BIRDS in the North-west are prospering while their southern cousins are in decline.

From 1994 to 2004, the overall bird population in the North-west increased by 20 per cent, according to figures released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Areas.

In the North-west, woodland birds like the chiffchaff, greater spotted woodpeckers and goldcrests increased in number by nearly a quarter, while farmland birds like kestrels, green finches and stock doves increased by a more modest five per cent.

In the South-east, farmland bird numbers dropped 12 per cent, while woodland bird populations in the South-east, South-west and West Midlands were all reduced by more than 10 per cent.

The Government's environmental stewardship scheme means that farmers in England can now be paid for undertaking environmental protection work to try to stem the decline in wild birds.

This includes looking after hedgerows which provide a habitat for birds and small mammals, creating wildflower plots for bees and other beneficial insects, and protecting ponds from pesticides and fertilisers to encourage wildlife such as frogs and newts.

The Government has incorporated bird numbers into its measures of quality of life, as bird populations tend to reflect the overall health of the countryside.