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Status of Wild Bird Populations 1975-2004
Index (1994=100)
Index (1994=100) |
| 1975 | 1986 | 1994 | 2000 | 2003 | 2004 |
|---|
Wintering Waterbirds 5 | 81 | 75 | 100 | 98 | 104 | - |
|---|
Terrestrial Breeding Birds | | | 100 | 115 | 113 | 117 |
|---|
Breeding Seabirds | | 111 | 100 | 95 | 84 | 79 |
|---|
Bird populations are relatively well studied and can provide an indication on the changing biodiversity of Scotland's habitats.
The number of waterbirds rose between the mid 1980s and mid 1990s and subsequently have stayed relatively stable. Seabird numbers fell by one third between 1991 and 2004. While the number of terrestrial breeding birds has risen since 1994, this follows declines, particularly in farmland birds, in earlier years.
Naturally occurring birds and their habitats are protected under the Nature Conservation Scotland Act 2004 and the EC Birds Directive (79/409/ EEC and amendments). Following the publication of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (1994), species action plans have been developed for 26 particularly vulnerable species of birds, 19 of which occur in Scotland.
The Scottish Government has established a National Indicator to increase the index of abundance of terrestrial breeding birds in Scotland against a 2006 base year. This is used as a proxy measure of biodiversity, as biodiversity cannot be measured by a single indicator.
Source: British Trust for Ornithology/ Joint Nature Conservation Committee/ Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust/ Shetland Oil Terminal Environmental Advisory Group
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