It’s all about trying to maintain the balance of the micro-ecosystem in your garden. So what do birds need?
Fresh Water Every Day
A good supply of fresh, clean water is essential and a birdbath is the simplest way to do this. You can pay for an attractive piece of garden furniture but you don’t have to. The ideal birdbath has a rough sur face for good grip and shallow, sloping sides so you can fill it to a depth of 2.5cm-10cm (1-4 inches) to allow for different species using it. The simplest birdbath is a plant saucer with a textured finish and a stone in the middle. You could even have more than one around your garden. What is vital is that you clean it thoroughly ever y day and fill it with fresh water. It’s also a good idea to move it every few days, so the site doesn’t become contaminated with bird poo!
A Source Of Natural Food
Bird tables and bird feeders are a great way to help birds when there’s a shortage of their regular food – but it’s better (and cheaper) to encourage a good supply of their natural diet. So, when you’re choosing new plants for your garden, take your feathered friends’ needs into consideration, too, and avoid the use of insecticides.
Anything with berries is good – rowan, crab apple, holly or mulberry for example – as are plants that attract a variety of insects, such as honeysuckle, buddleja and ivy.
Create a log pile away from living plants in a shady corner. If you see a friend or neighbour pruning or felling trees, ask if you can have some of the wood. Ideally, you want the bark untouched as many insects live under it. Partly bury the bottom logs to help keep it all damp, surround it with dead leaves and let nature take its course. Water it if it looks dry.
Somewhere To Nest
The neater and more manicured our gardens are, the harder it is for birds to find somewhere to nest. Putting up a nest box is ideal – you can buy one or download instructions on how to make one from RSPB.ORG.UK. The size and where you site it varies depending on what birds you want to attract. However, general rules include making sure there’s a clear flight path without any obstacles in front of the box. Unless it’s shaded during the day, face the box between north and east and tilt it forwards slightly to keep driving rain out.
In the autumn, take your box down and use boiling water to get rid of any parasites, then let it dry out thoroughly before replacing the lid.
If you can leave a little hole into a shed or outhouse, you may find a robin, wren or swallow has set up home.
At nesting time, resist the urge to tidy your garden. Sticks, dead leaves, pine needles, moss, straw and dead plant stems will all be snapped up by nest builders. You can also leave out cotton wool, scraps of fabric and dog or cat grooming hair. A muddy puddle will be popular, too, particularly with house martins.
It’s Not Just The Birds…
In a recent report by the World Wildlife Planet, the UK was listed as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world – 189th out of 218 countries. A major study last year concluded that Scottish wildcats are effectively extinct in the wild. Half of the country’s wildlife species have been in decline over the last 50 years, from hedgehogs to bees and butterflies, dormice to red squirrels and frogs. Mostly, it’s happened for the same reasons as the decline in bird numbers – loss of habitat, over-use of insecticides, factory farming and lack of food. Here are a few ideas to give the wildlife in your garden a helping hand.
Plant A Herb Garden
Really popular with butterflies, bees, moths and hoverflies. Try thyme, borage, rosemary, sage and fennel. Herbs grow well in pots, so are ideal even if you only have a tiny garden or a window box.
If You Want To Do More
Making your garden a bird haven is great, but if you want to get involved on a wider scale, there’s lots you can do.
There are many organisations working hard to make things better and you can find out more about them online – the RSPB, the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust and the Wildlife Trusts. There are also local birding clubs and wildlife groups in just about ever y area of the country. There are also groups dedicated to particular birds, such as owls or hawks.
The RSPB is by far the largest of these organisations and is at the forefront of campaigning for changes that will help the bird population recover. They always welcome members who want to join in these campaigns and produce guidelines on the most effective ways to do it.
They also need volunteers for all kinds of jobs, in your local community, at nature reserves or even from home. Check out all the info at RSPB.ORG.UK.
Create A Pond
It doesn’t have to be a big, expensive affair. Anything that holds water will do. Use stones to create a shallow route for creatures to get to the water and ensure there’s an easy route out for any animal that falls in. Add some oxygenating plants and dwarf waterlilies – ideal landing pads for damselflies and dragonflies.
Get A Compost Bin
They use up food waste and feed your soil but they’re also the perfect habitat for worms, frogs, woodlice and spiders.
Create A Wildlife Highway
Wild creatures like frogs and hedgehogs need to move about, so make sure your fences have gaps at the bottom.