PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa) is categorised as “Near Threatened” in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN’s) global Red List, and is one of the 14 UK breeding birds that are of global conservation concern. It is classified as “Near Threatened” in Europe and “Endangered” in the EU – making it one of only 27 bird species that are “Endangered” or “Critically Endangered” within the EU. Two subspecies of black-tailed godwit occur in the UK: L. l. limosa and L. l. islandica. This project focuses on the former, for which conservation needs are much greater.
This population is small and vulnerable (fewer than 60 pairs), but there is scope for it to increase and become more significant with appropriate conservation measures.
As with populations elsewhere in Europe, the main driver of the UK decline is falling productivity due to factors operating on the breeding grounds. Black-tailed godwits require a productivity of approximately 0.4 fledglings/pair for a population to be stable. Since 2005, average annual productivity has been 0.32 fledglings/pair at the Nene Washes and 0.34 fledglings/pair at the Ouse Washes - both Natura 2000 network sites in eastern England and the two main breeding sites for the species in the UK. Under current estimates of productivity and recruitment, the populations at both sites will decline and may be at risk of extinction.
OBJECTIVES
The overall aim of the LIFE blackwit UK project was to improve the conservation status of the black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa) as a breeding species in the United Kingdom, specifically by recovering the UK breeding population of L. l. limosa. This project focused on the 2 main breeding sites for this species in the UK, the Nene and Ouse Washes.
The project had 6 objectives, namely:
- an increase of the productivity of black-tailed godwit at key breeding sites in the UK to the level necessary for population stability by the end of year 3, and to a level sufficient for population growth by the end of year 5
- maintenance and enhancement of 1 100 ha of black-tailed godwit habitat at these key sites
- improvements in the understanding of the local and migratory movements of black-tailed godwit breeding in the project area
- testing the use of ‘head-starting’ as a conservation tool for black-tailed godwit
- an increase in support among local communities for the long-term conservation of black-tailed godwit, and raise awareness of waders, the project SPAs, and the importance of ‘wader wetlands’ among the general public and decision-makers
- development of a UK-wide recovery plan for L. l. limosa in liaison with appropriate flyway initiatives.
The aim was to increase the breeding population (and range) of black-tailed godwit in its stronghold of the East Anglian Fens in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. The target was 65 breeding pairs by the end of the project, and to provide the conditions for the population to continue to increase after project completion.
RESULTS
The project partially achieved its overall aim of improving the conservation status of the black-tailed godwit in the UK, thus securing the future of this species in the UK. Specific objectives were mostly achieved, including:
- an increase in the numbers of black-tailed godwit breeding pairs across the sites from 40 pairs at the start to 47 pairs at the end. However, the breeding productivity of the wild population has remained very low (average of 0.19 wild chicks fledged per pair over the course of the project), well below the 0.4 threshold needed for population stability due to predation pressure. When including headstarted birds, the mean productivity increased to 1.14 chicks fledged per pair (above the target level for a stable population);
- improvement of 1 100ha of habitat for black-tailed godwit at the breeding sites through the creation of scrapes, ditches and grassland management and improved water level management through the installation of water pumps at the Nene and Ouse Washes. Moreover, the implementation of predator management and exclusion measures (exclusion fencing and ditch widening) have demonstrated effectiveness in improving nest survival, and these results were published as a scientific paper
- contribution to an improved understanding of the local and migratory movements of black-tailed godwit in the UK and internationally through colour-ringing and tagging using geolocators. 74.4% of the breeding population are now marked with colour rings. These findings will be featuring in a scientific journal and were also used to inform the protection along the East Atlantic Flyway
- positive demonstration of the use of ‘head-starting’ as a conservation tool for black-tailed godwit. A total of 206 birds were released over the course of the project, significantly boosting the productivity in the project area with birds returning to breed at the sites in subsequent years. The project has disseminated knowledge and experience gained from the ‘head-starting’ work. This in turn increased its profile as a valuable conservation tool for black tailed godwits and other waders
- enhanced engagement with visitors to the project sites (estimated over 180 000) and a school outreach programme reaching over 1 000 children. The project also featured in several high-profile TV programmes and regularly released blogs, videos and media articles. Dissemination with the scientific community and practitioners was conducted through participation in 25 conferences and through delivering a headstarting conference
- release of a National Species Action Plan for black-tailed godwit and endorsement by statutory authorities, which sets a further 10-year strategy for recovery of this species. Moreover, a National Working Group was established to deliver the single species Action Plan for black-tailed godwit, with the further aim of securing funding every year.
