The Breeding Bird Survey 2002 Report Number 8 by M.J. Raven, D.G. Noble & S.R. Baillie Published by British Trust for Ornithology, Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, August 2003 © British Trust for Ornithology, Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, 2003 BTO Research Report Number 334 ISSN 1368-9932 ISBN 1-902576-74-8 BREEDING BIRD SURVEY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Breeding Bird Survey The eighth annual report for the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) partnership comprises: allows us to look at the progress of the scheme over the past eight years, 1994-2002. We have also detailed the changes from the most recent years, 2000-2002. Data for 2001 have not British Trust for Ornithology been included in the long-term trends because in that year access The Nunnery restrictions imposed by the outbreak of Foot & Mouth Disease Thetford caused sampling bias. Data were collected from 2,136 squares Norfolk representing a massive effort from our volunteer fieldworkers IP24 2PU www.bto.org and Regional Organisers (ROs). We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to the success of the BBS. Joint Nature Conservation Committee The BBS is organised by the British Trust for Ornithology Monkstone House (BTO), and jointly funded by BTO, the Joint Nature City Road Conservation Committee (JNCC, on behalf of English Nature, Peterborough Scottish Natural Heritage, Countryside Council for Wales and PE1 1JY the Environment and Heritage Service in Northern Ireland) www.jncc.gov.uk and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). The BBS Steering Group comprises Dr Helen Baker (JNCC), Dr Richard Gregory (RSPB), Dr Stephen Baillie (BTO) and Dr Royal Society for the Protection of Birds David Noble (BTO). The Lodge We are grateful to the following people who have provided Sandy Bedfordshire assistance to the scheme since its inception: Dr Nicholas SG19 2DL Aebischer, Dr Mark Avery, Dr Ian Bainbridge, Richard Bashford, www.rspb.org.uk George Boobyer, Prof. Steve Buckland, the late Dr Steve Carter, Dr Humphrey Crick, Anita Donaghy, Dr Colin Galbraith, Dr David Gibbons, Dr John Goss-Custard, Dr Rhys Green, BBS National Organiser: Prof. Jeremy Greenwood, Dr Richard Gregory, John Marchant, Mike Raven Mike Meharg, Dr Dorian Moss, Dr Will Peach, Dr Ken Perry, British Trust for Ornithology Angela Rickard, Dr Ken Smith, David Stroud, Dr Derek Thomas email [email protected] and Richard Weyl. Maps of coverage were produced using DMAP which was written by Dr Alan Morton. The cover photograph is by Tommy For further BBS information, visit our web Holden and the BBS logo is by Andy Wilson. Report site at www.bto.org/survey/bbs.htm production and design are by Angela Rickard. This report is provided free to all BBS fieldworkers and Regional Organisers. Further copies are available from BTO HQ at a cost of £5 incl. p&p. PROFILES Mike Raven is the National Organiser for the BBS and is Dr David Noble is the Head of the Census Unit and responsible for the day-to-day running of the scheme, which oversees the running of bird surveys such as the WBS, involves liaison with BTO Regional Organisers and WBBS and the BBS, as well as associated research on bird volunteers, promotion of the scheme and providing feedback populations. Before joining the BTO he worked at by giving presentations around the country. Mike was Cambridge University on the relationships between previously responsible for the running of the BTO’s Nest cuckoos and their hosts, in the UK and in Africa. Record Scheme. Citation: Raven, M.J., Noble, D.G., & Baillie, S.R. (2003). The Breeding Bird Survey 2002. BTO Research Report 334. British Trust for Ornithology, Thetford. The Breeding Bird Survey 2002 Summary • This is the eighth annual report of the BTO/JNCC/RSPB have increased significantly (Song Thrush, Marsh Tit and Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), covering the years 1994 to 2002. Tree Sparrow). Data for 2001 have not been recorded in the long-term trends because of sampling bias caused by the access restrictions imposed • Population changes are provided for all four constituent UK by the outbreak of Foot & Mouth Disease. The primary aim of countries – Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the survey is to provide population trends for a range of common for each of the nine English Government Office Regions. and widespread birds in the UK. • In England, 27 species declined and 43 species increased • Survey plots are based on 1 x 1 km squares of the National significantly between 1994 and 2002. Willow Tit declined by Grid. Squares are chosen on the basis of a stratified, random more than 50%, and Grey Partridge, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, Swift, sampling design, with larger numbers of squares selected in regions Tree Pipit, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Spotted with more potential volunteers. The aim is to survey the same Flycatcher, Bullfinch and Corn Bunting showed moderate squares each year. declines (25-50%). Increases greater than 50% were recorded for Little Grebe, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Buzzard, Coot, • Volunteer observers visit their squares three times a year. The Common Tern, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, first visit is used to establish a transect route and to record details Redstart, Stonechat and Raven (Table 5). of land use and habitat type. The second and third are early morning counts to survey breeding birds. A line transect method • In Scotland, 10 species declined and 16 species increased is used, with birds recorded in distance bands. Each survey requires significantly between 1994 and 2002. Swift and Hooded Crow about five hours’ fieldwork per year, enabling a large number of declined by over 50% and Kestrel, Golden Plover, Lapwing and people to become involved across the UK. Curlew showed moderate declines (25-50%). Increases greater than 50% were recorded for Grey Heron, Mallard, Buzzard, Snipe, • The scheme is administered centrally by BTO headquarters House Martin, Sedge Warbler, Goldcrest, Raven and Goldfinch staff and organised by voluntary BTO Regional Organisers, who (Table 6). in most cases are BTO Regional Representatives, with help from the Welsh and Irish Officers and BTO Scotland. ROs play a vital • In Wales, eight species declined and 17 species increased role in coordinating and fostering local fieldwork effort. significantly between 1994 and 2002. No species were recorded as declining by over 50%, but Cuckoo, Swift, Garden Warbler, • A total of 212 species and subspecies was recorded in 2002. Willow Warbler, Starling, Bullfinch and Yellowhammer all Population indices are calculated using methods that take regional showed moderate declines (25-50%). Increases greater than 50% differences in sampling effort into account. Across the UK, we were recorded for Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Martin, were able to measure population changes with a medium to high Blackcap, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, House Sparrow and Goldfinch degree of precision for 105 species (Table 4). (Table 7). • In the UK, 29 species declined and 52 species increased • In Northern Ireland, no species were recorded as declining significantly between 1994 and 2002, with only Wood Warbler significantly whereas between 1994 and 2002, 12 species and Willow Tit decreasing by more than 50%. Shelduck, Kestrel, increased. Increases greater than 50% were recorded for Wren, Golden Plover, Common Sandpiper, Cuckoo, Tawny Owl, Swift, Dunnock, Blackbird, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Rook, Hooded Crow Lesser Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatcher, Hooded Crow, Bullfinch and Chaffinch (Table 8). and Corn Bunting all recorded moderate declines (25-50%) and on a more positive note, Greylag Goose, Buzzard, Coot, Snipe, • In England, a number of species, including several farmland Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Stonechat, specialists, showed declines in most of the regions for which Goldcrest, Raven and Tree Sparrow all recorded increases in population trends could to be produced, including Kestrel, Grey excess of 50%. Partridge, Curlew, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, Swift, Skylark, Lesser Whitethroat, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer and Corn Bunting. • 16 widespread species have been Red-listed on the basis of Species that showed marked regional differences in population long-term population trends (see Gregory et al 2002) and of these, trends included Stock Dove, Cuckoo, Swallow, House Martin, 10 species have declined significantly on BBS squares between Meadow Pipit, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Garden Warbler, 1994 and 2002 (Grey Partridge, Turtle Dove, Skylark, Spotted Willow Warbler, Jay, Hooded Crow, Rook, Starling, House Flycatcher, Willow Tit, Starling, House Sparrow, Bullfinch, Sparrow, Chaffinch and Linnet. There were no consistent patterns Yellowhammer and Corn Bunting) and three species among these species. 4 BreedingBreeding Bird Bird Survey Survey Background Survey coverage The status of wild bird populations is an important indicator of To date we have received 2,136 sets of BBS forms for 2002, a the health of the countryside that has received great interest from small decrease from the 2,252 received for 2000 (Table 1), but a in recent years. In 1994, after two years pilot work, the BTO/ very large improvement on the 600 sets of forms received for JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) was launched, with the 2001. Much of the decrease in coverage between 2000 and aim of improving the geographical scope of UK bird monitoring 2002 can be put down to the ‘year out’ in 2001, when the majority SURVEY NEWS by including all habitats and, therefore, more species of breeding of observers were unable to complete their survey due to access birds. Since the final year of the Common Birds Census in 2000, restrictions imposed by the outbreak of Foot & Mouth Disease. the BBS has become the primary scheme for monitoring the However, many parts of the country continued to receive population changes of our common and widespread bird species optimum levels of coverage in 2002, and promotion to expand in the UK.