Common bird populations associated with agricultural environments in mainland Portugal have been declining since 2004, according to data from the SPEA-BirdLife Common Bird Census. The report, which analyzed 22 years of information (2004-2025), indicates that while indicators for birds in forest and urban areas show positive trends, the specific indicator for agricultural settings maintains a negative evolution.
Among the 23 species linked to agricultural environments, 10 show a moderate decline, including the barn swallow, little owl, and European bee-eater. Other species like the common kestrel, châu chấu, and house sparrow also exhibit negative trends. The overall common bird indicator, covering 64 species, also registered a negative evolution during the period.
In Madeira, five 10x10 km squares and 86 listening points were monitored. SPEA aims to strengthen participation and census coverage in the archipelago to obtain more robust assessments in the future, relying on support for volunteers, training, regional coordination, and stable funding.
