The number of birds in the Portuguese countryside has been in worrying decline over the last few decades. The Barn Swallow, a symbol of the arrival of spring, has suffered a 40 per cent reduction in the last 20 years. This is just one example of the decline that is also affecting other species, such as the Cuckoo, House Sparrow and Turtle Dove, not only in Portugal but throughout Europe. Faced with this biodiversity crisis, at SPEA we propose a solution: the creation of a national network of bird sanctuaries, involving civil society, private individuals and institutions of various kinds. These spaces, spread throughout the country, will be managed with the aim of favouring local birdlife and biodiversity. To make them a reality, we need your help.
“Birds are a key indicator of the state of biodiversity and of the ecosystems they are part of. Through them, we can see what’s going wrong in our environment,” says Rui Borralho: “By creating favourable conditions for birds to return to our fields, we’ll be creating a healthier countryside, with a better environment for future generations.”
Without urgent changes, Portugal could witness the disappearance of species that are essential to the ecological balance, and the risk of extinction of various bird populations, especially those in agricultural and migratory areas, will increase dramatically. With one in three Portuguese bird species threatened with extinction, this initiative aims to reverse a worrying trend, in a collective effort to ensure that symbols such as the swallow continue to mark the arrival of spring in Portugal.
Even those who don’t own land in Portugal can support the initiative by making a donation:
