Dawn Chorus depleted as songbirds crash - British Trust for Ornithology

Every year, bird lovers throughout the UK celebrate International Dawn Chorus Day on 3 May. This is a time to enjoy the very essence of spring via the early morning medium of birdsong.

However, all is not as it seems and nature’s remarkable annual concert is today a much-diminished event, with many of our favourite birds continuing to decline in devastating numbers, as revealed in a recent report.

Wherever we may live, whether in rural or urban landscapes, the sound of birdsong is a defining feature of the spring season. However, this melodic soundscape has become an aural shadow of its former self. Whatever your age, it is almost certain that every generation prior to yours experienced a louder, fuller, and more resonant Dawn Chorus.

Research continues to show that populations of many of our most familiar songsters are on a downward trend, and despite occasional glimmers of hope, the story is one of continual decline.

The recently published Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) report is the main scheme for monitoring population changes in the UK’s most common and widespread breeding birds and once again its pages reveal some bleak findings. BBS produces population trends for 119 bird and nine mammal species. The annual survey, funded by and combining the expertise of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), RSPB and JNCC, and the dedicated input of almost 3,000 volunteers, provides the single most detailed annual assessment of the UK’s wildlife.