Species Action Plans - Skylark
(Alauda arvensis)
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Click to view the Skylark Action Plan |
Current Status
National Status
- One of the most widespread birds of the British Isles, with over 2 million breeding pairs, the resident population is joined in winter by a significant proportion of the northern European population - possibly up to 25 million individuals. The UK breeding population of skylark on lowland farmland declined by 61% between 1977 and 2002, and continues to decline.
- The skylark is protected under the EC Birds Directive and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Norfolk Status
- Still widespread in Norfolk as a breeding and wintering bird throughout the open countryside despite a likely decline in numbers in the county (it is not possible to measure population size or trends on a county level). In the Norfolk Bird Atlas (Kelly 1986), it was found in 97% of 2km squares, the blank squares being built up, plantations or wetlands. Early work for the new Norfolk Atlas suggests the picture is currently much the same.
Current factors causing loss or decline in Norfolk
- Management of arable fields has reduced ephemeral weeds and insect prey through the use of ever more efficient pesticides (including insecticides and herbicides).
- Decrease in livestock levels.
- An increased trend to autumn-sown cereals has reduced the number of essential winter stubble fields and may provide unsuitable breeding habitat in comparison with spring-sown varieties.
- Conversion of grassland to intensively-farmed arable.
- Intensive management of grasslands.
- Silage and haylage making replacing hay making, which destroys nests and exposes incubating skylarks and young to predators.
Current Action in Norfolk
- Intensive research into the cause of the decline of skylarks, including work in North Norfolk, has been completed. Recent research has been directed towards finding a cost-effective means of reversing the decline.
- In June 2004, results from the Sustainable Arable Farming For an Improved Environment (SAFFIE) project revealed that 4m by 4m undrilled plots in cereal fields improved skylark breeding success by 49%. If undrilled plots were created on only 20% of arable farmland and stubbles left over winter, the decline in skylarks could be reversed.
- Managing set-aside in a way that benefits ground nesting birds is happening but on an unknown scale.
Action Plan Objectives and Targets
National
- Maintain the BBS population index for skylarks at or above the 1995 level.
- Maintain the number of wintering skylarks at or above 1997/98 level as determined by the JNCC/BTO survey.
- Maintain the range of skylarks as measured by the frequency of occupation in BBS squares at or above the 1995 level.
- Reverse the population decline on lowland farmland and other habitats, where found to be declining, as measured by BBS indices
Norfolk
- Maintain current distribution in Norfolk.
- By 2010, restore to any parts of the county that have lost breeding skylarks since 1986.
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Send mail to scott.perkin@norfolk.gov.uk with questions or comments about this web site. This page was printed from the Norfolk Biodiversity Website : http://www.norfolkbiodiversity.org/