Grassland Birds and Agricultural Intensification

Grassland and farmland birds including skylarks, lapwings, and grey partridges have declined by over 50% in many European countries due to agricultural intensification that removes the diverse habitat features they need to breed.

Key Facts

UK farmland bird index has declined by over 50% since 1970 driven primarily by agricultural intensification
Skylark populations need arable fields with bare areas for foraging and nesting — intensive cereal monoculture eliminates these

Welfare Considerations

Farmland bird population declines translate to individual welfare costs — more birds experiencing failed breeding attempts, nutritional stress from reduced food availability, and increased competition for declining resources. Individuals in poor habitats invest more effort for lower reproductive success, an energetic and physiological cost with welfare relevance. Agricultural policy that restores habitat features for farmland birds improves individual welfare across millions of birds while reversing population declines.

What You Can Do

Support agri-environment scheme payments for farmland bird habitat management
Advocate for mandatory habitat retention provisions in agricultural planning
Create skylark plots and beetle banks on any agricultural land you manage or influence
Donate to farmland bird monitoring and recovery programs
Raise awareness about the agricultural policy linkage to farmland bird welfare and conservation