2023 GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count results highlight the conservation work done by thousands of land managers - Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust
The results are in for the 2023 GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count organised by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, and the tenth year of the event has revealed more than ever before about the conservation work undertaken by participants.
Unlike last year’s count which took place amidst a series of storms, the count period from 3rd to 19th February saw plenty of dry settled weather, which enabled over 1,700 farmers and land managers to get their binoculars out and take a vital snapshot of the health of our cherished farmland birds.
“The fact that the count is still going strong after 10 years highlights the passion and commitment that British farmers have for the birds on their farms and their keenness to understand how the birds – whether Red-Listed or not – are faring,” said GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count organiser, Dr Roger Draycott.
A total of 149 species were recorded across more than 1.5 million acres (607,000 hectares) in all four countries of the UK. Records came in from far and wide – from white-tailed eagles on the Isle of Benbecula, to white storks in Cambridge and cirl buntings in Devon.
The birds that were spotted most often were blackbirds, woodpigeons and robins, seen on seven out of every ten counts. Birds seen on less than one in 100 counts included species that are elusive like jack snipe and bittern, localised such as red grouse, or rare and declining like willow tit.
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Posted On: 18/04/2023