NIGHTINGALE (LUSCINIA
MEGARHYNCHOS) ACTION PLAN
Lead Agencies Public Sector Forestry Commission
Voluntary Sector RSPB
1 INTRODUCTION
Intimately associated with the traditional
coppice management of woodlands, Nightingales have declined throughout Britain,
as has coppicing.
2
CURRENT
STATUS
2.1 International / National Status
·
Within the UK, Nightingales are largely
confined to the south-east of England, south of a line stretching from the
Humber in North Lincolnshire to the River Severn in Gloucestershire (Gibbons et
al. 1993).
·
A decline in the range of the Nightingale has
been documented in the atlas of breeding birds since 1968 and in the latest
edition, it was observed that this contraction in range had continued,
particularly at the northern and western limits of its distribution and in central
counties to the north-west of London. A decline in the population during the
same period (1968-72 to 1988-91) was thought to have occurred but recent
preliminary data suggests otherwise. The State of UK Birds (1999), published by
the B.T.O., states that:
“Increases in
the eastern counties of England and declines in the west suggest that its range
has contracted considerably, but that overall numbers have not changed greatly
in the last 20 years - thus calming fears that it was declining steeply. There appears
to have been a shift in habitat from coppiced woodlands to scrub in river
valleys and other lowland areas”.
·
Within Europe
the Nightingale population is larger and more widespread than in Britain,
therefore it has been classed as a SPEC 4 conservation priority species. This
means that it is a low conservation priority as it is not a species with an
unfavorable conservation status and is not restricted to Europe. However, a decline of the population
in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands has been noted during the 20th Century.
·
Within the UK,
the Nightingale has been assigned as an amber list1
species, which is of medium conservation priority due to its falling UK
population. To gain this status a species must usually suffer a decline of
25-49% in population over the last 25 years.
2.2
Local
Status
·
The population
in Northamptonshire has fluctuated in the last decade, but overall there has
been an apparent slight decrease. In the 1997 bird count, it was observed that
the numbers were being maintained at a level established in the last 10 years.
Nightingales are found on 10-15 sites within the county and most of these are
woodlands.
·
As yet a change
in habitat has not been noted in this county. Due to its status as a localized
breeding species, the Nightingale is considered a medium conservation priority
in Northamptonshire.
3
CURRENT
FACTORS CAUSING LOSS OR DECLINE
·
The nationwide
decline of traditional coppice management
of woodland is thought to be the main reason for the decline in Nightingale
numbers. The distribution of coppice woodland is now concentrated in the
southeast of England as is the Nightingale. In Northamptonshire alone the once
traditional management of coppicing is now only practiced on 400ha.
Nightingales can live in other habitats such as scrub or plantations, but these
habitats become unsuitable in a relatively short time.
·
Climatic factors
may also play a part as plenty of apparently suitable habitats exist outside of
the Nightingales range (Fuller,1995). The period of climatic amelioration over
northern Europe during the 1920s and 1930s was clearly in reverse by the 1950s,
most apparent in Britain by consistently cooler and later springs. It is
noteworthy that 1970 and 1980, both years of above-average numbers of
Nightingales, were also marked by warm, dry anti-cyclonic weather during the
breeding season in April and May (Marchant et al,1990).
·
The problem
could also partially lie on the wintering grounds, where altered conditions due
to climate and land use change could affect numbers and the physical condition
of birds arriving on their breeding grounds in Britain.
·
Nightingales
could well be faithful to areas where they have bred or rely on established
territorial Nightingales to attract them to a particular location. Either way
the species would find it hard to colonise new habitats.
4
CURRENT
ACTION
·
The Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust still
carries out coppicing on three sites though not specifically for Nightingales.
·
Nightingales are monitored as part of the
Northamptonshire bird index series.
5. NIGHTINGALE OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS
|
|
Objective |
Action |
Lead Agency |
Partners |
TargetS |
5.1
|
Policy and Legislation
|
||||
|
|
Objective One: Ensure that BAP species and their habitats
are given an appropriate level of protection in local plans |
Include species protection policies in local plans
and/or supplementary guidance |
Local Authorities |
|
By 2003 |
|
|
Objective Two: Include the requirements for the species when
preparing or revising prescriptions for the Woodland Grant Scheme |
Consider species requirements in management
prescriptions for WGS agreements |
Forestry Commission |
RSPB |
By 2002 |
5.2
|
Site Safeguard and Management
|
||||
|
|
Objective Three: Recognise the value of scrubland as a habitat
beneficial to many species, including Nightingales, and manage it accordingly |
Maintain a healthy variety of scrub by
providing graded growth. In addition to this, sections of scrub should be
selectively cleared, providing open areas in secluded sites away from
disturbance |
|
All woodland managers |
By 2005 |
|
|
Objective Four: Manage woodlands in a suitable way that both
supports the existing Nightingales, and provides opportunities to increase
the population |
The area of coppiced woodland in
Northamptonshire to be increased by 150ha by 2005, and a finally by a further
250ha |
Rockingham Forest Trust |
All woodland managers |
Increase area of active under coppice
management by 150 ha by 2005 |
|
|
Objective Five: Create a more varied structure within
woodlands to create suitable habitat for Nightingale |
Improve woodland edges by allowing the growth
of scrub in areas to act as a buffer zone, suitable for Nightingales |
|
All woodland managers |
All new woodland management plans to include
scrub buffer strips. Revise |
|
|
Objective Six: Create new woodland in river valleys |
Encourage landowners to allow new wet
woodland to develop in river valleys by natural regeneration |
Forestry Commission |
Local Authorities, FWAG, Nene Valley Project,
Mineral Operators |
Throughout the Plan Period |
|
|
|
Encourage the planting of new wet woodland in
river valleys |
Forestry Commission |
Local Authorities, FWAG, Nene Valley Project,
Mineral Operators |
Throughout the Plan Period |
5.3
|
Advisory
|
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|
|
Objective Seven: Provide appropriate information on
Nightingale ecology and advise woodland managers on the different means of
providing suitable habitats |
Produce a guidance note on the habitat requirements
of Nightingales aimed at woodland managers |
RSPB |
|
By 2003 |
|
|
|
Provide an advisory service on scrub and
woodland management |
County Council |
Forestry Commission, other woodland
conservation advisors |
Throughout the Plan Period |
5.4
|
Future Monitoring and Research
|
||||
|
|
Objective Eight: Undertake surveys
to determine the status of the species within the county |
Undertake surveys
of known and suitable sites, including an assessment of habitat where birds
are found to be present |
Northants Bird Club |
Wildlife Trust,
RSPB, British Trust for Ornithology |
Initial survey
completed by 2002 |
|
|
|
Develop targets for the Nightingale
population following initial survey work |
Wildlife Trust |
Northants Bird Club, Wildlife Trust, RSPB,
British Trust for Ornithology |
2002 |
5.5
|
Communications and Publicity
|
||||
|
|
Objective Nine: Use the Nightingale as an example to
highlight the impact that the change from coppice management to plantation
forestry has on woodland biodiversity |
Communicate the decline of the Nightingale to
publicise the effects of changing woodland management and to demonstrate how
management for Nightingales can have benefits for wider woodland biodiversity |
RSPB |
BAP Partners |
Throughout plan period |
5.6
|
Review
|
||||
|
|
Objective Ten: Review the plan to assess progress, and where
necessary update and amend |
|
Northants Bird Club |
BAP Partners |
2005 |
|
|
Objective Eleven: Publicise the progress made in delivering
this Action Plan in a BAP Annual Report |
|
|
BAP Partners |
Annually |