Conservation
The Common Linnet is listed by the UK Biodiversity Action Plan as a priority species. It is protected in the UK by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
In Britain, populations are declining, attributed to increasing use of herbicides, aggressive scrub removal and excessive hedge trimming; its population fell by 56% between 1968 to 1991. This was probably due to decrease in seed supply and increasing use of herbicide being two of the factors.
During the 1980-2009 period, its European population decreased by 62% according to the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme
Favourable management practices on agricultural land include:
- Set-aside
- Overwinter Stubbles
- Uncultivated margins, ditches, field corners
- Conservation headlands
- Wild bird cover of species that produce small, oil-rich seeds such as Kale, Quinoa, Mustard plant, Oil-seed rape Brassica napus
- Restoration and creation of hay meadows
- Short, thick, thorny hedgerows and scrub for nesting habitat
- Restoration of meadows
Read more about this topic: Common Linnet
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