Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

About: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is a nonprofit organization based out in Sandy, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Biodiversity. The organization has 670 authors who have published 1425 publications receiving 88006 citations. The organization is also known as: RSPB & Plumage League.

Is the density of redshank Tringa totanus nesting on saltmarshes in Great Britain declining due to changes in grazing management

Abstract: 1. Saltmarsh habitats support c. 50% of the population of redshank Tringa totanus breeding in Britain. Between 1985 & 1996, breeding densities declined significantly by 23%. This paper tests the hypothesis that this decline resulted from changes in the extent of important saltmarsh habitats for nesting redshank, and/or a change in the intensity of grazing. 2. We surveyed breeding redshank densities, the extent of saltmarsh habitats, and the intensity of grazing on a sample of 77 saltmarsh sites around the coast of Britain in 1985 and 1996. From these data, we constructed statistical models that described breeding densities in relation to a range of habitat and grazing variables for each of the surveys, and examined changes in breeding density between the surveys, in relation to changes in the important habitat and grazing variables included in these models. 3. During both surveys, breeding densities were lowest on heavily grazed plots, and there was some evidence, from the larger number of survey sites for which data were available in 1985, that breeding densities tended to be highest on lightly grazed saltmarsh. Multiple regression modelling, incorporating a range of habitat variables and grazing intensity, also showed this effect, although in 1996 interpretation of the relationship between breeding density and grazing intensity was complicated because both grazing intensity and a habitat variable accounted for a similar component of the variance in breeding density. These models also showed that certain habitat variables were significant correlates of breeding density, particularly the extent of sea-couch grass, which was positively correlated with breeding density in both survey years. During 1985, breeding densities were also correlated with the extent of a number of other saltmarsh habitats, which did not significantly correlate with breeding densities in 1996. In addition to the measured habitat and grazing variables, densities also showed significant regional variation in Britain during both surveys. 4. Of the habitat and grazing variables included in the multiple regression models of breeding density, only the intensity of grazing changed between 1985 and 1996, showing a significant increase. Breeding densities declined most markedly on sites that had experienced an increase in the intensity of grazing from ungrazed/lightly grazed to moderate/heavily grazed. This suggests that an increase in the intensity of grazing was the most likely explanation for the decline in breeding densities observed between 1985 and 1996. Causal explanations for the increase in grazing intensity are discussed. 5. Assuming that the grazing intensity data were representative of grazing management on saltmarshes throughout Britain, then we estimate that 1665 ha of saltmarsh experienced an increase from ungrazed/light grazing to moderate/heavy grazing over the 11 years between 1985 and 1996. This is comparable to the 2100 ha of saltmarsh that are expected to be lost to erosion over the next 20 years. We also estimate that 6388 ha, or 14·6%, of saltmarsh in Britain was heavily grazed in 1996. 6. Our analysis of the redshank survey data, together with these figures, suggest that heavy grazing is a significant threat to saltmarsh habitats and its breeding redshank, on a national scale at present. We urgently need a detailed assessment of the grazing management of saltmarshes in Britain, and how grazing management is affected by agricultural policy, as a precursor for the introduction of provisions to ensure that the decline in breeding redshank does not continue.

Recent changes in bird populations in British broadleaved woodland

Abstract: This paper presents estimated national and regional changes in numbers of breeding woodland birds in predominantly broadleaved woodland in Britain between the mid 1980s and 2003–04, derived from the Repeat Woodland Bird Survey (RWBS). A total of 405 sites across Britain for which historical data on bird populations were available were re-surveyed by BTO and RSPB fieldworkers during the RWBS. Changes were estimated separately for sites surveyed by the RSPB (n = 252) and BTO (n = 153) because of differences between the two groups in the field methods used in the original surveys. Changes between the 1960s and 1970s and 2003–04 were also estimated with the BTO data set only. The BTO and RSPB sites provide geographically complementary coverage of Britain and together provide much more widespread coverage than did the Common Bird Census (CBC), the former national monitoring scheme. Nationally, between the 1980s and 2003–04, six species declined significantly and three increased significantly based on the RSPB data, whereas eight declined and 13 increased according to the BTO data, with good correspondence between the changes recorded by the two data sets (only seven of 34 species showing trends differing in direction). Eight species showed large national declines (> 25%) according to both data sets: Garden Warbler Sylvia borin, Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor, Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis, Willow Tit Poecile montanus, Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus and Wood Warbler P. sibilatrix. Eleven species showed large national increases (> 25%) in both data sets: Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla, Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus, Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita, Coal Tit Periparus ater, Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major, Great Tit Parus major, Green Woodpecker Picus viridis, Goldcrest Regulus regulus, European Robin Erithacus rubecula, Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familaris and Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes. Analysis of the longer-term changes using the BTO data set showed significant declines between the 1960s and 2003–04 in seven species and increases in 12 species. The large declines detected by the national monitoring schemes (CBC/BBS) for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Redpoll, Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, Willow Tit, Willow Warbler and Wood Warbler were all confirmed by the RWBS but the declines of the Common Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula, Marsh Tit Poecile palustris and Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus were not clearly supported. The declines detected by the RWBS for Garden Warbler, Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca and Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus were not evident from the national monitoring schemes. Most of the increases detected by the monitoring schemes were confirmed by the RWBS. However, the large increases detected by the RWBS for Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Great Tit and Eurasian Treecreeper were unexpected. All long-distance migrants have declined whilst medium-distance migrants (Blackcap and Common Chiffchaff) have increased. Also, rare and specialist woodland species have fared less well than common and generalist species.