51AVÊÓƵ

More than 1,900 individuals across the UK and Europe braved the elements for the 2022 Big Farmland Bird Count this year, organised by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT).

The count took place between February 4-20 this year, occurring annually since it was established in 2014 to provide a snapshot of the health of farmland birds.

Participation in the count has been steadily rising year on year, with a significant rise in 2021, thought to be partly due to the Covid-19 lockdown around that time last year.

Some 130 species were spotted across more than 607,000 hectares (1.5 million acres) by those who took part this year, 26 of which were red-listed species, with more than 420,000 individual birds counted in the survey in total.

The five most abundant birds seen were wood pigeons, starlings, lapwings, fieldfares and rooks, a total of 204,398 individuals, making up more than 48 per cent of the total number of birds counted.

Dr Roger Draycott, of GWCT, which co-ordinates the survey, says: With an increased focus on delivering public goods in the governments Environmental Land Management scheme, understanding what is on your land is increasingly important.

Thirty-seven per cent of participants are in some form of agri-environment scheme, demonstrating their long-term commitment to environmental management, while 39 per cent of those taking part were providing some form of extra seed feed for birds.

The count aims to offer a simple means of recording the effect of any conservation work carried out by land managers, such as scatter feeding birds through winter or growing crops specifically to provide seed for birds.

Statistics

• 1,900: Farmers who took part in the Big Farmland bird count in 2022
• 26: red-listed species sited
• 130: species sited in total
• 1.5 million acres: involved in the count