Participation in an annual nationwide survey of farmland birds has more than doubled. Britain’s farmers and gamekeepers have shown their long-term commitment to conservation alongside productive land-use by completing this year’s GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count in record numbers. The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’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. Despite much of the country being blanketed in snow during the count (5-21 February) participation has shot up, with 2,500 counts returned, representing a 65% increase in the number of counts submitted compared to 2020, which was also a record year.
Blackbirds remain most common bird species on Scottish farms
Blackbirds remain the most commonly seen species of bird on Scottish farms
Blackbirds remain the most commonly seen species of birds on Scottish farms, crofts and estates, according to results from this year’s Big Farmland Bird Count.
The count, which was launched in 2014 by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), aims to assess the effect of conservation schemes on farms and estates, such as supplementary feeding or growing wild bird seed or game cover crops.
A total of 93 species were recorded by 117 Scottish farmers, who collectively farm more than 98,000 acres, in this year’s count.
Published:
6:00 PM April 9, 2021
A song thrush was among the species spotted by farmers during the Great Farmland Bird Count
- Credit: Andy Morffew
Organisers of an annual farmland bird count have expressed delight as participation in the event more than doubled this year.
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s (GWCT) Big Farmland Bird Count recorded sightings of a total of 25 species on the Red List for Birds of Conservation Concern with eight appearing in the 25 most frequently seen species list.
Farmers, gamekeepers and land managers spent 30 minutes recording the bird species they saw on their land to provide a snapshot of sightings over a period from February 5 to February 21.
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UK’s biggest ever farmland bird count shows farmers committing to conservation.
News 07 Apr 2021
Participation in an annual nationwide survey of farmland birds has more than doubled. Britain’s farmers and gamekeepers have shown their long-term commitment to conservation alongside productive land-use by completing this year’s GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count in record numbers.
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’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. Despite much of the country being blanketed in snow during the count (5-21 February) participation has shot up, with 2,500 counts returned, representing a