English

English

Top ten of European birds in greatest decline from 1980 to 2005

Five of the ten bird species that have shown the greatest decline in Europe from 1980 to 2005 are species characteristic for farmland: Crested Lark Galerida cristata (-95%), Grey Partridge Perdix perdix (-79%), Eurasian Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur (-62%), Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus (-51%) and European Serin Serinus serinus (-41%). The other five bird species that have shown the greatest decline in Europe from 1980 to 2005 were: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor (-81%), Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe (-70%), Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla (-74%), Willow Tit Parus montanus (-58%), and Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos (-63%).

New insecticides ready for market

Agrochemical companies are registering new compounds that promise to tackle the pests already resistant to today's insecticides. BASF's metaflumizone works on the nervous system of target insects, blocking sodium channels to gradually induce paralysis. Dow's spinetoram is derived from spinosyn, a natural product that has insecticidal activity. Where Bayer's first two tetronic acid-based insecticides, spirodiclofen and spiromesifen, coat the leaf surface, new family member spirotetramat is actually taken up by the plant. The compounds work by inhibiting lipid biosysnthesis, affecting reproduction in adults and especially juveniles.

New insecticide may adversely affect bee broods and development

Spirotetramat, a tetramic acid derivative (ketoenole), is a new insecticide that inhibits lipogenesis in treated insects, resulting in decreased lipid contents, growth inhibition of younger insects, and reduced ability of adult insects to reproduce. Although the intrinsic hazard potential to bees based on the acute oral and contact studies with honey bees appears to be low, brood feeding tests with bees and acute toxicity contact studies with other non-target insects (e.g. parasitoid wasps and predatory mites) conducted at less than the maximum application rate suggest there is potential for mortality in adults and pupae, massive perturbation of brood development, and early brood termination as a result of spirotetramat use.

Invertebrates are a major component of chickfood for many farmland bird species

Invertebrates are a major component of chickfood for many farmland bird species: chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), cirl bunting (Emberiza cirlus), corn bunting (Miliaria calandra), goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), greenfinch (Carduelis chloris), grey partridge (Perdix perdix), house sparrow (Passer domesticus), quail, red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa), reed bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus), rook (Corvus frugilegus), skylark (Alauda arvensis), stone curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus), tree sparrow (Passer montanus), yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) and yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava).

Breeding Meadow Pipits select foraging sites with high arthropod biomass on intensively grazed moorland

Foraging sites with low vegetation height and density, but with high arthropod biomass, are selected by Meadow Pipits Anthus pratensis breeding on intensively grazed moorland. Meadow Pipits select particular prey types to provision nestlings, in particular, Lepidoptera larvae, adult Tipulidae and Arachnida.

Book " Farmland Birds across the World" has been released

A richly illustrated book written by seven experts in biology and agriculture and compiled by the Dutch Centre for Agriculture and the Environment (CLM) reviewing birdlife on farmland on a global scale has been released on 1 April 2010. The book identifies the threats facing farmland birds and explores the available opportunities for their protection. A bird list is enclosed.

Diet of breeding Lapwing and Redshank on coastal grazing marsh

Adult Lapwing Vanellus vanellus and chicks and adult Redshank Tringa totanus fed on a wide range of soil, surface-active and aquatic invertebrates on coastal grazing marsh throughout the breeding season. Adult Redshank also fed on estuarine invertebrates. The proportion of aquatic invertebrates in the diet of both species increased as the breeding season progressed, while that of soil invertebrates decreased.