UK Skylark: Agricultural Skylark Plots and Population Recovery

Skylark populations have declined by over 50% in the UK since the 1970s due to changes in farming practice. Simple, targeted interventions can significantly reverse this decline.

Key Facts

UK skylark population declined from an estimated 2 million pairs in 1970 to under 1 million
Loss of spring cereals and introduction of dense autumn-sown crops reduced nesting opportunities
Skylark plots - small unseeded gaps in winter cereals - create essential bare ground for nesting
Each plot of 2m x 2m in a 100ha field increases nesting attempts significantly
Skylarks can raise 3-4 broods per season if nesting habitat is adequate
The Species Recovery Trust and RSPB have demonstrated skylark plot effectiveness on multiple farms

Welfare Considerations

Skylark chicks in nests concealed within dense autumn-sown cereal suffer increased mortality from machinery during hay and silage cuts that occur at the height of the breeding season. Inadequate bare ground for nesting means many pairs fail before chicks are raised. The farming practice changes driving skylark decline are reversible through agri-environment schemes that provide skylark plots, spring cereals, and beetle banks. Each additional skylark brood raised represents a welfare and conservation success.

What You Can Do

Encourage farmers to create skylark plots in winter cereal fields through agri-environment schemes
Contribute skylark survey data through BTO BirdTrack
Advocate for skylark-friendly agri-environment prescriptions
Support organisations providing practical guidance to farmers on skylark plot creation
Avoid disturbing open farmland during the skylark breeding season (March to August)