Page 54 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

INTRODUCTION

CONSERVATION

onservation is simply wise management, which aims to
Cmaintain or enhance the numbers and variety of wild
species and the habitats on which they depend.The birdlife
in most parts of Europe has undergone dramatic changes
almost everywhere over several centuries: little of Europe is
now “natural”, apart from the far north, some forests,
mountains, and seas. It is therefore difficult to say that the
present birdlife is “as it should be”, and that all change must
be resisted. Most people would, however, agree that we GREAT BUSTARD
should at least try to maintain the variety of birds that we The loss of grassland habitat, particularly to intensive
farming, now threatens the last few thousand Great
do have now. Every effort should be made to ensure that
Bustards more severely than ever before.
we do not lose any species from the European avifauna.
THREATENED HABITATS
Conserving birds is not usually a case of preventing
persecution or over-hunting. Most threats arise because birds’
habitats are being damaged or destroyed. No wild creature can
survive unless its needs for food, breeding sites, and safe
refuges from predators are met. Protecting habitats usually
involves planning and managing human activity, especially
farming, forestry, drainage of marshes, and other large-scale
changes. Local developments such as building roads and
airports or urban housing expansion also affect the
CROWDED COASTS habitats. Food and habitat protection is often a
Waders such as Redshanks use estuaries and other coastal political matter.A clear example of this is the
habitats. Unfortunately for them, coasts are also ideal for farming and fishery policies, which affect
various developments, from ports and industry to sport and
leisure. Even people using beaches may disturb feeding or countryside birds and seabirds across
roosting flocks. Estuary birds face many threats. the whole of Europe.
DEGRADED RIVERS
Many rivers are dredged and
straightened, which removes the
habitat for riverside birds that prefer
muddy shallows, sheltered bays, or
beds of reed and sedges. Erosion eats
into banks used by Kingfishers, while
pollution, especially the acidification
of rivers, affects the food supply –
from tiny aquatic invertebrates to fish.
An increased frequency of summer
drought also affects river birds.

GLOBAL WARMING
Wading birds, wildfowl, gulls, and terns that use low-
lying sea coasts and nearby lagoons for feeding and
nesting face severe threats from the effects of global
warming and sea-level rise. This presents many
challenges to coastal conservation, not least finding
sensitive ways to protect the coast.

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