The cirl bunting is one of Britain's rarest breeding birds with survival depending entirely on sympathetic farming practices in its restricted Devon range.
Cirl bunting welfare depends on the farming practices of a small number of farmers in a very restricted geographic area. Their extreme habitat specificity means that management changes on individual farms have population-level consequences for this species. The recovery of cirl buntings from near-extinction in England demonstrates what targeted agri-environment scheme investment can achieve when farmers and conservationists work together. Individual birds benefit directly from stubble provision in winter when food availability is critical. Continued monitoring of the Devon population informs management adaptations.