Report: EU farm subsidies causing decline of some bird species

Numbers of some bird species have greatly declined in the Czech Republic since the country joined the European Union, iDnes.cz reported, citing a Charles University study. The researchers behind the report say that EU agricultural subsidies have led to a change in farming methods and subsequently caused the crested lark, meadow pipit and other birds to become increasingly rare.

Agricultural output has jumped by around one-quarter per hectare since 2004, when the Czechs joined the EU. In the same period the population of field birds has declined by around one-third.

Author: Ian Willoughby