South Scotland Survey 1997 (unpublished)

In 1997, the RSPB carried out a survey of 135 historical Ring Ouzel breeding sites in South Scotland. The main results are summarised in the table below:

The most striking finding was that not a single bird was seen in the 29 territories surveyed in the Galloway/Ayrshire Hills. Only two of the seven territories visited in the Pentland Hills held single birds, and there was probably only one breeding pair here in 1997. Langholm fared slightly better, with breeding pairs present at four of the 10 territories surveyed. In central areas 50-67% of territories in the Lowther, Ettrick and Moorfoot Hills were occupied by single birds, with between 48 and 54% of territories occupied by breeding pairs. The highest occupancy rate found was in The Lammermuirs, where four of the five sites visited held breeding pairs.

We were able to compare our results with previous surveys carried out in south Scotland in 1985 and 1994. Of 37 territories in the Pentland, Moorfoot and Lammermuir Hills visited in 1985, only 22 (59%) were occupied in 1997. Similarly, only 13 of 20 (65%) of territories in the Moorfoot and Ettrick Hills visited in 1994 were still occupied in 1997.

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