Global migratory bird populations face significant decline

A scientific study published in Nature Reviews Biodiversity reveals that 51% of the world's migratory bird species are experiencing population declines. The research emphasizes that because these birds rely on interconnected networks of habitats across vast distances, the threats they face are transboundary in nature.

Key drivers of this decline include the loss and degradation of wetlands, habitat transformation, pollution, and climate change. The loss of a single critical site for feeding or shelter can have cascading effects on populations living thousands of kilometers away.

In Spain, the NGO SEO/BirdLife has launched an alert campaign for the common quail (Coturnix coturnix). Data from the SACRE program indicates a 60% decline in quail populations between 1998 and 2024, attributed to agricultural intensification, pesticide use, and hunting pressure during migratory periods.