Wildlife

Wild Skylark Farmland Welfare

Skylarks have declined 60% in the UK since 1970, with agricultural change eliminating nest sites and reducing invertebrate food for chicks on intensively managed farmland.

Key Facts

Skylarks nest in open areas of short-medium vegetation and require 3-4 breeding attempts per season
Winter-sown cereal creates dense canopy by spring excluding skylarks from large field areas
Skylark plots of 2-3 square metres of undrilled cereal create nest sites within fields
Chick food including invertebrates requires mixed farming with diverse margins
Skylarks are among the most studied farmland bird species providing strong evidence for targeted interventions

Welfare Considerations

Skylark chick food shortage and nest site loss are welfare and conservation crises directly linked to farming practice. Simple interventions like skylark plots deliver proven improvements.

What You Can Do

Support farmers creating skylark plots within arable fields
Advocate for agri-environment scheme payments incentivising skylark-friendly farming
Record skylark activity and nesting through citizen science monitoring
Raise awareness of the proven effectiveness of targeted interventions for skylarks