The national annual census of farmland birds, run by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and supported by the NFU, is returning in February next year when it will be launched from its birthplace, the Trust’s demonstration farm, the Allerton Project.

The concept for the Big Farmland Bird Count (BFBC) was conceived by our conservationists working at Allerton, based at Loddington in Leicestershire, and the first count was held in February 2014. It has been repeated every year since then.

For the past decade it has been providing vital data that has helped us to understand which species of farmland birds are in the most serious trouble and how we can help them. Many of them have been in decline for the past 50 years, but there are ways in which we can help them during the winter months when food is scarce and temperatures drop. This is exactly what the BFBC tries to highlight.

The 2026 count begins on Friday 6th February and runs for two weeks, until 22nd February. We hope to make next year bigger and better than ever and are encouraging agricultural colleges and universities to get involved.

As well as providing snapshot of the bird population on UK farms, the BFBC aims to raise awareness of the important role that farmers and other land managers play in the conservation of our native farmland birds.

Next year, all data will be recorded on the new PerdixPro BFBC app. This will make the process of recording your results much simpler and farmers, rangers, game or forest keepers, ornithologists and other bird enthusiasts taking part can input counts either instantly as they record out in the field, or back inside from the comfort of their own home. The app can be downloaded onto any mobile phone or tablet. There is still the option of filling in a paper version of the count sheet, and either sending it to us, or inputting it yourself later.

All the details of how to take part, bird identification guides and count sheets, are available on the Big Farmland Bird Count website.

Keeping records

Farmland birds have declined by 63% since 1970 – that equates to 70 million birds in the past 50 years – and more than 60% of farmland birds have been affected by the declines.
They need our help if we are going to reverse the trend. The key to doing this, and increasing biodiversity, is held by the people who look responsible for the 72% of the UK’s land which is used for agriculture.

Research at the Allerton Project has shown that by managing our land in a way that provides suitable habitat, such as sympathetic hedgerow management and supplementary feeding through semi-natural habitats and feeders, we can increase both the numbers and species of birds and mammals across the farm. To show and prove that these measures are working, keeping regular records of our work and the species and numbers of birds that live there are vital.

Joe Stanley, GWCT’s head of sustainable farming at the Allerton Project, says: “It’s fantastic to launch 2026’s BFBC from its birthplace here at the Allerton Project, where for more than three decades we’ve been demonstrating how food production and a thriving natural environment can go hand-in-hand.

“It took a mere three years to increase our songbird numbers by 75% showing what is possible on a working, commercial farm.

“The BFBC is a great way for farmers and land managers to get out in the field and demonstrate the great work they’re doing to help nature thrive.”