Why create wild bird seed mixtures?
The decline of yellowhammers has been linked to a shortage of seed food through the winter. Wild bird seed mixtures are an unharvested mix of seed-bearing crops that will benefit species such as grey partridge and yellowhammer. This option also provides cover for gamebirds if you have a shooting interest. It holds the highest density of birds of any habitat on the farm through the winter, so providing a wildlife spectacle for you and your visitors to enjoy. The cost-benefit analysis opposite shows that the Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) payment means it is marginally less profitable to grow a hectare of wild bird seed mixture than it is to grow a hectare of wheat, if you take into account the savings in fixed costs. However, over the course of an agreement, the lower gross margins of other crops in the rotation will put the net profit of ELS wild bird seed mixtures back in the black.
