Praise for big turnout in farmland bird count

Farmers and gamekeepers have taken part in record numbers in the Big Farmland Bird Count

ARECORD number of farmers participated in this year’s Big Farmland Bird Count, leading to 81% more birds being counted over one million hectares of British farmland.

The annual nationwide survey, organised by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and sponsored by the NFU for the past three years, showed some encouraging results. Despite much of the country being blanketed in snow during the survey period – February 5 to 21 – 2,500 counts were returned. This represents a 65% increase in the number of counts submitted compared to 2020.

A total of 25 species from the Red List for Birds of Conservation Concern were recorded in this year’s count, with eight appearing in the 25 most frequently seen species list.

Of these, starlings, fieldfare, lapwing and linnet were the four most abundant red-listed species recorded, with more than 112,000 spotted in total, which equates to 22% of all the birds counted.

The five most abundant birds counted were woodpigeons, starling, rooks, fieldfare and chaffinch. A total of 190,000 were seen, making up over 37% of the total number of birds recorded.

NFU President Minette Batters said: “These results are tremendous and I would like to thank all those farmers who responded to this year’s count in record numbers despite the wintry weather back in February. It’s great too that so many different threatened species were spotted such as lapwing and linnet. British farmers are proud to produce your food and it is often unappreciated that they also provide habitats for wildlife and additional feeding for farmland birds during the winter months.

“The Big Farmland Bird Count is always a fantastic way for farmers to record the birdlife found on their farms and why I am really pleased that the NFU could sponsor this year’s count once again.”

GWCT’s Dr Roger Draycott, who organised the count, said: “We could not be more delighted with the response to this year’s GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count. Participation

British farmers are proud to produce your food – and provide wildlife habitats MINETTE BATTERS, NFU

has shot up compared to 2020, which was also a record year. The land area covered by the count has more than doubled to over a million hectares and 81% more birds have been counted this year by more than 700 additional volunteers.

“All of this helps us to build a detailed national picture of the state of Britain’s farmland birds, allowing us to better understand what is really going on in our countryside. It clearly shows that farmers, land managers and gamekeepers care for the land they work and, given that they look after 71% of all the land in the UK, that is extremely good news for the future of our treasured bird species.

“We would like to thank everyone who took part for demonstrating that land managers can lead the way in protecting our countryside alongside effective food production.”

The GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count asks farmers and land managers to spend 30 minutes recording the bird species they see on their land as part of an annual nationwide survey which helps to identify any species which are struggling.

The count is a simple way for farmers and gamekeepers to assess the natural capital on farm, an increasing requirement under the government’s Environmental Land Management scheme, and to chart the effects of any conservation they carry out.

Completing it year after year can help to establish the biodiversity gains from long-term conservation efforts. The scheme was launched in 2014 to highlight the positive work done by farmers and gamekeepers in helping to reverse the decline in farmland birds.

Land managers from around the UK took part in the 2021 count.

Surveys were undertaken in every county of England and across much of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, with Norfolk topping the leader board with 189 submissions and Lincolnshire in second place with 131. Participation rates increased this year in England, Wales and Scotland.

The average farm size of those taking part was 1,027 acres.

Almost half – 48% – of participants were in agri-environment schemes, demonstrating their long-term commitment to environmental management.

Some 39% of participants provide some form of extra support for birds, through growing bird seed mixes or by winter feeding.

Charlie Elder > Linnet on Dartmoor. The species was among the most spotted red-listed bird recorded in the Big Farmland Bird Count in February