Willow Tit Project update

In Spring 2025 Macc Wild secured funding from the Peak District National Park's Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme to work in partnership with the RSPB to survey Willow Tit in East Cheshire, North Staffordshire and South Derbyshire.

Over 50 volunteers were recruited by the RSPB to survey for Willow Tit in areas identified as providing potentially suitable habitat.

The study has identified existing populations of Willow Tit and has also shown that many of these existing populations are isolated as a result of habitat fragmentation. As these are sedentary birds that do not travel large distances to find breeding habitat ensuring that populations are connected by suitable habitat is essential to their continued survival.

The survey identified connected populations of Willow Tit along the river valleys of North Staffordshire and South Derbyshire. As a result of this important work the RSPB is working to ensure that existing habitat is well managed for Willow Tit, and new habitat is created to ensure connectivity between populations in these areas.

The RSPB is also carrying out further studies to help understand why this species is facing such a steep decline in numbers. In east Cheshire where populations were found to be more isolated and vulnerable Macc Wild is continuing to work with partners to find ways of ensuring that these

populations thrive and are connected to other areas of suitable habitat. Woodland management work for Willow Tit is being carried out at Danes Moss and Macclesfield Forest and it is hoped that further habitat management and creation work will follow on other sites throughout Cheshire East.

Through this project Macc Wild has helped to highlight the plight of this vulnerable species in our region and shown the need for urgent and targeted conservation work to help Willow Tits thrive.