Wake-up call as new data reveals dramatic declines for England’s farmland birds - RSPB

Tree Sparrows, Turtle Doves and more in freefall, but recovery possible with more support for farmers.

When did you last hear the purr of a Turtle Dove or the chirp of a Tree Sparrow? New stats released by the UK Government reveal worrying declines for these and other farmland birds.

Figures we can’t ignore

The report looked at how birds in various habitats across the UK have been faring since 1970 and found that species that breed on farmland are struggling the most. Between 2019 and 2024, the indicator which tracks England’s farmland bird populations saw the largest decline at 13%. This is on top of the longer-term trend we’ve seen for the past 50 years – with farmland birds like Tree Sparrows, Turtle Doves, Yellowhammers and Lapwings, in a dramatic freefall.

Katie-Jo Luxton, Executive Director of Global Conservation at the RSPB, said: “For farmland birds in England, this accelerated decline reflects that, despite some positive progress, the rollout of new agri-environment schemes is missing the mark. Well-designed agri-environment schemes can recover nature, the evidence is clear, but the current schemes are not delivering their full potential for nature.”

A wake-up call for the UK Government

Many farmers have already been working hard to reverse these declines. They're showing that farming with nature can help wildlife recover, and also improve the resilience of food production. Right now, these efforts are at risk, with thousands of farmers in England set to lose funding in December when their Countryside Stewardship (CS) Mid Tier agreements come to an end. These agri-environment agreements fund farmers to take action for nature and climate on their farms, such as by creating habitats for birds and other wildlife. Without these schemes, farmers could remove wildlife-rich habitats in an effort to intensify production.

With many farmland birds already in trouble, this would have a knock-on effect that nature cannot afford. Instead, the UK Government needs to ensure that nature-friendly farmers continue to have access to this vital funding by offering one-year extensions to these agreements and helping them transition to new, ambitious schemes.