Positive Friday News Story – Yaay! …..Marsh Warbler population thrives at German hemp farm | Cannabis Law Report | Where to buy Skittles Moonrock online

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A hemp farm in Germany has been found to support a thriving population of Marsh Warbler.

As part of a breeding bird survey conducted in north-western Germany at Neurhede, Lower Saxony, 26 singing males were recorded in June 2024 in an area of 27.5 ha that was chiefly used to grow hemp (Cannabis sativa). This corresponds to a density of 7.8 singing males per 10 ha.

In contrast, only three singing males were found in the remaining 669 ha of the study area, which comprised more traditional Marsh Warbler habitats, as reported by Ornithomedia.

Typically, Marsh Warbler breeds in damp, herbaceous vegetation consisting of nettles, meadowsweet and willowherb, often near ditches or in flooded areas, but also in drier areas, including near crops. Although the species is considered of Least Concern by IUCN, it is declining in several European countries.

Hemp hot-spot

In July 2024, four additional males were observed in three other hemp fields that had been sown later and had not yet reached their full height during the June survey. These birds were mainly located near the edges of the fields, with an average distance of 16 m from the field boundaries, although some were recorded as far as 74 m inside.

Males were sometimes observed singing for several minutes from the tops of the hemp plants. Behaviour suggested that nesting occurred in at least six cases.

While noteworthy, these findings are not unprecedented in Germany. As early as 1819, naturalist H R Schinz reported that Marsh Warbler was frequently seen in hemp fields. More recently, in 1997, 12 singing males were documented in two experimental hemp cultivation plots (totalling 18 ha) in Saxony-Anhalt. The following year, further observations confirmed the species’ presence and at least one nesting event across 21 different plots.

An important habitat?

These findings indicate that cultivated hemp may be an attractive breeding habitat for Marsh Warbler during spring – possibly even more so than the species’ typical habitat of moist herbaceous vegetation near water. If future studies confirm successful nesting in hemp fields, the crop could play a valuable role in the conservation of the species, particularly in Western and Central European countries where it is declining.

In Germany, for instance, a population decrease of 1-3% was recorded between 1980 and 2016, largely due to agricultural intensification, plus reduced fallow land and increased herbicide use. In Lower Saxony and Bremen, monitoring programmes documented a 40% decline of the warbler between 2003 and 2023.

After a decline and near-disappearance by the mid-20th century, hemp cultivation in Europe has been resurging in recent years. Its seeds are rich in vitamins and proteins and yield an oil high in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Hemp fibres are also used in the textile industry and for producing insulation materials.

https://www.birdguides.com/news/marsh-warbler-population-reaches-high-on-cannabis-farm/