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Dieren en planten

Birds   Bird Protection   Predators   Fox   Ferel cats   

Meadow birds

The Holland and Frisian meadows are inhabited by a characteristic group of birds: meadow birds. They breed between the grass and look for food in fields or along ditches. Some species only strive well in areas with very extensive management, such as ruffs and redshanks, while other species are characteristic for moderately extensive management, such as black-tailed godwits and lapwings. Still other species are even less fussy, such as oystercatchers. Many farmers take special measures on their lands to protect meadow birds.

  • Concentrated areas for better protection

    The Dutch Bird Society and other nature organizations also strongly advise the government and terrain managers to do more to prevent the collapse of meadow birds in the Netherlands. They are not convinced that the governmental goal in 2006 of stopping the decline by 2010 will be accomplished, based upon the situation in 2008. They suggest designating areas for meadow birds whereby their needs are the basis for managing the landscape. Only by focusing on specific areas is it realistic, cost-wise, to achieve success. Those areas where the best chances are for the birds should be concentrated on.
    But how does one choose these central areas? Researchers at the University of Wageningen have used data from SOVON to determine the density of godwits in the entire Netherlands. Depending upon how many nesting pairs are chosen as a minimum for an area, they have mapped out where the best places are to designate central areas. Protected central areas alone based on densities of godwits is not the entire answer to the problem. The surrounding landscape, relationship with other meadow birds, management of the area and a good communication with local farmers not necessarily involved in the special treatment are just as important.

  • Predators

    The fox was always considered the major enemy of meadow birds, such as godwits. But studies have shown this not to be true. There is a whole series of other predators that threaten the eggs and chicks of meadow birds. Eggs are stolen by stone martens, stoats, hedgehogs, polecats and birds such as crows, hawks, buzzards, oystercatchers and marsh harriers.
    When there are lots of meadow birds, they can nest close together and protect each other from predators. With a lower population of birds, it is easier for predators to steal the eggs or chicks. Another hypothesis says that since there are fewer meadow birds, the birds are spreading more out in order to make it more difficult for the fox to find them.
    Man's love for meadow birds sometimes means retaliation against birds of prey. In 2005, at least 635 nests of predator birds in the Netherlands were 'disrupted' by bird-lovers.
    A number of regulations have been applied in the Frisian town Grootegast. To give predators less chance, trees and bushes used as lookout have been removed. In addition, silage stacks are covered in the winter to keep away crows. The nests can be given an odor. Cat owners are requested to keep their pets inside during nesting season.
    According to researchers, in order to protect godwits and other meadow birds, a number of central areas must be developed where old-fashion farming takes place. This means a higher water level, cows in the fields and flower-rich haylands and pastures.
    The Ministry for Agriculture and Nature (LNV) develops active policy in relationship to the number of meadow birds that should be able to live in the Netherlands. All experts are united in a meadow bird network of knowledge. The minister wants to reserve around 30,000 hectare for the most threatened species, such as the ruff. Even more land will be reserved for 'critical species' such as the godwit: from 100,000 hectare in 2007 to 250,000 hectare in the future. By 2010, the meadow bird population must no longer decline. The Minister wants to shift the accent of meadow bird protection within a few years from nest protection to mozaik management, whereby strokes of grass are left unmowed. The young birds will have more chance to grow up safely in the longer grass and there will be more insects available to serve as food.

  • Decline

    Due to intensive use of land and water management, many meadow bird populations are declining. Most species are protected in the Netherlands via the Flora and Fauna Act and the European Bird Directive. Despite attempts by agrarian nature farmers to adapt their methods to help the birds, they are still being seriously threatened.
    Three-fourths of the meadow bird regions that are managed by nature managers are inadequate. Managers are not in the field enough resulting in shortcomings in grazing, fertilizing and calcifying the lands.
    SOVON published the Bird Balance 2008 which shows a very negative trend for practically all meadow birds. A recent addition to the list is the redshank. Agrarian nature management does not seem to work, partially due to these farms being too sporatically located. The bottleneck is the survival of the chicks. The only positive solution seems to be the expansion of nature areas surrounded by agrarian nature farms. SOVON pleads for monitoring not only the number of birds, but also the management and land use. In that way, they hope to understand better what makes an area successful.

  • Studies

    Hans Schekkerman from the University of Groningen studied meadow birds for years, specifically black-tailed godwits. He compared the amount of insects available on a mowed farmland and in a nature area that is left unmowed. Before mowing in mid-May, which is also the time when the chicks hatch, the numbers of insects were comparable in both areas. However after mowing, there was a big difference between the two areas: the unmowed nature area had 2 to 3 times more insects available than the mowed farmland. Chicks make easier victims for predators on mowed lands. Schekkerman concluded that these results are not just for black-tailed godwits, but many other meadow bird species. Therefore, protection measures should take this study into account.
    The government proposed a goal in 2006 to end the declining godwit population by 2010. Schekkerman says this is not practical. Despite the fact that most regulations work as expected (mozaic management whereby various heights of grass remain standing, delayed mowing, strokes of grass for refuge), the population continues to decline. Even more intensive regulations are necessary. Major improvements include additional agreements with farmers concerning mowing dates, greater diversity in plants among the grass, less fertilizer, fewer shrubs and trees where predators can be on the lookout. Because it is unrealistic to perform such methods every where, Schekkerman proposes choosing only favorable areas to invest in. This could mean a smaller godwit population, but as long as it remains at an acceptable stable level then one should be satisfied.
    What are the demands for a good meadow bird area? An open landscape (making it difficult for predators to make surprise attacks) and more importantly a high groundwater level (forcing farmers to leave the field alone in the spring) are essential.

  • Chipped golf balls for nest protection

    A new innovative manner of protecting meadow bird nests from farmers plowing their fields is using a golf ball with a sensor placed by the nest. When the farmer approaches the nest, an alarm goes off in the tractor which grows louder and faster the closer one gets. The ball is fastened to a 'tent peg' which registers the temperature of the nest. This information is sent to a computer that determines the stage of brooding (eggs, chicks, etc). This manner of protecting the nest means less disburbance by walking in the field several times per season. Tests with marked nests using golf balls showed a success rate 8% higher when compared to those marked with willow branches.