Wild bird numbers in the UK are continuing to fall despite government promises to halt nature decline by 2030, according to data released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on Tuesday. The figures show that over the past five years, all bird species have faced population decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use, climate breakdown and bird flu.
Overall, bird species have declined by 2% across the UK and by 7% in England in the five years since 2018. Farmland birds have fared the worst, with numbers down by about 61% since 1970 and 9% in the short term (2018-2023). Woodland birds have declined by about 35% over the long term and 10% in the short term.
Some species have seen particularly sharp declines. The turtle dove has decreased by 54% in the UK over the past five years, while the tree sparrow has declined by 25% UK-wide and 35% in England over the same period. The decline in farmland birds is largely attributed to habitat loss, with fewer hedgerows, trees and other vegetation for nesting, as well as the use of pesticides and fertilisers reducing insect populations for food.
Experts have warned that some birds could become extinct if these trends continue. Kathryn Brown, director of climate change and evidence at the Wildlife Trusts, said: 'The decline of wild birds across the UK is tragic. These latest figures are particularly alarming, given the downward trend across all bird species in recent years.' She called on the government to restore at least 30% of UK land for nature by 2030 to give species like hawfinch, nightingales and warblers a chance.
The figures may underestimate the true scale of the problem, as they do not account for seabird losses from bird flu, which has devastated populations since 2022. Prof Richard Gregory, head of species monitoring at the RSPB's Centre for Conservation Science, noted that recent trends are predominantly downwards, particularly in England, and stressed the need for positive action at greater scale to halt and reverse losses.
