Download What is the RSPB?

What is the RSPB?
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The RSPB is Europe’s largest wildlife conservation charity
(over a million members), working for the conservation of
biodiversity – especially wild birds and their habitats
Founded in 1889, and since it’s original campaign to end
the plumage trade (a success), it broadened it’s horizons
involving the protection of wildlife and habitats.
FALCONRY – RSPB accepts falconry as a traditional
sport but still works to protect against harm towards wild
birds.
ANIMAL WELFARE – The RSPB does not run bird
hospitals to deal with sick or injured birds – it recognises
that these issues are catered for by charities such as
RSPCA and SSPCA.
FIELD SPORTS – only works against these if wildlife
conservation is affected. For instance the RSPB has
worked with the GAME CONSERVANCY TRUST to try
and halt the rapid decline of grey partridge populations.
Reserves
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RSPB holds reserves in all four
countries of the British Isles, with
62 alone in England
These areas are occupied by
everything from sheer seabird
cliffs, dense reedbeds, dry southern
heathland, peaty moors and wet
grassy flood meadows.
These reserves have sprung up
during rising conflicts between
wildlife/habitats and pressures from
building, land drainage and
changing farming methods
Conservation
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The RSPB prioritises bird species protection according to the latest population
figures recorded in Birds of Conservation Concern (BoCC) – published in 1996.
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146 species in BoCC are placed into either the :
RED LIST – 36 species of high conservation concern - these are globally threatened
or in rapid decline in the UK currently or historically.
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AMBER LIST – 110 species of medium conservation concern - in moderate decline,
rare, localised, internationally important or of an unfavourable conservation status
in Europe.
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All other regularly occurring UK species appear on the Green list.
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The most important sites for birds around the country are known as IBAs
(Important Bird Areas). Within Europe alone there have been 3,619 IBAs identified
through sponsorship from the RSPB.
What are the red & amber
lists?
Amber list
Red list
Examples of Criteria:
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The RSPB is undertaking recovery
programmes for many of these birds
who are part of the red list because
they are in greatest need of urgent
conservation action.
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Moderately declining species –
breeding population declined by 2549% between 1970 and 1995.
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Species breeding in internationally
important numbers – species for
which 20% or more of the European
population breeds in the UK
Examples of Criteria:
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Breeding population declined by 50%
or more between 1970 and 1995.
Localised species – species for which
more than half of the non-breeding
population is found at 10 or fewer
sites.
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Species that are globally threatened.
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Localised species which more than
half of the non-breeding population is
found at 10 or fewer sites.
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Research
In this the RSPB is working on the following
topics:
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The impact of climate change on wildlife
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Acidification – the thinning of egg shells due
to acid deposition
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The indirect effects of pesticides – the
reduction of insects that feed birds
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Agricultural intensification, both arable and
pastoral – reduction of habitats
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Overgrazing on the uplands of Britain
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The impact of shell-fisheries on populations
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The role of predation
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Introduced species
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among other things!
For Example:
• There has been a decline of Song thrush numbers by 66% since 1972 on
UK farmland and 39% on British woodland.
• Research has been carried out by the RSPB by radio-tracking to study
the habitat requirements of breeding song thrushes:
– E.g. On arable farmland song thrushes show seasonal changes in
habitat locations.
– During spring they prefer grassland and ditches for earthworms. As
these dry out in summer the thrushes are forced to forage in the few
remaining ditches around cultivated fields.
– Their study in mixed farmland showed that thrushes were able to
continue feeding in areas of damp grassland and woodland
throughout the long breeding season.
Fieldwork Methods
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Catching and marking adult birds
Finding their nests
Weighing and marking nestlings
Measuring nesting success and
understanding causes of nest
failure
Following adults to see where they
forage - sometimes with radio tags
Measuring surrounding habitats
and food (e,g seeds, insects)
Analysing chick faecal remains to
determine diet
Counting the number of potential
predators.
Solutions
- Encouragement of mixed farmland.
- The creation of new woodlands on existing farmland, as long as
resulting forest is managed sympathetically for wildlife. Grants
for woodland creation are available for farmers various schemes.
- The RSPB is calling for a pesticide strategy capable of delivering
measurable reductions in pesticide impacts.
- The tradition of crop rotation to prevent the use of fertilisers,
insecticides, pesticides and a new threat from genetically modified
crops that produce their own insecticide (‘insect resistant’)
Reserves
• The Arne Nature Reserve – The RSPB run many reserves, or
sponsor many reserves around the country. One of these is the
Arne in Wareham, Dorset.
• Much of it’s flora and fauna are restricted only to this habitat.
• The reserve is an internationally important wintering site for
waders and wildfowl
• The reserve also includes saltmarsh, mudflats and open water to
provide for Brent grouse, black-tailed godwits and other wintering
birds.