Published today, the latest BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) report shows encouraging news for Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Sparrow, and Song Thrush, along with continued success for Red Kite in Wales.
The report also shows that a range of farmland birds are still struggling in Wales, with the once-common Yellowhammer at an all-time low. Meanwhile, the worrying decline in Curlew in Wales continues apace, along with the long-term fall in the numbers of Rooks.
BBS is the main scheme for monitoring the population changes of the UK’s common and widespread breeding birds, producing population trends for 60 species in Wales.
Great Spotted Woodpecker is doing well across Wales with an increase of more than 240% since BBS began in 1994. In the last 10 years alone, this attractive woodland and garden bird has increased by almost 20%. A bird more often referred to as declining across much of the UK, the House Sparrow, has also been bucking the trend in Wales, having nearly doubled in the last 30 years.
That icon of Welsh skies, the Red Kite, continued to soar through the survey period. Since the mid-1990s, numbers have gone up by an impressive 544%, as part of its recovery from just a handful of remaining pairs in the 1930s, though a notable drop in numbers since last year’s report may give cause for concern.
Dipper, an aquatic songbird synonymous with fast flowing Welsh streams and rivers, declined by over 40% in the UK in the last five years and more than half since 1995. Whilst these figures are from the UK overall, Wales supports a large proportion of the UK population. Data from BBS and its sister survey, Waterways Breeding Bird Survey indicate UK-wide concerns for this bird whose population changes are widely linked to water quality.
Curlews have declined dramatically across all parts of the United Kingdom, but nowhere more so than in Wales, where numbers continue to crash. These distinctive, and once-common, waders have suffered a massive 76% decline since 1995. The Welsh Curlew population has reduced by more than a quarter in the last five years alone.
Greatest declines and increases across Wales between 1995 and 2023
|
Losses |
% loss |
Gains |
% gain |
|
Greenfinch |
-76 |
Canada Goose |
+675 |
|
Curlew |
-76 |
Red Kite |
+544 |
|
Swift |
-76 |
Stonechat |
+391 |
|
Yellowhammer |
-75 |
Great Spotted Woodpecker |
+243 |
|
Starling |
-61 |
Blackcap |
+189 |
Dr James Heywood, BBS National Organiser, said,
“Wales is the most important part of the UK for some of our most threatened woodland birds and so BBS coverage is something that we are really keen to increase and working hard to do. BBS coverage in Wales was up again in 2024 and it is the volunteers who give their time and skill every year that we must thank. That we can produce trends for 60 species in Wales is no mean feat, particularly given some of the challenging terrain and access.”
Julian Hughes, Head of Species, RSPB Cymru, said,
“Increases in familiar birds such as Song Thrush and House Sparrow is really welcome, but the silencing of others is a national tragedy. Almost half of our most common native birds on land and freshwater have declined since the mid-1990s. Many local communities, farmers and knowledgeable enthusiasts work hard to keep the summer sound of Swifts in our skies and Curlews in our countryside, but it requires transformational change, urgently and decisively, in government policies to restore nature at scale. Only this will ensure that the next generation can hear Yellowhammers singing in the hedges and House Martins over their rooftops.”
Dr Paul Woodcock, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, said,
“These results highlight both successes and challenges for Welsh bird populations. While some species show encouraging recoveries, the concerning declines in others emphasise why ongoing monitoring is essential. These long-term surveys provide the evidence base that underpins effective conservation action, allowing us to identify which species need help, where efforts should be focused, and whether interventions are working. The dedicated work of thousands of volunteer birdwatchers across the country doesn’t just track numbers – it provides the scientific foundation for protecting the future of our birds and their habitats.”
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