Re-introduction of the cirl bunting to Cornwall, UK

Summary

The cirl bunting (Emberiza cirlus), a farmland songbird that collapsed in the UK to just 118 pairs by 1989, mostly confined to Devon, had recovered to 862 pairs nationally by 2009 through habitat-focused conservation, but its sedentary nature and a barrier of unsuitable habitat around its Devon stronghold meant natural range expansion elsewhere would be slow or impossible. The RSPB and Natural England, after assessing four candidate sites, selected Cornwall's Roseland Peninsula as the only location able to immediately support a geographically separate, self-sustaining population, abandoning an initial captive-breeding plan after 2002-2003 trials showed captive birds were prone to disease and stress, and instead adopting a hand-rear-and-release approach validated in 2004-2005 trials. From 2006, nest finders located cirl bunting chicks in healthy Devon populations for translocation under license to Paignton Zoo for hand-rearing and soft release near the Cornwall site; 254 birds were released in total across an initially planned four years, extended by two more (2010-2011) after poor weather and inexperienced breeders left only 13 pairs by 2009. Post-release monitoring showed the population reaching 28 pairs by 2011, with wild-bred birds, more productive than hand-reared ones, making up a rising share, climbing to 44 pairs in 2012, dipping to 28 in 2013, recovering to 39 in 2014, and reaching 52 pairs in 2015. The project rates itself successful, crediting an evidence-based, adaptable plan, dedicated staff, an eventually effective release strategy, and close ongoing collaboration with local farmers on habitat management.