Wildlife

Wild Nesting Farmland Birds Machinery Threat

Ground-nesting birds face catastrophic mortality from agricultural machinery during the breeding season, causing significant welfare harm.

Key Facts

Skylarks, lapwings, grey partridges, and yellow wagtails all nest on the ground in farmland
Silage cutting in May and June coincides with peak nesting and chick rearing
A single field cut can destroy dozens of nests and kill hundreds of chicks
Nest survey programs allow farmers to avoid active nests during cutting operations
Two-cut silage systems timed to avoid peak nesting significantly reduce mortality

Welfare Considerations

Birds and their chicks killed by machinery experience traumatic death. Nesting birds disturbed from incubation face egg chilling and nest abandonment. These mortalities are largely preventable with simple management adjustments.

What You Can Do

Advocate for farmland bird nesting protection as a component of agri-environment schemes
Support organizations offering nest survey services to farmers before cutting
Donate to initiatives training farmers in bird-friendly management timing