SOME birds under threat of dying out appear to be making a comeback, a major annual survey shows.

Bird populations across the country are almost ten per cent higher than ten years ago, according to the government's indicator of wild bird populations for 2004.

Warmer winters and more environmentally-friendly farming may be helping many scarce birds, while species including the chiffchaff, greenfinch and whitethroat are also showing strong signs of recovery. There have been large increases in buzzards and little ringed plovers, while kingfisher and peregrine falcon have recovered from previously low numbers.

The overall farmland birds index has been stable since 1994, although it shows a small decline between 2003 and 2004. The index of woodland bird populations has not changed significantly since 1994 and is about 15 per cent lower than in the early 1970s.

Great spotted and green woodpeckers are doing well, though species such as lesser redpoll, lesser spotted woodpecker and spotted flycatcher are still in decline.

Mark Avery, director of conservation for the bird charity RSPB, said: "The wild bird indicator is really showing its worth and will become increasingly important as we measure progress towards the government's target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010."

SOME birds under threat of dying out appear to be making a comeback, a major annual survey shows.

Bird populations across the country are almost ten per cent higher than ten years ago, according to the government's indicator of wild bird populations for 2004.

Warmer winters and more environmentally-friendly farming may be helping many scarce birds, while species including the chiffchaff, greenfinch and whitethroat are also showing strong signs of recovery. There have been large increases in buzzards and little ringed plovers, while kingfisher and peregrine falcon have recovered from previously low numbers.

The overall farmland birds index has been stable since 1994, although it shows a small decline between 2003 and 2004. The index of woodland bird populations has not changed significantly since 1994 and is about 15 per cent lower than in the early 1970s.

Great spotted and green woodpeckers are doing well, though species such as lesser redpoll, lesser spotted woodpecker and spotted flycatcher are still in decline.

Mark Avery, director of conservation for the bird charity RSPB, said: "The wild bird indicator is really showing its worth and will become increasingly important as we measure progress towards the government's target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010."

SOME birds under threat of dying out appear to be making a comeback, a major annual survey shows.

Bird populations across the country are almost ten per cent higher than ten years ago, according to the government's indicator of wild bird populations for 2004.

Warmer winters and more environmentally-friendly farming may be helping many scarce birds, while species including the chiffchaff, greenfinch and whitethroat are also showing strong signs of recovery. There have been large increases in buzzards and little ringed plovers, while kingfisher and peregrine falcon have recovered from previously low numbers.

The overall farmland birds index has been stable since 1994, although it shows a small decline between 2003 and 2004. The index of woodland bird populations has not changed significantly since 1994 and is about 15 per cent lower than in the early 1970s.

Great spotted and green woodpeckers are doing well, though species such as lesser redpoll, lesser spotted woodpecker and spotted flycatcher are still in decline.

Mark Avery, director of conservation for the bird charity RSPB, said: "The wild bird indicator is really showing its worth and will become increasingly important as we measure progress towards the government's target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010."