FARMLAND SEED-EATING BIRDS
LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN

INCLUDING TREE SPARROW, HOUSE SPARROW, CORN BUNTING, REED BUNTING, YELLOWHAMMER, LINNET, BULLFINCH, SKYLARK, STARLING, LAPWING, SONG THRUSH AND GREY PARTRIDGE

Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed! ACTION COMPLETED IN 2005

1. BASC have continued to provide access to land via their members to contribute to farmland bird surveys.
2. FWAG have undertaken site visits to 10 BASC members to provide advice on conservation measures and environmental stewardship.
3. Four BASC members are currently engaged in the RSPB Operation Tree Sparrow scheme to provide nest boxes and feeding stations for this species.
4. One BASC member is participating in the RSPB Lapwing and Skylark lifeline scheme by allowing ongoing survey work to be done.
5. Funds have been provided via the BASC Wildlife Habitat Trust (WHT) to install extra wild bird cover crops aimed at increasing numbers of Grey Partridge. Ongoing brood counts will indicate the success of this scheme.
6. In a recent BASC survey on the conservation work of their members it was found that 147 tree sparrow boxes had been erected in Cheshire in the last year.

Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed!

OBJECTIVES

The overall objective is firstly, to stabilise the populations and secondly, to increase the populations of the species of seed eating farmland birds included in this plan. The extent of the increase will vary and depends upon the individual species' biology and the nature of the species decline.

However we will need targets to aim for, and for this reason we will look to stabilise the farmland granivorous bird species by 2006, and increase the species listed by 20% by 2010.

By this time the long-term plans emerging from Countryside Stewardship programmes should begin to show results.

LOCAL TARGETS

Targets awaited.

CURRENT STATUS

This action plan covers granivorous farmland birds, which have suffered severe declines since the mid-seventies. The plan will provide a holistic framework from which the practical elements can be delivered to meet the same objectives.

The group of birds this action plan covers are: Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, Corn Bunting, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Linnet, Bullfinch, Skylark, Starling, Lapwing, Song Thrush and Grey Partridge. All of which are seed-eaters during the winter months, however the diet changes in Spring and Summer to invertebrates.

Changes from traditional farming methods, loss of key habitat for both nesting and foraging have contributed to the decline of these bird species the following table shows the population trends of the species covered by the action plan.

Population Trends of Farmland Bird BAP Species - BTO Common Bird Census Data

Species	Population Change 25yr	Population Change 5yr
Grey Partridge	-83%	-29%
Tree Sparrow	-94%	-30%
Linnet	-55%	-23%
Yellowhammer	-56%	-23%
Reed Bunting	-61%	-24%
Skylark	-54%	-11%
Corn Bunting	-86%	-22%
House Sparrow	-51%	-
Starling	-61%
Bullfinch	-56%	-5%

ACTION REQUIRED IN 2006+

All plots will have a designated farmland bird surveyor assigned to it.
Designed monitoring methodology, training field surveyors.
Increase winter seed feeding stations.
Tree Sparrow breeding monitoring.
Work with BASC members to provide appropriate habitat in key areas of the county to increase the population of wild grey partridge.
BASC will arrange access to game cover crops on BASC members land over the winter for farmland bird monitoring

ACTION COMPLETED PREVIOUSLY

Cheshire Lapwing and Skylark Lifeline (01484 861148, free 24 hour service) set up. This project offers advice to farmers who wish to carry out conservation measures on their farms to benefit two popular and familiar farmland birds, the lapwing and skylark. The advice has an emphasis on low cost or no cost options, it could involve providing support for funding applications, and/or management advice relating to set-aside.
In 2004 BASC secured £40,000 over 5 years from the Wildlife Habitat Trust to work with BASC members to provide appropriate habitat in key areas of the county to increase the population of wild grey partridge.

ACTUAL LBAP IMPLEMENTERS

BASC	DEFRA	R S Leigh
BTO	EN	RSPB
CAWOS	FWAG
CWT	P M Hill

OTHER POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTERS

Landowners and managers

Local groups and individuals

rECOrd

CONTACT

Mark Greenhough, BASC
Phone: 01244 573000

REFERENCES

HMSO (1995) : Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report, Volume 1: Meeting the Rio Challenge, London.
HMSO (1995): Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report, Volume 2: Action Plans, London.

Date compiled - 2002
Date reviewed - 2003, 2004, 2005