Jersey's natural habitats and species are protected and conserved
Average count of 44 species of birds per hectare across different habitat types
Current Value
21.0
Definition
This indicator is calculated from the findings of the Breeding Bird Survey. This takes place annually in April and June using volunteers from the Ornithology section of La Societe Jersiaise, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Department of the Environment to walk a transect (i.e. fixed route) twice a month within a randomly selected 1km sq. All bird species seen or heard along the transect are recorded, together with details concerning their distance from the transect and abundance. The survey has been run by the British Trust for Ornithology since 1994 in the UK, and since 1996 in Jersey.
The scientific data is presented as the number of birds per square metre. For illustrative purposes, this is multiplied the unit of measurement is changed to hectares (1 hectare is 10,000 square metres)
What is this about?
Bird populations are widely recognised to be a good environmental indicator because they occupy a wide range of habitats and tend to be near the top of the food chain. The distribution, abundance and changes over time in wild populations are equally important in telling us about the state of the environment, as animal communities are good indicators of the condition of the habitat itself. This indicator is calculated from the findings of the annual Breeding Bird Survey and counts the number of 44 different species of birds per hectare across farmland and suburban habitats.
Scientific monitoring by the Breeding Birds Survey shows bird populations in Jersey’s farmland and suburban habitats have been in rapid decline since 1996. This is also happening in the UK and Europe. However, the decline is not inevitable. Like butterflies, some bird species in Jersey's semi-natural habitats are increasing; demonstrating that habitat conservation management is successful in halting the decline of species.
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