Over its 20-year existence, the Action for Birds in England (AfBiE) partnership has had many successes.
Collaboration between the RSPB and Natural England, starting long before the launch of AfBiE, has delivered a host of species-focused projects targeting nearly 50 birds, involving research-informed, targeted habitat conservation work. Some 70% of research and recovery projects achieved their goals.
One notable success has been the recovery of the Bittern following reedbed restoration. In 2024, an amazing 283 booming males were recorded.
We also celebrated breeding success for Bitterns at RSPB Leighton Moss last year.
Cirl Buntings have also recovered in the West Country thanks to scientifically informed conservation and engagement with farmers and landowners.
Despite these wins, the scale of investment in conservation action needs to increase substantially to successfully address the biodiversity crisis in England.
