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Birds are sensitive to environmental pressures and can indicate the health of the environment. Long-term trends show that between 1990 and 2022 the index of 168 common birds decreased by 14% in the EU. The decline was much stronger in common farmland birds, at 40%, while the common forest bird index decreased by 3%. At present, it seems unlikely that the decline in populations of common birds can be reversed by 2030. Member States need to significantly increase 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, 1990-2022

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Birds are sensitive to environmental pressures. Therefore, 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 2022, the common bird index decreased by 14%, while the common forest bird index decreased by 3%. The decline in common farmland birds was much more pronounced, at 40%. Although this indicator uses 1990 as a baseline, significant decreases had already occurred before this date .

These trends demonstrate 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 recovery of populations. These 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 , and illegal killing.

It is difficult to forecast how soon biodiversity, as illustrated by the abundance of bird populations, can recover. This recovery is influenced by a complex combination of socio-economic drivers, environmental factors, and policy measures. The measures set out in the Birds and Habitats Directives have helped protect target bird 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 .

The EU regulation on nature restoration paves the way for a broad range of ecosystems to be restored. It includes obligations to achieve an increasing trend of common farmland and forest bird indices by 2030 and thereafter. This will require Member States to put appropriate restoration measures in place.

The past trend indicates a steady decline in the population of all common birds, which seems unlikely to be reversed by 2030, as the time needed for species to respond to conservation and restoration actions is unclear. 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) and that CAP Strategic Plans support the implementation and effectiveness of the current and upcoming EU biodiversity and nature legislation .