Farmers are giving birds a vital helping hand to survive the winter, reveals a scientific study.

The paper, published in the avian science journal IBIS, looks at wintering birds feeding on fields planted with plots of wild birdseed mix.

In East Anglia, researchers found a significantly greater number and range of seed-eating birds in plots planted by farmers in Environmental Stewardship.

They included tree sparrows, corn buntings and yellowhammers.

Several species of farmland birds rely on seeds to survive the winter, but their populations have plummeted in recent decades.

Tree sparrows have declined 94% since records began in 1970. Corn buntings have declined 90% and yellowhammers 54% over the same period.

Researchers recorded densities of around 30 birds per hectare in plots planted under entry-level and higher-level stewardship.

This compared with two birds per hectare in traditional game cover consisting of maize.

The environmental stewardship cover featured a wider range of different, seed rich crops such as kale, linseed, millet, barley and fodder radish.

RSPB conservation director Mark Avery said the study went some way to proving that farmers in environmental stewardship were making a real difference.

“This research clearly shows the value of environmental stewardship in providing a much greater variety of the seeds that small farmland birds need.

The RSPB, Natural England and the industry’s Campaign for the Farmed Environment, are urging more farmers to help wintering birds.

NFU countryside adviser Alex Dinsdale said: “Farmers are struggling with the impact of the cold weather on their farm activities but they also realise that our wildlife is having a tough time.

“Taking a few small steps for farmland birds can be a real life-saver.”

Natural England executive science director Andrew Wood said stewardship measures offered significant benefits for birds.

“We should not accept that the long-standing declines in many farmland bird populations are somehow inevitable.

“By continuing to develop their already strong working relationship, farmers and conservationists are demonstrating that very positive results can be achieved.”

The results described in the paper form part of a larger study into the effectiveness of environmental stewardship.

It is monitoring 85 farms in stewardship and 30 control farms.

Farmers who would like more advice on supporting their environment can download information leaflets here.