PRESS CALL: Radio interview opportunity with organisers of the 2022 GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count

Farmers and gamekeepers are vital in helping to ensure the survival of many of our cherished farmland bird species ," Dr Roger Draycott, GWCT

The GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count has been organised by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) every year since 2014 to encourage farmers and gamekeepers to support farmland birds and highlight the hard work already done by many of them to help reverse species’ declines.

Now the Trust is, once again, asking land managers to take just 30 minutes, between 4 and 20 February 2022, to record the birds they see on their land, and submit their results for analysis by the GWCT.

“Farmers and gamekeepers are vital in helping to ensure the survival of many of our cherished farmland bird species such as skylark, yellowhammer, corn buntings and wild grey partridges,” said the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s Dr Roger Draycott, who runs the count. “They are responsible for managing the largest songbird habitat in this country on their land, so they are in a position to make a real difference by undertaking a few simple conservation measures.

“Many of them are already doing fantastic work to support and conserve our native species, including supplementary feeding through winter or growing crops specifically to provide seed for birds, which often goes unrecognised,” continued Roger. “The GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count gives them a chance to see the results of their efforts and help the GWCT to analyse which species are benefitting from conservation efforts and which are most in need of help.”

The GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count is the only annual citizen science project in the UK to recruit farmers and land managers to monitor and support threatened wildlife. In 2021 more than 2,500 counts were completed, covering a massive 2.5million acres of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Between 31 January and 4 February, Dr Roger Draycott will be available for radio interviews , to explain more about how land managers can get involved and make a difference to the UK’s birds. We are happy to provide more information on the results of the 2021 count in your region.

Roger is head of advisory services at the GWCT, one of the UK’s leading charities conducting conservation science. He is highly knowledgeable and an experienced radio interviewee. Interviews will be by telephone. If Roger is unavailable, we may offer another of our Biodiversity Advisors for interview. Please contact Kate Williams kwilliams@gwct.org.uk or James Swyer jswyer@gwct.org.uk to arrange an interview.

The National Farmers Union is the main sponsor of the Big Farmland Bird Count.

The Big Farmland Bird Count is kindly supported by:

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust – 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. 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.