nightingales threat of extinction in uk

[robert382]

The warden of Mill Bridge Reserve in Sussex, where Nightingales are still found has recently said that unless more is done to protect the habitat of the Nightingale in England by landowners, farmers etc and Government departments, it is likely that this bird will dissappear off the Summer visitor breeding list in England very shortly.
However on the other side of the channel in France, Belgium, Germany and even Scandinavia, Nightingales are numerous in seemingly similar places to UK. does anyone know why these birds are declining here, but not on the continent ?

[Adam Cheeseman]

At a guess I would say they have far more suitable habitat in terms of area; less intensive agriculture systems in many places; less disturbance and loss of habitat due to lower human population density; and quite possibly the available is managed better in terms of Nightingales. Over here several places have been 'managed' to improve the habitat, but at the Nightingales expense. I suspect we are at the limit of their natural distribution in Britain and therefore are likely to be less common than on the continent anyway. There could be many other factors dictating this situation though.

Cheers,

Adam

[robert382]

thank you Adam for your reply to my concern about the Nightingale.
However I am amazed that out of 67 views of this post to date, only Adam has taken the trouble to respond. I would have thought that such an iconic bird as the Nightingale would have elicited many more responses. It does appear that while many viewers are keen to observe, not many want to respond. The Nightingale meanwhile is under severe pressure, and needs all the help it can get if it is to remain a Summer visitor,during our lifetime.

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by robert382

thank you Adam for your reply to my concern about the Nightingale.
However I am amazed that out of 67 views of this post to date, only Adam has taken the trouble to respond. I would have thought that such an iconic bird as the Nightingale would have elicited many more responses. It does appear that while many viewers are keen to observe, not many want to respond. The Nightingale meanwhile is under severe pressure, and needs all the help it can get if it is to remain a Summer visitor,during our lifetime.

68 now.

[Tobermorey]

Perhaps the other 66 didn't know the answer. To be fair, I don't think anybody could give you a simple explanation.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by robert382

It does appear that while many viewers are keen to observe, not many want to respond. The Nightingale meanwhile is under severe pressure, and needs all the help it can get if it is to remain a Summer visitor,during our lifetime.

Hi Robert,

As Tobermorey says - perhaps those who have viewed this thread don't know how to respond. I have no doubt that there are a lot of people who are concerned about the decline but didn't see much point in saying that they were also concerned but didn't know how to answer your question.

I think that the short answer is that no one really knows the reason for the decline of Nightingales (and so many other species). There are lots of possible reasons for the decline of Nightingales in Britain, and in all likelihood it is a combination of several of these that has led to the decline. These possible reasons include loss of habitat (including a decline of coppicing), the wetter summers that we have been having, increased survival pressure in wintering areas and on migration routes etc.
Britain is, as Adam has said, right on the edge of the Nightingales range, and it is important to realise that it is not just in Britain that they are declining - the European population as a whole is falling, with a 63% long term decline between 1980 and 2005 (Source - 'The state of European Common Birds 2007'). Interestingly though, although the western European population is still declining, in southern Europe they are stable and they are apparently increasing in eastern Europe - different pressures on migration routes has been suggested to help explain this, although it could also be due to different land management.
Unfortunately, without a full understanding of all the reasons for a species decline, it is difficult for 'landowners, farmers etc and Government departments' to actually do much to help. A return to coppicing may help in some areas, but if the main problems are on migration no land management, in this country, will completely halt the decline.

Roy.

[Pam_M]

Originally Posted by robert382

thank you Adam for your reply to my concern about the Nightingale.
However I am amazed that out of 67 views of this post to date, only Adam has taken the trouble to respond. I would have thought that such an iconic bird as the Nightingale would have elicited many more responses. It does appear that while many viewers are keen to observe, not many want to respond. The Nightingale meanwhile is under severe pressure, and needs all the help it can get if it is to remain a Summer visitor,during our lifetime.

Without wishing to sound rude, Robert, I wonder how many threads you have read on WAB and not responded to?

I read your thread and found it interesting, however I do not have an answer to your question and hoped that perhaps someone more knowledgeable than I would post a reply as has now happened.

[jaykay]

Originally Posted by Pam_M

Without wishing to sound rude, Robert, I wonder how many threads you have read on WAB and not responded to?

I read your thread and found it interesting, however I do not have an answer to your question and hoped that perhaps someone more knowledgeable than I would post a reply as has now happened.

I was also one of those who viewed but didn't respond, and agree totally with Pam. I won't leave a comment just for the sake of it.

[Hedge Witch]

Another point is that one of the most knowledgeable members we have when it comes to birds is Adam Once someone who knows a lot about a particular subject has posted, I am far less likely to because they have far more knowledge than I do. Hope this makes sense, robert382.

[Dae]

I'm with the masses, interested but don't know the answer I'm afraid. And I too dislike posting just for the sake of it.