Oats return to tempt birds back

Farmers using modern combine harvesters gather up everything, the older method leaves food for the birds Julian Jones, conservation officer

Wildlife experts are stepping back in time to help boost the numbers of endangered birds on farmland in Powys.

Radnorshire Wildlife Trust is adopting farming methods, popular up to 50 years ago, when stubble fed birds during winter after oats were harvested.

The trust hopes that by planting oats, yellowhammers and tree sparrows will return to its farm near Rhayader.

The RSPB said numbers of farmland birds had fallen due to intensive farming techniques during the last few decades.

The wildlife trust owns the 418-acre organic Gilfach Farm in the hamlet of St Harmon.

Three fields have been sown with oats which will be harvested in September, but during the winter leftover field stubble will help feed the birds.

At the moment, many fields are re-planted almost immediately which means no food.

Modern intensive farming methods across Britain altered the prospects for birds such as the yellowhammer.

Numbers have fallen by more than 50% since 1977 and studies have shown that changes in farming practice are largely responsible, particularly the adoption of winter crops, meaning that fields are ploughed in the autumn.

Radnorshire Wildlife Trust's conservation officer Julian Jones said: "Oats ripen and then fall to the ground and during the winter birds feed on them.

"Farmers using modern combine harvesters gather up everything, the older method leaves food for the birds.

"The field is then ploughed and winter crops sown. This doesn't offer any help to the birds during the winter."

More field stubble could boost numbers of farmland birds

Mr Jones added that farming the traditional way may also encourage wild flowers and even weeds such as Pheasant's Eye and Weasel's Snout, not seen for generations.

The oats are being sown by hand and will be harvested using a binder, an old harvesting machine.

Mr Jones added: "We hope to see the return of rapidly declining birds such as the yellowhammer, tree sparrow, linnet and even the corn bunting."

In south Wales, Glamorgan Bird Club is working with local farmers to help feed tree sparrows, to help their revival.

Gwen Thomas, an RSPB community project officer for a farmland bird project, said the pressure on farmers to produce had been at a cost to wildlife.

She added: "Crops are also sprayed so there's no weeds and less insects in the spring and summer which birds also feed on".