February 2021 saw the eighth annual Big Farmland Bird Count (BFBC) organised by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), with a record number of participants.
The BFBC was launched by the GWCT in 2014 to highlight the positive work done by farmers, land managers and gamekeepers, who are helping to reverse the decline in farmland bird numbers.
More than 1,800 farmers took part in the count this year, which was recorded between 5 and 21 February, more than ever before, and recorded more than 130 species across 2.5 million acres.
Of those who took part, 48 per cent were in an agri-environment scheme, demonstrating their long-term commitment to environmental management, and 39 per cent said they provided extra support for birds, such as growing bird seed mixes or by winter feeding.
The land area covered in the UK count was also record-breaking, with farms in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland taking part. The average farm size of participants was 1,027 acres.
Of the areas where land managers took part, Norfolk had the most returns – with 189 farmers completing the survey. Lincolnshire followed with 131, North Yorkshire with 130, and Hampshire with 118.
Commenting on this year’s results, a spokesman for the GWCT said he was delighted, adding that the count helps the Trust to better understand what is going on in the UK countryside.
He went on to say that the results show that farmers, land managers and gamekeepers care for the land they work and, given that they look after 71 per cent of all the land in the UK, it represents “extremely good news for the future of our treasured bird species.”