Meadow bird conservation in Europe: Towards a continental action plan including European Russia

Since the negative trends in bird populations breeding in intensified farming systems of western Europe could be difficult to reverse, this article highlights the importance of also considering conservation measures in key-sites for grassland birds in European Russia where farming abandonment is the prevailing threat. Non-passerine bird species frequency was studied in the period 2007-2009, within 193 count points in diversely managed meadows of 36 key-regions in Russia and compared to the outcomes of 492 count points in hay meadows of 25 key-regions in France. In Russia, five species were recorded in at least 35% of the plots, among which the Corncrake Crex crex in 75% of total sample. Pair density was defined in two hay meadow systems in Russia with the Territory Mapping method. Bird biomass density was not different when compared to the most favourable conditions recorded in France, but with a Corncrake density of 2.1 calling males per 10 ha vs.1.0 in the major French stronghold. Experimental results of alternative management showed the limits of mowing postponement programmes in French grassland ecosystems and enabled us to explore the effects of rotational mowing for limiting habitat loss due to farming abandonment in Russia.