Evaluation of the impact of the pilot UK Arable Stewardship Scheme on breeding and wintering birds

Capsule Few positive responses by birds were observed in the first two years of this new agri-environment scheme. Aims To determine whether the pilot Arable Stewardship Scheme delivered increased populations of either breeding or wintering birds. Methods Birds were surveyed on both scheme and control sites. In the breeding season, a modified Breeding Bird Survey methodology was employed. Complete counts of all birds on each site were conducted in winter. Differences in numbers, or in the change in numbers between the first and second years, between scheme and control sites were assessed by multiple log-linear regression. Results Most species or guilds did not show significant responses to the scheme, although there were statistically significant positive effects on some key target groups, including breeding Lapwing Vanellus vanellus and wintering granivorous passerines. Conclusion The potential reasons for the lack of significant results, including the short length of the monitoring programme, are discussed. Future studies aimed at evaluating the effects of land management prescriptions on birds should be mindful of the time-scale over which monitoring is conducted.