Wildlife Welfare

Wild Nesting Farmland Birds and Machinery Welfare

Agricultural machinery kills millions of ground-nesting birds and their chicks annually, with management practices able to significantly reduce mortality.

Key Facts

Skylark, lapwing, grey partridge, and yellow wagtail are most affected by machinery
Mowing and ploughing during the breeding season destroys nests and kills chicks
Central mowing from outside-in traps wildlife in an increasingly small centre
Inside-out mowing or mowing at dawn when chicks are most active allows escape
Agricultural drone surveys can identify nesting birds before operations begin

Welfare Considerations

Ground-nesting bird chicks killed by agricultural machinery experience acute traumatic death that is preventable through simple management changes. Inside-out mowing that allows birds to escape rather than trapping them in shrinking central areas, combined with dawn or dusk operations when chicks are most active, reduces mortality significantly. Each nest protected represents individual welfare as well as conservation benefit.

What You Can Do

Advocate for inside-out mowing practices in grassland management guidance
Support drone survey technology for identifying nesting birds before operations
Engage with farmers about machinery timing and nest protection options