Significant decline in Europe : an insect-eating extinct birds

Whether white Wagtail, meadow swallow beeper or smoke, the number of insects live birds declined in the past 25 years in Europe. An average of 13 percent, the number of these birds dropped a in the journal "Conservation Biology" published a study according to.

the scientists of The Senckenberg biodiversity and climate research centre and the German centre for integrative biodiversity research the result of this development is not alone on the insects die, but also, in particular, on changes in the agricultural landscapes. This is because, on Fields, meadows and pastures, have reduced the populations of birds.

Still erschreckendere Figures had called two months ago, the nature conservation organisation Nabu in reference to a census of the European Bird Census Council. After that, the field had gone back to the birds in the years 1980 to 2017, Europe, 56 percent. However, the time differences of the two counts. In addition, were recorded in the earlier study is not only an insect-eater, but also seed eaters.

"It's probably a mixture of many things: loss of insects, and thus food shortages, loss of hedgerows and, thus, squares, surface sealing brood," said Senckenberg researcher Katrin Böhning-gaeste the hosts to the possible causes of the decline, and the role of modern agriculture. In the case of the insect-eating farmland birds the decline is very much stronger than in the case of the insect-eating forest birds.

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in addition to the strong use of plant protection products, more and more hedgerows, field margins and Fallow land have been lost with the Trend to a large area of cultivated mono-cultures; there are many meadows and pastures were converted into arable land. Thus, it would be for the Insectivores harder and harder to find food and breeding places. Cold-loving species were in addition, as a result of climate change under pressure.

half of all bird species in Europe feeds on insects

birds are indicators for an "industrial" agriculture, with its negative effects on biodiversity, said Böhning-gaeste the hosts, who is also Director of the biodiversity and climate research centre. Against taxes could be on many levels: "it begins with the agricultural policy in Brussels, on the planning decisions of local authorities to the promotion of Organic agriculture and local marketing of biodiversity-friendly produced food and the willingness of consumers to pay more for such food to pay for it."

About half of all bird species in Europe feeds on insects. However, the insect-eaters according to the study, is not the same everywhere bad: In most habitats, only went back tents types, it said.

The nature conservation organization Nabu, meanwhile, demanded effective management plans for protection areas for birds, and the consistent pursuit of the hunting of songbirds in the Mediterranean. Although the European bird protection Directive, the on 2. April will be 40 years old, one of the world's most successful and most progressive conservation laws, and was not implemented even after 40 years is still complete, said Nabu CEO Leif Miller.

the Big weak point is the lack of effectiveness in the area, whether it was with a view to the Europe-wide bird count: While many rare species have developed thanks to the protection measures, in the meantime, well, in the case of the stocks of widely-used "all the world's bird species," reported a break-in. (dpa)