London, Nov 3 A British charitable organisation, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), has said that Golf courses across the country could double up as sanctuaries for birds.

It has also asked golf courses to cut down the use of chemicals and fertilisers in the fields to promote a good habitat for birds.

According to statistics, there are more than 140,000 hectares of rough and out-of-bounds areas on golf courses across Britain, and the same area is covered by all the RSPB's nature reserves.

The RSPB and golf's governing body, the R and A, have also joined forces to publish a book named 'Birds and Golf Courses: A Guide to Habitat Management' to help course managers encourage birds.

"Golf courses may have gained a bad reputation, perhaps not always justified, among environmentalists in the past, but that is changing. The truth is that every golf course has potential to be a sanctuary for wildlife, and to provide an important stepping-stone for birds and other animals whose habitat is under threat," The Telegraph quoted Nigel Symes, a RSPB member who co-wrote the book, as saying.

Symes further said that while researching for the book, they came across a lot of inspiring examples of golf clubs, which were doing really great things for wildlife.

"We would now like more golf clubs to look at what they can do for skylarks, woodlarks, corn buntings and all kinds of birds. Planting native plants like heather and creating reed beds and hay meadows as well as reducing pesticide and fertiliser use can all make a big difference," he added.

Steve Isaac, from the R and A, said that bird song might actually help golfers get more from their day on the course.

"For most golfers part of the enjoyment of a game is getting out of the rat race for a while and enjoying the wildlife. Often some wild bird song as you walk around the course can more than make up for a poor game of golf," he said. (ANI)