The study by P. F. Donald, R. E. Green, and M. F. Heath examines the decline in farmland bird populations across Europe during the late 20th century, attributing this decline to agricultural intensification. The authors modelled population and range changes using various indices of agricultural intensity, finding that these declines were significantly greater in countries with more intensive agriculture, particularly in the European Union (EU) compared to former communist countries. Cereal yield alone explained over 50% of the variation in population trends. The results suggest that recent agricultural practices have had detrimental effects on bird populations on a continental scale. The authors predict that the introduction of EU agricultural policies into former communist countries, as they seek to join the EU, will likely lead to significant further declines in bird populations. The study highlights the need for rapid adaptation of EU agricultural policies to balance food production with biodiversity conservation.The study by P. F. Donald, R. E. Green, and M. F. Heath examines the decline in farmland bird populations across Europe during the late 20th century, attributing this decline to agricultural intensification. The authors modelled population and range changes using various indices of agricultural intensity, finding that these declines were significantly greater in countries with more intensive agriculture, particularly in the European Union (EU) compared to former communist countries. Cereal yield alone explained over 50% of the variation in population trends. The results suggest that recent agricultural practices have had detrimental effects on bird populations on a continental scale. The authors predict that the introduction of EU agricultural policies into former communist countries, as they seek to join the EU, will likely lead to significant further declines in bird populations. The study highlights the need for rapid adaptation of EU agricultural policies to balance food production with biodiversity conservation.