Woodland birds face extinction if ministers fail to act urgently, RSPB warns

Woodland birds are facing an accelerating decline in the UK, with species at risk of extinction if the government does not act, experts have said.

- Helena Horton

Data released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has revealed that almost all bird types are reducing in abundance, despite years of warnings from nature bodies that action needs to be taken to protect habitats and save species.

Bird campaigners have warned that urgent measures must be taken to “bend the curve” of nature loss.

Faring the worst are woodland birds. Their indicator of abundance has fallen by 37% since 1970, and by 15% in just the past five years, which suggests an accelerating decline. In general, bird indicators have fallen by 6% in the past five years and 15% since 1970. In the last five years just three species in the woodland bird group have increased – blackcap, nightingale and nuthatch – but 23 have declined.

The government said factors causing woodland bird decline included increased deer browsing pressure, which reduces habitats for foraging and nesting. Removal of hedgerows and the cutting down of woodland, removing habitat, are also driving declines. Defra said that restoring woodland would have a positive impact on species.

Prof Richard Gregory, the head of monitoring at the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, said: “Setting aside the seabirds, which have only been partially updated, all the bird trends are dipping downwards, most prominently among woodland birds.