Donal Hickey: Plenty to see — and learn from — in new Cork bird book

Urgent efforts needed to save crucial bird habitats

The Birds of County Cork by Patrick Smiddy, Mark Shorten and Russ Heselden

A well-researched, new book by experts could be the springboard for more urgent efforts to save crucial bird habitats in Cork.

The authors of The Birds of County Cork say bird populations across Ireland are undergoing change at a rate never previously experienced. On one hand, there are major conservation efforts to restore species, such as eagles and the red kite; on the other, climate change is driving unprecedented declines in many bird populations.

Birds of County: European golden plover

Many species, especially those that feed on seeds, or nest on the ground, have declined or disappeared completely on farmland since Ireland joined the European Union in 1973. These include such formerly iconic birds as the grey partridge, corncrake, skylark and corn bunting. Upland birds, including red grouse, are no longer seen in many areas.

Patrick Smiddy, co-author of The Birds of County Cork

Cork Harbour, meanwhile, continues to be an internationally-important site for wintering waterbirds, with populations of 30,000 to 40,000, and more than 50,000 in severe weather, though recent decreases have been noted.

Wintering species, such as several duck and wading bird species, have declined by about 50% over the last 25 years, mainly due to the phenomenon of ‘short-stopping’ brought about by a warming climate as many remain in northern Europe rather than migrate further south and west to Ireland, according to the book.

Some bird habitats have disappeared while marshes in places such as Ballycotton and Shanagarry have been severely degraded, despite having special protection status. In a foreword, Tom C Kelly hopes the book will refocus efforts on the proper conservation and management of these habitats.

From left, Prof. John O'Halloran, President UCC; Michael Collins, Publications Director Cork University Press; with joint authors Pat Smiddy and Mark Shorten at the launch of The Birds of County Cork book in the Aula Max at UCC. Picture: Richard Mills

Joint authors, Patrick Smiddy, Mark Shorten and Russ Heselden, have close links with University College Cork and have all been involved in bird research, recording and studies over many decades. They say the breeding ranges of many species are also changing throughout Europe, with a perceptible northward shift as the climate becomes too warm in the south and becomes more favourable in the north.

This has led to several species colonising Ireland in recent decades, such as the little egret. Migration has also been disrupted in some species and many adult lesser black-backed gulls remain in Ireland for the winter, although they formerly migrated south to north-west Africa.

Birds of County Cork: common tern in Cork Harbour

National policies in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, fish farming and other areas have had unintended negative consequences for birds, the book points out, while calling for future policy changes to be designed in a manner that will have minimal negative impact.

Birds of County: white-tailed eagle

The Birds of County Cork is a history of the birds of the county from the earliest times to the present. It provides a comprehensive account of the ecology of all species known to have occurred in the county, with an emphasis on distribution, population change and migration.

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