Livestock species and grazing rotational patterns modulate grassland bird assemblages in Mediterranean drylands

In the last decades, western Iberian Mediterranean drylands have experienced a shift from extensive sheep to beef-cattle farming. In this 5-year study in Évora region (Southern Portugal), we investigated the role of livestock species in favouring grassland bird habitat suitability, starting from the hypothesis that livestock species complement bird habitat requirements under contrasting grazing rotation patterns and annual rainfall conditions....