FORGET saving the whale and rescuing the rhino. Unless we pull out our fingers now, we can wave goodbye on the British country scene to the cuckoo and other birds such as swifts and yellow wagtail.

Whether climate change or environmental degradation is to blame for this blitz on some of our most popular birds, the clock is definitely ticking. These migrant birds seem an intrinsic part of our lives, but they could soon become nothing but a fond memory.

We have been warned.