wild bird populations 2008 - sustainable development strategy and

WILD BIRD POPULATIONS 2008

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY and PUBLIC SERVICE AGREEMENT INDICATORS

29 October 2009

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Nobel House 17 Smith Square London SW1P 3JR Telephone +44 (0) 20 7238 6609 Internet service www.defra.gov.uk

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The United Kingdom Government's ‘Sustainable Development’ indicators of

wild bird populations have been updated and published to show changes in

the breeding populations of common native bird species up to 2008. These

are based on population indices for breeding farmland birds, woodland birds,

water and wetland birds, and seabirds. The indicators use unsmoothed trends

and are relative to 1970 levels apart from the water and wetland bird indicator

which is relative to 1975 levels.

The England natural environment PSA (public service agreement 28)

indicators on bird populations have also been published. Indicators are

produced for breeding populations of farmland, woodland, and water and

wetland birds in England along with an aggregate indicator calculated by

combining the three specific habitat indicators. The indicators use smoothed

trends and are relative to 1970 levels apart from the water and wetland bird

indicator which is relative to 1975 levels. Unsmoothed versions of these

indices have also been included for the sake of clarity.

Bird populations are considered to be a good indicator of the broad state of

wildlife because birds occupy a wide range of habitats, they tend to be near or

at the top of food chains and there is considerable long-term data on changes

in bird populations which helps in the interpretation of shorter term

fluctuations.

Key Results

i. SDS indicators for the United Kingdom • An overall ‘all bird species’ index for the UK (114 species) increased by 3

per cent between from 1970 to 2008.

• The breeding farmland birds index for the UK (19 species) was 47 per

cent lower in 2008 than its 1970 level. Most of the decline in the farmland

birds index occurred between the mid-1970s and mid-1990s. There was a

2 per cent increase between 2007 and 2008.

• The breeding woodland birds index for the UK (38 species) was 14 per

cent lower in 2008 than its 1970 level, with the greatest declines occurring

in the late 1980s and early 1990s. There was a 7 per cent increase in

woodland bird populations between 2007 and 2008.

• The breeding water and wetland birds index for the UK (26 species) was

1 per cent higher in 2008 than its 1975 level. There was a 6 per cent

increase in the breeding water and wetland birds index between 2007 and

2008.

• The breeding seabirds index for the UK (19 species) was 27 per cent

higher than its 1970 level. The index decreased by 1 per cent between

2007 and 2008.

ii. PSA indicators for England

• The PSA aggregate index is an unweighted aggregation of three

smoothed indices of farmland, woodland and water and wetland breeding

birds for England. In 2008 the aggregate index was 24 per cent below its

1970 level. The index decreased by 1 per cent between 2007 and 2008.

• The smoothed1 farmland birds index for England (19 species) was 52

per cent lower in 2008 than its 1970 level and there was a 2 per cent

decrease in the index between 2007 and 2008 (prior to smoothing the

index decreased by 49 per cent between 1970 and 2008 but increased by

4 per cent between 2007 and 2008).

• The smoothed1 woodland birds index for England (35 species) was 21

per cent lower in 2008 than its 1970 level. The index was unchanged

between 2007 and 2008 (prior to smoothing the index for England

decreased by 20 per cent between 1970 and 2008 and decreased by 2 per

cent between 2007 and 2008).

1 The smoothing catches the long term pattern in the data and reduces the difference between peaks and troughs in the time series. Thus, each data point is affected by the neighbouring data points and it may cause smooth and unsmoothed series to move in opposite directions in recent years. The smoothing process used for estimating population trends may exaggerate changes at the end of a time series, as these end values do not receive the dampening effect of data in subsequent years. .

• The smoothed1 water and wetland birds index for England (26 species)

was 13 per cent higher in 2008 than its 1975 level. The index decreased

by 1 per cent between 2007 and 2008 (prior to smoothing the index for

England increased by 12 per cent between 1975 and 2008 and increased

by 4 per cent between 2007 and 2008).

SDS indicators for United Kingdom

Figure 1: Populations of wild birds, 1970 to 2008

Source: RSPB, BTO, Defra Note: figures in brackets show the number of

species

‘All bird species’ index for UK

The ‘all bird species’ index of wild bird populations for the UK has remained

broadly stable over the last 38 years (Figure 1). The most substantial

increases have been shown by Avocet, Buzzard, Collared Dove, Great

Spotted Woodpecker, Peregrine, Great Skua, Woodlark, Cetti’s Warbler and

Dartford Warbler.

Some species have seen marked declines in their populations: e.g. Corn

Bunting, Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Tit, Grey Partridge, Lesser Redpoll, Tree

Sparrow and Turtle Dove. Although the populations of farmland and woodland

birds have declined, birds of other habitat groups such as seabirds (see later),

also represented in the index, have increased on average since 1970.

Breeding farmland birds index for the UK

The farmland birds index for the UK increased by 2 per cent between 2007

and 2008 (Figure 2). This is the first annual increase in the farmland birds

index since 2003. Despite this, the index was 47 per cent lower in 2008 than

its 1970 level.

Figure 2: Populations of farmland birds, 1970 to 2008

Source: RSPB, BTO, Defra Note: figures in brackets show the number of species

A breakdown of the farmland bird index into indices for generalist and

specialist species shows that the longer term fall in the index was principally

driven by declines in specialist species, although there were increases of 2

per cent and 3 per cent between 2007 and 2008 for the farmland specialists

and the farmland generalists respectively.

For some of the farmland specialists, such as Tree Sparrow, Corn Bunting,

Turtle Dove, Grey Partridge, and Starling, populations have declined by over

70 per cent relative to levels in 1970. By contrast, Goldfinch and Stock Dove,

which are also farmland specialists, increased by more than 50 per cent over

the same period.

Among the farmland generalists, there has been a marked increase in the

populations of Jackdaw and Woodpigeon, with their respective populations

doubling relative to their 1970 levels. Conversely, the population of Yellow

Wagtail has declined since the mid-1980s to less than 30 per cent of its 1970

level.

Breeding woodland birds index for the UK

The woodland bird index increased by 7 per cent between 2007 and 2008

following a 4 per cent increase between 2006 and 2007 (Figure 3). Although

the index increased in recent years, in 2008, it was 14 per cent below its 1970

level.

Figure 3: Populations of woodland birds, 1970 to 2008


species

The indices for both woodland generalists and woodland specialists increased

between 2007 and 2008, by 3 per cent and 9 per cent respectively.

Many of the woodland species with decreases in their indices, were woodland

specialists (those that breed or feed mainly or solely in woodland), for

example, Lesser Redpoll, Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Tit, Marsh Tit, Wood

Warbler and Tree Pipit all saw reductions of more than 70 per cent in their

respective breeding populations relative to 1970 levels. However, populations

of other woodland specialists such as Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch,

Blackcap and Green Woodpecker more than doubled between 1970 and

2008.

Breeding water and wetland birds index for the UK

The breeding water and wetland birds index for the UK has changed little

between 1975 and 2008, with the index 1 per cent higher in 2008 than its

1975 value (Figure 4). There have been yearly fluctuations in the index and it

increased by 6 per cent between 2007 and 2008.

Figure 4: Breeding water and wetland birds, 1975 to 2008


species

Cetti’s Warbler, Mallard, Coot, Gossander, Tufted Duck and Little Egret

populations more than doubled between 1975 and 2008 whereas populations

of Yellow Wagtail, Snipe and Reed Bunting decreased by more than 50 per

cent between 1975 and 2008.

Breeding seabirds index for the UK

The seabird index for the UK increased by 27 per cent between 1970 and

2008, (Figure 5). The index increased between 1970 and 1987. From 1987

onwards the seabird index has fluctuated between 22 and 42 per cent above

the 1970 level, without showing any clear overall trend. Despite this, some

species such as Herring Gull have shown a continual decline and decreased

by 60 per cent between 1970 and 2008, while others such as Arctic Skua and

Black-legged Kittiwake have declined rapidly following earlier increases,

decreasing by 71 per cent and 48 per cent respectively between 1986 and

2008.

Figure 5: Populations of Seabirds, 1970 to 2008


Between 1970 and 2008, Great Skua, Northern Gannet and Common

Guillemot doubled their breeding numbers.

The seabird index (which is derived from counts of breeding adults) may not

yet fully reflect the low breeding success rates observed during recent years,

because seabirds reach maturity only when they are several years old, and

are long-lived.

Public Service Agreement 28 – ‘Biodiversity Indicator’

The Government’s spending review for 2007 (published in October 2007)

included a new Public Service Agreement (PSA28) which seeks to secure a

diverse, healthy and resilient natural environment in England. PSA28 is

supported by a range of indicators including one on biodiversity as indicated

by changes in wild breeding bird populations in England, as a proxy for the

health of wider biodiversity. The indicator is an unweighted aggregation of

three smoothed indices of the breeding populations of farmland, woodland

and water and wetland birds in England relative to 1970 levels.

Figure 6: PSA Delivery Agreement 28 - ‘Biodiversity Indicator’ – Wild breeding

bird population in England, 1970 to 2008

The aggregate index is an unweighted aggregation of three smoothed indices

of farmland, woodland and water and wetland breeding birds for England. In

2008 the aggregate index was 24 per cent below its 1970 level (Figure 6). The

index decreased by 2 per cent between 2006 and 2008 (there was a 1 per

cent decrease between 2005 and 2007).

Figure 7:Component indices of the PSA28 Biodiversity Indicator for farmland,

woodland, water and wetland breeding birds for England, 1970 to 2008


The three component indices show different long term trends (Figure 7). The

index for water and wetland breeding birds gradually increased from 1975 to

2002, but showed little change between 2002 and 2006. The index decreased

by 2 per cent between 2006 and 2008 (there was a 1 per cent decrease

between 2005 and 2007). The index was 13 per cent higher than its 1975

value.

The index for woodland breeding birds decreased between 1984 and 2003 to

be 77 per cent of the 1970 level and was relatively stable up to 2008. The

index was unchanged between 2006 and 2008 (there was a 1 per cent

increase between 2005 and 2007).

The index for farmland breeding birds declined markedly between the mid-

1970s and the mid-1990s to around 54 per cent of the 1970 level and

declined further to 48 per cent of the 1970 level in 2008, the lowest level

recorded. The index decreased by 5 per cent between 2006 and 2008 (The

decrease between 2005 and 2007 was also 5 per cent).

Figure 8: Component indices of the PSA28 Biodiversity Indicator for farmland,

woodland, water and wetland breeding birds for England, 1970 to 2008 (with

unsmoothed data)


species

The unsmoothed water and wetland birds index for England increased by 12

per cent between 1975 and 2008. The index increased by 4 per cent between

2007 and 2008. The index decreased by 2 per cent between 2006 and 2008

(there was a 4 per cent decrease between 2005 and 2007).

The unsmoothed woodland birds index for England decreased by 20 per cent

between 1970 and 2008. The index decreased by 2 per cent between 2007

and 2008. The index was unchanged between 2006 and 2008 (there was a 2

per cent increase between 2005 and 2007).

The unsmoothed farmland birds index for England decreased by 49 per cent

between 1970 and 2008 but increased by 4 per cent between 2007 and 2008.

The index decreased by 3 per cent between 2006 and 2008 (there was a 9

per cent decrease between 2005 and 2007).

Figure 9: Year on year changes in the aggregate PSA28 Biodiversity Indicator – wild breeding bird populations (1970 to 2008)

Source: RSPB, BTO, Defra Note: The vertical ‘error’ bars show the lower and upper 95 per cent confidence limits. Figure 9 shows the percentage change of the smoothed aggregate index

between each year. A value of 0 indicates no change. Any points below the

zero line show a decrease and any points above show an increase in the

population index. The bars show the upper and lower 95% confidence limits

for the year on year change: if they do not overlap the zero line the change is

statistically significant.

Following a period between 2001 and 2005 when there was no significant

year on year change in the aggregate wild bird indicator, there was a

significant decrease each year between 2006 and 2008.

Farmland birds index for England

A smoothed index of farmland bird populations in England is used for

measuring progress against the Government’s 2004 Public Service

Agreement (PSA) target, which seeks to reverse the long-term decline in

farmland birds by 2020. The index for this target is presented relative to the

farmland bird population in 1966.

Figure 10: Populations of farmland birds, 1966 to 2008 (smoothed index)


species

The farmland birds index for England showed a period of steep decline

between the mid-1970s and mid-1980s, followed by a shallower decline until

the late 1990s (Figure 10). Following a relatively stable period 1999 and 2004,

the index decreased in recent years. In particular the index fell by almost 1

percentage point each year between 2005 and 2008 relative to the 1966

level2.

In common with the UK situation, the long term decline in the farmland birds

index for England is primarily driven by the farmland specialist (those species

that breed solely or mainly on farmland). Indeed, most of the species that

have experienced major declines in England over the last three decades have

2 The smoothing catches the long term pattern in the data and reduces the difference between peaks and troughs in the time series. Thus, each data point is affected by the neighbouring data points and it may cause smooth and unsmoothed series to move in opposite directions in recent years. The smoothing process used for estimating population trends may exaggerate changes at the end of a time series, as these end values do not receive the dampening effect of data in subsequent years. .

continued to decrease in recent years, including Tree Sparrow, Turtle Dove,

Grey Partridge, Whitethroat, Skylark, Starling, Linnet and Yellowhammer each

of them decreasing by more than 60 per cent.

Declines in farmland birds have been associated with changes in agricultural

practices, including the loss of mixed farming, the switch to autumn sowing of

cereals, increasing use of agro-chemicals, intensification of grassland

management, and loss of field margins and hedges. The farmland bird index

for England also includes trends for 7 increasing farmland species.

The rate of change (Figure 11) during the last four years has become

increasingly negative. The change between 2006 and 2008 shows the

greatest rate of decline since the beginning of the 1990s. However, it is

important to note that the smoothing process used for estimating population

trends may exaggerate changes at the end of a time series, as these end

values do not receive the dampening effect of data in subsequent years. It is

expected that the data will be smoothed further in subsequent revisions. In the

unsmoothed version of this farmland index (not presented here) has increased

by 4 per cent between 2007 and 2008.

Figure 11: Year on year changes in the farmland bird index for England: long term trend (1966 to 2008, 19 farmland bird species)

Note: The vertical ‘error’ bars show the lower and upper 95 per cent confidence limits.

Figure 11 shows the year-on-year changes in the smoothed England farmland

bird index with associated 95 per cent confidence intervals. There has been a

significant decrease in farmland bird populations in England between 2003

and 2008.

Notes to Editors 1. The indices have been compiled in conjunction with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) from a wide range of sources, principally the Common Birds Census (from 1966 to 2000), the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (from 1994 to 2008), the BTO/Environment Agency for England and Wales (EA) Waterways Bird Survey (from 1974-2007), the BTO/EA Waterways Breeding Bird Survey (from 1998-2008), the BTO/Wildfowl & Wetland Trust/RSPB/JNCC Wetland Bird Survey counts, and the Seabird Monitoring Programme and the periodic Seabird censuses supplied by the JNCC, RSPB, SOTEAG (Shetland Oil Terminal Environmental Advisory Group) and other partners. The census sources provide an indication of the average annual rate of change between censuses for some species, and this is assumed to apply to each year-on-year change. 2. The ‘all bird species’ index includes figures for 114 species of breeding birds that are native to the UK, but excludes introduced and rare species. The index portrays the annual changes in abundance of all species since 1970. Within this ‘all species’ index, each species is given equal weighting, and the annual indicator figure is the geometric mean of the species indices for that year. Individual species populations within the index may be increasing or decreasing, irrespective of the overall trends. Species indices are derived by modelling and estimates are revised when new data or improved methodologies are developed and applied retrospectively to earlier years. 3. Following advice from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee based on a review of data for a number of seabirds, the data collected on Black Guillemot was considered to be too sparse and probably unrepresentative to be included. Black Guillemot has been therefore removed from the all-species index bringing the total number of species in the all-species index to 114. 4. The indices are considered to give reliable medium to long-term trends but strong reliance should not be attached to levels for individual years or short term changes from year to year 5. Tables 1 and 2 below give the underlying figures for the UK and England indices respectively. 6. The UK Government’s Sustainable Development Strategy [1] is supported by a range of indicators which are intended to monitor the priority

areas for action identified within the strategy. The wild bird population indicator is one of the 20 ‘UK Framework Indicators’ which cover key impacts and outcomes [2]. 7. As part of the Public Service Agreement 28 (‘the PSA’) Securing a healthy natural environment for today and the future covering the period (April 2008 – March 2011) the Government wants to see biodiversity valued, safeguarded and enhanced. Delivery of PSA28 will be assessed by five headline indicators including: Biodiversity – as measured by data on bird populations in England as a proxy for the health of wider biodiversity. The ‘wild bird’ indicator shows the annual changes in abundance of three groups of species (farmland, woodland and water and wetland breeding birds) since 1970. For each group of species an annual population index is calculated in which each species is given equal weighting regardless of comparative population size or conservation status. Rare and non-native species are excluded. The aggregate wild bird indicator is the average of these three indices. The indicators for PSA are intended to provide a snapshot of progress and they do not fully capture all aspects of the health of the natural environment. They are supported by a broader set of indicators in each of the programmes which contribute to delivering the PSA. 8. The wild bird population indicators, with a breakdown for farmland, woodland, wetland, towns and gardens, coastal and seabirds, are also used for measuring progress of the England Biodiversity Strategy (EBS). 9. The Government's Public Service Agreement (PSA) target to reverse the long-term decline in the number of farmland birds by 2020, as measured annually against underlying trends, was adopted in 2004. The farmland bird PSA target will have been achieved when the annual changes in the smoothed index and the associated lower confidence limit for the annual change (using a 95% confidence interval) are both positive. Statistically, a positive annual change is defined when the index and associated 95% confidence intervals are above zero. Although the target could be achieved by a disproportionate increase of some species whilst others were still declining, the Government’s aim is to bring each species into a stable or increasing position and then to safeguard that position. 10. Research completed in 2001 by the BTO and RSPB produced an agreed methodology to measure the annual underlying trend in farmland bird populations. The methodology involves ‘smoothing’ to remove the short-term peaks and troughs due to weather and any sampling error and enables the production of an indicator based on smoothed individual species’ indices. Bootstrapping is used to calculate 95% confidence intervals. It should be noted that although 20 species were originally chosen for the index, an annually updated trend is not yet available for Barn Owl, so for that reason is excluded. 11. Work by the JNCC Seabirds and Cetaceans Unit and the Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland Research Institute (BIOSS) investigating the statistical modelling of seabird population trends lead to a revision of the UK seabird indicator last year. Although the same data from the Seabird Monitoring Programme is used, the mathematical methods used to generate annual indices changed. This, however, resulted in little change in the trend shown by

the seabird indicator and the same methodology has been used again this year. A report on this work will be published in due course. [1] Securing the future. TSO, 2005. [2] Sustainable development indicators in your pocket. Defra, 2009.

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Table 1: Populations of UK wild birds: 1970 - 2008 (1970 = 100) Note: the index is set at 100 for 1970 and the subsequent figures give relative size of the counts.

Woodland species Farmland species

All species

(114) All (38)

Generalist (12)

Specialist (26)

All (19)

Generalist (7)

Specialist (12)

Seabird species

(19)

Water and Wetland

(26) 1970 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.01971 102.8 104.4 109.3 101.8 103.3 100.2 105.1 104.21972 105.2 108.6 119.2 103.0 103.5 104.3 103.0 105.01973 105.0 107.9 117.8 102.6 100.5 105.1 97.9 108.61974 107.6 108.3 120.8 101.7 101.6 102.4 101.2 110.41975 110.1 109.2 122.8 102.1 106.6 113.3 102.9 113.9 100.01976 108.6 101.8 112.1 96.4 109.0 112.0 107.3 116.9 102.41977 110.4 107.1 110.6 105.1 111.7 114.1 110.3 113.5 107.71978 105.8 99.1 103.2 96.9 103.9 110.8 100.1 114.9 94.91979 101.7 92.4 92.2 92.5 97.9 106.8 93.0 121.8 93.61980 107.0 102.1 103.6 101.2 97.2 103.5 93.7 121.2 99.41981 107.2 103.8 108.9 101.0 93.3 107.2 86.0 122.1 97.81982 99.2 94.1 89.0 97.1 82.2 105.0 71.2 123.6 89.51983 101.5 100.5 101.1 100.2 81.4 105.1 70.1 126.4 97.01984 102.2 99.6 103.2 97.5 80.6 104.6 69.3 127.2 96.91985 99.8 98.4 100.9 97.0 74.3 102.5 61.6 124.9 94.81986 95.0 88.9 89.9 88.3 68.7 102.3 54.4 126.9 89.11987 97.0 90.1 91.0 89.6 65.2 98.5 51.3 137.8 93.91988 101.4 95.3 100.3 92.5 65.5 103.5 50.1 138.4 99.81989 102.6 98.2 103.7 95.3 67.8 106.8 52.0 134.5 102.71990 100.0 92.2 102.0 87.1 69.1 110.1 52.6 128.4 105.11991 96.5 84.5 88.9 82.1 65.1 114.2 46.9 133.3 90.61992 95.4 81.1 93.6 74.7 61.6 103.7 45.4 136.7 92.91993 94.3 82.3 97.6 74.6 57.7 95.5 42.9 135.7 89.91994 95.9 82.3 100.8 75.0 58.8 102.0 42.6 134.4 90.11995 98.0 77.8 101.3 68.9 60.5 102.1 44.5 139.9 105.11996 98.4 82.0 100.8 74.6 59.9 103.7 43.5 138.1 98.71997 98.8 82.3 92.8 77.8 58.3 103.4 41.7 139.8 92.21998 97.5 81.5 96.9 75.3 54.9 101.7 38.3 133.9 92.51999 97.9 79.7 103.6 70.7 54.5 100.3 38.2 141.3 92.82000 101.4 80.3 109.2 69.7 57.3 105.1 40.3 137.5 100.92001 100.2 78.4 106.3 68.2 57.1 103.6 40.3 138.1 101.02002 99.8 76.3 103.3 66.4 56.8 102.2 40.3 137.0 101.12003 100.2 78.5 107.1 68.0 56.8 112.0 38.3 131.5 99.12004 98.4 76.9 104.9 66.6 55.9 103.2 39.1 122.2 96.72005 101.1 82.1 112.8 70.9 55.4 108.1 37.5 127.1 96.12006 100.2 77.4 106.7 66.8 54.8 108.0 36.9 130.5 100.32007 99.6 80.1 114.4 68.0 51.8 102.2 34.8 128.3 95.02008 103.3 85.9 117.6 74.3 53.0 104.8 35.6 127.5 101.1

Source: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, British Trust for Ornithology, Defra Notes: A list of species included in each indicator is given in Appendix 1.

Table 2 PSA indicators for England: 1970 - 2008 (1970 = 100) Note: the index is set at 100 for 1970 and the subsequent figures give relative size of the counts.

Smoothed Indices Unsmoothed Indices

Composite Farmland

s (19) Woodland

s (35)

Water and

Wetland

(26) Farmland

s (19) Woodland

s (35)

Water and

Wetland

(26) 1970 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 1971 101.0 99.0 103.2 103.7 106.0 1972 102.1 98.6 105.8 104.3 112.2 1973 102.9 98.9 107.1 101.1 110.8 1974 103.5 100.2 106.9 101.9 110.5 1975 104.0 102.2 105.9 104.0 106.0 111.0 108.5 1976 105.0 103.6 104.2 107.3 110.0 103.6 110.7 1977 104.7 103.3 102.3 108.5 112.0 110.2 117.4 1978 102.7 100.7 100.1 107.4 103.8 102.0 105.7 1979 100.4 96.8 98.7 106.1 97.9 94.4 101.0 1980 98.9 92.3 98.8 106.3 97.2 105.2 111.0 1981 97.4 87.3 99.2 106.7 92.2 106.7 108.2 1982 95.6 82.3 99.3 106.8 81.7 97.8 101.3 1983 94.0 77.9 99.2 107.5 80.6 104.4 110.9 1984 92.2 74.0 98.6 107.6 80.0 104.3 109.8 1985 90.1 70.1 97.2 107.2 73.6 103.2 110.3 1986 88.2 66.7 95.6 107.8 67.6 92.1 101.3 1987 87.8 64.4 95.0 110.6 64.6 94.5 107.5 1988 88.3 63.3 95.1 114.6 64.6 99.9 116.2 1989 88.5 62.8 94.3 117.0 66.5 102.1 123.1 1990 87.3 62.0 91.8 117.0 68.2 96.4 123.7 1991 84.8 60.2 88.3 114.6 63.3 87.7 108.3 1992 82.1 57.8 85.3 112.1 59.1 85.1 111.1 1993 80.1 55.7 83.3 110.8 53.5 85.1 108.2 1994 79.3 54.6 82.1 111.2 56.4 85.3 108.2 1995 79.2 54.1 81.3 113.0 58.0 81.8 123.5 1996 78.8 53.5 80.6 113.5 57.1 84.8 121.2 1997 78.1 52.7 80.1 112.5 55.9 79.4 112.7 1998 77.5 51.9 80.1 111.8 52.2 82.1 107.1 1999 77.6 51.6 80.3 112.7 52.4 82.3 111.1 2000 78.0 51.7 80.0 114.9 54.6 84.1 119.7 2001 78.3 52.0 79.0 117.0 54.5 81.5 120.9 2002 78.4 52.1 77.9 118.7 54.2 78.2 122.8 2003 78.3 52.1 77.2 119.2 54.3 78.3 124.4 2004 78.0 51.7 77.2 118.7 54.6 78.1 119.5 2005 77.9 50.9 77.7 119.2 53.4 80.4 121.3 2006 77.5 49.8 78.3 119.0 52.2 80.3 123.6 2007 76.8 48.7 78.7 118.2 48.6 81.6 116.7 2008 76.0 47.6 78.6 117.2 50.6 80.1 121.0 Source: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, British Trust for Ornithology, Defra

Notes: A list of species included in each indicator is given in Appendix 1.

Appendix 1: Bird species included in the ‘All bird species’ indicator, by habitat group1

Farmland (19) Generalists (7) Greenfinch Rook Reed Bunting Jackdaw Woodpigeon Kestrel Yellow Wagtail Specialists (12) Corn Bunting Linnet Tree Sparrow Goldfinch Skylark Turtle Dove Grey Partridge Starling Whitethroat Lapwing Stock Dove Yellowhammer

Woodland (38) Generalists (12) Blackbird Dunnock Robin Blue Tit Great Tit Song Thrush Bullfinch Lesser Whitethroat Tawny Owl Chaffinch Long-tailed Tit Wren Specialists (26) Blackcap Hawfinch Siskin Capercaillie Jay Sparrowhawk Chiffchaff Lesser Redpoll Spotted Flycatcher Coal Tit Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Treecreeper Crossbill Marsh Tit Tree Pipit Garden Warbler Nightingale Willow Tit Goldcrest Nuthatch Willow Warbler Green Woodpecker Pied Flycatcher Wood Warbler Great Spotted Woodpecker Redstart Seabird (19) Arctic Skua European Shag Mew Gull Arctic Tern Great Black-backed Gull Northern Fulmar Atlantic Puffin Great Cormorant Northern Gannet Black-headed Gull Great Skua Razorbill Black-legged Kittiwake Herring Gull Sandwich Tern Common Guillemot Lesser Black-backed Gul Common Tern Little Tern Upland (11) Buzzard Goosander Peregrine Falcon Common Sandpiper Grey Wagtail Red Grouse Curlew Greylag Goose Red-breasted Merganser Dipper Meadow Pipit

Lowland wetland (11) Coot Kingfisher Reed Warbler Gadwall Mallard Sedge Warbler Great Crested Grebe Moorhen Tufted Duck Grey Heron Mute Swan Other (16) Avocet Cuckoo Pied Wagtail Carrion Crow Dartford Warbler Shelduck Cetti’s Warbler Eider Swallow Cirl Bunting House Sparrow Woodlark Collared Dove Magpie Corncrake Mistle Thrush 1 Habitat classifications are generally based on ‘Gibbons, D.W., Reid, J.B. & Chapman, R.A. 1993. The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1988-1991. London: T. & A.D. Poyser. A National Statistics publication National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure they meet customer needs.

wild bird populations 2008 - sustainable development strategy and

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