| About us | Research | Publications | Facilities | Links |  |
 |
|
 |
Home > Research > Policy > National regulations > Provincial nature policy > Farmland birds in trouble |
FARMLAND BIRDS IN TROUBLE: HOW CAN THEY BE HELPED ? The figures in the recent Flemish breeding bird atlas indicate a strong decline in the numbers of typical farmland birds like Grey Partridge, Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, and Tree Sparrow: in 30 years time, numbers have gone down by 50 to even 95%. This negative trend is not only visible in Flanders, but everywhere in Europe (see illustration). It is therefore time to take measures.  Photo: Degree of decline in farmland birds in Europe (source: Birdlife International) The main causes of the decline are to be found in the evolutions in modern agriculture. Farmland birds encounter problems like:
Conservation measures should be directed at providing better nesting opportunities and more food, both in summer (insects) as in winter (cereal grains or other seeds). Many species nest in unmown grass strips of at least 2 m wide. For typical species of open landscapes, such as Yellowhammer or Grey Partridge, strips along a (thorny) hedge are preferred. For Skylark and Yellow Wagtail, it is useful to leave two squares of 20 m² as fallow ground for each hectare of winter cereal - the so-called Skylark plots - but only in open areas at more than 100 m distance from trees and buildings. Food supply may increase by refraining from using pesticides on farmland edges, allowing insects and weeds to survive. This does not significantly reduce the profit of the crop. The Skylark plots are also important in this respect. In winter, leaving cereal stubbles and not treating them with herbicides are very good measures for nearly all species. Seed crops can also be grown specifically for the birds. The advantage is that this does not require a lot of space. The best crops offering food for most species are Kale and cereals (except Oat). Kale needs two years to bloom and set seed. Quinoa is a very useful, annual plant. It is a crop from the Andes that is rich in protein, and has been grown for ages as an alternative to cereals. It produces a lot of small seeds, which are popular with many birds. The leaving fallow of arable land until the breeding season has ended, is a very simple measure with a good chance of success. In addition, allowing the spontaneous development for one or two years will result in suitable winter habitat. All of these measures are also beneficial to natural predators (beetles, spiders, ichneumon flies, larvae of some hoverflies, etc.) that can help to suppress, e.g., pests of plant lice, reducing the need for pesticides and contributing to a cleaner environment. Moreover, most of these measures protect against erosion and improve the soil structure. For optimal result, custom-made measures are necessary: both with regard to the endangered species as with regard to the individual farmer. The 'Vlaamse Landmaatschappij' (VLM) prepares new management agreements to make this happen. Time is running out, since without these measures most of these species will have disappeared from Flanders within ten years. For practical experience, the provincial administration of West Flanders currently experiments with various small-scale measures near Zwevegem and in the Heuvelland. A preliminary report exists on Skylark plots. In other parts of Flanders as well, pilot projects are carried out, e.g. in Veurne, Sint-Truiden, Hoegaarden and Zottegem. Read more: - Farmland birds project Zwevegem - Farmland birds project Heuvelland Olivier Dochy, Maarten Hens |
 |
Farmland birds in trouble |
 |
Farmland birds Zwevegem |
 |
Farmland birds Heuvelland |
|
Results winter 2004-2005 |
|
|