Corn buntings have disappeared from most of lowland Britain and are now restricted to limited strongholds. Their welfare depends on specific farmland management including overwinter stubbles and mixed cereal farming.
Individual corn buntings in areas without overwinter stubbles face winter food shortages that cause chronic undernutrition and starvation during cold snaps. The collapse of mixed arable farming systems that provided year-round habitat diversity has been catastrophic for corn bunting welfare at the population level. Targeted agri-environment schemes creating overwinter stubble and mixed cereal habitat provide essential welfare resources.