Current status
The woodlark was formerly found across Britain, south from Yorkshire, and in Northern Ireland, but is now largely restricted to five core areas: Devon, east Dorset/south Hampshire (including the New Forest), the Surrey/Hampshire border, Breckland and the Suffolk coast. The number of ten km squares occupied in the breeding season decreased by 62% (from 198 to 73 ten km squares) between 1968-72 and 1988-91. However, since 1986 (when the population was estimated to be around 250 pairs) the population has increased with up to 620 pairs breeding in 1993, and the 1997 survey has recorded around 1500 pairs. The nesting habitats are varied and include farmland, recently felled forestry plantations (mainly in East Anglia) and heathland in southern England and the Suffolk coast. Early results from the 1997 survey suggest that around 50% of breeding pairs across the country are now nesting on set-aside and other weedy fields. The recent increase in the population has largely resulted from the provision of new plantation habitats within the current core areas. Little is known of the woodlark`s winter requirements and distribution, although there appears to be some movement southwards within England and to the continent. In Europe the woodlark is declining in both numbers and range.
The woodlark is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and listed on Annex 1 of the EC Birds Directive and Appendix II of the Bern Convention.
Current factors causing loss or decline
An estimated 40% of England`s lowland heathland has been lost since the 1950s. This has led to a loss of feeding and nesting habitats for woodlarks. Whilst losses to afforestation and agriculture have declined, threats from roads and housing developments continue.
Woodlarks require a mosaic of bare ground or short vegetation for feeding, and tussocks of vegetation with disturbed ground for nest sites. Lack of appropriate management can lead to sites becoming unsuitable for the species. Rabbits play a key role in creating bare ground and short grass at many sites, and their decline following myxomatosis in the 1950s may have played a significant part in the decline of the woodlark.
In Devon woodlarks breed on farmland, using mosaics of set-aside, arable and horticultural crops, unimproved rough pasture and other marginal habitats. Most of the territories are on moderate to steep slopes. More intensive management, for example reseeding and fertiliser application which would decrease bare ground feeding areas, or conversion to other uses, have been cited as causes of the decline in Devon.
Severe winter weather and, in particular, snow cover has had an adverse impact on winter survival. The hard winters of 1962/63 and 1981/82 had considerable impact on woodlark populations on the southern heathlands.
Current action
Woodlarks occur on a number of heathland nature reserves which are managed partly for their benefit.
Research has been carried out by RSPB and FC on the habitat use of woodlarks in restocked conifer plantations in Breckland. This has allowed the impact of changes in the age-structure of forests to be predicted, enabling Design Plans in Thetford Forest to be modified and so maintain good numbers of woodlarks.
The work of county heathland projects (managed by NE, RSPB and local authorities), including the introduction of fire breaks, increasing areas of short heather following tree removal and other management, has assisted this species on a number of heathland sites in Dorset, the Suffolk Sandlings, Surrey, north-east Hampshire and west Sussex.
The woodlark has also benefited from heathland management encouraged by the Breckland ESA and Countryside Stewardship Scheme.
The woodlark has also benefited incidentally from the provision of set-aside (see 1.1).
An RSPB leaflet on woodlarks in Devon has been produced for farmers in the county.
Action plan objectives and targets
Maintain a population of at least 1500 breeding pairs of woodlark
Maintain the existing range of at least 90 ten km squares.
Increase the range of the woodlark from 90 to 120 ten km squares, including the recolonisation of Wales and south-west England, by 2008.
Increase the population size by 2008.
Proposed actions with lead agencies
Policy and legislation
Ensure that clear targets for the woodlark are incorporated into appropriate site management plans, particularly land managed by the MoD and local authorities. (ACTION: NE, LAs, MoD)
Prepare and implement an Endangered Species Action Plan for woodlarks on FE land, to include specific targets for woodlarks in Forest Design Plans in forests within their current and former range. (ACTION: FE)
Take full account of the requirements of the woodlark when considering felling and restocking proposals. (ACTION: FA, FE)
Encourage the development of extensively-managed, mixed agricultural systems to provide suitable rough grassland and spring-sown cereals with winter stubbles, through appropriate agri-environment schemes. (ACTION: MAFF, WOAD)
Encourage the uptake of schemes supporting the reversion of arable land to heathland through ESAs and Countryside Stewardship. (ACTION: MAFF)
Seek to extend the Wildlife Enhancement Scheme (WES) to other key areas of lowland heathland in England. (ACTION: NE)
Site safeguard and management
Consider notifying heathland sites important for woodlarks as SSSI/ASSIs. (ACTION: NE)
Designate as SPAs areas of 'special interest' that support nationally important populations of woodlarks (subject to current guidelines) and encourage their appropriate management. (ACTION: DETR, NE)
Seek to achieve ?favourable conservation status' of the woodlark by measures complementary to SPAs. This will include projects to maintain, enhance and restore heathland adjacent to SPAs (eg through agri-environment schemes). (ACTION: DETR, NE, MAFF)
Protect nationally important localities for woodlarks from damaging developments and land use change using the planning process. (ACTION: NE)
Incorporate suitable policies for the conservation of lowland heathland into Development Plans, Regional Government Strategies, Indicative Forestry Strategies and Heathland Strategies. (ACTION: LAs)
Seek to secure long-term funding for county heathland management projects. (ACTION: DETR, NE, LAs)
Introduce or continue management for woodlarks on heathland nature reserves. (ACTION: NE, LAs)
Species management and protection
None proposed.
Advisory
Produce specific advisory material for the management of heathland and forestry plantations for woodlarks. (ACTION: NE, FA, FE)
Revise the leaflet produced for farmers in Devon in the light of new information from the 1997 breeding survey. (ACTION: NE, MAFF)
Promote effective management of set-aside for breeding and wintering birds, including woodlark. (ACTION: MAFF, WOAD)
Future Research and Monitoring
Monitor the UK breeding population of woodlarks every 10 years through the statutory agencies'/RSPB programme of scarce bird monitoring (next survey due in 2007). (ACTION: JNCC)
Consider the need for habitat usage survey and monitoring in the south-west. (ACTION: NE)
Communications and Publicity
Use the woodlark as a species to support the conservation of heathland and extensively managed mixed farmland. (ACTION: NE)
Links with other action plans
None given.
Publication details
Originally published in: UK Biodiversity Group Tranche 2 Action Plans - Volume I: Vertebrates and vascular plants (June 1998, Tranche 2, Vol I, p77)
Related links
ARKive Visit the ARKive website to view images and further information relating to this species