Farmers invited to take part in 10th farmland bird count

Farmers and land managers are being encouraged to take part in an annual farmland bird count to highlight the good work agri-environment schemes are doing to reverse declining bird numbers.

The 10th annual Big Farmland Bird Count, organised by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), will take place from 3-19 February.

Those taking part are being asked to take just 30 minutes to count the birds they see on their land, then submit their results to the GWCT.

See also: Analysis: Who owns Britain’s farmland?

The nationwide voluntary effort enables the GWCT to build a picture of the status of the UK’s farmland bird species.

Counting allows land managers to measure the impact of the conservation work that so many of them carry out.

Urging as many people as possible to sign up, its founder Jim Egan said: “Understand that what you do makes a difference and gives the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust a superb opportunity to shout about all the good work done on farms.”

The NFU has sponsored the event for the past five years and its president Minette Batters said: “The Big Farmland Bird Count is always a fantastic way for farmers to record birdlife found on their farms. Last year saw record numbers of farmers braving stormy weather to take part and record many different threatened species of farmland birds.

“I am pleased that the NFU is able to sponsor this event again this year and I would encourage all farmers to take part so we can pull together a vital national snapshot of the state of the nation’s farmland birds.”