Cultural ecology of Whitethroat (Sylvia communis) habitat management by farmers: Field-boundary vegetation in lowland England

Field-boundary structure, its use by territorial Whitethroats, and its mana gement by farmers were investigated in southern Wiltshire using a combinati on of fieldwork and a questionnaire survey. Whitethroats favour wide herbac eous field boundary strips and low hedges. Long-term cultural and short-ter m economic interests combine to influence farmers' management decisions. On ly farmers with game and conservation interests claimed to adopt field-boun dary management that would benefit Whitethroats, but across all farms, inte nded and actual herbaceous strips were too narrow, and their management too imprecise, for Whitethroats and other wildlife. Agricultural advisors and magazines were the main influences on farmers' management decisions. Improv ing habitat for Whitethroats could have both agronomic and wider conservati on benefits, and the provision of information that accommodates farmers' cu ltural and economic incentives could benefit both farmers and wildlife. (C) 2001 Academic Press.