Factors influencing bird use in different pastoral systems

Published source details Buckingham D.L., Peach W.J. & Fox D. (2002) Factors influencing bird use in different pastoral systems. Proceedings of the British Grassland Society/British Ecological Society Conference, University of Lancaster, 15-17 April, 2002, 55-58.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Plant grass buffer strips/margins around arable or pasture fields for birds Action Link
	Plant grass buffer strips/margins around arable or pasture fields Action Link

Plant grass buffer strips/margins around arable or pasture fields for birds

A replicated, controlled study in winter 1999/2000 and summer 2000 on 23 pastoral farms in the West Midlands, UK (Buckingham et al. 2002), found 16 times higher winter densities of seed-eating birds within 6 m of boundaries on fields with Countryside Stewardship Scheme grass margins than on fields without (1.1 vs. 0.1 birds/ha), and twice as many Eurasian blackbirds Turdus merula near the boundaries on fields without Countryside Stewardship Scheme grass margins than with (1.8 vs. 0.9 birds/ha). A total of 388 grass fields were surveyed four times each in winter and in summer. No statistical analysis was performed.
Plant grass buffer strips/margins around arable or pasture fields

A replicated, controlled study in winter 1999-2000 and summer 2000 in the West Midlands, UK (Buckingham et al. 2002) found 16 times higher winter densities of seed-eating birds (larks Alaudidae, finches Fringillidae, buntings Emberizidae and sparrows Passeridae) within 6 m of boundaries of fields with Countryside Stewardship Scheme grass margins than on fields without (1.1 vs 0.1 birds/ha). Twice as many blackbirds Turdus merula were found near the boundaries of fields without CSS grass margins than those with grass margins (1.8 vs 0.9 birds/ha). A total of 388 grass fields on 23 pastoral farms were surveyed four times each in winter and in summer. No statistical analysis was performed.