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Nightjar Numbers Soar in South Downs Park
16 Mar
Summary
- Nightjar population has doubled in South Downs National Park.
- Conservation efforts and habitat management credited for comeback.
- Birds migrate 4,000 miles from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The population of nightjars within South Downs National Park has seen a remarkable resurgence, with numbers potentially doubling over the last five years. An ecological survey last year recorded seventy-eight of these elusive birds, a significant increase credited to focused nature recovery and better habitat management by the South Downs National Park Authority.
The survey also identified 109 nightjar territories across the lowland heaths of east Hampshire, including areas like Woolmer Forest. These crepuscular ground-nesting birds migrate approximately 4,000 miles from the Democratic Republic of Congo each spring, staying in the UK from April to August.
Conservationists are celebrating this comeback for the nightjar, which is listed as a species of conservation concern due to historical population declines. Efforts have focused on protecting and expanding the vital lowland heath habitat, alongside community engagement to minimize disturbance from visitors and their pets.
This positive trend for nightjars parallels similar increases observed in woodlarks and Dartford warblers, also species reliant on these precious lowland heath habitats. These habitats, now making up only 1% of the national park, are crucial for supporting rare species.
