Two national conservation organisations have issued a stark warning about the state of the Wales’ upland bird populations; last week Ecology Matters and the Welsh Kite Trust expressed concern over the findings of recent surveys, which reveal drastic declines in numbers of Wales’ upland birds.

The studies, conducted in Wales over the past two years, have revealed declines in a number of species, including iconic species such as the curlew, golden plover, chough, peregrine and ring ouzel.

Ecology Matters’ own survey undertaken on Plynlymon in mid Wales showed numbers of golden plover have declined by 92 per cent since 1984; only one remaining pair was identified in the study. Red grouse were found to have declined by 48 per cent and four species – teal, peregrine, ring ouzel and black headed gull have become extinct in the area.

A separate study by the Welsh Kite Trust, which is ongoing, is showing declines of peregrines at inland sites across Wales and an independent long-term study of chough by the Cross & Stratford Welsh Chough Project has seen declines at inland breeding and feeding sites.

Mick Green, of Ecology Matters, said “Although I was aware of declines I was shocked at the scale revealed once we carried out proper surveys. That the declines on Plynlymon are on a designated site that is meant to be protected is especially worrying – if declines like these are found on protected sites what hope is there in the wider countryside?”

Long term studies, including reports by the British government, RSPB and European Birds Census Council have revealed farmland bird populations have fallen by between 50 and 90 per cent across Europe, a trend experts have put down to land use change and different techniques in farming which have benefitted some birds, whilst affecting others.

Although the Welsh Kite Trust’s researchers have not suggested any possible causes for the declines they have identified, Ecology Matters suggested the changes witnessed in bird populations on Plynlymon could be caused by intensive farming practices and overgrazing by sheep.  

Tony Cross of the Welsh Kite Trust expressed his concerns, “It is worrying that the recovery of the peregrine we witnessed at the end of the last century now seems to have been reversed and absolutely tragic that many of the upland slate quarries and mine workings that once rang with the enigmatic call of the chough are now silent – we urgently need to find the reasons for these trends so that we can act now to counteract them.”

However, the Farmers’ Union of Wales has accused the conservationists of “failing upland birds by turning a blind eye to predation.” Ceredigion county chair Fred Williams claimed farmers are being used as scapegoats by conservationists who choose to ignore the "elephant in the room," namely increases in predator numbers.

The chair said, "These claims are just hollow and conservationists are ignoring one of the major causes of declines in bird numbers which is increases in predator numbers." He cited major increases in the number of wild animals known to target ground-nesting birds, including foxes, badgers and crows, as a major problem for many endangered species, though did not provide any supporting evidence for his claims.

Tweet