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Key Findings - BirdTrends 2023

Long-term population decreases

The 10 largest statistically significant population decreases in population size over the long-term (1967–2021) observed were:

Species

Change (95% confidence limits)

Scheme

Turtle Dove

-99 (-100, -98)

CBC–BBS

Whinchat

-99 (-100, -91)

CBC–BBS

Tree Sparrow

-97 (-99, -92)

CBC–BBS

Willow Tit

-96 (-98, -90)

CBC–BBS

Spotted Flycatcher

-93 (-96, -90)

CBC–BBS

Grey Partridge

-92 (-95, -88)

CBC–BBS

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

-92 (-98, -62)

CBC–BBS

Tree Pipit

-92 (-96, -82)

CBC–BBS

Nightingale

-91 (-98, -47)

CBC–BBS

Starling

-90 (-93, -86)

CBC–BBS

Long-term population increases

The 10 largest population increases in the long-term (1967–2021) were:

Species

Change (95% confidence limits)

Scheme

Goldfinch

132 (73, 228)

CBC–BBS

Chiffchaff

135 (95, 228)

CBC–BBS

Mallard

141 (89, 235)

CBC–BBS

Jackdaw

144 (54, 300)

CBC–BBS

Woodpigeon

150 (20, 576)

CBC–BBS

Mute Swan

260 (48, 794)

CBC–BBS

Nuthatch

280 (172, 424)

CBC–BBS

Blackcap

378 (284, 526)

CBC–BBS

Great Spotted Woodpecker

399 (231, 757)

CBC–BBS

Buzzard

824 (492, 3988)

CBC–BBS

Short-term population decreases

The 10 largest statistically significant population decreases in United Kingdom population size over the short-term (2016–2021) observed were:

Species

Change (95% confidence limits)

Scheme

Turtle Dove

-50 (-68, -26)

BBS

Wood Warbler

-47 (-62, -32)

BBS

Willow Tit

-47 (-62, -25)

BBS

Spotted Flycatcher

-46 (-57, -34)

BBS

Swallow

-35 (-38, -32)

BBS

House Martin

-33 (-38, -27)

BBS

Greenfinch

-32 (-35, -29)

BBS

Dipper

-29 (-43, -8)

BBS

Peregrine

-28 (-45, -6)

BBS

Little Owl

-27 (-42, -4)

BBS

Short-term population increases

The 10 largest increases in United Kingdom population size over the short-term (2016–2021) observed were:

Species

Change (95% confidence limits)

Scheme

Stock Dove

21 (13, 28)

BBS

Gadwall

21 (0, 56)

BBS

Blackcap

21 (18, 24)

BBS

Ring-necked Parakeet

23 (3, 45)

BBS

Canada Goose

23 (3, 44)

BBS

Corn Bunting

28 (2, 56)

BBS

Red Kite

39 (27, 52)

BBS

Stonechat

59 (42, 80)

BBS

Cetti’s Warbler

108 (73, 157)

BBS

Fieldfare

190 (87, 365)

BBS

Population changes in individual countries

Decreasing Species

The following table highlights the 28 species showing the greatest significant population decreases in each country in the short-term (2016–2021). Note trends are not produced for all species in all countries, and fewer than 10 species may be decreasing significantly in any one country.

Species

England

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

Chaffinch

-30 (-32, -28)

-

-25 (-30, -18)

-18 (-24, -11)

Curlew

-

-

-26 (-46, -2)

-

Dipper

-36 (-48, -16)

-

-

-

Dunnock

-

-14 (-23, -4)

-

-

Goldcrest

-

-21 (-34, -2)

-

-

Greenfinch

-30 (-33, -27)

-28 (-42, -13)

-48 (-59, -35)

-52 (-67, -29)

House Martin

-34 (-41, -25)

-32 (-47, -14)

-46 (-57, -31)

-

Linnet

-

-

-

-27 (-45, -3)

Little Owl

-26 (-44, -5)

-

-

-

Long-tailed Tit

-

-

-30 (-46, -15)

-

Mistle Thrush

-

-

-

-24 (-37, -9)

Pied/White Wagtail

-

-22 (-32, -13)

-

-25 (-36, -11)

Red Grouse

-

-33 (-45, -20)

-

-

Redstart

-

-

-20 (-30, -8)

-

Reed Bunting

-

-

-

-26 (-43, -4)

Robin

-

-16 (-23, -10)

-

-

Siskin

-

-23 (-37, -4)

-

-

Skylark

-

-

-24 (-36, -7)

-

Spotted Flycatcher

-27 (-42, -7)

-

-

-

Starling

-

-

-

-12 (-25, 0)

Swallow

-38 (-42, -35)

-26 (-35, -18)

-40 (-48, -31)

-26 (-33, -16)

Swift

-

-

-30 (-47, -10)

-

Tree Pipit

-37 (-51, -20)

-

-

-

Turtle Dove

-49 (-68, -22)

-

-

-

Whinchat

-28 (-46, -4)

-

-

-

Willow Warbler

-

-

-

-12 (-20, -1)

Wren

-

-17 (-23, -12)

-

-11 (-17, -4)

Yellowhammer

-

-

-51 (-69, -35)

-

Increasing Species

The following table highlights the 21 species showing the greatest population increases in each country in the short-term (2016–2021). Note trends are not produced for all species in all countries, and fewer than 10 species may be increasing significantly in any one country.

Species

England

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

Blackbird

-

-

8 (2, 14)

-

Blackcap

-

37 (20, 55)

19 (12, 28)

21 (7, 38)

Cetti’s Warbler

115 (69, 157)

-

-

-

Chiffchaff

-

39 (22, 56)

-

-

Corn Bunting

29 (2, 66)

-

-

-

Cuckoo

-

15 (2, 32)

24 (1, 47)

-

Egyptian Goose

57 (19, 102)

-

-

-

Fieldfare

271 (131, 537)

-

-

-

Goldfinch

-

-

10 (1, 20)

-

House Sparrow

-

-

14 (2, 24)

-

Jackdaw

-

20 (3, 38)

-

-

Long-tailed Tit

-

46 (10, 90)

-

-

Mandarin Duck

56 (17, 101)

-

-

-

Red-legged Partridge

20 (12, 29)

-

-

-

Red Kite

49 (37, 62)

-

-

-

Ring-necked Parakeet

23 (9, 39)

-

-

-

Siskin

-

-

50 (3, 103)

-

Skylark

-

10 (0, 21)

-

-

Stock Dove

22 (15, 30)

-

-

-

Stonechat

69 (44, 108)

51 (24, 87)

60 (41, 90)

-

Willow Warbler

-

13 (2, 24)

-

-

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