Grey partridge project launched in Durham & Yorkshire Dales

27/04/2010 08:38:51 Grey partridge populations have declined 90% in 3 years locally
April 2010. The wild grey partridge is one of our most rapidly declining farmland birds, especially in lowland arable areas. However, a new 3-year research project, run by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust on moorland fringe habitats in northern England, could bring major conservation benefits to the nationally threatened partridge population.

90% decline in 3 years
The project will initially identify the numbers and distribution of grey partridge in the Durham and Yorkshire dales. Earlier research in Upper Teesdale revealed locally high densities of grey partridges, but since 2007, the population has suffered an alarming 90% decline, caused by two weather induced poor breeding seasons and last year's severe winter.

Dales & Pennines
Dr Phil Warren, from the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, explains, "Although grey partridges are primarily recognised as a bird of lowland arable farming landscapes, important populations still persist in upland fringe areas such as the Yorkshire Dales, Durham Dales and other parts of the northern Pennines where there is no arable land. We know very little about these birds other than that they frequent hay meadows and rush infested pastures on the moorland fringe. To conserve these populations detailed information on their habitat use is needed to allow us to develop management plans to increase their numbers and distribution."

New management
To help the recovery of upland partridges, the Trust's study aims to investigate the status and distribution of grey partridges in the upland fringes, as well as their habitat use and population dynamics. Dr Warren said, "Following two poor breeding seasons and last year's severe winter there is a pressing need to initiate management practices that will result in a rapid increase in partridges. This study will help to establish local conservation targets as well as enabling us to develop management practices that will ensure that the upland fringes are managed in a way that will be conducive to grey partridge recovery. Given that numbers are currently so low we obviously urge that until a recovery is achieved, shooters should refrain from harvesting them"

The three year project is being funded by SITA Trust (£33,557) and County Durham Environmental Trust (£50,000) under the government's Landfill Communities Fund and the GWCT (£42,000).