The UK's Bird Populations Are Crashing - But Thriving Where Gamekeepers Work

The recent Guardian article, "Wild bird numbers continue to fall in UK, with some species in dramatic freefall" , paints a bleak picture of national bird populations, one we sadly recognise.

But it is crucial to distinguish between generalised declines and the conservation success stories unfolding in the uplands under active moorland management.

While lowland farmland species such as turtle doves and willow tits are struggling, red-listed upland waders like curlew, golden plover and lapwing are thriving on grouse moors.

Research shows curlew breed four times more successfully where gamekeepers are present. In the North Pennines and North York Moors, where predator control, bracken management, and controlled burning are carried out, these vulnerable birds enjoy some of their highest breeding densities in England.

The idea that grouse moors are a conservation liability is not borne out by the evidence. As we outline here, the very practices that support a healthy grouse population also create ideal nesting and feeding habitats for rare ground-nesting birds. Over 60% of England’s remaining upland waders are found on keepered moorland.

These landscapes are not wild by accident, they are stewarded by those who know them best. If we are serious about reversing bird declines, we must support the people and management systems that are already delivering proven results in our uplands.

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