Wildlife

Cirl Bunting Devon Recovery Welfare

Cirl buntings were saved from UK extinction by targeted conservation partnerships with Devon farmers, becoming a model for farmland bird recovery.

Key Facts

UK cirl bunting declined from 700 to just 118 pairs by 1989
Recovery to over 1,000 pairs by 2009 through targeted agri-environment scheme
Breeding requires warm south-facing slopes with cereal fields and rough grassland
Winter seed food from unharvested cereal fields is critical for survival
Cirl bunting is now used as a model for farmland bird conservation success

Welfare Considerations

The cirl bunting recovery demonstrates that targeted, evidence-based interventions can reverse severe welfare and population declines. Each breeding pair now benefits from food and habitat provision that did not exist before conservation intervention.

What You Can Do

Support and celebrate the cirl bunting conservation partnership model
Advocate for expansion of targeted agri-environment schemes for declining farmland birds
Visit Devon to see cirl buntings and support local conservation tourism
Donate to RSPB and partner organisations continuing cirl bunting conservation work