Reintroduction as a tool for population recovery of farmland birds

Conservation efforts in the United Kingdom have increasingly sought to restore the populations and ranges of birds affected by changes to their habitat or by direct human persecution. One approach is reintroduction, although this is likely to be appropriate in only a limited set of circumstances, involving a small number of species. This paper reviews the use of reintroduction as a tool for conserving birds associated with lowland farmland, highlighting the benefits of this approach to conservation, as well as the potential dangers. Two case studies are presented to illustrate how different reintroduction techniques are required, depending on the species involved and the donor stock available. The internationally agreed, though not legally binding, IUCN guidelines for reintroduction projects are summarized, together with the requirements of The Wildlife & Countryside Act (1981) in relation to the release of birds into the wild in Britain. Potential changes to current legislation are suggested, to prevent inappropriate and potentially damaging reintroduction projects from being carried out in the future.