The new listings describe the population status of each
species and will, when combined with additional information, help
to guide conservation action between 2002 and 2007. Importantly,
both non-governmental and governmental organisations have endorsed
the new lists. The JNCC will use this objective review as one
element of its ongoing Species Status Assessment Programme, which
will in turn inform the revision of the UK Biodiversity Action
Plan.
Farmland
birds
The 1996 assessments helped to focus attention on a suite of
widespread but rapidly declining birds of farmed land, such as the
turtle dove, the skylark and the corn bunting. It is generally
accepted that these species have declined because of agricultural
intensification, and in the last few years a range of schemes have
been introduced to help them. All of the birds of farmed land that
were on the red list in the earlier assessments are still there. In
addition, another farmland bird, the yellowhammer, has joined them.
Many red list species remain relatively common in the countryside,
despite substantial declines.
Woodland and urban birds
Birds from two new groups appear on the red list: lowland
woodland birds and urban birds. The red-listed woodland birds are
the lesser spotted woodpecker, the marsh tit and the willow tit,
which have declined by 73%, 50% and 80% respectively over the last
25 years. A number of other woodland species have entered the amber
list. The urban species new to the red list are, remarkably, the
house sparrow and the starling, both of which were formerly
ubiquitous but have declined by more than 60%. In contrast to the
situation with farmland birds, we do not know why these woodland
and urban species have declined, and urgently need to find out. As
with farmland birds, some of these species remain quite common
despite severe declines.
Northern / upland birds
Several species characteristic of Scotland, Wales or northern
England, such as the capercaillie and the black grouse, remain on
the red list because of continuing steep declines. Others, such as
the corncrake and the white-tailed eagle, are still red-listed
although their numbers are increasing due to successful
conservation action. One upland bird, the ring ouzel, is new to the
red list.
Successes
Although the overall number of species on the red list has
increased since the last assessment (from 36 to 40), five species
have moved from red to amber. The populations of the red kite,
marsh harrier, osprey, merlin and Dartford warbler have more than
doubled in the last 25 years, even though they had declined
substantially previously. Much of the recent recovery in these
species is due to the success of targeted conservation
action.
While it is encouraging to see the success of conservation
actions for some of our rare species, reversing the declines of
widespread and common species remains a key challenge in bird
conservation today.