We counted songbirds in crops planted on shooting estates specifically for game management purposes on farmland in Britain and elsewhere in Europe. Winter game crops provide cover and feed areas for pheasants Phasianus colchicus and red-legged partridge Alectoris rufa, while summer game crops are designed to provide brood-rearing cover for these species. In central and southern England, 30 plots of winter game crops, either kale, quinoa or cereal up to 2 ha in area, and 30 adjacent arable-field plots, were surveyed for birds up to six times at monthly intervals during the winter 1997–1998. In the Scottish lowlands, six plots of summer game crops up to 4 ha in area, and adjacent arable fields were surveyed in summer 1999 or 2000. The winter game plots contained more than ten songbirds per hectare in most months, while the adjacent arable-field plots contained less than one. In all three winter game crop types, songbird numbers declined significantly in the second half of the winter while numbers in the arable fields did not. Of the 26 species recorded in the winter game crops, 10 have undergone rapid decline over the last 30 years. Considering these declining species alone, the winter game crops still contained more individuals than the adjacent arable fields throughout the winter. Densities in both the kale and quinoa were higher than in the cereal game crop. The six summer game crops sampled in mid-summer contained on average 2.9 songbirds per hectare, while the adjacent arable fields contained 0.4. Of the 14 species recorded in these summer game crops, eight have undergone rapid or moderate declines over the last 30 years. Although winter and summer game crops are planted in relatively small plots and hence concentrate birds, these plots are widely planted and our results suggest that they benefit birds on farmland.

There has been significant progress in recent years in translating the knowledge gained from farmland bird research into mechanisms which deliver sympathetic farm management. This progress is described for England, focusing on the development, targeting and delivery of agri-environment schemes and supporting advisory materials and services. Following the successful implementation and evaluation of the Arable Stewardship Pilot Scheme, modified arable land management options were introduced into the Countryside Stewardship Scheme in 2002, targeted at scarce farmland birds and other threatened farmland wildlife. An enhanced suite of options will be introduced in 2005 in a new scheme, Environmental Stewardship, encompassing both simple 'Entry Level' and more demanding 'Higher Level' options. The former were piloted successfully in 2003, while the latter will replace existing schemes and focus more on defined environmental outcomes. The valuable synergies and contributions of partnerships in developing, targeting and evaluating schemes is acknowledged. Recognizing the targeting value of recent distribution data for declining farmland bird species, a project is underway to collate recent records and to make interpreted data accessible to farmers and their advisers. Appropriate advisory materials and demonstration sites have been used to engage and motivate farmers, by providing feedback, a sense of pride and better public appreciation. Examples of best practice in knowledge transfer are given: individually tailored advice and the use of suitable demonstration farms are very powerful mechanisms for achieving environmental results, but are costly. The policy and advisory infrastructure currently in place, across and between government and the voluntary sector, provides an unprecedented basis for an optimistic outlook for farmland birds.