How to Create Skylark Plots: A Practical Guide for British Farmers (With Breeding Timelines) Creating skylark plots is one of the most effective, low-cost ways to support farmland bird recovery while maintaining productive arable systems. These simple, unsown patches within cereal crops directly benefit the Eurasian skylark by improving access to nesting sites and insect-rich feeding areas during the breeding season. This in-depth guide explains how to create skylark plots, where to position them, and—critically—how to time their establishment to align with skylark reproduction cycles. What Are Skylark Plots? Skylark plots are small, deliberately unsown areas within autumn-sown cereal fields. Standard specification : Size: 16–24 m² (typically 4 m x 4 m) Placement: Within the crop (not field edges) Density: 2 plots per hectare They are created during drilling by briefly switching off the seed drill, leaving open patches that persist throughout the growing season. Why Skylark Plots ...
An Intimate Guide to British Wildlife