Growing crisis in Scottish livestock farming threatens corncrake recovery

18/08/2006 00:00:00 The Corncrake population in Scotland has risen to its highest level in almost 30 years of monitoring, with the population of the threatened species in Scotland to more than 1,270 calling males.

Whilst the species has declined seriously in most of Western Europe, figures from RSPB Scotland's 2007 survey of the birds show an overall total north of the border of 1,273 calling males, and in the core survey areas a rise from 1,122 to 1,245 this year. The inner Hebridean and Argyll islands have again proved particularly attractive breeding grounds for this rare and shy bird of field margins and hay meadows. Tiree's population of calling males has made a huge leap of almost a quarter, from 316 calling males in 2006 to 390 in 2007 - a 23.4 per cent increase. Together with Coll, Iona, Mull, Oronsay, Colonsay and Islay, this area accounts for 59 per cent of the total Scottish population. The calling male population in the Outer Hebrides was also up 22 birds compared with last year.

Corncrake migration
Corncrakes migrate to Scotland in April and May from sub-Saharan Africa, where they spend the winter. When the corncrake recovery programme began in 1993 as a partnership between crofters and RSPB Scotland, there were only 470 calling males recorded in the UK, and the species was heading towards national extinction. Following detailed research by RSPB scientists to discover the cause of the decline, the joint efforts of RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), supported by conservation programmes funded by the Scottish Government have enable , farmers and crofters in key corncrake areas to undertake management to reverse the downward spiral.

Flora MacLean, who crofts with her Husband Lachie on Tiree, said: ‘The call of the corncrake is always a sign of Spring coming back to the island, and very welcome it is indeed. This year more birds than ever returned and the croft was alive to the sound males trying to attract a mate. There were also a lot more to be seen, which is a thrilling experience because they are normally so elusive. It's a fantastic success story, and we are extremely pleased to be doing our bit for the future of this wonderful bird.’ Growing crisis
However, whilst this scheme has brought about this remarkable recovery in the species, it continues to be threatened by changes to agricultural support systems and a growing crisis in Scottish livestock farming, particularly cattle farming.

The environmentally fragile, peripheral areas in North and West Scotland –especially some of the islands – have already seen some loss of cattle farming as it has become ever more economically marginal and in some cases unviable. The RSPB believes the environmental consequences of losing cattle from these areas are severe. In addition to the grazing benefits these systems of farming produce, loss of cattle also means declining hay production and mixed farm practices, depriving corncrakes and other wildlife of the food resources and habitats they need.

Livestock diseases and the restrictions that have resulted from disease control elsewhere in the UK, combined with uncertainty for the future of support systems, are threatening to accelerate this decline into a freefall, with serious environmental and social consequences.

Stuart Housden, director of RSPB Scotland, said: ‘The continued recovery of the corncrake demonstrates that, with the correct research to inform our management and the involvement of farming and crofting partners, we have reached a point where we have the knowledge and practical skills to stabilise and secure the future of this charismatic bird once and for all - providing we can continue to have the political support and thus the funding streams to encourage support action by farmers and crofters. I congratulate everyone who has worked to hard to bring the corncrake back from the brink.

‘However, the corncrake and many other important species are very much dependent on extensive cattle rearing practices that characterise much of the Highlands and Islands. This type of farming has become ever more economically marginal because of changes in agricultural support systems. If we are to see this wildlife flourish, funding streams like the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme and Rural Stewardship Scheme must be both retained and targeted to ensure that these extensive farming systems continue to produce benefits for the rich array of species and biodiversity found here.’