Woodlark population jumps over 50% in the New Forest since 2019, thanks to habitat work and dedicated volunteer efforts.
Woodlarks are small, brown birds. Look for stripes above their eyes and listen for their pretty songs. They like heathlands and felled woodlands.
A survey counted more woodlarks than before. Volunteers from two groups helped with this count. Woodlark numbers rose over 50% in five years, mostly in south and east UK areas.
Nigel Matthews led the bird survey team. Volunteers spent lots of time outdoors, listening for calls and watching the birds, tracking their movements.
Volunteers made many observations and created a picture of the birds’ status. They counted 260 breeding pairs, a huge increase since 2019, when the count was only 167 pairs.
The New Forest is key for woodlarks; about 10% of them live there. However, habitat loss threatens these ground nesters, and disturbance from people hurts them too.
Ground-nesting birds build nests on the ground and raise their young there. Their nests are often near woodland edges, while open heathland also makes good habitat.
Avoid startling parent birds from late February to August. Keep dogs on main paths, this can help the birds and the chicks to avoid predators.