Page 60 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #04

AGENDA NEWS

Q EXPERT BRIEFING
CONSERVATION

INSIGHT

CORNCRAKE

CONSERVATION INITIATIVES HAVE
REVERSED THE DECLINE OFTHIS UK
SUMMER VISITOR BUTTHERE IS WORK
STILLTO DO, SAYS JOHN BOWLER.

he current UK strongholds in some areas, as does the lack
for corncrakes are the of grass crops and late cover.
TInner and Outer Hebrides, Therefore, the UK corncrake
with smaller numbers in population remains small and
other areas of Scotland, and a highly concentrated.
reintroduced population on Research in the 1990s resulted
Cambridgeshire’s Nene Washes. in the creation of species reserves
After years of decline to a in Scotland, and a conservation
low point in the early 1990s, initiative was rolled out into the
conservation work brought rest of the bird’s UK range. Part
numbers up to 1,289 calling of this scheme
males in 2014, though only 866 involved payments to CORNCRAKES
males were recorded in 2017. farmers to delay ` BEGAN TO
The first birds arrive back in mowing and cut
the UK in April (having spent the fields in a corncrake- DECLINE WHEN
winter in sub-Saharan Africa) friendly way (from THE CUTTING OF
and depart in September. the inside out).
The species was once familiar Though there has CROPS BECAME
across lowland farms, requiring been some success MECHANISED.”
vegetation 20cm tall, but it began with a reintroduction
to decline when the cutting of project in the Nene
grass and crops became Washes, it has not
mechanised in the early 20th been possible to establish a
century. This – combined with sustainable population there.
the use of fertilisers, which Findings may be used for
allowed crops to be cut earlier programmes in the future, but
Bence Mate/naturepl.com completing their life cycles. it has been decided to focus
in the light of recent declines,
– prevented corncrakes from
on existing populations.
Lack of suitable early cover for
the birds to hide in when they
Encouraging the uptake of
agri-environment schemes that
return in spring remains an issue
provide incentives to conserve
corncrake UK range corncrake habitat, and providing
advice to land managers where
corncrakes reside, should
continue to help the species.
Inverness
DR JOHN BOWLER works for the RSPB
on the Isle of Tiree, which has the UK’s
UNITED
KINGDOM largest number of breeding corncrakes.
+ FIND OUT MORE
RSPB corncrakes
Nene Washes http://bit.ly/2H8LCQR

60 BBC Wildlife April 2018