Why have skylark numbers gone down?

‘It is mainly due to changes in the way crops are grown on farms in some parts of the UK,’ says RSPB scientist Paul Donald.

‘Traditionally, crops were planted in the spring, but now they are often planted in the autumn. This means that the crops have grown too tall by the time skylarks are nesting in April.’

Not only are there fewer places for skylarks to nest on the ground, but it is more difficult for them to find insects in the tall crops to feed their chicks. In the winter, skylarks mainly eat seeds. 

The remains of cereal crops, full of lots of seeds, are not left in as many fields as they used to be over the winter. This means there might not be enough food for all of the skylarks in winter.