Wild Bird Cover Advisory Sheet

E H4 3TP Tel: 0131 311 6500 311 0131 Tel: 3TP H4

T el: 0131 535 4000 535 0131 el: Tel: 01463 725000 01463 Tel: 775-0140-09-10

Midlothian EH28 8LT Tel: 0131 472 4000 472 0131 Tel: 8LT EH28 Midlothian 2 aeso erc, Edinburgh Terrace, Ravelston 5 M ains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG 3JG EH9 Edinburgh Road, ains Inverness, IV3 8NW 8NW IV3 Inverness, Scotland no SC037654 no Scotland

Centre - West Mains, Ingliston, Mains, West - Centre RSPB Scotland, Dunedin House, Dunedin Scotland, RSPB C ollege), King's Buildings, West Buildings, King's ollege), Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, Leachkin House, Glen Great England and Wales no 207076, no Wales and England

NFU Scotland, Head Office, Rural Office, Head Scotland, NFU of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: registered a is (RSPB) Birds of T he Advisory Manager, Manager, Advisory he S AC (Scottish Agricultural (Scottish AC Scottish Natural Heritage, Heritage, Natural Scottish

The Royal Society for the Protection the for Society Royal The

rspb-images.com)

and yellowhammer by Andy Hay (all Hay Andy by yellowhammer and

page: song thrush by Chris Gomersall Chris by thrush song page:

b unting by Gerald Downey. Back Downey. Gerald by unting

partridge by Gordon Langsbury , corn , Langsbury Gordon by partridge

You can get further information on this and other ways of managing your farm for wildlife from: wildlife for farm your managing of ways other and this on information further get can You Jonathan Osborne (RSPB), grey (RSPB), Osborne Jonathan

Front cover picture: wild bird cover by cover bird wild picture: cover Front

elp us keep it that way. that it keep us elp h

nvironment. Nature is amazing – amazing is Nature nvironment. e

he problems that threaten our threaten that problems he t

out for birds and wildlife, tackling wildlife, and birds for out

RSPB, the UK charity that speaks that charity UK the RSPB,

RSPB Scotland is part of the of part is Scotland RSPB

ncreasing weed and invertebrate numbers. invertebrate and weed ncreasing i

www.farmwildlife.info

manure is an effective fertiliser and adds value by value adds and fertiliser effective an is manure

wildlife enquiries, visit enquiries, wildlife

fertiliser to establish. The use of farmyard of use The establish. to fertiliser For answers to all of your farm your of all to answers For

more demanding crop; it generally needs generally it crop; demanding more

• reed bunting reed • roduces better results than harrowing. Kale is a is Kale harrowing. than results better roduces p

linnet •

own. Rolling the ground again afterwards often afterwards again ground the Rolling own. s

• tree sparrow tree •

ground after the other components have been have components other the after ground

yellowhammer •

separate broadcasting onto previously rolled previously onto broadcasting separate • corn bunting corn •

Small seeds such as linseed may benefit from benefit may linseed as such seeds Small the farm. the

dvisory sheets on: on: sheets dvisory a owing rate by one third to allow for wastage. for allow to third one by rate owing s supply of seed could be made availabe around availabe made be could seed of supply

ee also the RSPB Scotland RSPB the also ee S

broadcast the mix instead – but increase the increase but – instead mix the broadcast of 0.5 ha were established per 100 ha, a plentiful a ha, 100 per established were ha 0.5 of

be mixed together and direct-drilled. You can You direct-drilled. and together mixed be ha. If for example, between two and five plots five and two between example, for If ha. 2

component separately, but the components can components the but separately, component Rural Development Contracts allow plots of up to up of plots allow Contracts Development Rural

he same ground. It is best to sow the cereal the sow to best is It ground. same he t

ll components of the mix should be sown into sown be should mix the of components ll A nest sites for birds including corn buntings. corn including birds for sites nest

rotection from predators. It can also provide also can It predators. from rotection p

SOWING well as providing food, WBC offers shelter and shelter offers WBC food, providing as well s A

they fledge and switch to a seed-based diet. seed-based a to switch and fledge they

farmland bird chicks are fed on insects before insects on fed are chicks bird farmland

many insects depend on particular weeds. Most weeds. particular on depend insects many Corn bunting Corn

that birds can feed on this rich seed source. seed rich this on feed can birds that nsects than weed-free conventional crops, as crops, conventional weed-free than nsects i

leave these areas for a while before sowing, so sowing, before while a for areas these leave If weeds are numerous, WBC supports more supports WBC numerous, are weeds If the seed-rich first year first seed-rich the .

irds always benefit from benefit always irds b quantities of seed will be revealed. If possible, If revealed. be will seed of quantities

every year, to ensure that ensure to year, every and the ground prepared to a fine tilth, large tilth, fine a to prepared ground the and n i in WBC, such as quinoa, imitate this type of seed. of type this imitate quinoa, as such WBC, in

sed, establish an area an establish sed, u

eplace the WBC with a crop. If cover is ploughed is cover If crop. a with WBC the eplace r irds’ diet. Some of the cultivated crops included crops cultivated the of Some diet. irds’ b

Where two-year mixes are mixes two-year Where •

Birds can still be helped when it is time to time is it when helped be still can Birds rasses, are important components of farmland of components important are rasses, g

knotgrass and redshank, and of various wild various of and redshank, and knotgrass section). mixes Suitable

for corn buntings corn for (see mixes should be established. be should mixes The seeds of plants such as charlock, fat hen, fat charlock, as such plants of seeds The

present, sow a a sow present, one-year mix one-year

corn buntings areas one-year cereal-based one-year areas buntings corn n I dependant on smaller seeds of various plants. various of seeds smaller on dependant

Where corn buntings are buntings corn Where •

that food and cover are available all year round. year all available are cover and food that ereal grains, but some other species are species other some but grains, ereal c

mosaic of cover of varying ages helps to ensure to helps ages varying of cover of mosaic winter. Skylarks, sparrows and buntings can eat can buntings and sparrows Skylarks, winter. farmland birds in your area. your in birds farmland

Try to establish areas of WBC each year. A year. each WBC of areas establish to Try Most farmland birds depend on seeds during the during seeds on depend birds farmland Most our farm type and the and type farm our y

Sow a mixture suitable for suitable mixture a Sow •

MANAGEMENT NEED BIRDS T WHA KEY POINTS KEY t n e m e g E F a I n

L Grey partridge a D L I m

r Above:Wild bird cover acts as a giant

W BENEFITS FOR WILDLIFE birdtable, providing insects and seeds d e R

n for birds to eat throughout the year. Wild bird cover is also called wild WBC is an option (wild bird seed Birds that benefit from WBC O a v F The UK’s farmland birds have suffered bird seed mixtures, or mix/unharvested crops), in Rural include grey partridges, song t unharvested crops. It involves Development Contracts and is thrushes, house sparrows, tree G o significant declines in the last 30 n sowing a mixture of seed bearing available both in the land sparrows, linnets, twites,

N years, largely due to improvements e

I plants, recreating habitats that managers options and rural yellowhammers, reed buntings, c in agriculture efficiency. Once- T

m were once common on many priorities. corn buntings, barn owls and

F common birds have declined eg in

h farms. Like the traditional game kestrels. Brown hares use the

O Scotland, the corn bunting’s s d crops used on sporting estates crop and bats hunt over it, in

R breeding range may have declined by i

l and farms, it acts as a giant search of insects. If the cover r C 60%. Agricultural intensification has b i resulted in fewer weeds, with the birdtable, providing insects and contains weeds, it can support D a loss of their associated insects and seeds throughout the year. wild flowers, many of which have t N b seeds, and fewer over-winter declined considerably on s A stubbles. These changes are most arable land. e

G apparent in grassland livestock , d N

s systems and in intensive, arable I l areas, where autumn sowing p i M predominates. Mixed farming can o R

r have particular benefits for farmland A GUIDELINES OVERLEAF

F W C birds, but it too has declined. SUITABLE MIXES

Suggested seed mixtures for wild-bird-cover

Two-year mix kg per ha Oats 20 Barley 20 Kale, Merlin 1 Kale, Maris Kestrel 1 Kale, Keeper 1 Quinoa 1 Spring oil-seed rape 0.5 Mustard 0.5 Clover, red, broadleaved Merviot 0.5 Clover, red, late-flowering Altaswede 0.5 Total 46 Cost: approx. £70 per ha One-year mix kg per ha Oats 35 Barley 35 Quinoa 1.5 Spring oil-seed rape 1 Mustard 0.75 Clover, red, broadleaved Merviot 0.5 Total 73.75 Cost: approx. £48 per ha One-year mix for poor ground This mix is suited to land that has been in set-aside or out of production for several years and is low in fertility and lime. It can be established where other more demanding crops sush as kale and quinoa Song thrush would fail. kg per ha Oats 30 Cereals are a major component of WBC mixes. Oats and/or club root or other factors. Thousand-headed kale is widely Linseed 30 barley are generally used. Larger buntings benefit from used in Scotland, while Caledonian kale is particularly Oil-seed rape, Molino 0.5 barley grains, whilst smaller farmland birds prefer oats, resistant to club root. Rules on fertiliser applications should Mustard 0.75 which also have the advantage of being easier to establish be checked and may limit the success of kale. Total 61.25 on poor soils. Triticale is used in some game crops, but Cost: approx. £58 per ha small finches cannot eat its large seed. It is, however, more Quinoa is a giant form of fat hen. It produces abundant One-year mix for corn bunting areas resistant to rabbit grazing than other cereals and its stiff seeds, attracting large numbers of birds. It is a tall, striking straw stands through the winter. plant, but does not withstand the winter. kg per ha Triticale 16 Linseed generally attracts finches, particularly goldfinches. Oil seed rape (OSR) is often included in WBC mixes because barley 15 The elevated heads can hold seed throughout the winter on it is cheap and the oily, protein-rich seeds are favoured by oats 15 which goldfinches feed in a typical hanging manner. most finch species – particularly linnets, twites and linseed 2 goldfinches. red clover 1 If the crop is to be retained for two years, it should contain Total 49 a biennial. Kale is the most commonly used, and you can In vegetable growing areas, where club root may be an Cost: approx. £44 per ha combine several varieties to provide different canopy issue, brassicas can be subsituted for inseed and clover. Seed mixes can be obtained from local agricultural seed heights and insurance against one variety failing due to merchants or from specialist seed merchants, who also have useful websites, brochures and advice on a range of mixes, eg wwwkingscrop.co.uk, LOCATION wwwcotswoldseeds.com www.welchseeds.co.uk Pros and cons of one- and two-year mixes One-year mixes Advantages • A plentiful supply of seeds each winter • Easier to establish, particularly on poor ground where kale would fail • Benefits grain-eating birds such as corn buntings • Less weed build up than two-year mix Disadvantages • More expensive as ground needs to be cultivated and sown each year • Less cover due to the absence of kale

Two-year mixes Advantages • Good cover and protection from predators under canopy of kale, creates bare ground for invertebrates, providing food for birds such as partridge and song thrush • Cheaper as cultivation and seed costs are only incurred every other year Disadvantages • Less seeds in second winter, particularly of cereals, so less valuable for grain-eating birds Yellowhammer • Greater weed build-up as ground is left uncultivated for two years. Not recommended for organic systems Traditionally, game cover crops are located along Game cover crops are often established in numerous small where herbicides cannot be used woodland edges and next to hedges, dykes and other field strips, which suits the dispersed foraging of game birds. • Kale is vulnerable to a range of pests and diseases – boundaries. This attracts species such as the song thrush, Some small birds, however, form large flocks in the winter club root, flea beetle, slugs, pigeons and deer tree sparrow, yellowhammer and grey partridge. Other and may prefer fewer larger blocks of WBC. Forming flocks • Kale stems are woody and difficult to plough down, species will benefit from a different location. Corn buntings helps birds by increasing their chances of evading and may need to be grazed or cut first. require some nearby cover, but not dense woodland. predators. It allows them to feed effectively, as each bird Isolated trees or overhead wires can provide a suitable needs to spend less time watching out for predators. Both retreat and songpost next to the cover crop. Skylarks tend strips and blocks of cover have their merits, so the most to avoid boundary structures, preferring more open appropriate for individual holdings should be chosen and landscapes. Siting some areas of WBC away from hedges advice sought if necessary. and trees will cater for this species.