New Report Shows Farmland Birds in Steady Decline Across Scotland
NatureScot and BTO data reveal all farmland bird groups have fallen over the past decade, even as woodland and many urban species show long-term gains.
Falling fortunes on farmland
A new NatureScot–BTO report on Scotland’s terrestrial breeding birds warns that every farmland bird group has declined in the past ten years, with arable and wet farmland specialists now at their lowest levels in a decade. Intensified agriculture, reduced crop diversity, climate pressures and the loss of nesting sites and food sources are highlighted as the key drivers behind the continued downturn.
These declines come despite more than twenty years of agri-environment climate schemes designed to soften farming’s environmental impacts by funding management options that support wildlife. While local successes are emerging, the report makes clear that recovery at national scale has yet to materialise.
Local projects offer hope
Two collaborative initiatives demonstrate the difference targeted action can make. In the Clyde Valley, a group of twenty farmers working together under the Clyde Valley Waders project has achieved an impressive 80% nesting success for Lapwing - a dramatic improvement on the typical 20%.
Similarly, the Corn Bunting Recovery Project, led by the RSPB in partnership with farmers and the East Neuk Estates Group, has delivered measurable improvements for Corn Bunting populations in north-east Scotland. These schemes show what is possible when local knowledge, supported management and conservation science align, but wider pressures - including climate change - continue to hold back recovery at a national scale.
Mixed picture across Scotland’s habitats
Of the 66 terrestrial breeding bird species assessed, 39 have increased over the past decade and 27 have declined. Many species experienced strong growth from 1994 into the mid-2000s, followed by a levelling-off or downturn over the past 15–20 years.
Woodland birds remain one of the report’s success stories. Their populations rose sharply from 1994 to around 2015, benefiting from the substantial expansion of Scotland’s woodland cover, and have since stabilised. Urban birds also show long-term improvement – increasing by 42% from 1994 – although numbers dipped between 2005 and 2016 before stabilising again. Species such as Robin, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw and Great Tit now fare better in towns and cities than in many rural landscapes.
However, this urban success has a complex side. Increased densities can heighten disease risks and intensify competition, potentially disadvantaging more vulnerable species.
Steady declines in the uplands
Upland birds continue to face significant challenges, with populations now 19% lower than in 1994. Waders including Curlew, Lapwing, Oystercatcher and upland riverine specialists such as Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Common Sandpiper all show persistent declines.
These species are affected by land-use change, forest expansion, stream management, climatic shifts and increased nest predation. Declining wader numbers have already prompted extensive research and conservation efforts across the uplands, emphasising the urgency of targeted habitat management.
NatureScot: ‘We must work together to secure a resilient future’
NatureScot’s Director of Nature and Climate Change, Stuart MacQuarrie, stressed the need for collective action in response to the findings. While acknowledging the stability and improvements seen among some woodland and urban species, he warned that the outlook for farmland and upland birds remains a serious concern.
He emphasised that Scotland’s targets to halt biodiversity loss by 2030 and restore nature by 2045 depend on collaboration between conservationists, communities and farmers. With up to 20% of agricultural land now under agri-environment support, MacQuarrie highlighted the crucial role of land managers, whose knowledge and stewardship on the ground can help rebuild prospects for struggling species.
A pivotal decade ahead
The report paints a landscape of contrasts: sustained gains in some habitats, deepening losses in others, and a shared need for integrated, long-term solutions. As Scotland moves into a decisive decade for biodiversity, the success of farmland projects like Clyde Valley Waders and the Corn Bunting Recovery Project signals that recovery is possible - but only if efforts expand and intensify across the country.
December 2025
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