House sparrow population in Europe drops by 247m

New study reveals huge declines in once common species amounting to loss of one in six birds since 1980

There are 247m million fewer house sparrows in Europe than there were in 1980, and other once ubiquitous bird species have suffered huge declines, according to a new study.

One of every six birds - a net loss of 600 million breeding birds in total - have disappeared over less than four decades. Among the common species that are vanishing from the skies are yellow wagtails (97m fewer), starlings (75m fewer) and skylarks (68m fewer).