Between February 4th and 22nd, 2022, the Big Farmland Bird Count will once again take place to record the variety of bird species found on British farmland. Since 2014, hundreds of farmers, managing UK farmland totalling hundreds of thousands of acres, have gotten involved and over a hundred species of birds were recorded. This year, even more farmers are signing up to take part, acknowledging vital work done by farmers and gamekeepers in maximising wildlife diversity and helping to reverse the decline in farmland bird numbers.
The Big Farmland Bird Count has been organised by the GWCT every year since 2014 to encourage farmers and gamekeepers to support farmland birds and highlight the hard work already done by many of them to help reverse species’ declines. The count also gives a vital national snapshot of the health of the UK’s birdlife.
For the fourth year running 2022’s count is sponsored by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), demonstrating the farming community’s commitment to conserving farmland birds.
NFU president Minette Batters, said: “2021’s results were fantastic with farmers and growers across the country responding to the count in record numbers.
“Not only are farmers producing climate-friendly food, they are also maintaining and protecting the great British countryside, creating habitats for wildlife and additional feeding for farmland birds. I encourage all farmers to get involved in the 2022 GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count.”
In 2013, eleven Red List species were recorded including fieldfare, corn bunting, grey partridge, house sparrow, lapwing, linnet, skylark, song thrush, tree sparrow and yellow hammer. Twelve different species of raptor were reported which was fantastic as were sightings of great grey shrike, waxwing, twite, lesser spotted woodpecker and the bittern.
For further information or to register your interest with the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, please go to http://www.gwct.org.uk/farming/big-farmland-bird-count