Songbirds using crops planted on farmland as cover for game birds
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Published source details
Sage R.B., Parish D.M.B., Woodburn M.I.A. & Thompson P.G.L. (2005) Songbirds using crops planted on farmland as cover for game birds. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 51, 248-253.
Published source details Sage R.B., Parish D.M.B., Woodburn M.I.A. & Thompson P.G.L. (2005) Songbirds using crops planted on farmland as cover for game birds. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 51, 248-253.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Plant wild bird seed or cover mixture Action Link |
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Plant wild bird seed or cover mixture Action Link |
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Plant wild bird seed or cover mixture
A replicated, controlled, paired site study over winter (1997-1998) and summer (1999-2000) in arable farmlands in southern England and the Scottish lowlands (Sage et al. 2005) found that songbird density and species richness was higher in wild bird cover crops in both seasons. In total, more species were recorded in wild bird cover winter crops than control plots (26 vs. 10 species). Similarly, summer wild bird cover crops contained more species (14 vs. 10 species). Songbird abundance was significantly higher on wild bird cover winter (10-50 individuals/ha vs. 1) and summer (3 individuals/ha vs. 0.4) crops. There was significantly higher abundance of declining songbird species in the kale Brassica oleracea and quinoa Chenopodium quinoa but not cereal wild bird cover crops. Winter wild bird cover plots were sown with kale, quinoa or cereal while summer wild bird cover plots were predominantly triticale. Thirty experimental and 30 control plots were used in winter, with six experimental and six control plots in summer.
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Plant wild bird seed or cover mixture
A replicated, controlled, paired sites study over winter 1997-1998 and summer 1999-2000 in arable farmlands in southern England and the Scottish lowlands (Sage et al. 2005) found that songbird density and species richness were higher in wild bird cover crops in both seasons. In total, more species were recorded in wild bird cover winter crops than control plots (26 vs 10 species). Similarly, summer wild bird cover crops contained more species than control plots (14 vs 10 species). Songbird abundance was significantly higher on wild bird cover winter (10-50 individuals/ha vs 1) and summer (3 individuals/ha vs 0.4) crops. There was a significantly higher abundance of declining songbird species in the kale Brassica oleracea and quinoa Chenopodium quinoa, but not cereal wild bird cover crops. Winter wild bird cover plots were sown with kale, quinoa or cereal, while summer wild bird cover plots were predominantly triticale. Thirty experimental and 30 control plots were used in winter, with six experimental and six control plots in summer.
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