Who Killed Cock Robin? You did!
How would you feel if one of the most colourful and beloved creatures found in the English garden died out, and you knew you could have done something about it? Thankfully our treasured robin has yet to reach the endangered list, but many of our once common birds are steadily moving towards it.
Aware of the decline in garden birds, many more of us are buying bird tables and wild bird food. This has now become big business with scientifically developed recipes aimed at specific species. Thanks to the popularity of programs like ‘Springwatch, and Autumnwatch’, even Bill Oddie has jumped on the marketing bandwagon and produced his own line of products. As a result, some fantastic increases have been witnessed in seed eating wild bird populations, see table 1.
Table 1.
GROWTH IN POPULATION FROM 1970 TO 2004
How would you feel if one of the most colourful and beloved creatures found in the English garden died out, and you knew you could have done something about it? Thankfully our treasured robin has yet to reach the endangered list, but many of our once common birds are steadily moving towards it.
Aware of the decline in garden birds, many more of us are buying bird tables and wild bird food. This has now become big business with scientifically developed recipes aimed at specific species. Thanks to the popularity of programs like ‘Springwatch, and Autumnwatch’, even Bill Oddie has jumped on the marketing bandwagon and produced his own line of products. As a result, some fantastic increases have been witnessed in seed eating wild bird populations, see table 1.
Table 1.
GROWTH IN POPULATION FROM 1970 TO 2004
Chaffinch - 34%
Chiffchaff - 39%
Great Tit - 71%
Magpie - 100%
Jackdaw - 99%
However, a recent report by the University of Reading and figures released by the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) have shown an alarming decline in many native bird species where insects form a major part in their diet. (See table 2) Contributing factors include reduction in the habitat and the loss of traditional breeding ground. Although it’s justifiable to blame both big business and modern farming practices, are we not also to blame with current gardening practices?
Table 2
DECLINE IN POPULATION FROM 1970 TO 2004
Starling -23%
Blackbird -42%
Swallows -43%
House Sparrows - 64%
Tree Sparrows - 94%
One of the main threats we have is our ignorance of the immediate environment. While many of us ignore the part that modern culture has to play, we are still happy to stand by as compulsive/obsessive gardener’s dowse their cosseted blooms with ‘systemic action’ bug killer. And this is where the problem lies, the steadfast use of blanket chemical insecticides is having a serious impact on the environment, not just from those being used commercially, but the thousands of litres sold every day to the general public from DIY and garden centres. These are used freely in our gardens without constraint or training, and are indiscriminate in their action. Not only do they kill horticultural pests, but also those insects beneficial to the garden such as the lace wings, honey bees, hoverflies, and lady birds. This is terribly foolish as these insects are the natural predators of aphids, which after slugs are considered to be the most problematic of all the garden pests. The control of which brings its own set of environmental problems.
If we chose not to use pesticides in our gardens then what choices are open to us? Companion planting is probably the most effective way forward. This is a way of managing your garden organically by using specific plants in a complimentary manner. The thinking behind this is simple, and can be applied in two different ways. The first is the use of sacrificial plants. This is where pests are deliberately attracted to a plant they find more attractive than the one you are trying to protect. The second is to use plants that work by either releasing scents that will either repel harmful insects or attract the predators that feed on them. Under planting roses with garlic bulbs is a well tested practice for deterring aphids. Alternatively plant dill in the garden as this will attract hoverflies and predatory wasps, both are species which feed off aphids.
There is still the important question of how to increase insect populations to a sustainable level suitable for maintaining our dwindling insect eating bird population. By creating the right habitats in our garden, such as a wildlife pond, we can help to promote and encourage each of their life cycles. This can be done by providing log piles that, when allowed to rot naturally, will create a fantastic haven in the garden. A home not just for our insect species, but for some of our smaller mammals like our native hedgehog. If you do not have access to wood in your garden, there are many outlets where you can buy sacks of pre-cut logs sold for open fires. Alternatively, you can purchase specialized insect homes from most garden centres.
Although not normally regarded as an aspirational want, the common nettle is a fantastic plant for encouraging insects into the garden, supporting over 40 species of insect including some of our most colourful butterflies. If you don’t want a garden full of ‘wild’ flowers, look at planting traditional cottage garden varieties such as lavender, Buddleia, wallflowers and cornflower. As long as you keep away from the 'double flowered varieties, all of these are ideal for nectar and pollen eating insects.
The greatest difference could be made introducing new government legislation at both a national and local level. One idea used successfully used in Holland, was to introduce a law where a percentage of all new building costs are allocated to landscape planting. Another way would be for all council parks and municipal planting schemes to contain an element of the same. If all new developments and contracted displays incorporated plants and habitats which encouraged native wild life in this country, then I believe that we would have taken a major step forward in bringing some of our more threatened species one step back from the brink of extinction.
Have we already upset the balance of our fragile eco-system? Figures released by the RSPB for 2005 suggest that in some cases it may have shifted irrevocably, and it is possible that with the general public introducing huge amounts of wild bird seed into the environment, the population of insect eating birds are already being artificially out competed. The death of our native species will be the only lasting tribute to our vanity. So who killed cock robin? It seems that in the fullness of time, we probably all will!
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1 comment:
Excellent article Simon! A must read for all gardeners.
Debra
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