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The state of the UK's birds 2004

State of the UK's birds 2004 cover

This is the latest annual report on The state of the UK's birds. It aims to be a 'one-stop shop' for all the latest information on the fortunes of birds throughout the UK and in its Overseas Territories.

The numbers and trends of birds in the UK are monitored in virtually unparalleled detail, and in some cases data stretches back over 40 years. 

Annual surveys provide accurate information on a wide variety of breeding and visiting species, while less regular surveys give bulletins on rare and localised species, as well as those of specialised habitats. 

You can download a PDF of the report from the link on the right.

The headlines

  • The all-species, farmland and woodland wild bird indicators for the UK have all shown a slight increase over the last year. However, the farmland bird indicator remains below 60% of its 1970 value. 
  • Good news! Recent surveys have detected encouraging increases for four of our most vulnerable breeding species: capercaillie, corncrakes, bitterns and nightjars. A fifth species, the hen harrier, showed encouraging increases in the north and west but worrying declines elsewhere in its range.
  • 2004 was the poorest breeding season on record for many of our seabirds, such as kittiwakes and guillemots, raising concerns about environmental changes in the seas surrounding the UK.
  • Among our common breeding birds, some continue to decline alarmingly. Most noticeably, these include woodland birds such as wood warblers, spotted flycatchers and willow tits. Although the prospects look brighter for farmland birds in England, with the introduction of the Environmental Stewardship Scheme in 2005, turtle doves, corn buntings and grey partridges are still decreasing rapidly.
  • The populations of a number of wintering waterbirds, such as dunlins, ringed plovers and turnstones, have continued to decline, and the wintering waterbird indicator dropped to its lowest level since 1993–94.      

Contents

  • UK 'Quality of Life' wild bird indicator
  • Recent trends in birds covered by UK Biodiversity Action Plans (UK BAPs)
  • Trends in common and widespread birds - Breeding Bird Survey
  • Survey round-up
  • Trends in UK seabird productivity
  • An indicator of wintering waterbirds 
  • The European conservation status of the UK's birds
  • UK Overseas Territories
  • Climate change
  • What you can do to help      

Last modified: 15 August 2005

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