Three key farmland bird species have increased in numbers over a five-year period in response to agri-environmental schemes (AES), according to a study by a bird society.
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) conducted a study and found that yellowhammers, house sparrows and tree sparrows have risen in abundance on farms taking part in the project across east Co. Down.
With the opening this week of the Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS), RSPB NI is encouraging farmers to sign up for the EFS.
The scheme compensates landowners for undertaking work to enhance biodiversity and water quality.
The study found that yellowhammers – a red-listed species (high conservation concern) which had been in sharp decline – were up by an impressive 78% between 2006 and 2011.
As well as the surge in yellowhammer numbers on farms taking part in the AES, house sparrows were up 46% and tree sparrows up 207% in the five-year period.
However, yellowhammer numbers continue to decline in the wider countryside where conservation measures are not in place.
The Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS), administered by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), is open to all active farmers who have management control of at least 3ha of eligible farmland.
Key options in EFS highlighted by RSPB NI are:
- Provision of winter feed crop for wild birds;
- Retention of winter stubble;
- Creation of arable margins;
- Creation of pollinator margins.
The RSPB farmland bird study is said to be the first of its kind to be carried out on the island of Ireland, included face-to-face advisory work and showed that AES land management can improve the population status of farmland bird species.
RSPB senior conservation scientist, Kendrew Colhoun, said: “Our study was designed to evaluate whether the last AES options led to increases in the priority species the options were targeted at – and our conclusion was a resounding ‘yes’.
We see the EFS as a critical component as part of our work to maintain biodiversity across the countryside in Northern Ireland.
Colhoun concluded: “Our study provides unequivocal evidence that the EFS can deliver for key species if the correct mix of options are targeted to the right places and coupled with advice.”
