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News

   
National Statistics

STATISTICAL RELEASE

Ref: 345/08
Date: 31 October 2008

Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR
Out of hours telephone 020 7270 8960

Wild bird populations 2007 - Sustainable Development Strategy and Public Service Agreement Indicators

The United Kingdom Government's ‘Sustainable Development’ indicators of wild bird populations have been updated and published today to show changes in the breeding and wintering populations of common native bird species up to 2007. These are based on population indices for breeding farmland birds, woodland birds, water and wetland birds, and seabirds, and for wintering wetland birds.

  • An overall ‘all bird species’ index for the UK (115 species) has remained broadly stable throughout the period from 1970 to 2007.  However, this is not the case for all habitat groups.
  • The breeding farmland birds index for the UK (19 species) is 48 per cent lower than its 1970 level.  Most of the decline in the farmland birds index occurred between the mid-1970s and mid-1990s, but it has fallen over the last three years to its lowest recorded level.
  • The breeding woodland birds index for the UK (38 species) is 22 per cent lower than its 1970 level.  The most severe decline occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but the index has been broadly stable in recent years.
  • The breeding water and wetland birds index for the UK (26 species)  is 6 per cent  lower than its 1975 level
  • The breeding seabirds index for the UK (19 species) is 31 per cent higher than its 1970 level.  Populations peaked in the late 1980s, since when there is evidence of a small decline.
  • The wintering waterbirds index for the UK (46 species) is 57 per cent higher than in 1975-76.  Populations peaked in 1996-97, but there are signs of a decline in more recent years

The full statistical release is available at:
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/wildlife/download/pdf/NSBirds20081031.pdf

 

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Page published: 5 November 2008

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs