Common bird index

Farmland bird species fluctuated in the period 2007-2012, followed by a significant decline between 2012 and 2014. Afterwards, the index remained more or less stable until 2021. In 2022, the index dropped significantly again, a decline that continues through 2024. The decline of farmland species in the Flemish Region has been ongoing for decades and is part of a much wider, European trend.

The number of forest birds remained more or less stable from 2007 to 2015 with the highest numbers in 2012. Afterwards, a steady decline followed until 2023. Since 2020, the number of forest birds has been significantly lower than in the period up to 2015. In 2024, there is a tentative recovery in numbers.

The number of breeding birds of various habitats (all common birds) was clearly higher in the period from 2008 to 2013 than in 2007. Afterwards, the index dropped back a bit and the trend is fluctuating.