The Farmland Bird Ark - surviving the hunger gap

Aim

Feeding some of the last remaining corn buntings in Worcestershire and planting birdseed crop on unused playing fields at Worcester Uni

Project Aims & Partnership

As recent graduate of Worcester University it is great to be leading this innovative project, which has developed unused playing fields as a resource for nature. The RSPB Worcester & Malvern Local Group are working in partnership with the University of Worcester transforming unused parts of their campus into a brilliant source of food for our declining bird populations over the winter period. This project aims to support these bird populations throughout the most difficult time of year while also engaging with students, providing an excellent study site. Demonstrating how nature and education thrive together.

RSPB Worcester & Malvern Local Group also supplement one of the last Corn Bunting flocks that exist in Worcestershire. In partnership with the Vale Landscape Heritage Trust, our feeding ensures that the birds are in peak condition for breeding, increasing their chance of success.

How do we do it?

Our Wintering Seed Crop is ploughed, sown and rolled every year to ensure a viable crop is available throughout the winter period. We then perform monthly bird surveys to assess the usage throughout the year.

Our Corn Bunting seed is hand poured twice weekly, into handmade enclosures to ensure the Corn Buntings receive as much of this feed as possible. Their behaviour and numbers are monitored to document the impact of our project. 

Nature Conservation

These projects are funded entirely by generous donations and cannot continue without your help.

Funds raised will be used to:

• Buy birdseed        
• Purchase wintering seed crop mix 
• Cultivating 3 hectares of land
• Pay for farming labour costs

Education and Involvement

The University seed crop provides an excellent potential to engage students with the natural world, with opportunities ranging from seed sowing work parties to research projects. We hope to learn about the scale of our beneficial impact and how surrounding wildlife gain from projects like this.

Our Vision

Without our intervention, we are at risk of losing many of the farmland birds we know and love. Our projects have seen a 120% increase in Corn Buntings and flocks of several hundred Linnets since their inception, emphasing the importance these projects. With your help, we hope to build a better future. Maintaining and expanding these projects over the coming years, we hope to create a world where populations are thriving and generations to come can enjoy these fantastic animals. 

This project successfully funded on 11th May 2023