Corn buntings are returning: for the first time in 40 years in the Werra-Meißner district!

Corn buntings are returning: for the first time in 40 years in the Werra-Meißner district!

An exciting discovery for nature lovers and ornithologists in the Werra-Meißner district: corn buntings have successfully bred again for the first time in over 40 years. This remarkable return of the birds was noted by volunteer bird watchers from the Hessian Society for Ornithology and Nature Conservation (HGON) in Archfeld. Corn buntings are characteristic birds of a healthy and diverse field landscape and their return bodes well for local wildlife.

The Corn Bunting, with a size of 16 to 19 cm, is characterized by its grey-brown, dark-striped upper surface and its beige-white, dark-dotted underside. Males are generally larger and heavier than females. Their distribution area extends from the Maghreb across Europe to Central Asia, although they do not occur in Scandinavia and many parts of northern Russia. While the corn bunting was widespread in Hesse at the beginning of the 20th century, populations have declined dramatically in recent decades. According to werra-rundschau.de, the population decreased by 80 percent between 1980 and 2016, especially in western and western Germany Southern Germany.

Causes of the decline

The decline of corn buntings is not isolated but is linked to broader changes to their habitats. The main causes include intensive agriculture and the reduction of species-rich meadows. These trends led to the last breeding corn bunting being observed in the Werra-Meißner district as early as 1982. Another problem is the late breeding season of corn buntings, which often begins in June; This late nesting period can lead to clutch losses due to mowing.

However, there are now new challenges to the area's recent return of corn buntings. A planned solar farm that could potentially affect corn buntings' breeding territory is raising new questions and causing concern among conservationists and environmentalists. According to the brochure from the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, such projects are often controversial because they can endanger habitats for many bird species.

Commitment to nature conservation

The commitment of HGON and the many volunteer bird watchers plays a crucial role in monitoring bird populations. There are numerous volunteers in Germany who are also responsible for collecting data for the current bird protection report. This monitoring not only helps preserve biodiversity, but can also alert policymakers to urgent ecological problems.

How the situation for corn buntings will develop and whether more measures will be taken to protect their habitat remains exciting. It is clear that nature sometimes goes its own way and the commitment of people is crucial to protecting and promoting species like the corn bunting.