Doubtful future for Europe's birds

Half of European bird species in danger

08 November 04

NewScientist.com news service



After decades of stability, numbers of common starling declined by 10% between 1990 and 2000. (Image: Chris Gomersall/RSPB)

Almost half of Europe?s 524 native species of bird face an uncertain future, according to a new report, with even the common starling becoming less common.

The survey was carried out by BirdLife International, an alliance of conservation groups, using bird population data from 52 European countries. They found that 45 species were in a worse situation than 10 years ago, when their first Birds in Europe report was published.

?The continued decline of many species sends a clear signal about the health of Europe?s wildlife and the poor state of our environment,? said Mike Rands, BirdLife International?s director.


The northern gannet has bucked the trend with increases in its breeding population?s size and range. (Image: Andy Hay/RSPB)

Among the new additions to the list of threatened species is the common starling, whose population has shrunk by more than 10% in the past decade. Another is the northern lapwing, a wading bird found across most of western Europe ? more than 30% have vanished since the 1994 study.


Intensive agriculture


?This is the first time species such as the house sparrow, snipe, starling, lapwing and corn bunting have been listed as birds of European concern,? says Mark Avery, director of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Avery blames the spread of intensive agriculture for the decline. Farming practices that lead to loss of habitats such as hedgerows and the use of more aggressive chemicals have already decimated the wild bird population of Britain. ?The great danger is that we will now export intensive agriculture to eastern Europe, destroying their wildlife too,? Avery says.

Researchers have also warned that climate change is putting pressure on the Earth?s fauna and flora. A study published in January suggested that as many as 37% of plants and animals could be heading towards extinction by 2050 because of shifts in the climate.



The northern gannet has bucked the trend with increases in its breeding population?s size and range. (Image: Andy Hay/RSPB)


Risk of extinction


The new report, which was unveiled on Monday at a conference marking the 25th anniversary of the European Union?s Bird Directive, classifies 7.9 per cent of European bird species as ?birds of global conservation concern?. These are species on the World Conservation Union?s Red List and are deemed at risk of global extinction within a few decades.

A further 35.5 per cent have an ?unfavourable European conservation status?, meaning their population size within Europe is falling.

However, the report also contains some good news. There are 14 species of bird that are thriving, in part because of protection measures introduced under the EU directive.

Numbers of northern gannet, for example, have soared. There are now more than 300,000 breeding pairs of these cliff-nesting sea birds. Also, the peregrine has shaken off its rare status and numbers of white-tailed eagle are up more than 50%.


Jenny Hogan