A new study reveals a massive decline in one of Europe's once most common bird species, the house sparrow
A new study reveals a massive decline in one of the once most common bird species in Europe, which has seen its population halve from the 80s to today
There are 247 million fewer house sparrows in Europe than in 1980, according to a new study: one of the continent's once most common and widespread birds is slowly on the way to extinction. The house sparrow is not the only European bird to experience this sad fate: over the past four decades, one sixth of the birds have disappeared - a loss of nearly 600 million individuals. Among the species most affected by this extinction are the yellow quill (97 million fewer copies), lo canceled (75 million less) and thelark (68 million fewer birds). The study analyzed data for 378 of the 445 native bird species in the European Union and the United Kingdom, noting that the decline in birds rose from 17% to 19% in the period between 1980 and 2017. The decline in the bird population it is particularly evident among those species that live in cultivated areas.
The house sparrow is the species that has suffered the most losses, losing almost half of its population - while its closest relative, the passert mattugio, has seen the loss of more than 30 million specimens. Both species are dying out due to changes in cultivation practices, but the house sparrow has also disappeared from the skies of many cities for reasons scientists have not yet understood - but which likely include food scarcity, pollution and diseases such as avian malaria.
Intensive farming techniques are causing the destruction of ecosystems and the loss of habitat for many insects, which represent the "food" of numerous species of migratory birds - such as the he big or the yellow quill. Even chyonidae birds like lapwings e plover they have seen a decline in their population.
We hope that our study is a spotlight that sheds light on the tangible threat of bird extinction - he declares Fiona Burns, author of the study. - We need a transformative action of the whole society to counter the climate crisis: this means increasing the effects of sustainable agriculture, protecting endangered species, practicing sustainable farming and fishing, creating an animal protection network.
Fortunately, not all bird species are witnessing their decline: 203 of the 378 species studied have even seen an increase in their population - among them the blackcap, merlo, il goldfinch and wood pigeon. The specimens of 11 species have more than doubled since 1980 (among them we remember the white-tailed eagle, the peregrine falcon and the common buzzard) - even if, being already rare species, their population is still limited.
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Source: Zenodo
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