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Birds play an essential role in ecosystems and provide a variety of ecosystem services. They are sensitive to environmental change and good indicators of environmental health. Between 1990 and 2023, the index of 168 common birds decreased by 15% in the EU. The decline was much stronger in common farmland birds, at 42%, while the common forest bird index decreased by 4.5%. Currently, it seems unlikely that the decline in populations of common birds will be reversed by 2030. Member States need to strengthen the implementation of existing policies and put new conservation and restoration measures in place to ensure their recovery.

Figure 1. Common bird index in the EU, 1990-2023

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Birds play an crucial role in the functioning of ecosystems and provide a range of ecosystem services. They contribute to pest control, seed dispersal and nutrient cycling as well as cultural services, including recreation and health and well-being.

Birds are sensitive to environmental change. This means their population numbers can serve as an indicator of the health of the environment and help measure progress towards the EU’s aim to put biodiversity on the path to recovery by 2030. The status of bird populations has been the subject of long-term monitoring in Europe, much of it via voluntary effort. This is a good example of how the power of citizen science can be released through effective targeting and clearly defined monitoring methods.

Long-term trends of 168 common birds in the 26 EU Member States with monitoring schemes reveal significant population declines. Between 1990 and 2023, the common bird index decreased by 15%, while the common forest bird index decreased by 4.5%. The decline in common farmland birds was much more pronounced, by 42%. Although this indicator uses 1990 as a baseline, significant decreases had already occurred before this date.

These trends highlight a major decline in biodiversity in Europe, caused by anthropogenic pressures. Agricultural intensification, in particular pesticides and fertiliser use, is the main pressure causing bird population declines. This not only impacts farmland species but also many other common species, especially those whose diet relies on insects and other invertebrates.

There are other factors that have adverse effects on the bird populations. These factors include:

  • land use change and associated habitat loss and degradation;
  • fragmentation and loss of landscape features ;
  • intensive forest management;
  • urbanisation;
  • climate change;
  • increasing competition for land for production of renewable energy and biofuels ;
  • illegal killing.

The recovery of birds is influenced by a complex combination of socio-economic drivers, environmental factors, and policy measures. The EU has taken action to protect all wild bird species present in the EU territory since the adoption of the Birds Directive in 1979. The directive protects rare and threatened as well as common species.

Special Protected Areas (SPA), established as part of Natura 2000 network, help protect the threatened species and their habitats. However, the overall decline of bird populations in the EU is mainly driven by large declines in a number of common species, which contibute to this indicator. These are the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava), starling (Sturnus vulgaris), skylark (Alauda arvensis), willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), serin (Serinus serinus), common linnet (Linaria cannabina), and tree sparrow (Passer montanus).

The EU regulation on nature restoration includes obligations to achieve an increasing trend of common farmland and forest bird indices by 2030 and beyond, based on species sets that are relevant to each Member State. It also requires Member States to put in place restoration measures to improve the quantity and quality of habitats of species covered by the Birds Directive where this is needed to ensure the long-term survival of the species.

In addition, it is crucial that more effective and ambitious measures to halt biodiversity loss are included in other policies, such as the EU common agricultural policy (CAP). Furthermore, that the CAP Strategic Plans support the implementation and effectiveness of the current and upcoming EU biodiversity and nature legislation .