Lowland farmland birds

Nationally there has been a 61% decline in numbers of farmland birds since 1970.

Lapwings once bred across Devon but now only breed at Exminster Marshes.

Devon’s population of cirl buntings is now healthy and expanding due to habitat creation by farmers.

What we need to do and where

Skylark, Bob Brewer

Male cirl bunting, a green-yellow colour - perched on a branch with a blue sky behind

Male cirl bunting, Matt Knott

Linnet, Pete Godfrey

1. About

This group of birds has adapted to living in our agricultural areas with a landscape of arable, pastures and meadows, hedges, field margins and farm buildings. 

These species need a mosaic of habitats that provide nesting sites and, as most don’t migrate, food throughout the year. A network of habitats rich in insects, small invertebrates and seed, such as weedy stubbles, grasslands and field and hedge margins are critical. Species such as skylark and woodlark nest on the ground in crops or grasslands. Cirl buntings, linnets, yellowhammers and house sparrows nest in dense hedges or scrub. House martins only nest in buildings.

Nationally farmland birds have declined by 61% since 1970.  The most severe declines occurred between the mid-1970s and the early 1990s due to rapid changes in farmland management. However populations are still declining.  See Find out more for information on the UK farmland bird index.    

There are nine Devon Special Species in this group that need specific actions and attention. All are easy to identify and monitor and so are great flagships for a healthy natural environment. Devon has a national responsibility for cirl buntings.  Other rare species such as corn bunting, grey partridge, turtle dove and tree sparrow are now absent from, or rarely found in, the county. This is because these species rely on seeds in arable fields and 90% of Devon’s farmland is pastoral.

Actions for this group will benefit all farmland species including barn owl, mistle thrush, whitethroat and swallow, some of which are  listed as Devon Species of Conservation Concern.  House sparrows, house martins and starlings are also discussed in the Birds of towns and villages group. Linnets, skylarks, yellowhammers and kestrels are also discussed in the Birds of grazed moors, heaths and rough grasslands group.

Lapwings which were once a widespread breeding bird in Devon’s farmed landscape now only breed at Exminster Marshes, see Estuarine birds group.

Key pressures and opportunities

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Grasslands and arable

Much of Devon is now improved re-seeded agricultural grassland which is managed as regularly cut silage fields. Research shows that the breeding density of species such as yellowhammer decreases when more farmland is under grassland because it supports fewer invertebrates and weed seeds than arable.  Highly fertilised leys may also reduce access to invertebrate prey.  Discuss and add information about opportunities to improve pastoral landscapes for invertebrates and seeds + issues relating to ELM and herbal leys

The decline in spring-sown cereals and weedy winter stubbles has had a huge impact on species which need a source of seed during the winter. Agri-environment schemes provide critical funding to retain seed rich fields through winter stubbles of wild bird seed mixes in our farmed landscapes.

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Hedgerows and scrub

Farmland birds need bushy hedges that are allowed to flower and produce berries, an important food source for some species. Regular flailing reduces the value of hedges for birds. See Hedgerows page for more details. 

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Farm buildings

The loss and renovation of old farm buildings can reduce nesting opportunities at landscape scale for species that nest in buildings, including kestrels, barn owls and starlings.

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Agri-environment support

The development and update of agri-environment schemes which are tailored to pastoral landscapes such as Devon are critical. 

2. What we need to do and where

Devon Special Species

See Find out more for links to more detailed information on this group including management advice and records.

Skylark

Alauda arvensis
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Habitat

Skylarks are found across the countryside where they nest on the ground in large arable fields, pasture, heaths, moors and rough grasslands. They nest in short vegetation (below 60cm). Due to high predation rates they need to produce up to three broods every season. Autumn-sown crops only allow for one nesting attempt before they’re harvested and silage fields are generally cut too frequently to allow successful breeding.

Adults feed on seeds and plant shoots including knotgrass, groundsel, fat hen and grasses. Chicks are entirely dependent on insects until they leave the nest, favouring sawfly larvae, beetles, ants, spiders and grasshoppers. In winter skylarks often gather in large flocks on farmland, saltmarsh and dunes. 

Population

Skylark numbers underwent a major decline throughout the 1970s and 1980s and are on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list . A key reason for this decline was the widespread change from spring to autumn-sown crops (see Habitat above). Skylarks are still widespread across Devon, with large populations on Dartmoor and Exmoor. However, they’re scarce or absent in many areas. In 1988 they were found in 93% tetrads but by 2016 this had fallen to 63%.

Actions

Nesting: Provide/protect nesting areas for ground nesting birds such as skylark in grasslands, crops and field margins

  • Create skylark/woodlark plots (small undrilled patches or patches which are sprayed out after crops have established) in winter cereals to boost nesting success.
  • Create areas of bare and sparsely vegetated ground in and around crops.
  • Reduce impacts by reducing stocking rates where they are nesting and delaying mowing or reducing the number of silage cuts. Ideally avoid cutting before late May and leave at least seven weeks between subsequent cuts.

Food: Ensure a supply of seeds throughout the year (winter stubbles, uncultivated field margins, conservation headlands, wild bird-seed cover etc). Provide areas of undisturbed perennial grasses, wild flowers and scrub throughout the year as habitat for insects.

Woodlark

Lullula arborea
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Habitat

Woodlarks are a ground-nesting bird found in open habitats. They nest in a small hollow hidden among taller vegetation and feed on seeds and invertebrates such as beetles, caterpillars and spiders in areas of bare ground and short vegetation. In other parts of the country they’re largely a heathland bird but in Devon they depend on extensively managed, often hilly, farmland where they live in areas of unimproved pasture, fallow land or fields of stubble or sparse winter cereals.

Population

The woodlark was added to the UK Bird of Conservation Concern Red list in the 1980s because of a drastic decline in its range over the previous 20 years. Much of the species’ decline coincided with the loss of traditional mixed farmland and heathland. A programme of heathland restoration and clearfell forestry led to a recovery and in 2015 the species was moved to the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Green list. However, farmland populations are low and they remain vulnerable. The Rare Breeding Bird Panel consider woodlarks to be one of the rarer species of birds breeding in the UK.

In Devon, woodlarks remain very local and scarce. They’re found almost exclusively in farmland areas between Dartmoor and the Exe Estuary, with few confirmed breeding records in recent years.  Research has shown that limiting factors are the absence of bare ground and short vegetation for nesting and foraging.

Actions

Nesting: Provide/protect nesting areas for ground nesting birds such as woodlark in grasslands, crops and field margins

  • Create skylark/woodlark plots (small undrilled patches or patches which are sprayed out after crops have established) in winter cereals to boost nesting success.
  • Create areas of bare and sparsely vegetated ground in and around crops.
  • Reduce impacts by reducing stocking rates where they are nesting and delaying mowing or reducing the number of silage cuts. Ideally avoid cutting before late May and leave at least seven weeks between subsequent cuts.

Food: Ensure a supply of seeds throughout the year (winter stubbles, uncultivated field margins, conservation headlands, wild bird-seed cover etc). Provide areas of undisturbed perennial grasses, wild flowers and scrub throughout the year as habitat for insects and spiders.

    Male cirl bunting, a green-yellow colour - perched on a branch with a blue sky behind

    Cirl bunting

    Emberiza cirlus
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    Habitat

    Cirl buntings are the UK’s rarest resident farmland bird. They nest in thick hedges or areas of scrub such as brambles and gorse. In summer they feed their chicks on invertebrates found in grasslands near to their nests. In winter they feed on seeds from areas such as weedy winter stubbles, generally no further than 2km from the summer nesting sites. Cirl buntings can have several broods in one season and there can be chicks in a nest into early September. They can also nest in garden hedges which abut farmland.

    Population

    Cirl Buntings were once widespread and locally common across farmland in southern England and their range went as far as north Wales and Yorkshire. However, in the 1950s the population suffered a severe decline and they were almost lost from the UK. By 1989, there were fewer than 120 pairs recorded, largely restricted to areas with spring barley and winter stubbles on the south Devon coast between Plymouth and Exeter. The RSPB established the Cirl Bunting Project in 1991 and there are now over 1,000 pairs in Devon with expansion into east and north Devon. See Inspiration below for more information. 

    Actions

    Nesting: Maintain thick, bushy hedges and scrub as nesting sites adjacent to insect rich grazed grasslands. Be aware that cirl buntings can nest until early September.

    Food: Ensure a supply of seeds throughout the year and within 2kms of nesting sites (winter stubbles, uncultivated field margins, conservation headlands, wild bird-seed cover etc). Provide areas of undisturbed perennial grasses, wild flowers and scrub throughout the year as habitat for insects.

    Developers and planners should follow the Devon Cirl Bunting Guidance, see Find out more.

    A yellow-green yellowhammer bird perched on a brown branch, with a blue sky behind

    Yellowhammer

    Emberiza citrinella
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    Habitat

    Yellowhammers are similar to linnets as they need hedges for nesting and lots of seeds. Unlike linnets, they feed their chicks on insects and during the nesting season adults will feed on insects too.

    Yellowhammers nest on or close to the ground in short (less than 2 metres), dense hedges and field margins with long grass and scrub. They particularly favour dense hedges next to ditches and avoid woodland. They breed from early spring through to late August and are therefore vulnerable to early hedge trimming during or immediately after harvest.

    Population

    Yellowhammers are widely distributed throughout the UK. However, they’re on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list due to a steep decline in numbers since the 1980s. They’re still fairly numerous in much of Devon but very patchily distributed in the east and west of the county. In 1988 they were found in 82% of Devon tetrads but by 2016 they were only in 45%.

    Actions

    Nesting: Maintain areas of short hedges and bramble as nesting sites.

    Food: Ensure a supply of seeds throughout the year (winter stubbles, uncultivated field margins, conservation headlands, wild bird-seed cover etc). Provide areas of undisturbed perennial grasses, wild flowers and scrub throughout the year as habitat for insects.

    Linnet

    Linaria cannabina
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    Habitat  

    Linnets are largely found in mosaic landscapes with areas of thick scrub or hedges that provide nesting sites, and lots of seeds. Adults and their chicks feed almost entirely on seeds throughout the year. In winter they feed in winter stubbles, root crops and field margins on weed seed and spilt grains. Dandelions seeds in pastures are important and chicks will feed on unripe oilseed rape. They’re also found in other seed-rich habitats such as grazed open heaths and species-rich grasslands.  

    Population

    Linnets are found across the UK. However, their numbers declined sharply between the 1960s and the late 1980s. The decline has since slowed but their population is still falling and linnets are on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list.

    In Devon, they’re still fairly numerous although patchily distributed in the north and east of the county. In 1988 they were found in 71% of Devon tetrads but by 2016 they were only in 52%.

    Actions

    Nesting: Maintain areas of short hedges and bramble as nesting sites.

    Food: Ensure a supply of seeds throughout the year (winter stubbles, uncultivated field margins, conservation headlands, wild bird-seed cover etc).

    Kestrel

    Falco tinnunculus
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    Habitat

    Kestrels can be found across the UK. They favour open habitats with a supply of field voles, such as rough grassland and heathland. They also eat mice, shrews, small birds and sometimes worms and insects. They nest in natural cavities in trees and nests abandoned by other species. They’re easy to identify due to their ability to hover motionless over fields while stalking their prey.

    Population

    The UK’s kestrel population has fallen by half since 1970 and they are on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Amber list.  The decline is thought to be due to loss of rough grasslands which can support field voles, secondary poisoning by eating voles and mice that have eaten poison meant for rats, and loss of nesting sites such as old trees with cavities.  

    Actions

    Nesting: Look after old trees with cavities for nesting and provide nest boxes.

    Food: Provide areas of undisturbed perennial grasses, wild flowers and scrub throughout the year to provide a source of small mammals (especially field voles, small birds, insects and worms.

    House sparrow

    Passer domesticus
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    Habitat

    House sparrows are noisy, sociable birds that nest in colonies. They’re found in urban and rural areas throughout the UK where they nest in crevices in buildings, in nest boxes and in ivy, hedges and scrub. They have a mixed diet, foraging for seeds and insects in hedgerows, farmyards, meadows and gardens near to their nests.

    Population

    Between 1977 and 2008, house sparrows declined by 71%, with large falls in both rural and urban areas. Although it’s not clear why their population has fallen so sharply, predation by cats and sparrowhawks, lack of nest sites, lack of food, pollution and avian malaria are all possible causes. House sparrows have been on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list since 2002.

    As for other birds, this decline has been caused by a loss of insects and seeds, including in farmyards as mechanisation has reduced the amount of seed spilt during harvesting. Research shows the benefits of providing supplementary winter seed and planting wild bird seed mixes.

    Actions

    Nesting: Provide bushy hedges, scrub, nest boxes and nesting opportunities in buildings (eaves, roof tiles).

    Food: Ensure a supply of seeds throughout the year (winter stubbles, uncultivated field margins, conservation headlands, wild bird-seed cover etc). Provide areas of undisturbed perennial grasses, wild flowers and scrub throughout the year as habitat for insects.

    A group of house martins gathered on the ground

    House martin

    Delichon urbicum
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    Habitat

    House martins are a summer visitor to the UK. They build nests from wet mud mixed with straw and grass under the eaves of buildings. They return to the same nesting sites each year and will reuse their old nests. As they use wet mud, they’re often found near ponds, lakes and rivers. They feed on the wing on flying insects. 

    Population

    The UK breeding population of house martins declined by 44% between 1995 and 2022 and they’re on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list.  The number of Devon tetrads they are found in fell by nearly 50% between 1988 and 2016. The reasons for this decline are not well understood, but research shows that birds that build nests on PVC, rather than brick, concrete or wood, have much lower breeding success. A decline in insects is also likely to be a factor.

    Actions

    Nesting: Provide nesting opportunities in buildings (under eaves). Leave house martin nest sites in place so they can be reused in following years.

    Food: Provide areas of undisturbed perennial grasses, wild flowers and scrub throughout the year as habitat for flying insects.

      Starling

      Sturnus vulgaris
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      Habitat

      Starlings are found across urban and rural areas. They have a varied diet, feeding on insects, worms, berries, snails, spiders, fruit and scraps. However, they only feed their young on invertebrates and research shows that they capture more prey in short grass.

      Starlings nest in tree cavities, nest boxes, under roof tiles and in the eaves of buildings.

      Young birds form large flocks that can become huge in the winter as birds arrive from northern Europe. Winter roosts can contain several thousand birds, which gather in reedbeds, farm buildings and trees.

      Population

      The breeding population in the UK has fallen sharply, particularly since the early 1980s. As it continues to decline, starlings are on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list. In Devon, they’re still numerous (and abundant in winter) but there has been a huge decline. In 1988 they were found in 87% of tetrads but by 2016 this had fallen to only 36%.

      Actions

      Nesting: Look after old trees with cavities for nesting. Provide nest boxes and nesting opportunities in buildings (eaves, roof tiles).

      Food: Provide areas of undisturbed perennial grasses, wild flowers and scrub throughout the year to provide a source of insects, spiders, berries and other fruits.

      An overview of all actions

      Provide bushy hedges, scrub, areas of bramble and old trees for nesting habitat and food.

      • Look after old trees that have holes as they provide nesting and dead wood for insects.
      • Manage hedges on a 2-3 year rotation, cutting after February to leave berries as food over winter. Ensure there is always a mix of short hedges (for linnets and yellowhammers) and taller hedges. See Hedge corridors for more information.

      Provide nest boxes and nesting opportunities (eaves) in buildings

      • Leave house martin nest sites in place so they can be reused in following years.
      • Provide nesting boxes for species such as house sparrow, kestrel, starling and barn owl.

      Provide/protect nesting areas for ground nesting birds in grasslands, crops and field margins

      • Create skylark/woodlark plots (small undrilled patches or patches which are sprayed out after crops have established) in winter cereals to boost nesting success.
      • Create areas of bare and sparsely vegetated ground in and around crops.
      • Reduce impacts on ground-nesting skylarks and woodlarks by (where possible) reducing stocking rates where they are nesting and delaying mowing or reducing the number of cuts on silage fields. Ideally avoid cutting before late May and leave at least seven weeks between subsequent cuts.

      Ensure a supply of seeds throughout the year (winter stubbles, uncultivated field margins, conservation headlands, wild bird-seed cover etc).

      • Allow a green cover to naturally regenerate on overwintered stubbles and leave this in the ground for as long as possible.
      • Extend uncultivated field margins in arable and grassland fields and manage with a rotational cut to allow grasses and plants to set seed.
      • Provide wild bird-seed cover or game cover.
      • Where possible leave plants such as dandelions in improved pasture.
      • Maintain areas of species-rich grasslands and rough grasslands.  See Wildlife-rich grasslands for more information.    
      • Consider supplementary feeding in late winter and early spring.

      Provide areas of undisturbed perennial grasses, wild flowers and scrub throughout the year as habitat for insects and small mammals such as voles.

      • Provide beetle banks (raised strips of grasses/flowers in arable fields), uncultivated field margins/corners and conservation headlands (arable with reduced pesticide and fertilizer inputs).
      • Minimise the use of and target applications of pesticides and avermectins.

      Where to focus action

      Actions are needed across Devon. Hedges, scrub, arable and grasslands (other than wildlife-rich grasslands) are not mapped as High Opportunity Areas as they are widespread across the county.

      However actions for cirl buntings and woodlarks should be targeted to the Species Opportunity Areas mapped for both species. See Mapping. 

      A map of hedges is under Other Useful Layers/Woody habitats.

      3. Inspiration

      Case studies

      This section will be finalised following public consultation. Please share any case studies and places to visit.

      Farmer case study needed.

      In 1991 farmers, conservation organisations, developers and planners started working across south Devon to prevent the extinction of cirl buntings in the UK. Research and lobbying (largely by the RSPB) resulted in cirl bunting habitat being included as an option in the Countryside Stewardship Scheme which ran at that time. This targeted work was very successful and the population expanded from 120 pairs in 1989 to over 1,000 in the 2016. Cirl buntings have spread from the south Devon and are now breeding in north and east Devon. The habitats (bushy hedges, weedy winter stubbles and insect rich grasslands) had huge benefits for other wildlife. See the cirl bunting action hub for more information and an RSPB article on this work .  

      Where to visit

      Always follow the Countryside Code and keep to footpaths and sites that are managed for public access. 

      Labrador Bay for cirl bunting and other birds?

      4. Find out more

       This section will be tidied up and finalised following public consultation. Please share any links.

      The Devon Bird Atlas shows the distribution and abundance of birds in Devon in both the breeding and winter periods.

      The British Trust for Ornithology has facts on all bird species that have been recorded in the wild in the UK.

      Farm Wildlife aims to provide a best-practice management advice for wildlife on farms including lots of useful advice sheets. In particular see:

      The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust has lots of useful information on farmland birds including advice on habitat, feeding and beneficial management and advice on how to create different habitats.

      The RSPB has information on cirl buntings, farming and wildlife, including advice for farmers on how to help different bird species.  See the cirl bunting action hub.

      Devon Cirl Bunting guidance for developers and planners can be found on the DCC planning and wildlife pages

      Through their Working Wetlands project, Devon Wildlife Trust is working with farmers and landowners to use natural solutions to protect water quality and quantity and restore wildlife habitats.

      The Nature Friendly Farming Network has lots of information on its website to help farmers learn more about nature-friendly farming.

      The British Trust for Ornithology publish maps and books with statistics for species distribution and change.

      The UK Farmland Bird Indicator has information on trends in farmland birds including the 12 farmland specialists (corn bunting, grey partridge, lapwing, linnet, reed bunting, skylark, tree sparrow, turtle dove, yellow wagtail, yellowhammer, whinchat and stone-curlew) and 7 farmland generalists (goldfinch, greenfinch, jackdaw, kestrel, rook, stock dove and woodpigeon).

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