Special Interest Group
Birds of Agricultural Landscapes
Objectives of the Special Interest Group
Birds of agricultural landscapes are among the bird species whose populations are declining most sharply in Germany and across Europe. Further deterioration of their habitat is to be feared in the future due to the continuing intensification of land use as well as the growing demand for renewable raw materials and renewable energy. At the same time, there are promising projects in many regions that point to approaches for effective conservation measures.
As part of the annual conference of the DO-G, the Special Interest Group “Birds of Agricultural Landscapes” was established in Bremen on October 5, 2008. Its aim is to exchange scientific findings on population trends in birds of agricultural landscapes and to investigate the causes of their decline. In addition, conservation concepts and the effectiveness of conservation measures are to be examined and shared. In various position papers, the Special Interest Group has compiled its findings as discussion contributions for agricultural policy.
Main Areas of Focus
- Population trends in birds of agricultural landscapes
- Causes of decline
- Conservation concepts
- Monitoring the effectiveness of conservation measures
- Agricultural policy
Meetings and Events
The specialist group meets regularly in the spring at changing locations for an in-depth exchange of information. The two- to three-day meetings are used to present current population trends and to provide information about current research projects and results, as well as to discuss them in particular. In addition to the multi-day spring meetings with a lecture program, there are also shorter meetings during the DO-G annual conferences.
Participation
All persons interested in bird conservation and research are warmly welcome in the specialist group and can participate by registering for the email distribution list.
If you are interested, please send us a message or contact a spokesperson for the specialist group.
We look forward to welcoming new members and ideas.
Interested contributions to the distribution list and to the meetings of the specialist group are very welcome.
Speakers
The two founding members of the specialist group, Petra Bernardy and Krista Dziewiaty, stepped down from their long-held positions as spokespersons for the specialist group in March 2023, as requested. The newly elected spokesperson team includes:
Publications – Statements – Documents
Position Papers
- Position paper on expanding the use of photovoltaic systems in the agricultural landscape (July 2023)
- Position paper on the further development of the Common Agricultural Policy from 2021 onward (Oct. 2019)
- Position paper on the design of ecological focus areas from the perspective of bird conservation (Sept. 2015)
- Position paper "Ecological Focus Areas (EFA)" (Nov. 2012)
- Position paper on the current population status of birds in the agricultural landscape (Sept. 2011)
Previous FG meetings
FAQ Specialist Group of Farmland Birds
Who can participate?
Everyone interested in field bird conservation and research is warmly welcome in the specialist group. If interested, please send an email to kontakt_voegelagrar@lists.gwdg.de.