Greenfinch destined for UK Red List?

Greenfinch by Andy Morffew, Itchen Abbas 6 November 2012 (CC BY 2.0)

The 20th annual BirdTrends report from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has been published, notably highlighting the rapid and alarming decline of Greenfinch.

Though still a familiar garden bird, Greenfinch has declined by 59 per cent in the UK in just 10 years, prompting concerns for its status. The species was not classified as of conservation concern when the UK’s list was last updated in 2015 but, should the current rate of decline continue, it could be moved straight to the Red List in the next update. The decline is caused by a widespread and severe outbreak of a disease called trichomonosis, which was first noted affecting bird populations in 2006.