UK wild bird numbers hit record low — Anadolu Agency

In the United Kingdom, wild bird numbers have fallen to their lowest level since records began. According to Anadolu Agency, the average abundance of 132 native breeding bird species declined by 19% between 1970 and 2025.

Decline in nearly half of species

Over the past five years, numbers have fallen in 45% of monitored species, while they have increased in 27% of species. In England, a decline was recorded in 55% of species.

Common turtle dove numbers have more than halved over five years. Significant declines were also recorded among tree sparrows, wood warblers and capercaillies. Swift populations declined by around a quarter over this period, while the number of bullfinches in the country fell by a comparable amount.

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Losses among seabirds and farmland birds

Seabird populations have declined by more than a fifth over the past five years. Ailid Barnes, a representative of the British Trust for Ornithology, said that bird flu had significantly reduced populations of species such as Arctic skuas and terns.

The largest long-term decline was recorded among farmland birds: their numbers have fallen by 63% since 1970 and by 12% since 2020. The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) links the decline to changes in agricultural practices, including the disappearance of mixed farming, increased use of pesticides and fertilisers, and the removal of hedgerows.