France, Dec. 20 -- A French court has halted plans to build four large water reservoirs in western France, ruling that they would threaten the survival of the little bustard, an endangered bird species.

The French government gave the green light for the construction of 16 water reserves - known as mega-basins - for agricultural use inthe Marais Poitevin, north of La Rochelle.

But 10 environmental campaign groups, including Nature Environnement 17 and the Ligue de protection des oiseaux ("Birds' Protection League", LPO),opposed the decision and took the case to the Bordeaux Administrative Court of Appeal.

On Wednesday, the court ruled that four of the 16 mega-basins are likely to destroy all or part of the habitat of the little bustard....