A paper published in 'Conservation Science and Practice' today reveals the impact of cattle farming on Portugal's bird of prey populations.

As the international demand for beef and dairy products increases with the growing population, there has been an agricultural shift from rainfed cereal crops (wheat and barley) to fodder crops (oats, ryegrass etc) for animal feed.

This land-use change is particularly prominent in Portugal which imports most of its meat to the EU. There has been a 66% increase in fodder and temporary pastures for grazing livestock and a 74% decrease in cereal farmland.

The Montagu's harrier, which once relied on cereal crops to build its nests now lays in the more commonly farmed fodder. However, their clutches are laid between April and June and are often destroyed by the harvest in May.

In an attempt to replace their nests the birds resort to the rarer but uncut cereal crops between June-July. Cereal is then harvested in early July destroying many replacement clutches and therefore causing a rapid decline in the species.

The Montagu's harrier is now critically endangered in Portugal alongside the little bustard. The great bustard has also seen a 50% decline since 2014. These birds aid us in pest control by hunting rodents and, like most birds, are excellent seed dispersers.

It is essential that we cut down on meat and dairy consumption to prevent the loss of the incredible birds which increase plant distribution and maintain control of our pest populations.