David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will give a little detail to show how important it is to restrict hedge cutting. I will reserve my remarks about bees until we reach Senator Alice-Mary Higgins's very important amendment on pollinators. I have been advised by Birdwatch Ireland, for example, that the impact on the most endangered species of wild birds is extraordinarily significant. I wonder if the Minister who has so far not shown a great interest in the scientific evidence is aware of the situation with regard, for example, to a series of listed birds. The barn owl, for example, is red listed in Europe because of a 77% decline in the breeding population over a 20-year period. It uses hedgerows for the purposes of foraging. Hedgerows are a vital foraging habitat for it. The research has demonstrated the importance of hedgerows as a preferred prey-rich habitat selected by adults hunting for food for their unfledged young. Another red listed bird is the yellow hammer. There has been a 90% decline in the breeding population over an 11 to 14 year period.That is a figure of 90%. Yellowhammers are almost entirely gone. They use the hedgerow for nesting and are therefore particularly vulnerable. Some 5% of yellowhammer nests are still active. In other words, they contain unfledged young at the end of August and 1% still contain young on 20 September. That is the situation in which we are encouraging this extension of burning and grubbing.

With regard to the kestrel, there has been a 34% decline in breeding. It uses the hedgerows for foraging. As with barn owls, the hedgerows offer a prey-rich habitat for the adults. There is then the mistle thrush. There has been a 37% decline in the breeding population. They also use the hedgerows for foraging. Large post-breeding flocks of mistle thrushes containing both adults and juveniles are dependent upon berries after the main nesting season during the autumn from July to September and they particularly favour overgrown hedgerow habitats.

I had a visit this morning. I was delighted to see my little robin hopping along towards the kitchen window. However, even robins are subject to a 37% decline in the breeding population. They use the hedgerows for foraging and nesting. They are important habitats for the robins throughout the year. Unusually for some birds, robins defend territories all year round, with winter territories dependent on the availability of food. Hedgerow species, notably spindle and elder, are their preferred berries, particularly in August and September. The linnet is a species of European conservation concern. The greenfinch has been amber listed due to a 38% decline in breeding population.

If we look at not just the hedgerows but at the mountains and low-lying hills, there is a similar situation. We have already referred to the curlews. There has been an 86% population decline. The golden plover has seen a 52% decline. The red grouse has endured a 50% decline. The meadow pipit has seen a 59% decline. Hen harriers, merlins, snipes, skylarks, stonechats and wheatears are all species that use upland, peatland or moorland habitats throughout the year and are particularly vulnerable during the nesting season. I believe it is extremely important that we take into account the impact on the rare and threatened bird species when discussing this legislation.