Western Europe’s Steppe Birds Face an Alarming Decline
A new expert review finds that many iconic grassland species are slipping towards extinction, with land-use change and human pressures driving the collapse of fragile steppe ecosystems
A continent-wide warning
Steppe birds of Western Europe – from bustards and sandgrouse to larks and shrikes – are among the most threatened bird groups on the continent. A new synthesis by 63 experts across Europe has revealed that nearly 70% of these species have suffered range contractions in recent decades, yet few are currently recognised as threatened under the European IUCN Red List. The study, published in Biological Conservation, highlights an urgent need to re-evaluate the conservation status of several species and to close major gaps in knowledge.
The review identifies 37 steppe bird species, of which 25 are in decline. Among the worst affected are the Great Bustard, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse , Lesser Short-toed Lark and European Roller – all showing range losses of more than 20% between the two European Breeding Bird Atlases. Conversely, only a handful of species, including Montagu’s Harrier and Common Quail , show local expansions, though these increases often mask sharp regional declines.
Traits of the most vulnerable
The analysis reveals that threatened steppe species are not randomly distributed across the bird community. Those most at risk tend to be large-bodied, long-lived, ground-foraging and ground-nesting birds – species with slow reproductive rates and a narrow ecological niche.
This makes them especially vulnerable to rapid environmental change. Specialists such as the Little Bustard and Dupont’s Lark are particularly exposed, while generalist species with broader habitat tolerances show greater resilience. The loss of these specialist birds would also mean a disproportionate erosion of the functional diversity of steppe ecosystems.
Main threats: farming, infrastructure and mortality
Land-use change emerged as the most severe and widespread driver of decline. Agricultural intensification, expansion of woody crops such as olives and almonds, afforestation, abandonment of traditional low-intensity farming, and the spread of infrastructure from roads to wind farms are all transforming open steppe landscapes.
Human-induced mortality further compounds the problem. Ground nests are destroyed by ploughing and mowing, while collisions with powerlines kill large numbers of bustards and other steppe species. Rising predator numbers linked to habitat fragmentation increase nest predation rates. For hunted species such as Red-legged Partridge and Common Quail, unsustainable exploitation, releases of farmed birds and disease transmission exacerbate declines.
Emerging risks: pollution and climate change
Although less well studied, pollution and climate change are flagged as growing threats. Pesticides and herbicides reduce insect prey and cause sublethal effects on birds. Noise from roads and turbines disrupts the communication of species like Dupont’s Lark.
Meanwhile, extreme weather, altered rainfall and rising temperatures are already impacting breeding success and survival. For the Canary Islands Stonechat and African Houbara , climate-driven declines are severe. Yet the review stresses that climate and pollution impacts remain poorly understood and must be prioritised in future research.
Closing the knowledge gaps
The review underscores major gaps in monitoring. For several species – including Stone-curlew, Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Iberian Grey Shrike – information on threats is limited or outdated. Improved long-term, standardised monitoring is vital if conservation strategies are to be targeted effectively.
The authors argue that conservation of steppe birds cannot be separated from the support of rural communities and the maintenance of extensive, traditional farming systems. Without urgent action to address land-use change and human-induced mortality, and without better knowledge of climate and pollution effects, Western Europe risks losing some of its most iconic and ecologically important bird species.
September 2025
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