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Delivering the Big Three
What is the 'Big three'? Farmland birds have three main needs if they are to survive and flourish:
- A safe place to nest
- Food in spring and summer for their growing chicks
- Food and shelter over the winter
At Hope Farm, we have been able to provide all these habitats through careful use of our Entry Level Agreement (part of the English agri-environment scheme) and good farming practice.
How do we deliver the Big Three for yellowhammers at Hope Farm?
The yellowhammer is one of the species that has responded positively to our management at Hope Farm, with 39 pairs recorded in 2009 compared with 14 in 2000 when we did our first surveys on the farm. Nationally this species has continued to decline by 15 per cent since 1995.
So how have we managed to increase the number against the national trend? The answer is we aim to provide each of the Big Three essential requirements.
Nesting habitat: Yellowhammers nest on, or close to the ground in ditch vegetation or at the base of short thick hedgerows. At Hope Farm, we cut our hedges and ditches in rotation, once every three years, to produce improved nesting habitat. In addition, these hedges will produce 14 times the weight of berries compared with those trimmed annually, providing vital food for many birds, such as blackbirds and starlings.
Summer food: Insects are required to feed both chicks and adults throughout the summer. Pollen and nectar mixtures, beetle banks and field margins provide perfect habitats for many species of insects.
Winter food: This is essential if the yellowhammers are to survive during the winter. The over-winter stubbles, wild seed mixtures and our two-year set-aside have provided valuable seed resources, especially cereal grain.
Last modified: 11 November 2009