Jackdaws and Egyptian geese thrive best in Brussels, while house sparrows fight for their existence

And then there are also birds that became less numerous. At the bottom of the list is the house sparrow, whose population has shrunk by an average of 8 percent over the age of 31, even though there has been a cautious recovery in recent years. “The decrease may have to do with the way we renovate our houses,” Beck thinks. “All those energy-conscious facades also mean that many hiding places and cracks have disappeared. In addition, a house sparrow is also very local. Once a population disappears somewhere, a new one doesn’t just pop up on those bird boxes.”

Bird-friendly construction

In general, the biologist emphasizes the importance of animal-friendly construction measures. In this context, the Brussels Environment website collects a series of tips on climbing plants, nesting boxes, pools, but also moderate light intensity.

In the areas that the administration itself manages, Brussels Environment changed hands years ago. “Since there is much more dead wood in the Sonian Forest, the soil life is much richer and the birds benefit from this. This is also the case higher on the food pyramid. The hawk, for example, feels very good there. Our fellow forest managers are rightly proud of this.”