Akkervogels

Populations of wild birds in the UK are falling dramatically. Only seabird populations remain comfortably above 1970 levels, while farmland bird numbers continue to plunge to half those of 40 years ago. The long term decline of farmland birds in England has been driven mainly by the decline of those species that are restricted to or highly dependent on farmland habitats (the ‘specialists’). Most of the farmland specialists have declined since 1970, with five, Grey Partridge Perdix perdix, Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur, Starling Sturnus vulgaris, Tree Sparrow Passer montanus and Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra having declined by over 80 per cent. Populations of one of the farmland generalists (of those species found on farmland and other widespread habitats), the Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava, have declined by over 70 per cent since 1970. The long term decline of woodland birds in England was mostly driven by the decline of specialist woodland birds (those restricted to or highly dependent on woodland habitats). Nine of the woodland specialists have at least halved since 1970, with seven species, Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Willow Tit Parus montanus, Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis, Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor and Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos having declined by over 70 per cent relative to 1970. Five woodland specialists, Marsh Tit Parus palustris, Nightingale, Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit and Willow Tit declined by over 20 per cent between 2004 and 2009. Populations of five woodland generalists - Blackbird Turdus merula, Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula, Dunnock Prunella modularis, Song Thrush Turdus philomelos and Tawny Owl Strix aluco, have also declined relative to 1970.

The State of Birds in Wales 2010 report, published on 11 April 2011, shows that several bird species in Wales are declining at an alarming rate. The study is joint publication by RSPB Cymru, the Welsh Ornithological Society, Countryside Council for Wales, the British Trust for Ornithology and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. The report shows that numbers of some farmland and woodland birds have crashed by up to half since 1994. For example, Starlings Sturnus vulgaris have decreased by 58 per cent, Curlew Numenius arquata by 46 per cent and Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella by 40 per cent. Many of Wales’s breeding birds are falling. European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria numbered several hundred breeding pairs in the 1970s; this had decreased to just 36 by 2007. If this decline has continued, the species is officially a rare breeding bird (less than 30 breeding pairs). Both Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra and Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur are declining, with neither species recorded breeding every year. Regular breeding species suffering significant falls in numbers include: Cuckoo Cuculus canorus (37 per cent), Common Swift Apus apus (52 per cent), Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis (29 per cent), Goldcrest Regulus regulus (41 per cent) and Linnet Carduelis cannabina (32 per cent).

Der Einsatz von Pestiziden in der Landwirtschaft ist hauptverantwortlich für den Rückgang der Artenvielfalt (Beilage). Landwirte, die auf ihren Feldern giftige Pflanzenschutzmittel versprühen, verursachen damit einen deutlichen Artenschwund auf den Ackerböden und deren Umgebung. Das ist das Ergebnis einer Studie von Agrarwissenschaftlern der Universität Göttingen in acht west- und osteuropäischen Ländern. So lebten auf einem ökologisch bewirtschafteten Acker rund 1.000 verschiedene Arten, auf einem mit Pestiziden behandelten nur noch etwa halb so viele, sagte der Agrarökologe Teja Tscharntke. Für die Studie wurden 150 Weizenfelder in Deutschland, den Niederlanden, Schweden, Irland, Spanien, Polen, Estland und Frankreich untersucht.

There is widespread concern across Japan that neonicotinoid insecticides might be the cause of the decline in the number of insects and birds on farmlands through its heavy use.

I read with interest last week that wild birds in the UK are in decline. The number of farmland birds is half that of 40 years ago. There have been dramatic falls, too, in woodland birds such as the lesser spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos minor, the tawny owl Strix aluco and the wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix. These startling figures were churned out by the RSPB, a hugely rich, powerful organisation – the most potent conservation group in this country. It was set up in 1889 by a group of women concerned about the large numbers of birds slaughtered to provide feathers for hats. Now, it fetishises the rare while it is happy for the many to be persecuted. The RSPB orchestrated the slaughter of thousands of ruddy ducks (first brought to this country in the Forties by Sir Peter Scott) to stop them travelling to Spain to cross-breed with the rare white-headed duck.

Op akkerbouwbedrijven waar veel pesticiden gebruikt worden en de graanopbrengst hoog is, broeden minder boerenlandvogels. Ook brengen minder vogels er de winter door. Dit concludeert NWO-promovenda Flavia Geiger op basis van een grootschalig onderzoek dat zij samen met onderzoekers van negen andere Europese Universiteiten uitvoerde. Zij promoveerde op 21 januari 2011 aan de Wageningen Universiteit.

A 72-page 2010 publication raises new and troubling questions about a widely used insecticide's potential for harm to bees, beneficial insects, and bird populations. Using imidacloprid as an example, Dutch toxicologist Dr. Henk Tennekes reports on the hazards of imidacloprid to insects and birds. Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid chemical, and has systemic action in plants. Other European researchers have linked this insecticide to significant risks for honey bee populations, including possible links to Colony Collapse Disorder.

Dr. Tennekes' findings indicate that imidacloprid (and possibly other neonicotinoid-type insecticides) can bind irreversibly to critical receptors in an insect's nervous system. If these receptors are permanently blocked, the insecticide would not follow a typical dose-response curve. He provides evidence that long term low level to imidacloprid exposure can lead to neurological problems and eventual death of insects.

Studies have shown imidacloprid to be highly persistent in the environment (RCC Compendium of Pesticide Information). In his book, Tennekes presents data showing that imidacloprid has contaminated most of the waterways in the Netherlands.

Systemic activity in plants combined with long-term persistence in the environment and toxicity at low concentrations can be a dangerous combination. Many vulnerable species over large areas could be exposed to this insecticide on land, in surface water following runoff from treated areas and in groundwater due to its potential for leaching through certain soil types.

Several previous studies have shown that imidacloprid is highly toxic to various forms of wildlife, including honey bees, certain beneficial insects, upland game birds, and crustaceans

Tennekes further suggests that imidacloprid has led to a general decline in the insect populations in the Netherlands, and this lack of food in turn has been responsible for declines in bird populations.