SIMPLE tweaks to the way farmland is managed could make a major difference for some of the UK’s most rapidly declining wading birds, according to new research from the University of Aberdeen and Edinburgh Napier University.
Lapwing, oystercatcher and curlew – once a familiar sight and sound across the British countryside – have all seen dramatic declines. In Scotland alone, populations have fallen by 63% for lapwing, 41% for oystercatcher and 62% for curlew since 1995.
One of the pressures behind these losses is the shift in how agricultural grasslands are used. Earlier and more frequent mowing, combined with high livestock densities in some areas, means ground‑nesting birds are increasingly struggling to raise chicks. Nests and young birds are vulnerable to both machinery and livestock.
Agri‑environment schemes already offer payments to farmers who delay mowing or livestock grazing until later in the season. But these dates are typically applied uniformly across each country – and the new study shows that this “one‑size‑fits‑all” approach doesn’t match when birds actually breed.
Using nesting data from across the UK – including contributions from the British Trust for Ornithology, RSPB and the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust – researchers found that breeding seasons vary significantly between species and regions. As a result, protection measures are often mistimed, leaving nests and chicks exposed even where schemes are in place.
The team has now developed recommendations that tailor timings to both species and location. Their analysis shows that small adjustments of just two to three weeks could substantially improve outcomes.
The proposed changes could increase nest protection from livestock by 30% for lapwing and 57% for oystercatcher, while protection from mowing could rise by 35% for lapwing and 72% for oystercatcher.
Leah Gray, the postgraduate researcher who led the study, said wader declines are driven by a long‑term drop in breeding success.
“In recent decades, waders have simply not been able to produce enough fledglings to sustain their populations,” she explained.
“They face numerous pressures, from habitat degradation and predation to the destruction of nests and chicks by machinery and livestock.
“While many of these pressures need to be addressed, agricultural losses are comparatively simpler to mitigate. Changes to livestock management and mowing regimes offer an ‘easy win’ for conservation.”
Gray says aligning conservation measures with local breeding patterns is essential.
“Our research shows that current agricultural exclusion dates are often missing the periods when birds are actually nesting and raising chicks. The encouraging finding is that relatively small changes could make a substantial difference.”
The research was designed to provide practical evidence for NatureScot, which advises the Scottish Government on agri‑environment schemes. The team hopes the findings will help ensure conservation measures better reflect real breeding timings.
Long‑term success, they say, will depend on a balanced approach that supports both wildlife and farmers. Policymakers will need to work closely with farmers and ecologists to ensure any changes are both evidence‑based and workable on the ground.
If adopted, these adjustments could significantly improve breeding success for declining wader species across Scotland, the wider UK and beyond.
Gray added: “Better targeting of existing interventions – rather than introducing entirely new measures – offers a cost‑effective opportunity to support the recovery of some of the countryside’s most iconic birds.”
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