Birds of reed vegetation: shrubs and trees are encroaching marshland

Birds of reed vegetation have declined, largely because the reed vegetation fringing marshland has declined.

Trends

On average, birds of reed vegetation are now less common in marshes and swamps than they were around 1950. In the last 10 years the number of breeding pairs has remained more or less stable, although some species, particularly the great reed warbler, are still declining.

The birds of reed vegetation have declined because reed vegetation is dwindling. The reed fringes of open water are becoming narrower, because the water quality is poor and the water level no longer fluctuates naturally (high in the winter and low in the summer). Furthermore, reed is being ousted by shrubs and trees, a process reinforced by the repercussions of water draw-down and by the eutrophication of the surface water. And the annual cutting of the reeds is bad for birds of reed vegetation.

The bittern, great reed warbler, sedge warbler, savi's warbler and little bittern are on the Red List of birds. A species protection plan has been drawn up for marsh birds.