Is farming to blame for Europe-wide bird decline?

There are 550 million fewer birds on the continent than there were 40 years ago, with research suggesting that agriculture is the main culprit

- David Tomlinson

Intensive agriculture has long been suspected of being the major cause of the catastrophic decline in bird numbers across Europe. Now, a new study, published in the journal PNAS, provides conclusive evidence that this is the case. The study looked at 170 common bird species, monitored at more than 20,000 sites in 28 European countries, over 37 years.

It concluded that agricultural intensification, in particular the much increased use of pesticides and fertilisers, is the main pressure for most bird population declines, especially for those species that depend largely on insects.