Isn predation the real problem?
Predators can eat eggs, chicks and small birds but there is no evidence to prove they have a significant impact on the overall population of birds, especially nationally. Birds are more sensitive to changes in the way that land is managed – many farmers have secured the future of birds like cirl bunting by wildlife-friendly farming. Scientific research has shown that the switch from spring-sown to autumn-sown cereals has affected skylarks. Crops sown in the autumn are too high and dense by June to enable skylarks to have second and third nesting attempts. This means they are not producing enough young to survive into the following breeding season. The RSPB is currently undertaking research at it’s own arable farm to see if autumn-sown crops can be made more skylark-friendly.
