Wide, open grasslands and meadow birds are a part of the historic cultural landscape of meadows and pastures in Northern Germany. Intensified agriculture in Lower Saxony, as well as in many other places, puts a threat on this landscape and local meadow bird populations. The draining of meadows, early mowing, and densification of the ground through heavy machinery render these areas practically unlivable for meadow birds. Meadow birds breed and raise their chicks on the ground in grassland areas. After hatching, the chicks need about four weeks before they are able to fly. Until then, they collect insects and worms from the vegetation and the ground under attendance of their parents. When they reach maturity, meadow birds use their long beaks to pick for food in the wet soil. Suitable habitats for meadow birds have decreased strongly in size, and the grassland remaining today, does not provide ideal conditions. Consequently, the number of meadow birds declined sharply in recent decades.