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Countryside Bird Survey 2008
Summary 1998 - 2004 ..
The Countryside Bird Survey (CBS) is a national research project being conducted by BirdWatch Ireland volunteers
and NPWS Conservation Rangers, to monitor bird population trends.
The survey, begun in 1998, runs from April to June each year and will provide vital scientific data on Ireland's
breeding bird populations and their distribution. It runs in parallel with similar surveys in Northern Ireland and
Britain and will link with corresponding research work throughout Europe.
The aims of the CBS are:
CBS data will also provide a useful input to the EU requirement for a wider
The Fieldwork Season
Counts are made early in the morning, the period of greatest bird activity, beginning ideally between 6am and 7am.
Each fieldwork visit usually takes less than two hours to complete.
Detailed information on survey techniques is available from
BirdWatch Ireland.
Coverage for the CBS has continued to persist at a high level, with 301 squares covered in 2004.
Overall, 391 squares have been covered for the CBS, and because of the random nature of the project, a wide variety
of habitats in a variety of regions throughout the Republic have been sampled.
A total of 118 species was recorded in 2004, which is high relative to most other years. A total of 145
species has been recorded throughout the duration of the CBS. Some of these species are not accurately
monitored as part of the CBS, as they are colonial (such as Cormorant and most gull species) or are relatively
scarce (Barn Owl) or elusive (Snipe), but the data collated during the CBS allows us to monitor their
distribution. This information is particularly useful with the approach of the next breeding atlas in 2007.
The distribution of most species has remained quite consistent during the course of the CBS, particularly
among the top 20 most widespread species. Wren, Robin, Chaffinch, Blackbird and Woodpigeon were the most widespread in 2004.
Several species have shown some dramatic changes in distribution; Goldfinch, Blackcap
and Stonechat have shown range expansion, while Skylark has shown range retraction.
Rooks have continued as the most abundant species. An average of 26 per square was estimated, and includes
a peak count of 200 in one single 200m section of a square in the east. Because of the highly social nature
of this species, and others such as Starling, combined with their tendency to congregate in
large flocks, it can be near impossible to distinguish the proportion that are actually breeding adults.
Wren, Blackbird, Woodpigeon and Jackdaw were also particularly abundant, with means in excess of 10 per square estimated.
Meaningful population trends can only be obtained for species which have occurred in at least 30 squares. Thus, for the
1998 to 2004 period, it was possible to produce trends for 57 species. Overall, there were significant increases
in 18 species and declines in 10 (see Table). Many of these trends have proven consistent in recent years. In
line with overall expansion in range, there have been increases in several finch species, most notably Goldfinch,
but also Linnet and Bullfinch and House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Redpoll and Reed Bunting.
In contrast, there have been declines in many insectivorous species, most notably Swift and Swallow.
- Dick Coombes
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| Significant changes in population levels 98-04 | ||
| Species | n | Change% 98-04 |
| (n represents the mean number of squares) | ||
| Kestrel | 43 | -44 |
| Pheasant | 223 | 19 |
| Feral Pigeon | 33 | 96 |
| Stock Dove | 33 | -29 |
| Woodpigeon | 264 | 20 |
| Collared Dove | 52 | 17 |
| Cuckoo | 76 | -16 |
| Swift | 46 | -5 |
| Skylark | 146 | -21 |
| Swallow | 263 | -5 |
| Wren | 288 | 15 |
| Robin | 282 | -13 |
| Stonechat | 67 | 149 |
| Wheatear | 35 | -16 |
| Mistle Thrush | 139 | -33 |
| Sedge Warbler | 63 | 83 |
| Blackcap | 54 | 157 |
| Long-tailed Tit | 47 | 1 |
| Magpie | 256 | 9 |
| Jackdaw | 218 | 20 |
| Rook | 245 | -28 |
| House Sparrow | 127 | 38 |
| Chaffinch | 271 | 12 |
| Goldfinch | 110 | 105 |
| Linnet | 116 | 42 |
| Redpoll | 44 | 30 |
| Bullfinch | 116 | 77 |
| Reed Bunting | 84 | 41 |
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Research confirms extent of Europe’s disappearing farmland birds - BirdLife International 07-06-2007
New research has shown that Europe’s farmland birds have declined by almost 50% in the past 25 years – a trend
caused by EU-wide agricultural intensification being driven by a policy in need of urgent reform.
The results, released today, bring together the most comprehensive biodiversity indicators of their kind
in Europe, collated by the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS) - a partnership
led by scientists from the European Bird Census Council, BirdLife International,
the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) and Statistics Netherlands.
The data was collected from 20 independent breeding bird surveys across Europe over the last
25 years, all of which were coordinated thanks to the concerted efforts of national programmes
involving thousands of dedicated volunteer birdwatchers.
The results confirm the extent to which farmland birds have declined. Across Europe as a whole from
1980 to 2005, common farmland birds have on average fallen in number by 44% – the most severe decline
of the bird categories monitored.
“Birds can be vital barometers of environmental change – their declines are clear evidence of the
environmental degradation that has occurred across European farmland,” said Dr Richard Gregory,
Chairman of the European Bird Census Council, and Head of Monitoring and Indicators at the RSPB.
“The data are staring us in the face: many farmland birds - and the species and habitats with which
they coexist are under serious threat.”
Species like Eurasian Skylark, Red-backed Shrike, Corn Bunting, Northern Lapwing and Eurasian Tree
Sparrow are familiar names in the long list of declining farmland bird species.
The bird organisations involved in the study are calling for a reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP),
a system of European Union subsidies and programmes that has led to considerable
agricultural intensification in EU Member States. Although this drive has lessened with successive reforms,
the CAP still appears to fail farmland birds and the European environment in general.
“These results show how urgently we need a complete reform of the Common Agriculture Policy, to deliver
targeted support for high nature value farming systems and farmed Natura 2000 sites, and to support
farmers in delivering environmental improvements throughout the countryside,” said Ariel Brunner, BirdLife’s
EU Agriculture Policy Officer, based in Brussels.
Most concerning is the likelihood of rapid farmland bird declines in new EU Member States that hold some
of Europe’s largest concentrations of farmland birds. The study indicates that declines in farmland
birds in new EU Member States mirror those declines of more established EU Member States. The fear is that
EU accession may accelerate and worsen the situation.
“The EU has made encouraging strides forward in environmental legislation, yet for farmland - which
accounts for nearly half of the total land surface of Europe - we are working to an outdated policy
that still encourages unsustainable intensive farming, while failing to support those extensive farming
systems that are vital for biodiversity conservation and rural economies,” said Brunner.
"These results show how urgently we need a complete reform of the Common Agriculture Policy.."
said Ariel Brunner, BirdLife’s EU Agriculture Policy Officer
and now declines in forest birds ..
Findings from the study also show declines for forest birds: across Europe as a whole from 1980 to 2005,
numbers of common forest birds have fallen on average by 9%.
The researchers highlight that the speed with which forest ecosystems react to changes in management are
much slower than in farmlands, so this decline may carry a very serious warning. They are now urging for
further studies to investigate the driving factors, management regimes in particular.
Forest bird declines have been particularly severe in the boreal forests of Northern Europe, where
they are thought to be threatened by highly intensive forestry exploitation.
"We have the data and the knowledge to help farmland and forest birds,but we need urgently to look
deeper into the reasons behind these declines – and to design effective policies that will
ensure further losses do not occur,” said Dr Gregory.
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