New thinking on Tree Pipit and Lesser Redpoll declines (BTO) (1 Viewer)

Latest update from the BTO: New thinking on Tree Pipit and Lesser Redpoll declines


New BTO research on Tree Pipit and Lesser Redpoll with RSPB Science and Natural England has examined the relationship between the availability of young woodland and population trends in two declining species. This study indicates that while important, young woodland availability is not the primary driver of population trends in these species.




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Looks like yet another "inconclusive" study !

It looks like they pretty conclusively decided that there was a link between the availability of young woodlands and the numbers of tree pipits and lesser redpoll - but that other factors were more important drivers of population trend.

What more could you hope for from 'research examining the relationship between the availability of young woodland and two declining species - the Tree Pipit and the Lesser Redpoll'

At a guess, they need to look into overall insect declines due to pollution and biocide use, habitat fragmentation, and (potentially important for migrating birds) habitat selection for migration stopovers (are birds attracted to apparently rich, but actually food-poor intensive agriculture, when they might do better to go to less attractive habitats which actually hold more food?).