Agriculture policy gets blame for fewer birds

According to the pan-European bird monitoring scheme, which looked at population figures for 145 of the most common species in 25 European countries between 1980 and 2009, farmland birds are the most threatened group.

Half of the 10 most at-risk species rely on farmland for feeding, roosting or breeding, and their numbers are at an all-time low, the study reveals.

Conservationists said the figures showed the need for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the EU system which pays subsidies to farmers, to provide more money for landowners who put wildlife-friendly measures in place.

Among the most threatened species is the grey partridge, which has recently declined by two-thirds in Europe, and has seen numbers fall by 90 per cent in the UK in records going back to the 1970s.

The linnet has seen short-term declines of almost half across Europe and longer term falls of 57 per cent in the UK.

Meadow pipit numbers have fallen by more than half in Europe and in the UK by 43 per cent.

RSPB CAP policy officer Jenna Hegarty said: “We know that farmland birds have halved in number in the UK since the 1970s, but these shocking figures show that the story is the same across Europe.

“This policy has helped farmers to produce more food, but wildlife has suffered as a result.”

Proposals for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy are due to be published in October, but there are fears environmental funding will be reduced and countries will be allowed to move money from wildlife-friendly schemes to other areas.