01 August 2014

Call for action for our resident woodcock

The GWCT is inviting people to help with woodcock research by encouraging them to get involved in the annual Roding woodcock countsBird watchers could play a vital role in the conservation of one of our most secretive and elusive birds, by volunteering to go out counting woodcock during the summer months when the males are performing their enigmatic roding activity at dusk to attract receptive females.

Regular counts of woodcock organised by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) in a number of selected areas across the country have indicated that since 2008, there has been an overall average decline of 2.5% per year of resident birds.

To gain a more comprehensive national picture of this enigmatic bird, scientists from the GWCT together with more than 800 British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) volunteers have just completed the second* national survey of breeding woodcock in Britain. This new survey, which repeats a baseline count carried out in 2003, reveals some fascinating findings about their distribution and habitat requirements and crucially, it identifies that more research is needed to ensure a secure future for this mysterious ground-nesting wader bird.

Visiting 820 random 100-hectare squares during the breeding season, the volunteers carried out surveys across the UK and for the first time included sites in Northern Ireland.

Overall, roding woodcock were encountered at just under one third of woodlands surveyed (33%). Northern Scotland, northern and eastern England remained stronghold areas with between 46% and 68% of woods greater than 10 hectares supporting at least one roding woodcock.

The lowest occupancy levels were recorded in Wales (13%), south Midlands (16%) and south west England (18%).

In was noticeable that in southern England the sites occupied by breeding woodcock are clustered in areas with extensive blocks of woodland such the Forest of Dean, New Forest and Thetford Forest.

The 2013 national breeding survey has estimated that the current breeding woodcock population in Britain amounts to about 69,000 males, which represents an 11% decline since 2003. Encouragingly, numbers in Scotland remain unchanged since 2003 at close to 40,000 males. In England, woodcock numbers are down from 37,330 in 2003 to 27,490 in 2013. Wales continues to support only low numbers of breeding woodcock with 1,770 recorded in 2003 and 910 recorded in 2013.

What might be causing these changes?

Dr Andrew Hoodless, from the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust and a leading expert on woodcock explains the change, “We know that woodcock have very specific habitat requirements during the breeding season and they are sensitive to habitat change. We don’t fully understand the factors driving the decline but they are likely to include a reduction in woodland management, increased browsing by deer, drying out of woods, maturation of conifer plantations, increased recreational disturbance, climate change and increased predation. This winter we aim to carry out further studies on habitat structure and landscape composition in order to gain a clearer picture.”

In the meantime, Andrew Hoodless is inviting people to help with woodcock research by encouraging them to get involved in the annual Roding woodcock counts. The GWCT counts displaying males each spring to monitor our breeding population, but needs more help and would like volunteers to make three counts at dusk between 1 May and 30 June in 2015. If possible, they would like this survey repeated over the next few years.

Dr Hoodless concludes, “There is a huge amount of affection for woodcock and this is demonstrated by the amount of money that is devoted to woodcock research by private individuals. Until we know what is driving these declines it is important to make sure we are doing everything possible to protect our resident woodcock. Helping with our next phase of research is vital to discover how our resident woodcock are faring so that we can make recommendations on the best way of conserving this popular species in the future.”

More information on woodcock research and the latest population estimates can be viewed on the GWCT website at www.gwct.org.uk/woodcock. To follow the GWCT’s 36 satellite-tagged woodcock to their summer breeding grounds in Europe and Russia please visit: www.woodcockwatch.com

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Photocaption: The GWCT is inviting people to help with woodcock research by encouraging them to get involved in the annual Roding woodcock counts.

 

Notes to editors:

  • The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) – providing research-led conservation for a thriving countryside. The GWCT is an independent wildlife conservation charity which has carried out scientific research into Britain’s game and wildlife since the 1930s. We advise farmers and landowners on improving wildlife habitats and we lobby for agricultural and conservation policies based on science. We employ 22 post-doctoral scientists and 50 other research staff with expertise in areas such as birds, insects, mammals, farming, fish and statistics. We undertake our own research as well as projects funded by contract and grant-aid from Government and private bodies. The Trust is also responsible for a number of Government Biodiversity Action Plan species and is lead partner for grey partridge and joint lead partner for brown hare and black grouse. For Information, contact: Morag Walker – Head of Media, Telephone – direct-dial: 01425-651000. Mobile – 07736-124097 www.gwct.org.uk
  • The GWCT/BTO’s first-ever national survey of resident breeding woodcock was carried out in 2003 and helped to establish an important baseline to measure future changes in the breeding woodcock population across the UK. At that time, the researchers were pleasantly surprised to discover that there were 78,350 males in Britain, which was six times the previous maximum estimate.”