The county's changing bird-life

Some Skylarks flock together in winter, especially during periods of frost.

There are a number of common factors amongst the species that have increased their spread across the county (Table 5). Most raptors have fared well (Buzzard, Hobby, Sparrowhawk), with Raven in a similar category. Most waterfowl have spread (Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Tufted Duck, Mandarin, Shelduck, Mallard and Coot). The introduced gamebirds are more widespread (Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge). Small insectivorous resident species have risen spectacularly (Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest), as have the short- distance summer migrants, species which mostly winter around the Mediterranean (Chiffchaff, Blackcap). Two of the common finches are even more common now (Goldfinch, Greenfinch).

There are some common factors amongst those that have decreased their range (Table 6). Several farmland seed-eaters are on this list (Grey Partridge, Corn Bunting, Tree Sparrow, Yellowhammer, Linnet, Skylark, Turtle Dove, Reed Bunting and Bullfinch), as are the 'brown tits' (Marsh Tit and Willow Tit) and most of our breeding waders (Woodcock, Curlew, Snipe, Lapwing). Trans- Saharan migrants feature disproportionately (Spotted Flycatcher, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, Yellow Wagtail, Willow Warbler, Tree Pipit, Wood Warbler and Whinchat).

Most of those on the 'loss' list are species of conservation concern nationally, indicating that it is not just Cheshire and Wirral where they are decreasing. Of the 30 birds lost from the most tetrads, 13 are on the Red List (Grey Partridge, Corn Bunting, Willow Tit, Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Sparrow, Yellowhammer, Linnet, Skylark, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Turtle Dove, Marsh Tit, Reed Bunting and Bullfinch) and 12 on the Amber List (Cuckoo, Yellow Wagtail, Lesser Redpoll, Willow Warbler, Woodcock, Curlew, Snipe, Lapwing, Tree Pipit, Wood Warbler, Meadow Pipit and Mistle Thrush), with five unlisted (Tawny Owl, Treecreeper, Little Owl, Garden Warbler and Whinchat).

The Swallow is Cheshire and Wirral's
most widespread summer visitor.

Summer migrants make up a decreasing proportion of our breeding avifauna (Table 7). Only the first six in the table are found in more than half of the county's tetrads, and there is a big gap in ubiquity between them and the rest.

Tables 8 and 9 showing the top thirty breeding species in this Atlas and our First Atlas reveal some interesting changes. Not much should be inferred from changes of a few positions, which may mean only a few tetrads difference, but several species have shown dramatic changes. Two of the top four species in 1978–84 have dropped significantly—Starling and House Sparrow—as have House Martin and Mistle Thrush, which had not been commented upon as declining. Others that were formerly widespread are no longer in the top thirty: Willow Warbler, Skylark, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Cuckoo. Substantial rises have been shown by several commensal birds, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Mallard and Collared Dove. Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit and Great Spotted Woodpecker have spread spectacularly. But all are eclipsed by the Buzzard.

Over the past 30 years, since the start of fieldwork for our First Atlas, some of the most extreme changes in the county's breeding birds have been the gains and losses of some species. The timeline in Table 10 illustrates this for the regularly breeding species.

The county's changing bird-life: some common trends and reasons

A variety of key factors underlie the changes demonstrated by this Atlas, and these are summarized here, building on the summary in our First Atlas and a previous analysis by the author (Norman 1999). The natural world is complex, and the fortunes of many species are probably affected by a combination of causes, so the divisions given here are undoubtedly an oversimplification.

• Climatic change
• Agricultural changes
• Provision of food and protection
• Reduction in persecution
• Improved water and air quality
• Unknown reasons