Data from: Fallow management increases habitat suitability for endangered steppe bird species through changes in vegetation structure

In the face of the dramatic worldwide decline of farmland bird
populations, the preservation of fallow fields is a conservation measure
encouraged through subsidies (e.g. agri‐environmental schemes, AES).
Beyond the general benefits of increasing fallow availability for
endangered steppe bird populations, there is a lack of knowledge on how
fallow management can contribute to meeting species‐specific habitat
requirements. We used occurrence data from three steppe bird species
protected at the EU level (Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus, Little
Bustard Tetrax tetrax, and Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra), framed
in a quasi‐experimental approach covering an unprecedented spatio‐temporal
scale that included 612 fallow fields over a three‐year study period in an
agricultural Mediterranean landscape (Spain). We used path analysis to
explore the mechanisms by which common agricultural practices affected
species‐specific occurrence. We examined partial effects of agricultural
practices on vegetation structure and food availability, and the partial
effect of these variables on bird occurrence compared to control fields
(no agricultural practices applied). Agricultural practices had a
significant effect on the presence of the three studied species. Through
changes in the vegetation structure, Shredding + Herbicide and Tillage
increased the occurrence of the Stone Curlew and Shredding increased the
occurrence of the Little Bustard. The occurrence of Calandra Lark was
mostly affected by landscape variables. Synthesis and applications. Our
study highlights that, in addition to the acknowledged positive role of
fallow availability, applying a limited number of specific agricultural
practices before the breeding season can further increase bird occurrence
by changing the vegetation structure. Using path analysis, we explored the
mechanisms driving the occurrence of three steppe bird species under
different agricultural practices. Such information is key to providing
specific recommendations for future conservation management of endangered
species within agri‐environmental schemes.