Leading-edge bioacoustics innovation from The Lakes
A UK egg producer and packer has been trailblazing in the field of bioacoustics, monitoring bird song on ALL the farms that supply their free range eggs. This pioneering bioacoustics initiative sets a new industry benchmark.
The Lakes Free Range Egg Company (The Lakes) is the only food retail supplier in the UK to have installed and monitored bird sound monitoring equipment on all their farms and those of their producers. Whilst others are monitoring on a few test farms, no other food business has done so on such a complete scale, and uniquely, they can now report bioacoustics on their entire supply base.
The Lakes owners, David and Helen Brass, have set the industry standard for sustainably and ethically producing free range eggs for over 25 years, with over 300,000 trees and shrubs planted on hen ranges to improve farm biodiversity. For years, The Lakes has worked on research projects that show tree enrichment improves biodiversity, noting the return of native species such as Red Squirrels and Barn Owls. Recognised this year with a King’s Award for Sustainable Development, The Lakes’ pioneering approach continues with their leading edge bioacoustics research.
Bioacoustic monitoring on all farms
In 2024, large scale bioacoustics research was identified as the next step in gaining a greater understanding of how biodiversity in the food chain is enriched as trees mature. The first annual survey took place that summer, and 2025 is the second full year of monitoring on ALL Lakes farms and those of their producers.
Using advanced audio interpretation equipment enables The Lakes to capture all the vocal bird species around the farms. Working with several bioacoustics monitoring suppliers, 2025 also sees The Lakes trialling a variety of equipment to evaluate which can provide the most accurate data and reporting systems.
Sustainability Manager leads the project
Spearheading the project is Jane Brass, Sustainability Manager at The Lakes. Jane said, “We believe hen ranges with more established trees have a broader spectrum of bird species – but it’s good to be able to empirically test and validate this.
“Knowing what bird species are on our ranges is an important marker for the overall health of the ecosystem. For example, high species richness, including numerous insect-eating bird species, is indicative of a vibrant, broad-spectrum insect population.
“We felt so strongly about this research, that The Lakes has funded the monitoring equipment and reporting for all the farms that supply us with eggs. We installed the equipment on trees and around the hen ranges in late spring/early summer, with help from our agriculture team who are regularly visiting producers.
“Monitors were left in place for 3 weeks before being sent off for analysis. Our second year results are due in September, and we are looking forward to seeing if there are any changes from the previous year.
“It’s a big financial and time commitment but we think the benefits are worth it. We have always been leading edge on environmental enhancements, and our producers have always been fully onboard with tree planting and Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPS). Working closely with them on acoustic monitoring means we all benefit from the results.”
Whilst the results are at a preliminary stage, the findings are significant. Across The Lakes farms and those of their producers, the team has identified 79 species including 13 bird species that are on the official ‘Red List’**. There are individual farms with up to fifty species and others with six on the Red List. Some of the regularly featured Red List species include Spotted Flycatchers, Common House Martins, Herring Gulls, Greenfinches, Linnets, Starlings, Skylarks and Whimbrels.
Summarising, Jane said “A year on we are now reporting back to our producers on the results of the first survey which highlights the diversity of bird species on their farms. It is exciting to reveal these results, and our producers are very keen to learn which species have been identified.
“They have also shared with us sightings of the quieter predatory species like Barn Owls and other birds of prey, who naturally make very little sound. It all feeds into the bigger picture, and our learning will shape tree planting and farm management plans in the future.”
** British Trust of Ornithology Classification of Birds of Conservation Concern