Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)

Associated Species Action Plans Bats Brown hare Grey partridge Skylark Tree sparrow Associated Habitat action plans Arable fields Arable field margins & beetle banks Gardens, allotments, parks and open spaces Grassland (all types) Lowland heathland Woodland

This species has shown a 65% decline over 20 years nationally. Figures taken from the Common Bird Census (CBC) and Constant Effort Site records both of which are long term studies by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) A decline of 61% in the catches of juveniles along with ringing recoveries that show first year survival rate for song thrushes dropping from 48% before the decline began to an average of 40% now. Mathematically adjusted this figure is big enough to account for the population decline but the reason for the reduction in first year survival rate is not yet known and is particularly odd in light of the fact that clutch size, hatching success and fledgling success show no real change. In fact hatching and fledgling success has shown a slight increase and ringing shows adult survival rate shows no marked reduction.

Severe winters 1981/82 1986/87 1990/91?

Changes in Rural Landscape

• Reduction in hedgerows
• Larger fields
• Reduction in field margins
• Reduction in grassland
• Spring sowing reduced
• Autumn sowing increased
• Stubble fields reduced (winter)
• Drainage
• Increased use of pesticides & molluscicide in 1970s

Predation, including cat kills

3.1 Legal status

The song thrush does not receive special protection under Schedule 1of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It does however receive general protection under Sections 1-8 of the Act.

3.2 Management, research and guidance

There should be continuing research into population trends and possible causes of decline.

ACTION	Potential Deliverers		YEARS							Meeting Objective No.
	Lead	Partner	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2011
5.1 Policy and legislation
Lobby central government to make the case for amendments to legislation: to allow experimental captive breeding; affecting use/ sale of molluscides; to include song thrush on Schedule 1 of the W&CA 1981.	WT	LCG, RSPB								1,3
Encourage the adoption of policy discouraging the use of molluscides on land controlled by local authorities e.g. parks, allotments.	LAs	WT								3
5.2 Site/species safeguard and management
Draw up plans for managing good population sites and look at management plans for low population site.	LAs	WT, EN, LCG								3,4
Investigate the possibility of small stock captive breeding, possibly using disabled birds.	RSPB	PDSA, BBC								3,4
5.3 Advisory
Target allotment holders and gardeners for campaign to discourage use of slug pellets.	WT, LAs	WMBC, RSPB								3,5
Inform public of plight of species and use of pesticides, slug pellets, etc.	WT	WMBC, RSPB, LAs								5
5.4 Future research and monitoring
Monitor sites to assess population and survey good and bad sites to try and correlate population with habitat.	WT	WMBC, RSPB, LCG, ER								1,2
Continue to promote Common Bird Census, Constant Effort Sites, Garden Bird Surveys, etc. to amass more data.	BTO	WMBC, RSPB, LCG								1,2
Organise survey work to try and assess local population and population hotspots. (i.e. areas with high population).	LA (Ranger Services)	NN								1
5.5 Communications and publicity
Publicity campaign to allotment, local authority parks re molluscicides and habitat maintenance needs of the song thrush.	WT	WMBC, RSPB, LAs								5
Continue participation in public surveys and produce publicity material	WT	NN, BTO, RSPB								5
5.6 Links to other action plans
Tree sparrow, skylark and other declining 'common' bird species

This Biodiversity Action Plan will be implemented over 10 years with a first review after 5 years. A group will be set up to co-ordinate implementation and to report to the Biodiversity Action Plan Steering Group. This group will meet at a minimum on a yearly basis.

Review will be carried out in conjunction with related Habitat and Species Action Plans as appropriate and will consist of measuring achievement of targets. The group will, with the support of the Steering Group, develop and implement appropriate monitoring methods, which will inform the review process.

The Action Plan will be revised and updated in the light of review results and any relevant changes in circumstances and / or additional information which becomes available during the review period.

In line with national guidance, the Steering Group will report to the UK Biodiversity Steering Group.

Biodiversity Action Plan for Birmingham and the Black Country © 2000

Printing of this publication for educational purposes is permitted, provided that copies are not made or distributed for commercial gain, and the title of the publication and its date appear. To copy otherwise, or to republish, requires specific permission from the Steering Group.