Breeding birds: grass and trees are encroaching in heathland

Breeding birds of open heathland are declining, because of the encroachment of grass and trees.

Trends

The sharp decline in the breeding birds of open heathland shows no sign of abating. The decline is attributable to the encroachment of grasses and trees in heathland. One of the species of this group that is affected is the wheatear. Its preferred breeding habitat is heath where trees are absent or scarce and with a short vegetation with open sandy patches. Grazing helps to suppress the grass. On some heathlands in Drenthe grazing was initially effective and there was a sharp resurgence of the wheatear and also of the sky lark (also a species of open heathland).

In Drenthe and the Veluwe, however, the wheatear is now declining again, partly because of the sharp decline in rabbits on the heathlands. Wheatears usually nest in rabbit burrows, and the rabbits keep the vegetation short.