Wendy Chamberlain meets with RSPB in Bowhouse

Following constituents’ concerns over the declining bird population in North East Fife, Chamberlain met with the RSPB to learn more. Due to multiple factors, Corn Bunting bird populations had declined by 86% since 1967. Corn Buntings typically nest on the ground, often within grass grown for silage cutting. As a result, their nests get destroyed and the chicks are accidentally killed. Due to this, RSPB Scotland has been working with farmers to urgently safeguard the remaining population.

One of the key ways of doing this was through developing a specific wild bird seed mix which contains three different cereals and a range of nectar-rich flowers. When sown, these create pockets of ideal Corn Bunting nesting habitat, which also produce a banquet of seeds for flocks of Corn Buntings, Tree Sparrows, Yellowhammers and other farmland birds to survive the winter. The addition of nectar and pollen-rich annuals means that pollinators such as bumblebees, hoverflies and butterflies also benefit. RSPB Scotland provides the seed mix for free to farmers and land managers which helps mitigate the cost and incentivising them to join the project.

These efforts have been extremely successful, with Corn Bunting populations increasing by 292% in the last ten years. Chamberlain was able to see the successful seed fields and some of the birds thriving as a result, guided by Scott Shanks, RSPB Conservation Officer, and Andrew Midgely, RSPB Senior Land Use Policy Officer.

Chamberlain said:

“It was fascinating to learn about the successful conservation methods, and it’s so great to see how successful they have been.

“North East Fife is home to such a diverse range of species and the work that RSPB Scotland have done to conserve them is extremely commendable.

“A big thanks to Andrew and Scott for showing me around, now I know how to spot Corn Buntings in the future!”