Populations of turtle doves, grey partridges and corn buntings have fallen by more than 85 per cent in the past 40 years, according to official figures which show the long-term decline in farmland birds continued last year.
The biggest drop in numbers occurred between the late 1970s and early 1990s but the Department for Environment said there had been a “significant on-going decline of ten per cent” in the past five years. Birds which are highly dependent on farmland habitats have fallen by 70 per cent overall since 1970.
Woodland birds, such as the song thrush, bullfinch and tawny owl, have fallen 28 per cent over the same period and seabird populations are down 24 per cent since 1986.
The department’s annual report on wild