Elia Kabanov

Britain’s specialist birds disappear fast

Farmland bird populations in 1970

Specialists100.0
Generalists100.0

One symbol = one population-index point. · Source: Defra

Does this happen beyond farmland?

Yes. Woodland and upland specialists have also declined much more than generalists. Specialists depend heavily on particular habitats, while generalists can live in a wider range of places.

Woodland and upland bird populations in 2025

Woodland 1970 = 100

Specialists56.4
Generalists93.6

Upland 1994 = 100

Specialists67.3
Generalists98.4

One symbol = one population-index point. · Source: Defra.

Is anything changing for the better?

For some species, yes. Between 2019 and 2024, skylarks, stock doves and corn buntings increased, while turtle doves and tree sparrows continued to decline.

How UK farmland bird populations changed, 2019–2024

Specialists Generalists
elia.kabanov.org··CC BY 4.0·Source: Defra·About the data

Bird symbols represent population-index points. The flocks use group indices (1970 = 100 for farmland and woodland; 1994 = 100 for uplands). The final chart shows estimated changes for individual species from 2019 to 2024. Small changes can be uncertain; trends do not establish causes.