Corn buntings are the largest of the bunting family. They were once so common across our farmland that they were called the farmers bird, or the 'fat bird of the barley' in the South East.
Most often found in cereal crops, males would sing all summer, while females raised young in the tall stalks, but now, after decades of serious decline, these native birds are Red Listed, and need our help to recover.
RSPB scientists have just published new research, outlining a simple measure which can help save this farmland species. Simply sowing crops more densely at the centre of a field has increased survival rates, encouraging them to nest away from predators. You can find out more here.
In the South East, we hope this new measure combined with the work we are already undertaking will help to give these birds a brighter future.
On the South Downs, 23 of the farms we work with were already home to corn buntings. Our advisory staff have been working with farmers to create features like beetle banks and rough edges around fields (called conservation headlands) which increase the abundance of summer food such as spiders and caterpillars.
Through sowing wild bird seed mixes and leaving over wintering stubble, we are creating a better winter habitat for these birds too, increasing the grain supply when food is most scarce.
On one farm, the implementation of these measures and a return to mixed farming resulted in a rise from no known territories to over 25 established territories after just two years!
By increasing the food supply, creating nesting habitat and now by putting this new research into practice, we are hoping 2017 will be an even better breeding year!