Swallows, swifts and house martins were once a common sight over UK towns and cities, dextrously catching insects on the wing. But these spring and summer visitors are becoming increasingly rare, according to the definitive survey of the country’s birds.
Populations of these insect-eating birds have dropped by 40% or more in the past decade, according to the latest Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) report.
The decline of insects means there is less food around for these birds and their chicks. There are also fewer places for them to nest as old houses are renovated, leaving fewer gaps in roofs and eaves.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Swallows, swifts and house martins were once a common sight over UK towns and cities, dextrously catching insects on the wing.
Farmland and woodland birds are also in decline, with the turtle dove – which was once a common sight on agricultural land – showing a reduction in numbers of 97% since 1995.
“Along with aerial insectivores, several other groups have experienced sustained long-term declines,” researchers wrote in the report, which produced population trends for 119 species.
In total, a fifth of the 35 species showing increases are non-native birds, including the ring-necked parakeet and Egyptian goose.
The survey is a partnership project between the British Trust for Ornithology, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
Simon Wotton from the RSPB said: “By looking at this valuable long-term data we can see which species most need our help and where our efforts are best spent when addressing the nature and climate emergency.
The original article contains 472 words, the summary contains 160 words. Saved 66%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
