Cirl Bunting increases by 33% on Devon farmland

Cirl Bunting has enjoyed a population boost of a third on farmland in Devon, the National Trust has said.

The trust said 60 breeding pairs had been recorded in part of the South Hams area, up from a steady number of 40 pairs in recent years. It was the highest count of the species in the area since records began in 2012, it said.

Cirl Bunting is enjoying a population boom in Devon (Romano Da Costa).

Trust ranger Emma Reece said a "simple tweak to how we work with the grazing animals" had made the "positive change" between Bolt Head and Bolberry Down. The trust said work and small changes to grazing patterns along the coastline had contributed to the recent increase.

Ms Reece said the changes allowed borders around fields to grow, "providing a variety" of food sources and improved habitat "for birds, bees and butterflies". She said: "We know it might look a little untidy, but this vital mix of long grasses and wildflowers is just what nature likes and needs to flourish."

Although the bird is still mostly confined to Devon, there is an ongoing scheme in Cornwall that has seen a small population established. Records from Dorset and Somerset have also occurred in recent years and there is talk of further reintroduction projects in southern England, including on the Isle of Wight.