Metric permalink
Wild bird populations (decline since 1970)
Part of the Environment and Climate domain. Decline in the UK all-species wild bird index since the 1970 baseline (130 breeding species).
Latest data
Latest reading
2024
Change between the two latest observations (2024 to 2024), in stress score.
A higher reading is treated as worse for this indicator.
Score composition
Stress score
Since the August 2026 release
Nothing changed on this indicator between the two releases: no new observation, revision, restatement or source change, and its stress score did not move.
Blended from two measured components: (2/3 weight) and trend (1/3 weight); where no trend can be computed the metric is scored on its level alone. Volatility is published as a diagnostic and does not enter the blend. Full formula on the methodology page.
Level · 2/3 weight
Bounds: scored against fixed best/worst limits, used until a metric has about eight years of verified data to rank against.
Trend · 1/3 weight
Neutral: the latest reading matches the one before it, so no change is measured.
Volatility · diagnostic, not blended
50Provisional: fewer than four historical readings are available, so this defaults to a mid range score rather than a measured figure.
Data confidence and provenance
Confidence and source
How much weight to put on the reading, the mean data-confidence across the component metrics (source quality, recency and completeness).
Source
DEFRA: Wild bird populations in the UK
- Update frequency
- Annual
- Reliability
- high
Provenance
- Provider
- DEFRA
- Series ID
- defra_wild_birds
- Frequency
- Annual
- Accessed
- 16 June 2026
Known weakness
Stored as % decline from 1970; the full annual index is in the DEFRA dataset. Down 4% over 2019–2024.
Notes
Verified official value from DEFRA (defra_wild_birds), accessed 2026-06-16.
Historical values
History
| Period | Value | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 18 |