Threatened bird species are reviving

Friday, 20 August 2004 12:00 AM

A new report published today has reported that populations of some of Britain's most threatened bird species are on the increase.

"The State of the UK's Birds 2003", published by the British Trust for Ornithology, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust shows revivals in the numbers of a dozen "red list" species.

Reviving species include the stone-curlew, cirl bunting, corncrake, capercaillie, bittern and the tree sparrow.

The elusive bittern increased its numbers by 291 per cent between 1997 and 2003, with the UK's population of breeding males standing today at around 55, according to the report.

However, the report also warns that the red-backed shrike - a tiny bird of prey - and the wryneck - a relative of the woodpeckers - are virtually extinct as breeding birds in the UK.

Moreover, a number of bird populations have been in serious decline.

The willow tit population fell by 72 per cent between 1994 and 2002, the report claims.

Dr Mark Avery, of RSPB, said: "It's great news that some of our most threatened birds are increasing in number. The bittern, corncrake, stone-curlew, woodlark and white-tailed eagle have responded well to intensive conservation management."

However, he went on: "The report also shows that much more effort is needed to reverse the declines of around half of our most threatened species. Otherwise, they'll continue to head for British oblivion, like the red-backed shrike and the wryneck; two formerly widespread birds which haven't successfully nested in the UK for several years."

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