Across Europe, the population of common birds has declined rapidly over the last 30 years, while some of the less abundant species are stable or increasing in number.
The findings, which come from a 30-year data set of 144 bird species, are worrisome because the most common species of birds provide most of the benefits for humans, for example by controlling agricultural pest species, dispersing seeds, and simply providing beautiful birdsongs.
"It is becoming increasingly clear that interaction with the natural world and wildlife is central to human wellbeing, and significant loss of common species of bird could be quite detrimental to human society," said Dr. Richard Inger, lead author of the Ecology Letters study.
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Ecology Letters