A songbird’s tale of two Britains

A northern powerhouse for songbirds is emerging as species thriving in Scotland struggle south of the border.

Spotted flycatchers and willow warblers in particular are showing huge differences in fortunes, the latest Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) found.

In Scotland flycatchers increased by two thirds between 2011 and 2016 and willow warblers saw an increase of a fifth over the past 23 years.

In England, however, both species are in trouble with the number of breeding flycatchers having declined 65 per cent since the first BBS survey in 1994. As a result, the species has been red-listed (of the highest conservation concern). Warblers have declined 9 per cent since the survey began, while a worrying 40 per cent of its breeding population has been lost in England. The results were compiled thanks to a record 2,814 volunteers who collected the data.

Samantha Herbert