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One third of birds facing extinction in Slovakia: expert

Xinhua, May 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

One third of birds in Slovakia is endangered, with the largest threat being posed by farmers, confirmed Jozef Ridzon of the Slovak Ornithological Society/BirdLife Slovakia on Friday.

"For example, the grey partridge (Perdix perdix) used to be a common sight in Slovakia. This symbol of the Slovak village, frequently depicted in literature, has begun to disappear in recent years," stressed Ridzon.

The grey partridge is threatened due to agriculture payments. "Because of the badly designed European agriculture payment policy, farmers have to cultivate fields more intensively to get by better," expressed Ridzon.

The changes in farming have also affected the heaviest European flying bird - the great bustard (Otis tarda). There were hundreds of them in Slovakia in the 1950s, but now these birds nest only around Bratislava, and not even every year.

Special subsides have been created to protect bustards. "This is one of the reasons why these birds are surviving - at least in protected areas, but they are nonetheless under constant pressure," said Ridzon. Endit