Other Birds

The Ring Ouzel, sometimes known as the Mountain Blackbird, is giving UK conservationists serious concerns due to dramatic national declines in the breeding population, so much so that in 2004 it was placed on the ‘red list’ of bird species of greatest conservation concern. Between the late 1980s and late 1990s, the Ring Ouzel population fell by a massive 58 percent and, unfortunately, the Forest of Bowland has not escaped this drop.

In the early 1990s there were approximately 30 occupied Ring Ouzel territories on the United Utilities Bowland estate (the best site in Lancashire for Ring Ouzels), but this number had declined to just 19 by 1999, and to only 12 in 2005, mirroring the national situation. The RSPB and others are undertaking national research to investigate the reasons for this sudden population collapse.

Other scarce upland songbirds that are also regularly monitored by the RSPB include Whinchats, Stonechats, Wheatears and Reed Buntings. 2005 was a positive year for all these species, with the exception of Reed Buntings. From a six-year high of 16 pairs in 2004, Reed Bunting numbers fell to 11 pairs in 2005.

Stonechats have undergone a massive increase in numbers across the uplands of the UK in the last seven years. For example, from just three pairs in 1998, the population on the United Utilities Bowland estate expanded to 46 pairs in 2005 - a 15-fold increase. This is thought to be due to a long run of ‘warm’ winters, which benefits over-winter survival of this insect eating species.

The close relative of the Stonechat, the Whinchat, had an average year with a marginal increase in the population from 18 pairs in 2004 to 19 in 2005.

Finally, that characteristic bird of the uplands, the Wheatear, had a good year in 2005 with the population increasing from a low of 16 pairs in 2004 to 22 pairs this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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