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The tawny pipit and active dunes

One of the reasons for the decline of the tawny pipit is the dwindling of the area of active inland dunes.

Trends


Small numbers of tawny pipits occur in sandy heathland and active dunes. In the 1950s and 1960s there were still several dozen pairs of tawny pipit in Limburg and Noord-Brabant, but since then the area of distribution has continued to shrink; the total population is currently only 20-25 breeding pairs. Nowadays tawny pipits occur only on the active dunes of the Veluwe, such as Kootwijkerzand and Harskampse Zand.

Causes


One cause of the decline is the decrease in the area of active dunes. The active dunes that remain are becoming less suitable because of grass encroachment, the spread of the invasive heath star moss (Campylopus introflexus) and the recreational use of the dunes.

The tawny pipit is on the Red List of birds.

Technical note


The index figures are based on the Ecological Monitoring Network's national network for monitoring breeding birds. The benchmark year is 1950 (=100).

References


  • Dijk, A.J. van, M.J.T. van der Weide, R. Kleefstra, D. Zoetebier en C. Plate (2001). Kolonievogels en zeldzame broedvogels in Nederland in 1999. SOVON-monitoringrapport 2001/08. SOVON Vogelonderzoek Nederland. Beek-Ubbergen.
This page was last changed on 27 April 2004  (version 01).