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Helping specific farmland birds
If you know which birds are on your farm, then you can find out what they need and how you can help them. You can also download advice sheets on how to help them using agri-environment schemes in your country.
Barn owls need rough grassland with an abundance of small mammals for hunting. In some areas they will also benefit from the installation of nesting boxes where natural nest sites or opportunities in farm buildings are not available. |  |
Cirl buntings are sparrow-sized buntings related to yellowhammers. They need thick, tall hedges for nesting, a good supply of seed in winter, and grasshoppers and other invertebrates to eat in spring and summer. |  |
Corn buntings are generally found on open arable and mixed farmland. They need a nesting habitat that remains available until the late summer, lots of seeds throughout the year, and insects and spiders to feed to chicks in the spring. |  |
Curlews breed on open moorland, rough and damp pastures, unimproved hay meadows, and boggy ground; they occasionally use arable crops and silage fields. They need rough ground and tussocky vegetation for nesting from April to July and ground invertebrates during the breeding season. |  |
The grey partridge can be found in most farming systems except predominantly improved grasslands. It needs insects to feed to chicks in the spring and summer, lots of seeds throughout the year and safe nesting cover. |  |
Lapwings can be found on all types of farmland, but are scarcer in purely arable or intensive grassland systems. They need bare ground or short vegetation for nesting from mid-March to June and lots of soil and ground invertebrates throughout the year. |  |
Linnets are found on farmland wherever there is a plentiful supply of seeds throughout the year. They need lots of seeds throughout the year and thick hedgerows and scrub for nesting. |  |
Internationally-important numbers of pink-footed geese now spend the winter in the UK. They feed in the arable farmland on post-harvest cereal stubbles, sugar beet tops and winter wheat crops. Damage to crops can be minimised with careful management |  |
Redshanks breed on wet grasslands on upland and lowland farms, and on saltmarshes. They need wet ground for feeding and grassland with a varied sward height |  |
The reed bunting is found in a wide range of farmland types, but is rare in upland areas. It needs insects to feed to chicks in the spring and summer, lots of seeds throughout the year and safe nesting cover |  |
Ring ouzels breed on moorland and often use in-bye grasslands for feeding. They need mature heather or bracken on steep rocky slopes for nesting and short-grazed grassland for feeding. |  |
The skylark can be found on all types of farm. It needs seeds and weeds throughout the year, insects and spiders in the spring and summer and nesting habitat to produce up to three broods every year |  |
Snipe breed in wet flushes on moorland, damp pasture and at the edges of watercourses. They need wet ground and tall vegetation for nesting from April to July and soft, damp soil for feeding. |  |
Song thrushes are associated with thick hedgerows, native woodland and damp ground, especially grazed pasture. They need lots of earthworms and snails, safe nesting habitat from March until August and hedgerow fruit in the autumn. |  |
The tree sparrow is generally found on lowland farmland with arable or mixed farming. It needs insects and spiders to feed to chicks in the spring and summer, lots of seeds throughout the year and holes for nesting |  |
The turtle dove occurs on arable and mixed farmland that offers suitable nesting habitat. |  |
Twites breed on moorland fringes in the upland areas of northern England and Scotland. They need an abundance of seeds throughout spring and summer and tall ground vegetation for nesting. |  |
The yellow wagtail is a summer visitor to the UK, arriving in April and leaving in September to winter in sub-Saharan Africa. Research into ways in which farmland management can improve the status of the yellow wagtail is ongoing, but the following management advice is based on the evidence that we currently have. |  |
The yellowhammer is widely distributed on all farmland types. It needs thick hedges with ditches or wide margins for nesting, lots of seeds throughout the year and insects and spiders in the spring and summer |  |