23 May 2008

Twenty Suffolk golf clubs are taking part in a survey to find out more about linnets as part of a Suffolk Wildlife Trust initiative to find out how important courses are for this threatened bird.

Golf courses can provide a valuable refuge for linnets who have suffered due to the change in agricultural practice which has greatly reduced sources of farmland seed. These changes include the increased use of pesticides and herbicides, the switch to autumn sown crops and the loss of over-wintering stubbles.

Golf courses are proving attractive to the birds due to the mosaic of fairways, rough and scrub – especially gorse – which can offer ideal habitat for linnets and a host of other wildlife, particularly if there is other suitable habitat nearby.

Regularly mown fairways and semi-rough encourage low growing grasses and flowers that provide the birds with seed as do the areas of rough which if left uncut over the winter provide invaluable food supplies. Linnets favour dense tangled thickets such as bramble, hawthorn, blackthorn and wild rose for nesting; gorse is a particular favourite.

The linnet has depleted in numbers to such an extent that it is now classified as a Red List species of high conservation concern and is a high priority for conservation in both national and Suffolk Biodiversity Species Action Plans.

The results of the survey will be collated over the summer and all linnet records will be sent to the Suffolk Biological Records Centre where they will be entered onto a computerised database. The information will be used for conservation, research and education.

Suffolk Wildlife Trust is offering advice on managing golf courses for linnets and other wildlife and has produced a free fact sheet produced in partnership with the Suffolk Golf Union. This can be downloaded from the website www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org /conservation.htm under factsheets.

For more information please contact SWT on 01473 890089 or email info@suffolkwildlifetrust.org

ENDS