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The Spanish Ornithological Society (SEO / Birlife) has chosen the rattle ( Coracias garrulus ) as the bird of the year 2012. The decline in its populations, around 40 percent in recent years, and the threats to the habitats occupied by this species has led it to be included in the category of "vulnerable" in The Red Book of the birds of Spain.
This brightly colored bird lives in steppe areas , traditional crops and river groves, and feeds mainly on insects, which makes it an excellent pest control factor. Its name is due to the noisy call that it emits, similar to the sound of wooden rattles , and that begins to be heard in Spain during the spring, when the birds return from spending the winter in sub-Saharan Africa.
Changes in land use and the increase in pesticides have endangered the survival of the rattles since, in addition to increasing the risk of poisoning from the ingestion of chemical pollutants, the populations of their potential prey have also decreased. Therefore, the SEO has wanted to draw attention to this species, and throughout the year it will carry out different activities aimed at raising awareness and conserving it, such as satellite monitoring, censuses and informative workshops.
