A new three-year on-farm trial is underway to bring back the yellowhammer – one of the iconic farmland bird species under threat in the UK.
The pilot has been launched by Kellogg’s with an aim to increase the population of the yellow-breasted bird on participating farms by up to 30%.
Since 1970, the yellowhammer population has dropped by over 50 percent as a result of fewer food sources.
The native bird is mainly found on farmland, due to its need for hedges for nesting, ready supply of grains and insects for food.
Kellogg’s will work with wheat growers to create nesting habitats, introduce winter bird food mixes and will encourage later hedge trimming, to avoid disturbing late breeding throughout August and September.
In total, the cereal giant's pilot will cover 150 hectares of wheat fields. If successful, the initiative will be rolled out on more farms.
The impact will be measured by on-farm birdwatching – taking a count of yellowhammers at the start of the trial and then at regular intervals as it progresses.
If successful, Kellogg’s says the initiative will result in increased biodiversity on the farms, more sustainable farming practices and consequently improved soil health.
John Smith, a wheat farmer from Northampton said: ‘’This is a really exciting initiative to be a part of. It has the potential to make a huge difference not only to yellowhammers, but also other insects and wildlife, via an increase in biodiversity across our farms.’’
Kate Prince, agricultural lead at Kellogg’s, said the hard reality was that yellowhammer numbers were at crisis point.
"This project is about exploring the practical steps we can achieve together with farmers to encourage this native bird back to our countryside.
The pilot forms part of the company's Origins programme, launched in 2013 to support sustainable agriculture projects on wheat farms in the UK.
