Wildlife

Wild Bird: Song Thrush Farmland Decline

Song thrush populations have declined sharply on UK farmland, linked to reduced invertebrate food supply and loss of moist soil habitat for characteristic snail-eating behaviour.

Key Facts

UK song thrush populations declined by 54% between 1970 and 2015
Song thrushes use anvil stones to crack snail shells - a unique and distinctive behaviour
Invertebrate loss on farmland through pesticide use reduces food availability
Loss of hedgerows and rough margins removes foraging and nesting habitat
Song thrushes are significantly more common in gardens than on agricultural land

Welfare Considerations

Population decline in song thrushes reflects landscape-scale welfare harm from habitat degradation affecting millions of individuals. Individual birds face chronic food stress as invertebrate populations collapse in intensive farmland. Recovery requires systemic changes to agricultural practice including pesticide reduction and habitat creation that support the invertebrate communities on which song thrushes depend.

What You Can Do

Plant dense shrubs and hedges to provide song thrush nesting and foraging habitat
Avoid pesticide use that reduces invertebrate food availability
Maintain moist areas in gardens with leaf litter and soft soil
Submit song thrush data to BTO Garden BirdWatch and Breeding Bird Survey
Support agri-environment schemes that fund invertebrate-rich habitat on farmland