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Birds show recovery after neonics ban in France

Insect-eating birds in France are slowly increasing after bee-harming pesticide ban.
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A ban on pesticides such as neonics could improve bird populations, research suggests

A new study shows birds such as blackbirds blackcaps and chaffinches have increased by 2-3% in France after dangerous neonicotinoids were banned.

A ban on the bee-harming pesticides was brought in four years ago, in 2022, and the research – published in the journal Environmental Pollution – analysed 1,900 sites across the country, and 57 bird species. 

They found numbers of insectivorous birds at pesticide-treated sites were 12% lower than compared with sites where there was no neonicotinoid use.

Interviewed in The Guardian newspaper, lead researcher Thomas Perrot, from the Foundation pour la recherche sur la biodiversity in Paris, said: “Even a few percentage [points’] increase is meaningful – it shows the ban made a difference. Our results clearly point to neonicotinoid bans as an effective conservation measure for insectivorous birds.”

Three key neonic pesticides were banned in the UK in 2018.  They were used on sugar beet to tackle a disease spread by aphids. In January 2025, the ban was upheld refusing the application for their emergency use in England. 

Three alternatives to pesticide use in your garden 🔗

  1. How did the problem occur? Pesticides will only address the problem, and could very well come back. So look at the cause - is it a garden hygiene issue, do you need to encourage more beneficial predators? Or are you leaving soil bare so weeds colonise it? Head to our Pests & Diseases or Weeds hub to find out more.
  2. Mix up your planting. Having only one or two kinds of vegetable in your plot, or one or two kinds of flower in your garden makes pest damage more impactful, and likely. Think about companion planting, or using a green manure to smother weeds.
  3. Be patient. Quick fixes rarely work in nature. Learn to tolerate some pests and see their benefits. Remember, many so-called pests and weeds are part of the food chain for other valuable insects and animals. Encourage a few weeds to grow on the edges of your lawn and the bees will thank you. It won't take long before you create beautiful and productive garden that's also brilliant for wildlife.

    Head to our Pesticide Hub to learn more about how pesticides can damage your garden and the environment, and the alternatives.