Tillage farmers, distillers and conservationists flock together to protect endangered East Cork birds

Irish Distillers is funding survey and conservation work on barn owls in the area in an ongoing part of the project. Picture Mike Browne

Some of the most majestic but threatened birds in Ireland and their homesteads have brought an unlikely but fruitful partnership between conservationists, farmers, and big business in east Cork.

A partnership between almost 100 tillage farmers and BirdWatch Ireland, backed by Irish Distillers and rural and social development organisation Secad, set out to gather information on wildlife in the tillage stronghold areas of East Cork.