Plovers in the British Isles
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Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle Mar 23, 2007 |
Plover species in England - Lapwings and Golden Plovers - have faced a decrease in their food supply in recent years. Farmers have ploughed or otherwise altered the pastures where these birds prefer to feed in winter. Where are the plovers feeding now, and have their numbers suffered?
Surveys of plover populations in the past have counted birds in coastal estuaries and wetlands, and more recently at inland wetland locations. Results show that more plovers are wintering along the East coast of England and they also suggest that both Lapwings and Golden Plovers are in decline. However, because the surveys have only counted birds in specific locations, it isn’t clear what’s actually happening. An apparent increase in the late 80s and 90s may have been due to more birds wintering in the survey area, while the current apparent decline, though consistent with surveys in other countries, may be partly due to weather conditions.
This is a good illustration of the ways in which confounding factors – things that affect results that aren’t obvious, or that we can’t control – can make it difficult to study the lives and fortunes of birds and get accurate information. In the winter of 2006/07, the British Trust for Onithology (BTO) attempted another survey that counted birds in more locations and may answer some of the questions. Results are still to come.
Read more about BTOs survey.
Articles about another struggling plover species:
Don’t Disturb the Piping Plover
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