Corn bunting breeding distribution in Scotland

Corn buntings <I>Emberiza calandra</I> are becoming increasingly rare in Scotland and are now restricted to small areas in the east of Scotland and the Western Isles. It is likely that agricultural intensification, including the loss of winter food supplies and a reduction in suitable nesting habitats, may have played a part in the decline, but the full picture is not yet known.
Conservation action for corn buntings involves targeted research in key areas, as well as urgent management action through provision of winter food for remnant populations. In the long term, agri-environment schemes should support corn buntings, but in the short term, direct action may continue to be needed to retain corn buntings as a breeding species in Scotland.