TAWNY OWL AND WILLOW TIT AMONG WOODLAND BIRD SPECIES IN WORRYING DECLINE

                                                                     

THE worrying decline in woodland species comes under the spotlight in the latest edition of The State of the UK's Birds.

Overall, they have declined by 27 per cent since the early 1970s, with a 7 per cent evident over just the last five years.

Particularly hard hit has been the willow tit - down by 94 per cent since 1970.

For reasons that are not clear, tawny owls are also in decline.

The report has  produced jointly by the RSPB, the BTO and the WWT (Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust) with input from various statutory nature conservation bodies.

* The RSPB's chief executive, Beccy Speight, was yesterday in London to present a copy of the document to Prince Charles and to discuss bird-related issues.