Bird species | Barnsley Biodiversity Plan

Biodiversity Action Plan Species Birds

Biodiversity

Action

Plan

More information can be found via the links on the left.

An alphabetic list of Local Priority Species is given in the sidebar to the right of this page.

A chart gives information on the national conservation status of the Local Priority Species including which are red, amber or green listed. Click on the image below …

Species Overview

Birds of Conservation Concern 4 published in 2015

Many farmland species such as Lapwing and Tree Sparrow and woodland species such as Lesser Spotted Woodpecker have failed to recover from the declines that led to red listing in the past, declining further still.

Wetland birds on the other hand have tended to fare better with the work of the RSPB, Garganey Trust and Environment Agency attracting higher numbers of waders and special breeding birds such as Bittern to the Dearne Valley.

Natural England’s Standing Advice on the requirements for assessing the impacts of development specifies the need for surveys for birds listed in Section 41 of the NERC Act, birds listed in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, and Red and Amber list Birds of Conservation Concern.

Our focus for identifying Local Priority Species is the birds that breed or winter in Barnsley rather than any occasional visitors or birds that are on passage.

Our Local Priority Species for conservation in Barnsley are those bird species that are national priorities: on the Section 41 list of the NERC Act and/or on the BoCC Red List; and some that are Amber listed, and a few that are Green listed, of local interest and concern.

Birds are threatened by a number of sources. These include intensive farming and land management, a lack of traditional management, habitat loss, decline and fragmentation, predation, competition, pollution and climate change.

Where possible positive action should be taken to halt decline and to maintain or increase the numbers of Local Priority Species, by protecting and enhancing the places and habitats where they may breed, feed or shelter.

Conservation. Some bird species are generalists but others need specific habitat features including seeds, invertebrates and other food sources, and the conditions needed for nesting, cover and roosting, including lack of predation and disturbance. Monitoring bird species populations and distribution is important for informing conservation measures

Local Priority Species

All national priority and red listed species breeding in Barnsley [37] are local priority species.

27 UKBAP (2007) and Section 41 (2010) national priority bird species are found in Barnsley.

Although most of these [20] are included in the Red List (2021) as birds of the highest conservation concern, some are amber listed and one green listed.

An additional ten red-listed birds also breed in Barnsley.

We have also taken note of species listed in Schedule 1 of the Countryside and Wildlife Act.

To these species we have added seve amber and four green listed bird species that are of local interest and concern.

This brings the total of local priority bird species up to 48.

Lists of Local Priority Bird Species are given below.

However conservation should not be limited to these species. Conservation should also include local sites where there are:

rare breeding bird species
new breeding bird species expanding their range
significant assemblages of breeding bird species
significant assemblages of wintering bird species, including especially.Teal and Wigeon.

State of the UK’s Birds
published annually since 2000 by BTO, RSPB and other bodies.

Lapwing, Linnet, Grey Partridge, Skylark, Tree Sparrow, Yellowhammer

Migrant: Yellow Wagtail

Curlew, Lapwing, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Snipe
Migrant: Little Ringed Plover, Avocet

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Tit, Woodcock, Lesser Redpoll, Hawfinch Migrant: Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, Wood Warbler

Curlew, Dunlin, Golden Plover, Red Grouse, Merlin, Short-eared owl,

Migrant: Nightjar, Ring Ouzel, Whinchat

Bittern, Reed Bunting

Bullfinch, Dunnock, Greenfinch,Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, ,

Migrant: Grasshopper Warbler, Cuckoo

House Sparrow, Starling,

Migrant: House Martin, Swift

Barn Owl, Kestrel, Merlin, Short-eared Owl

Bird species of conservation concern breeding in Barnsley include:

Farmland birds Birds of Prey Upland birds Woodland birds Wetland birds Reedbed birds Water birds Birds & buildings Shrubs and Scrub Actions Bird species chart

Birds of Conservation Concern 2021 previously published in 2015, 2009, 2002 and 1996

Bird species. From moorland birds to the profusion of waders and waterfowl in the Dearne Valley wetlands, the wide range of habitats in Barnsley supports in turn a wide range of breeding, wintering and passage birds. At least 130 bird species breed in the Barnsley area.

However in common with the rest of the country, many bird species have severely declined in numbers in Barnsley, Corn Bunting and Twite to the extent that they have not recently bred here. However there has been some success with Bittern and Avocet now breeding in the Dearne Valley.

At least 30 birds on the Birds of Conservation Concern (BoCC) Red List due to the severity of their decline, breed or winter in Barnsley.

Both national priority species and red listed species are based on decline in numbers and not rarity. Common and widespread species in decline such as House Sparrow and Starling are included.

Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, Pochard

Wintering birds include Teal and Wigeon in some numbers.

Bird species

Protection

Most birds are protected by the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981;
Schedule 1 bird species to the extent that is an offence to intentionally or recklessly disturb at, on or near an ‘active’ nest.