House Martin population decline of nearly 60% in South East England

Householders waiting for the return of house martins (Delichon urbicum) may be in for disappointment this year. Research shows that the number of pairs breeding in the South West is in decline. The birds usually return to their nesting sites under the eaves in April and May after a long migration from winter feeding grounds in Africa. They are widely regarded as a harbinger of spring and in long, warm summers, may even go on to have a second brood. But field studies carried out by volunteers for the British Trust of Ornithology shows that bird numbers have dropped 19 per cent in the South West – a region covering Cornwall, Devon, Somerset Avon, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Ian Woodward, BTO research officer and house martin survey organiser, said: "The figures suggest there has been a slight decline in the South West, although this is not statistically significant. "The figures show house martins have declined in the South and the Midlands, especially in the South East, but are faring better in the North. The results show a downward trend over the past ten years where numbers have shown a steady decline. The biggest drop-off has been in the South East with a decline of 59 per cent recorded in the 2014 survey.

Read more: http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Concern-decline-house-martin/story-2…