Plant more than one crop per field (intercropping)
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Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
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Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?
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Effectiveness
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Harms
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Supporting evidence from individual studies
A study on two arable farms in Iowa, USA, in May-August 1992-3 (Stallman & Best 1996), found that 35 bird species used fields under an experimental intercropping system, with an average of 108 birds/count/100 ha. Three native species (red-winged blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus, common grackle Quiscalus quiscula and vesper sparrow Pooecetes gramineus) nested in the fields, but that only one nest of forty (2.5%) successfully fledged young. Destruction by farming activities was the largest cause of nest mortality (39%) followed by predation (29%). Desertion only occurred at 5% of nests. Strips were 4.6 m wide and contained corn, soybeans and oats as well as mammoth red clover Trifolium pratense.
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This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:
Bird ConservationBird Conservation - Published 2013
Bird Synopsis