Wildlife

Skylark Farmland Nesting Success Monitoring

Monitoring skylark nesting success on farmland helps target conservation interventions where they are most needed.

Key Facts

Skylarks attempt two to three broods per season, typically from April to July
Nest failure is most common in intensive cereal crops where vegetation grows too dense
Skylark plots improve nesting success by providing bare ground within crops
BTO Breeding Bird Survey tracks population trends while nest monitoring assesses productivity
Targeted agri-environment prescriptions based on monitoring data improve cost-effectiveness

Welfare Considerations

Failed nesting attempts mean chick starvation, abandonment and parent energy expenditure with no reproductive return. Monitoring productivity rather than simply counting birds provides a more direct welfare picture and enables targeted intervention where breeding success is lowest.

What You Can Do

Participate in the BTO Breeding Bird Survey to contribute population data
Support agri-environment schemes that include skylark plot requirements
Lobby for monitoring requirements to be built into all agri-environment scheme payments
Learn about skylark conservation from the BTO and RSPB farmland bird pages