One in five of Europe’s bird species slipping towards extinction

One in five of Europe’s bird species slipping towards extinction

Exclusive: ‘Red list’ report finds 30% of native species in decline due to loss of habitat, intensive farming and climate crisis

The common swift, common snipe and rook are among species slipping towards extinction in Europe, according to the continent’s latest “red list” report, which finds that one in five bird species is now at risk.

From the Azores in the west to the Ural mountains in the east, birds that have been the cornerstones of European ecosystems are disappearing, according to the BirdLife International analysis, which is based on observations of 544 native bird species. Three species have become regionally extinct in Europe since the last report in 2015 – Pallas’s sandgrouse, common buttonquail and pine bunting.

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