Sharp-eyed Scots on the north coast and northern isles are being asked to look out for small brown birds wearing colourful rings as part of a new conservation project.
Twite, a small, brown bird with a stubby beak, is the focus of the new ringing project, the first of its kind in Shetland. The Twite, or Lintie as it is known in Shetland, is thought to no longer breed in England, and its population is in sharp decline across the UK.
Scotland’s north coast and islands are no exception to this trend, but numbers here are higher, with Shetland being a particular stronghold for the species.
Twites are seed-eating birds so rely on a healthy supply of diverse arable crops and seeds to survive the winter. Farming practices have changed in recent decades in Scotland’s northern isles; landscapes which were once full of diverse arable crops are now dominated by silage fields and sheep, leading to a reduction in the supply of food available for Twite in the winter.
The Twite ringing project is being run through Species on the Edge, a conservation programme active across Scotland’s coasts and islands aiming to secure a sustainable future for some of Scotland’s rarest and most vulnerable species.
Species on the Edge and RSPB staff are working with the Shetland Ringing Group to catch and ring the Twite, with each Twite being given a unique colour combination – a bit like naming them. At the same time as being ringed, data like the Twite’s age, wing length, how much fat and muscle they have on them and their weight is also collected. Then, after a quick processing time, the bird is safely released.
Farmers, crofters, bird-watchers and the general public in Shetland, Orkney, and the north coast of Scotland are now being asked to look out for Twites bearing these multi-coloured rings and to record any sightings.
These records will help the Species on the Edge, RSPB and Shetland Ringing Group team to gain a better understanding of Scotland’s most northerly populations of Twite. Do they have a preference of food source? How are they moving between crops? Where are Twites travelling to and from? The team can then take this learning and use it to formulate more informed and therefore more effective and impactful action for the Twite.
Species on the Edge Project Officer for Shetland, Harry Britton, said: “The decline we are seeing in our seed-eating birds in Shetland is of national concern and indicates a deeper rooted and larger issue that we have across Scotland. A stronger connection between agricultural productivity and conservation must be our top priority in order to protect biodiversity across Scotland.
In Shetland, we are working closely with crofters across the islands, helping them support wildlife on their land in ways that benefit both biodiversity and their business. These colourfully ringed Twites are going to give us a glimpse of how these threatened birds are using our changing landscape and will help inform the guidance we can offer to landowners, to help them ensure a sustainable future for their local vulnerable species.”
If you see any ringed Twites, please email Harry: harry.britton@rspb.org.uk. Please include the date of the sighting, the location and any pictures.
