Distribution maps for Farm Target Bird Species in DEFRA’s Environmental Stewardship Schemes
DEFRA’s Environmental Stewardship Scheme (ESS) aims to reverse the decline in the population of farmland birds. The Target Statement for each “Joint Character Area” (JCA) (five cover parts of Shropshire) lists several bird species which should be helped through ESS, and whose habitat requirements have to be addressed in each Farm Environment Plan (FEP). Most of these species are also targeted by the Shropshire Biodiversity Action Plan, initially published in 1996 and fully revised and updated in 2002.
Note that not all of the species listed below are included in all the JCA's that cover Shropshire (for a detailed list of species currently included in each JCA and additional information click here.)
The Shropshire OS has agreed to publish distribution maps on this website which will show
a) distribution of the species in the last 5 years (2003 - 2007) based upon records submitted to the SOS by its observers and others, (The maps also show records from 2000 - 2002 in simplified form). also
b) distribution of the species during the period 1985 - 1990 (taken from Deans et al 1992 "An Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Shropshire")
Information on the species listed below can be accessed by clicking on the name. For the species not listed there is insufficient data at the present time.
| Lapwing | Ring Ouzel | Skylark |
| Curlew | Reed Bunting | Corn Bunting |
| Snipe | Tree Sparrow | Yellowhammer |
| Yellow Wagtail | Redshank | Grey Partridge |
| Merlin (no maps) | Barn Owl | Turtle Dove |
These maps will enable interested parties, especially farmers seeking funding through appropriate agri-environment schemes and, in particular, the Environmental Stewardship Schemes, to be able to see at a glance if the species they are interested in has been recorded in the vicinity of the farm concerned in the last five year period. The additional information on each species explains why it has declined, and the habitat changes that should be included in the FEP and ESS submission to help reverse the decline.
However, please note the following disclaimer.
Disclaimer: the information displayed on these pages is based upon records submitted to SOS by members and is not based on a comprehensive survey of the whole County. The Distribution Maps for the last five years posted on the website will therefore be incomplete, and absence of a record in a particular tetrad does not necessarily mean that the species is absent from that tetrad. Reference to the maps on the website does not remove the obligation on the Applicant and / or author of the FEP to do their own research and / or use their own local knowledge to supplement the information shown on these maps. The only comprehensive survey ever conducted in Shropshire was that used to prepare the 1992 Atlas, and the results are shown in the second map on each species page. If RDS staff, fieldworkers, farmers or other observers gain additional information on the distribution of these species the SOS County Recorder would be pleased to receive it (click here for information on the submission of records).