Did you know that the tiny Wren is now Amber-listed, while the once-familiar Skylark has fallen onto the UK Red List?
Anyone who has visited Downton Distillery will know that Hugh’s interest in the natural world influences everything we do. Our tours rarely focus on spirits alone. They explore the surrounding chalk landscape, the wildlife it supports and the plants that shape our recipes. Visitors also discover our growing distillery garden, created to provide food and shelter for pollinators, birds and other native wildlife.
The latest Birds of Conservation Concern report reveals the continued decline of Britain’s bird populations. Often described as the bird world’s “Red List”, it assesses 246 species using evidence including population change, rarity, breeding success and international importance.
The findings are stark. Seventy species now appear on the Red List, with a further 126 Amber-listed. Birds once considered familiar features of the British countryside are disappearing from large parts of the country. Habitat loss, intensive agriculture, climate change and disease have all contributed. The song of the Skylark, the chatter of the Corn Bunting and the flash of a Greenfinch are becoming harder to encounter.
These declines make our habitat work at the distillery increasingly important. By reducing mowing, planting native species, restoring juniper, encouraging wildflowers and creating varied habitats, we have made more space for wildlife across the site.
Five Red-listed and seven Amber-listed bird species now visit the distillery throughout the year.
Birds provide a valuable measure of the health of the wider ecosystem. Their presence shows that even a relatively small area can support struggling species when it is managed with care, patience and a clear purpose.
You can follow the birdlife recorded around Downton Distillery on Birdex. We capture the species heard and seen around us each day, building a seasonal record of the birds that live here or pass through the Wiltshire Downs.
| Red List | Amber List |
| Corn Bunting | Bull Finch |
| Green Finch | Dunnock |
| Linnet | Kestrel |
| Sky Lark | Quail |
| Yellow Hammer | White Throat |
| Wood pigeon | |
| Wren |
To experience the landscape for yourself, book a distillery tour. Alongside explaining how our spirits are created, Hugh will introduce you to the surrounding habitats and help you identify the birds, plants and other wildlife encountered during your visit.
