Skip navigation - UK government accesskeys system
PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS CASE STUDIES DISCUSSIONS EVENTS INFORMATION LIBRARY
Farm Wildlife - [ home ]
SITE SEARCH
Bee Orchid Greater Horseshoe Bat Dormouse Lapwing Damselfly

HELPING YOU TO HELP WILDLIFE ON YOUR FARM
 

Case Studies
Back >

Comparing bird benefits of oilseed rape establishment methods

 01.11.2005
Author: Ian Dillon

Farm: Grange Farm, Cambs (the RSPB arable farm)
Aims:
Many farmers have established their oil-seed rape crops using autocast or non-inversion tillage in recent years, mainly for agronomic and/or soil protection reasons. It was thought birds could potentially benefit from this indirectly, as the broadcast method leaves stubble from the preceding cereal crop, which may provide a source of shelter and food for wintering birds. However, as few quantiative data had been collected, we investigated the bird use of oil-seed rape that had been established by autocasting and by non-inversion tillage.
Management:
This trial ran during winters 2006/07 and 2007/08 on four fields (total area 50.34 ha) in 2006/07 and two fields (total area 44.37 ha) in 2007/08. In both winters, two of the fields were split with half established by autocasting and half by non-inversion tillage. In 2006/07, one each of the remaining smaller fields were established wholly by autocasting and non-inversion tillage. Two surveys were made in each field per month between September and March, with the location of all birds encountered plotted on maps.
Achievements:
Analysis of the data has shown that densities of birds (number of birds / ha) did not differ significantly between the differing methods of establishment. It is likely that the growth of the oil-seed rape during the autumn rapidly shades out the cereal stubble, either making it inaccessible to many birds and/or preventing birds from ensuring effective predator surveillance whilst feeding on the stubble. This trial was carried out on only one site, and a wider-scale trial may be needed to provide evidence of impacts throughout the wider countryside. However, at present the decision on method of establishment for oilseed rape crops should be based on agronomic considerations, as for birds, there is no clear and consistent evidence that suggests one technique is more beneficial than the other. The scientific detail of the methods and results are attached.
Document: Comparing the benefits of oilseed rape est.doc

Back >
©2010 Farm Wildlife HOME | PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS | CASE STUDIES | DISCUSSION FORUM | EVENTS CALENDAR | INFORMATION LIBRARY
Images ©RSPB, except Greater Horseshoe Bat ©Bat Conservation Trust