Habitat Selection and Conservation of Steppe Birds

Steppe birds occupy vast open landscapes characterised by low vegetation and a patchwork of natural grasslands, fallow fields and extensive cereal cropping. Key species, including bustards and sandgrouse, select breeding sites based on a balance of vegetation structure for nest concealment, prey availability and minimal human disturbance. Migratory routes and wintering grounds are determined by access to foraging resources and thermal refuges, while survival hinges on landscape connectivity and the presence of microhabitat shelters. Over recent decades, agricultural intensification, habitat conversion and climate warming have driven declines in many steppe-adapted species through fragmentation, reduced food supply and increased mortality at breeding and stopover sites. Conservation responses have ranged from agri-environmental schemes and land-sparing allotments to the designation of protected areas. However, the effectiveness of these interventions depends on integrating local behavioural preferences with regional planning, understanding interspecific competition dynamics and anticipating future shifts under climate change. Advances in spatially explicit demographic modelling, trophic ecology and fine-scale habitat mapping are reshaping strategies for adaptive management, guiding stakeholders towards cost-effective measures that promote both biodiversity and sustainable land use across steppe ecosystems.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have documented an alarming population collapse of priority grassland birds in intensively managed farmlands, with losses exceeding half of known individuals and accelerated declines within protected networks. The role of livestock conversion, increased stocking rates and road density has been linked to poorer breeding success and heightened female mortality. In parallel, metabarcoding analyses have revealed critical insights into seasonal diet composition of multiple steppe species, uncovering previously unrecognised arthropod and plant taxa that underpin nutritional requirements. These findings underscore the need for conservation plans that address both habitat quality and trophic resource diversity, emphasising maintenance of semi-natural vegetation mosaics and management of agricultural practices to sustain year-round food supplies.

Habitat Selection and Conservation of Steppe Birds publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in habitat selection and conservation of steppe birds across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Habitat suitability: A measure of how well environmental conditions meet the survival, reproduction and foraging needs of a species.

Individual-based model (IBM): A simulation framework that represents the behaviour, movement and demography of each organism within a spatially explicit landscape.

Land-sparing: A conservation strategy that allocates distinct parcels of land for intensive agriculture and separate parcels for biodiversity protection.

Microclimate refugia: Small-scale areas that offer reduced thermal stress or stable moisture conditions, serving as shelters during extreme weather.

Trophic resources: The full spectrum of food items—plants, seeds and invertebrates—available to a species within its habitat.

References

1. Using spatially explicit individual-based models to prioritize conservation strategies: A case study on the little bustard. Journal of Environmental Management (2025).
2. Modelling the effectivity of a land sparing strategy to preserve an endangered steppe-land bird population in cereal farmland: Scopes and limits. Biological Conservation (2023).
3. A nationwide collapse of a priority grassland bird related to livestock conversion and intensification. Scientific Reports (2023).
4. Temperature and microclimate refugia use influence migratory timings of a threatened grassland bird. Movement Ecology (2023).
5. EU protected area network did not prevent a country wide population decline in a threatened grassland bird. PeerJ (2018).
6. Metabarcoding insights into the diet and trophic diversity of six declining farmland birds. Scientific Reports (2021).