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C5. Birds of the wider countryside and at sea
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C5. Birds of the wider countryside and at sea
a. Farmland birds
b. Woodland birds
c. Wetland birds
d. Seabirds
e. Wintering waterbirds
Type: State Indicator
Summary
Figure C5ai. Breeding farmland birds in the UK, 1970 to 2014.
Notes:
1. The figure in brackets shows the number of species.
2. The line graph shows the unsmoothed trend (dashed line) and smoothed trend (solid line)
with its 95 per cent confidence interval (shaded).
3. The bar chart shows the percentage of species within the indicator that have increased,
decreased, or shown no change, based on set thresholds of change.
Source: British Trust for Ornithology, Defra, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Royal Society for
the Protection of Birds.
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C5. Birds of the wider countryside and at sea
http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-4235
Figure C5bi. Breeding woodland birds in the UK, 1970 to 2014.
Notes:
1. The figure in brackets shows the number of species.
2. The line graph shows the unsmoothed trend (dashed line) and smoothed trend (solid line)
with its 95 per cent confidence interval (shaded).
3. The bar chart shows the percentage of species within the indicator that have increased,
decreased, or shown no change, based on set thresholds of change.
Source: British Trust for Ornithology, Defra, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Royal Society for
the Protection of Birds.
Figure C5ci. Breeding water and wetland birds in the UK, 1975 to 2014.
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C5. Birds of the wider countryside and at sea
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Notes:
1. The figure in brackets shows the number of species.
2. The line graph shows the unsmoothed trend (dashed line) and smoothed trend (solid line)
with its 95 per cent confidence interval (shaded).
3. The bar chart shows the percentage of species within the indicator that have increased,
decreased, or shown no change, based on set thresholds of change.
Source: British Trust for Ornithology, Defra, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Royal Society for
the Protection of Birds.
Figure C5di. Breeding seabirds in the UK, 1986 to 2014.
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C5. Birds of the wider countryside and at sea
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Notes:
1. The figure in brackets shows the number of species.
2. The line graph shows the unsmoothed trend (solid line) – no smoothed trend is available
for seabirds, as individual species population trends are analysed using an imputation
procedure that does not include smoothing. As data are based on a mixture of full counts
and sample sites, standard bootstrapping methods used for other indicators cannot be
applied and the trend is presented without confidence intervals.
3. The bar chart shows the percentage of species within the indicator that have increased,
decreased, or shown no change, based on set thresholds of change.
Source: British Trust for Ornithology, Defra, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Seabird
Monitoring Programme (co-ordinated by Joint Nature Conservation Committee).
Figure C5ei. Wintering waterbirds in the UK, 1975-76 to 2013-14.
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C5. Birds of the wider countryside and at sea
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Notes:
1. The figure in brackets shows the number of species.
2. Based on financial years.
3. The line graph shows the unsmoothed trend (dashed line) and smoothed trend (solid
line).
4. Data from surveys of wintering waterbirds are based on full counts on wetland and
coastal sites of markedly varying size. This means that standard indicator bootstrapping
methods cannot be applied and the trend is presented without confidence intervals.
5. The bar chart shows the percentage of species within the indicator that have increased,
decreased, or shown no change, based on set thresholds of change.
Source: British Trust for Ornithology, Defra, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Royal Society for
the Protection of Birds, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.
Assessment of change in bird populations
Long term
Short term
Farmland birds
Latest year
No change (2014)
1970–2013
2008–2013
Woodland birds
2008–2013
Increased (2014)
1970–2013
Wetland birds
No change (2014)
1975–2013
2008–2013
Seabirds
Increased (2014)
1986–2013
2008–2013
Wintering waterbirds
No change (2013-14)
1975/76–2012/13
2007/08–2012/13
Notes: While percentage changes in these indices are reported based on the most recent
unsmoothed data point (2014), the formal long- and short-term assessments of the statistical
significance of these changes are made using the smoothed data to 2013. This is because the most
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C5. Birds of the wider countryside and at sea
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recent smoothed data point (for 2014) is likely to change in next year’s update when additional data
are included for 2015. Analysis of the underlying trends is undertaken by the data providers.
Smoothed data are available for farmland, woodland, wetland and wintering waterbirds, but not for
seabirds.

Between 1970 and 2014, populations of breeding farmland and woodland birds decreased by 54
per cent and 20 per cent respectively, and the population index for breeding water and wetland
birds was 15 per cent lower than in 1975. All of these changes are statistically significant. In 2014
breeding seabird populations were 27 per cent lower than their 1986 level.

In the shorter-term, between 2008 and 2013, populations of woodland birds have remained stable,
whilst farmland birds have shown a statistically significant decrease of 11 per cent, and water and
wetland birds a significant decrease of 12 per cent. Seabirds have shown a decrease of 9 per cent
between 2008 and 2013.

In 2013-14, populations of the wintering waterbirds were 85 per cent higher than in 1975-76. There
has been a decline since the index peaked in the late 1990s, with the smoothed index falling by
almost 7 per cent in the short term between 2007-08 and 2012-13.
Indicator description
The indicator shows changes in the breeding population sizes of common native birds of farmland
and woodland and of freshwater and marine habitats in the UK.
The indices show the year-to-year fluctuation in populations, reflecting the observed changes in the
survey results, and smoothed trends, which are used with their confidence intervals to formally assess
the statistical significance of change over time. Smoothed trends reduce short-term peaks and
troughs resulting from, for example, year-to-year weather and sampling variations.
Data from seabird monitoring and surveys of wintering waterbirds are based, respectively, on full
counts at colonies or on wetland and coastal sites of markedly varying size. This means the standard
bootstrapping methods used to estimate confidence intervals for the farmland, woodland and wetland
indices, which are based on standardised sample-based surveys, cannot be applied. Assessments of
change for these indices are therefore made using a ‘5 per cent rule’. If the index has increased or
decreased by greater than or equal to 5 per cent, the index is given a green or a red traffic light
respectively.
Composite indicators can mask a lot of variation among the species within them. The bar chart
provided alongside each habitat chart above shows the percentage of species within that indicator
that have increased, decreased or shown no change.
Whether an individual species is increasing or decreasing has been decided by its rate of annual
change over the time period (long or short) of assessment. If the rate of annual change would lead to
a population increase or decrease of between 25 per cent and 49 per cent over 25 years, the species
is said to have shown a ‘weak increase’ or a ‘weak decline’ respectively. If the rate of annual change
would lead to a population increase or decrease of 50 per cent or more over 25 years, the species is
said to have shown a ‘strong increase’ or a ‘strong decline’ respectively. These thresholds are the
same as used to define severe and moderate levels of decline in the six-yearly Birds of Conservation
Concern status assessment for birds in the UK. Increases and decreases are balanced geometrically
(e.g. a 50% decline in one species is balanced by a 100% (or doubling in another).
The long-term decline of farmland birds in the UK has been driven mainly by the decline of those
species that are restricted to or highly dependent on farmland habitats (the ‘specialists’, which
account for 12 of the 19 species in the indicator). Between 1970 and 2014, populations of farmland
specialists declined by 69 per cent while farmland generalist populations declined by 9 per cent. Of
the 12 farmland specialist species, four farmland specialists (grey partridge, turtle dove, tree sparrow
and corn bunting) have declined by 90 per cent or more relative to 1970 levels. By contrast two
farmland specialists (stock dove and goldfinch) have more than doubled over the same period,
illustrating how pressures and responses to pressures vary between species. Generalist species
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C5. Birds of the wider countryside and at sea
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have fared better than specialists but show diverse trend patterns: woodpigeon and jackdaw
populations have more than doubled relative to 1970, whereas the yellow wagtail has declined by
over 65 per cent.
As with the farmland birds, woodland generalists have fared better than woodland specialists (25 of
the 37 species in the indicator). Populations of five woodland generalist species (blackbird, bullfinch,
dunnock, song thrush and tawny owl) have declined since 1970; song thrush by more than 50 per
cent. In contrast, populations of wren, great tit and long-tailed tit have increased by more than 50%
since 1970.
A number of woodland specialists (lesser spotted woodpecker, lesser redpoll, spotted flycatcher, and
marsh tit) have declined by over 70 per cent relative to 1970 levels, with willow tit and capercaillie
down by more than 90 per cent. By contrast populations of three woodland specialists (blackcap,
great spotted woodpecker, and nuthatch) more than doubled over the same period. This divergence
in trends reflects differences in the pressures faced, as well as in the type of woodland for which they
are specialised.
The breeding water and wetland bird measure can be disaggregated to four sub-habitat indicators to
show more specific habitat trends, although each is derived from relatively few species trends. Of the
smoothed trends observed, birds of slow flowing and standing water have shown the most positive
trend, increasing by 30 per cent between 1975 and 2013. Birds of wet grassland decreased by 54 per
cent, and birds of fast-flowing water decreased by 27 per cent compared to 1975. Birds of reedbeds
have fluctuated considerably over the same period and the smoothed index is now 3 per cent above
its 1975 level.
The seabird measure currently stands at 27 per cent below the 1986 baseline. It has shown a decline
in the short-term, since 2008, of 9 per cent. In this update, the UK trend published is not directly
comparable with the UK seabird trend published in 2014, due to this year’s exclusion of the trend for
lesser black-backed gull for which estimated population trends since the last national seabird census
in 2000 are no longer considered reliable. Two species (common guillemot and razorbill) have
increased since the beginning of the index, three species have decreased, and the remaining eight
species have shown no marked change. In particular, black-legged kittiwakes declined by 71 per cent
since 1986 and Arctic skuas declined by 82 per cent.
The wintering waterbird measure has increased steadily since the 1975-76 baseline to a peak in the
late 1990s. Although there has been a downward trend since then, the indicator in 2013-14 is still 85
per cent above its 1975-76 baseline. Amongst wildfowl, scaup numbers are down by nearly 60 per
cent and European white-fronted goose and pochard populations by 55 per cent and 45 per cent
respectively since 1975-76. In contrast, numbers of Svalbard light-bellied brent goose and gadwall
increased 13- and 15-fold, respectively, and British/Irish greylag geese by 10-fold over the same
period. Amongst waders, populations of avocet have increased almost 13-fold since being included in
the indicator in 1989-90. Ringed plover and dunlin numbers showed the steepest declines, declining
by 38 per cent and 49 per cent respectively since the start of the time series in the winter of 1975-76.
Relevance
Bird populations have long been considered to provide a good indication of the broad state of wildlife.
Birds occupy a wide range of habitats and there are considerable long-term data on changes in bird
populations, which help in the interpretation of shorter-term fluctuations in numbers. As they are a
well-studied taxonomic group, drivers of change for birds are better understood than for other species
groups, which allows for better interpretation of any observed changes. Birds also have huge cultural
importance and are highly valued as a part of the UK’s natural environment by the general public.
Background
The indicator has been compiled in conjunction with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
(RSPB), the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee
(JNCC). Data are obtained from a wide range of sources, principally:
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C5. Birds of the wider countryside and at sea
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
BTO/JNCC Common Birds Census;

BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey;

BTO/EA Waterways Breeding Bird Survey;

BTO/Wildfowl and Wetland Trust (WWT)/RSPB/JNCC Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS);

WWT/JNCC/Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Goose & Swan Monitoring Programme; and

Seabird Monitoring Programme (partnership led by JNCC).
Within the measures, each species is given equal weighting, and the annual index is the geometric
mean of the individual species indices for that year. Populations of individual species within each
measure may be increasing or decreasing irrespective of the overall trends. The individual species
indices are largely derived by modelling, and estimates are revised when new data or improved
methodologies are developed and applied retrospectively to earlier years. Further details about
species and methods can be found on the British Trust for Ornithology website and the Joint Nature
Conservation Committee website.
A table listing the species that are included in each index can be found in the datasheet. For each
species, an estimate of change in the long-term and in the short-term is given, as well as an
assessment of whether the species trend is increasing or decreasing.
Goals and targets
Aichi Targets for which this is a primary indicator
Strategic Goal B. Reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote sustainable use.
Target 7: By 2020, areas under agriculture, aquaculture and forestry are managed
sustainably, ensuring conservation of biodiversity.
Strategic Goal C. To improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and
genetic diversity.
Target 12: By 2020, the extinction of known threatened species has been prevented and
their conservation status, particularly of those most in decline, has been improved and sustained.
Aichi Targets for which this is a relevant indicator
Strategic Goal B. Reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote sustainable use.
Target 5: By 2020, the rate of loss of all natural habitats, including forests, is at least
halved and where feasible brought close to zero, and degradation and fragmentation is significantly
reduced.
Strategic Goal C. To improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and
genetic diversity.
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C5. Birds of the wider countryside and at sea
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Target 11: By 2020, at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water, and 10 per cent of
coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem
services, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and
well connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures,
and integrated into the wider landscape and seascapes.
Web links for further information
Reference
British Trust for
Ornithology
British Trust for
Ornithology
British Trust for
Ornithology
British Trust for
Ornithology
British Trust for
Ornithology
Defra
Joint Nature
Conservation
Committee
Wildfowl and
Wetlands Trust
Birds of
Conservation
Concern 4
Title
The Breeding
Birds Survey
Report
Indicators of wild
bird populations
Waterways
Breeding Bird
Survey
Wetland Bird
Survey
State of UK’s
Birds 2015
Website
http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/
bbs/bbs-publications/bbs-reports
http://www.bto.org/science/monitoring/
developing-bird-indicators
http://www.bto.org/survey/wbbs.htm
http://www.bto.org/webs/index.htm
http://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/
u16/downloads/SUKB/state-of-uk-birds-2015.pdf
(PDF, 3.3Mb)
Populations of https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/
wild birds 1970– wild-bird-populations-in-the-uk
2014
Seabird
http://www.jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-1550
Monitoring
Programme
National
http://www.wwt.org.uk/research/monitoring/
waterbird
estimates
Summary leaflet http://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/
shared_documents/publications/birds-conservationconcern/birds-of-conservation-concern-4-leaflet.pdf
(PDF, 1.6Mb)
Download Datasheet
Download Technical background document
Last updated: December 2015
Latest data available: 2014 (farmland birds, woodland birds, wetland birds, seabirds); 2013-14 (wintering waterbirds)
last updated: 18/01/2016
© Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Monkstone House, City Road, Peterborough, PE1 1JY
Tel: 01733 562626 Fax: 01733 555948 Email: [email protected]
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