Willow Tit Species Action Plan

The willow tit is by far the most uncommon member of the tit family in Lanarkshire.  It differs from other tits mainly through its unique habit of excavating dead timber to create a nesting cavity.  Breeding birds are therefore found in areas which contain an abundance of decaying wood - very often in damp, soggy ground with some kind of water body nearby.

Lanarkshire, which is now the bird's northern limit in the UK, was once famous for its willow tits.  The species was found in good numbers, with possibly 100 to 150 pairs mainly along the tributaries of the Clyde.  Since the 1930's willow tit numbers have greatly reduced and now sites that twenty years ago were known places to look for the species, are no longer viable.  This decrease reflects the situation elsewhere in Britain.  The population North of the Clyde Valley has virtually disappeared in what Birds of the Western Palearctic describes as "a marked contraction of range in Scotland since c1950".  In England, Common Bird Census returns show the species becoming local and in many areas totally absent. Locally in the last few years, it has disappeared altogether from Baron's Haugh and Strathclyde Country Park - areas which traditionally held the species.

Nowadays it is likely that fewer than 20 pairs, or possibly 50 birds, remain in Lanarkshire.  Currently the main stronghold for willow tits in Lanarkshire appears to be the Wishaw-Larkhall area.  In 1997-98, breeding records came from Greenhead Wood, Eastmuir Plantation, Jocks Gill, Millburn Glen and Coltness.

The willow tit is on the amber list of "Birds of Conservation Concern" on account of a moderate decline (25-49%) in the UK breeding populations and range over the previous 25 years.

This Species Action Plan is also applicable to the South Lanarkshire Biodiversity Action Plan.

It is generally assumed that because willow tits require a ready supply of decayed wood to maintain their lifestyle, the cause of their decline must be the decrease in availability of this over the years.  Areas being drained for cultivation or building, or "improved" for the proliferation of parkland, etc, have gradually reduced the preferred habitat and caused the species to move elsewhere.  It is also true that willow tits are reducing in areas with plenty of suitable habitat - currently Eastmuir Plantation, where only one pair bred in 1999 as opposed to two previously.  But there has been loss of habitat too – damp woodlands being drained.  In Millburn Glen, South Lanarkshire, only a male remains of the successful pair in 1998.

The study currently being carried out (Maxwell) seems to show that there is no longer the density of birds necessary to maintain the same breeding success.  A typical situation shows one pair remaining in an area and breeding successfully; one dies and the other holds on for a while seeking another mate, fails in this, then disappears from the area.

There may well be other factors causing the decline.  In1998, bad weather at fledging time caused significant mortality among broods.  There also is evidence that willow tits suffer intense competition from great and blue tits for nest cavities.  They often excavate a site only to be chased off by the more dominant species which themselves may be suffering a shortage of normal cavities, possibly due in part to grey squirrel increase.  We know so little about willow tit food preference that there may well be a current shortage in some vital items, which is causing their reduction in numbers. Only concentrated scientific analysis and study could prove this.

The aforementioned study (Maxwell) is a current attempt to find out as much as possible about the species "lifestyle" and also through the use of specialised nest-boxes, to help consolidate the bird's breeding position in North and South Lanarkshire.

Willow tits usually excavate a number of sites before eventually choosing one to complete.  Nesting material is then added.  The artificial nest-boxes are well used in this latter role and on several occasions have eventually been successfully used for raising broods.  The boxes have been sited in areas where in recent times the species has bred or been observed.  Over the last six years, when any breeding activity has occurred, the placement of boxes has been extended to encourage the young to build up a population in that area.  With the aid of colour-ringing, it has been attempted to trace dispersal habits of young birds.  To date none have stayed to breed in the natal area, but four have been found about a kilometre away in the following season.  In a generally reducing situation, it is encouraging that all these four managed to obtain mates.

Most of the nest-box sites are under the control of local authorities or conservation bodies (SLC, NLC, RSPB, SNH, SWT, CSCT) who are aware of this project.  There has been on-going information exchange regarding any progress sightings, etc, so that the whereabouts of this species has been monitored as fully as possible, given the limited time and resources.

Policies regarding decayed wood and suitable habitat are now much more enlightened and sympathetic towards this species.  Other field-workers are now tape-luring in likely areas to establish the presence of the birds and making a notable contribution to the project.

4. Action plan objectives and targets

In the short term,

• to consolidate the breeding position of willow tits in their known stronghold area (i.e. Wishaw) so that young birds begin to form a network around their natal base in all the suitable habitat available.
• to extend nesting-box provision and monitoring to the immediate surrounding area, especially to sites which are so far unoccupied but that satisfy the right habitat criteria.
• to continue to monitor all the other nest-box areas in Lanarkshire for incidence of willow tits.
• to engage as much assistance as possible and hopefully funding, to allow the monitoring, etc, to expand from the limited situation at present.

In the longer term,

• to ensure the gradual spread of willow tits from the central breeding area into other parts of Lanarkshire.
• to put protective measures in place to safeguard the kind of open, waste areas of dry scrub and rotten timber that the birds favour, from damage, especially fire (NLC, SLC, FE, CSCT, private owners).

5. Proposed action with lead agencies

Site safeguard and management

• to ensure a future resource of decaying timber by encouraging woodland managers and nature reserve management to designate certain trees (birch, willow and alder are the favourite varieties) for ring-barking and shortening to prevent falling when decayed (NLC, SLC, FE, CSCT, private owners).

Monitoring willow tit presence

• this requires knowledge of localities used by the birds, the preferred habitats, the calls and behaviour of the birds.  Information available to assist this and training of observers should be provided (SWT, RSPB, SOC, NLC, SLC, CSCT, private landowners).

• concentration of effort on "designated" areas.  Regular monitoring - use of nest-boxes, provision of decaying timber (imported if necessary), and topping of standing timber for future decayed stumps (SWT, RSPB, SOC, NLC, SLC, CSCT, HNHS).

Funding

• seek sponsorship from local businesses and other sources for nest-box construction, monitoring expenses (e.g. travel), BTO ringing/colour coding programme (local businesses, North Lanarkshire Forward, SNH, LDA, NLC, SLC).

Plan written by Jimmy Maxwell. Scottish Ornithologists Club, Clyde Branch. November 1999.

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