The skylark has declined by 55% in the UK since the 1970s. Its welfare is directly linked to agricultural policy decisions about winter stubble, spring drilling and set-aside.
Skylark welfare is a direct consequence of agricultural system choices. The shift from spring-sown to autumn-sown cereals eliminated nesting habitat for millions of birds - autumn crops are too tall for skylark nesting by the time the birds return to breed. The skylark plot solution - leaving small unsown areas within fields - is elegantly simple: at minimal crop yield cost, it provides the open nesting areas that skylarks require. Farms that implement skylark plots support individuals that would otherwise fail to breed successfully, directly improving welfare outcomes for breeding pairs and their chicks.