Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Leave refuges in fields during harvest A replicated study in France found that fewer gamebirds came into contact with mowing machinery when refuges were left in fields than when they were not left. A review from the UK found that Eurasian skylarks Alauda arvensis did not nest at higher densities in uncut refuges than in the rest of the fields.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F193https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F193Wed, 27 Jun 2012 17:35:08 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Offer per clutch payment for farmland birds One of two replicated and controlled studies from the Netherlands found that farms with per clutch payments held slightly higher breeding densities of waders, but not higher overall numbers than control farms. One study found no population effects over three years. A replicated and controlled study found higher hatching success on farms with payment schemes than control farms.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F196https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F196Wed, 27 Jun 2012 17:50:57 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Reduce conflict by deterring birds from taking crops using bird scarers A controlled paired study in the USA found reduced levels of damage to almond orchards when American crow Corvus brachyrhynchos distress calls were broadcast, compared to the previous year. There were no decreases in control orchards. A replicated study in Pakistan found that four pest species were less abundant when reflector ribbons were hung above crops, compared to when ribbons were not used.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F199https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F199Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:34:06 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Reduce conflict by deterring birds from taking crops using repellentsA replicated, randomised and controlled ex situ study in the USA found that dickcissels Spiza americana consumed less rice if it was treated with two repellents, compared to controls. Two other repellents did not reduce consumption as effectively.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F200https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F200Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:40:17 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Increase crop diversity to benefit birdsA before-and-after study in the UK found that more barnacle geese Branta leucopsis used a site after the amount of land used to grow cereals was reduced and other interventions were used.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F201https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F201Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:43:13 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use ‘mosaic management’ A replicated, controlled before-and-after study from the Netherlands found that northern lapwing Vanellus vanellus population trends changed from decreases to increases following the introduction of mosaic management. Three other waders did not show such a response. A replicated, paired sites study in the Netherlands found that black-tailed godwits Limosa limosa had higher productivity under mosaic management than other management types, and nests were less likely to be trampled by livestock.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F202https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F202Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:52:32 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Plant more than one crop per field (intercropping)A study from the USA found that 35 species of bird used fields with intercropping, with four nesting, but that productivity from the fields was very low.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F209https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F209Sun, 15 Jul 2012 17:42:11 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Plant cereals in wide-spaced rows A replicated and controlled study from the UK found that planting cereals in wide-spaced rows “offered benefits over conventional wheat for Eurasian skylarks, but details were not given. Another replicated and controlled study from the UK found that fields with wide-spaced rows had fewer skylark nests than control or skylark plot fields. A replicated and controlled study from the UK found that the faecal content (and therefore diet) of skylark nestlings was similar between control fields and those with wide-spaced rows.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F216https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F216Tue, 17 Jul 2012 11:58:51 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Maintain species-rich, semi-natural grassland A before-and-after study from the UK found five species of conservation concern increased after the implementation of management designed to maintain unimproved grasslands. A replicated study from Switzerland found that wetland birds appeared to preferentially choose managed hay meadows; birds of open farmland avoided it.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F218https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F218Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:27:00 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Provide short grass for wadersA replicated UK study found that common starlings and northern lapwings spent more time foraging on short swards, compared to longer grass, and that starlings captured more prey in short grass.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F221https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F221Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:03:36 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Raise mowing height on grasslands to benefit birds A review from the UK found that raising mowing height may have increased productivity of Eurasian skylarks, but not sufficiently to maintain the local population. A randomised, replicated and controlled study from the UK found that no more foraging birds were attracted to plots with raised mowing heights, compared to plots with shorter grass.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F222https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F222Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:06:08 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Maintain upland heath/moorA literature review from the UK found that agri-environment guidelines on moorland grazing were leading to increased bird populations in one region. There were localised problems with overgrazing, burning and scrub encroachment.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F230https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F230Tue, 17 Jul 2012 15:50:00 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use traditional breeds of livestockA replicated controlled study in four European countries found no differences in bird abundances between areas grazed with traditional or commercial breeds of livestock.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F233https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F233Tue, 17 Jul 2012 15:53:48 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Protect nests from livestock to reduce trampling A before-and-after study from the Chatham Islands, New Zealand found that the population of Chatham Island oystercatcher increased following several interventions including the erection of fencing around individual nests. A replicated, controlled study in Sweden found that no southern dunlin nests were trampled when protected by cages; some unprotected nests were destroyed.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F237https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F237Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:44:30 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Mark fences to reduce bird collision mortalityA randomised, replicated and controlled study from the UK found that fewer birds collided with deer fence marked with orange netting than with unmarked sections.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F238https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F238Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:34:56 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Create open patches or strips in permanent grasslandA randomised, replicated and controlled study from the UK found that more Eurasian skylarks used fields with open strips in, but that variations in skylark numbers were too great to draw conclusions from this finding.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F239https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F239Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:38:39 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Maintain traditional orchardsTwo site comparison studies from the UK and Switzerland found that traditional orchards did not benefit many birds. In Switzerland, one species was associated with orchards; in the UK, the focal species was negatively related to the presence of orchards.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F240https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F240Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:42:12 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use electric fencing to exclude fish-eating birdsTwo before-and-after studies from the USA found that electric fencing reduced the use of fish ponds by great blue herons Ardea herodias and great egrets Casmerodius albus.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F247https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F247Wed, 18 Jul 2012 11:52:28 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use ‘mussel socks’ to prevent birds from attacking shellfishA randomised, replicated controlled experiment in Canada found that fewer medium-sized mussels were taken from mussel socks with a protective ‘sleeve’, compared to un-sleeved socks. There were no differences for small or large mussels.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F250https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F250Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:11:31 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Translocate birds away from fish farmsA study from the USA cited in a review found that translocating birds away from a fish farm appeared to reduce the number of birds at the farm. A study from Belgium found that translocating herons did not seem to be an effective way to reduce bird numbers at fish farms.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F251https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F251Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:15:27 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Increase water turbidity to reduce fish predation by birdsA randomised trial in France found that little egret Egretta garzetta foraging efficiency was lower in turbid water than clear.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F252https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F252Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:45:59 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Provide refuges for fish within pondsA controlled cross-over trial in the UK found that great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo foraging success was lower in a pond with artificial refuges, compared to a control pond.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F253https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F253Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:49:06 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Spray water to deter birds from pondsA replicated study from Sweden found that a rotating water spray deterred birds from fish ponds, but that birds often became used to the spray.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F255https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F255Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:57:49 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Deter birds from landing on shellfish culture gear using spikes on oyster cagesA replicated and controlled study from Canada found that significantly fewer birds landed on oyster cages with spikes attached, compared to control cages.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F256https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F256Wed, 18 Jul 2012 13:00:33 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Deter birds from landing on shellfish culture gear by suspending oyster bags under waterA replicated and controlled study from Canada found that significantly fewer birds roosted on oyster bags suspended 6 cm below the water, compared with non-submerged bags. Birds roosted on bags suspended 3 cm below the water as frequently as control bags.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F257https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F257Wed, 18 Jul 2012 13:31:25 +0100
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What Works in Conservation

What Works in Conservation provides expert assessments of the effectiveness of actions, based on summarised evidence, in synopses. Subjects covered so far include amphibians, birds, mammals, forests, peatland and control of freshwater invasive species. More are in progress.

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