It’s a bleak outlook as migrant birds stay put

Many bird species that would have previously arrived in Britain over the winter are remaining in countries that now have milder temperatures because of climate change. 

A variety of bird species from further north and east should now be arriving to overwinter in Britain. But many have not yet done so or have landed in far lower numbers than usual. The most prominent species overwintering here are ducks, geese and swans. Plenty travel from as far afield as Canada, Greenland, Svalbard and Siberia, as well as places closer to home, such as Iceland and Scandinavia. 

The clue to this disruption of birds’ migratory habits is the dramatic change in the winter weather on their breeding grounds across the Arctic and subarctic regions. Temperatures have often remained above zero, leaving bodies of water unfrozen and providing continued access to reliable food sources. 

Even if they do migrate, many are travelling shorter distances than before: stopping off in the Baltic states or the low countries, where the late autumn and winter weather is also far milder than it used to be. This phenomenon has been given the name “short-stopping” and it affects a wide range of species, including starlings, fieldfares and redwings — all of which used to be seen in vast numbers in the UK countryside. 

At wildfowl hotspots such as the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust reserve at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, flocks of key species such as Bewick’s swans and the white-fronted goose are far smaller than they used to be. Some once-regular wintering species, such as the great grey shrike and rough-legged buzzard, are now so rare that only a handful appear in the UK each year. 

Pink-footed geese are bucking the trend and increasing in numbers, with 90% thought to winter here. But a wintering flock of bean geese in Norfolk, which in 1990 numbered 400, is down to single figures. 

Mike Swan, senior adviser to the GWCT, told Shooting Times: “For coastal wildfowlers in England and Wales this brings a double whammy; in mild winters the shortage of birds leads to low bags. 

“With most clubs operating on SSSIs [Sites of Special Scientific Interest], Natural England and Natural Resources Wales make futile attempts to micromanage wildfowl numbers through the consenting process, with restrictions on what fowlers are allowed to take. As a result, there are no above-average years to balance for the poor ones any more.”