Organising the atlas surveys

The main objective of the 2013–2016 atlas was to document the current distribution and abundance of breeding birds throughout Switzerland. The aims were similar to those of the 1993–1996 atlas:

1. As far as possible, we wanted to document the presence of all breeding bird species in each atlas square (10 × 10 km). To this end, every atlas square was surveyed as comprehensively as possible. However, complete coverage would not have been realistic, especially in the mountains. Efforts therefore concentrated on special habitats, which were visited several times wherever possible.
2. Abundance was recorded as well as distribution. We used a simplified territory mapping method in kilometre squares (1 × 1 km), an approach that has proven effective in both the 1993–1996 atlas project and the common breeding bird monitoring scheme.
3. We wanted to record rare species and colony breeders as comprehensively as possible throughout Switzerland.

Survey area

We used the same perimeter for the 2013–2016 atlas as in 1993–1996. Switzerland, Liechtenstein and adjacent areas across the Swiss border were again divided into 467 atlas squares of 10 × 10 km. This guaranteed that the results would be comparable with the earlier atlases.

In principle, the total area of each atlas square was surveyed. In most cases, parts of a square that were situated beyond the Swiss border were surveyed in the same manner as the Swiss areas. However, 13 atlas squares, most of them along Switzerland's southern border, were only visited on the Swiss side, like in 1993–1996. These atlas squares are often at high altitude on the Swiss side while reaching far into the valley on the other side of the border. The additional effort required to survey the areas across the border (e.g. long travel distance to reach these parts) was considered too great. In total, the surveyed area covered 46 202 km².

Assigning the atlas squares

In the course of 2012, we looked for one or several designated observers to conduct or coordinate the survey effort in each of the 467 atlas squares. The designated observers were charged with organising the species search in the entire atlas square as well as recording colony breeders and mapping territories in the kilometre squares. They were allowed to involve additional collaborators if necessary. We first contacted the observers who had been responsible for at least one atlas square in 1993–1996. In the end, 75 squares (16 %) were taken on by the same persons as last time. Following the first field season in 2013, 86 % of atlas squares had been assigned to designated observers. Volunteers for several more squares were found later in the project. Eventually, 420 atlas squares (90 %) had been allocated. For the remaining atlas squares, especially those in remote parts of the Alps, we employed contracted fieldworkers or persons on civilian service duty to conduct the territory mapping surveys in kilometre squares as early as 2013 or 2014. These observers also searched for species that had not yet been detected in the atlas squares.

Atlas team and support group

Fieldwork was mainly organised and directed by four coordinators at the Swiss Ornithological Institute: Peter Knaus, Sylvain Antoniazza (from July 2012), Samuel Wechsler (from 2013) and Bertrand Posse (from 2015). This core atlas team was supported by further collaborators in the areas of data validation, statistics, modelling, Geographical Information System (GIS), information technology (IT), marketing and public relations. An internal steering committee was set up, consisting of the following persons: Sylvain Antoniazza, Jérôme Duplain, Roman Graf, Jérôme Guélat, Guido Häfliger, Lukas Jenni, Verena Keller, Marc Kéry, Matthias Kestenholz, Peter Knaus (project management), Roberto Lardelli, Claudia Müller, Bertrand Posse, Thomas Sattler, Michael Schaad, Hans Schmid, Martin Spiess, Bernard Volet, and Samuel Wechsler.

Regional atlas coordinators

Besides the designated observers for each atlas square, we worked with regional atlas coordinators. The survey area was divided into 20 regions that each had one or two coordinators: Bernard Lugrin, Jérôme Duplain, Pierre-Alain Ravussin, Jérôme Gremaud, Jean-Daniel Blant, Bertrand Posse, Alain Jacot, Martin Gerber, Michael Schaad, Albert Bassin, Edi Baader, Claudia Müller, Hans Schmid, Martin Weggler, Martin Roost, Stephan Trösch, Georg Willi, Christoph Meier-Zwicky, Natalina Signorell, Silvana Signorell, and Roberto Lardelli. Their main task was to act as a liaison between the region's volunteers and the atlas team at the Ornithological Institute. They also supported the volunteers in a number of ways (for example with regard to fieldwork) and helped to organise regional atlas meetings and interpret unusual observations.

Recruiting and training volunteer observers

To recruit volunteers for the atlas fieldwork, we informed people about the project through various channels. We created a website as well as calling for participation at numerous events. Special workshops were organised and collaborators regularly updated on progress.

In August 2012, the website www.vogelwarte.ch/atlas was launched in German, French and Italian, providing all relevant information concerning the 2013–2016 atlas. Apart from explanatory notes on methods and opportunities for participation, the site included additional guidance on detectability, habitat, special features or the recording of population size for several species, especially those considered difficult to find. In total, there were 36 such notes covering 65 species.

In the run up to the first field season in 2013, the launch of the atlas was marked with an event at the University of Fribourg on 1 December 2012. The atlas was regularly given central stage at the conferences for volunteer collaborators held at the Ornithological Institute in Sempach and the other national gatherings, the «Assemblée romande des collaboratrices et collaborateurs» (since 2014) and the «Giornata sugli Uccelli della Svizzera italiana».

Leading up to the field surveys in February and March 2013, we held half-day training workshops in 20 locations throughout Switzerland. These regional atlas meetings continued in the subsequent three winters and served to provide feedback on progress, regional particularities and remaining gaps in coverage.

During the fieldwork periods, participants received email newsletters at 2–3 week intervals, containing, for example, guidance on favourable survey periods for certain species, the use of Atlas Codes, or the recommended timing of survey visits. Starting in April 2014, detailed weekly weather forecasts for the following weekend were sent to help fieldworkers time their survey visits.

From August 2012, news and results were reported in the magazine «Avinews», published three times a year by the Swiss Ornithological Institute, under the heading «Atlasnews». A leaflet dedicated to the atlas introduced the aims of the project as well as opportunities for participation.

Starting in 2012, more than a dozen courses on territory mapping were held in all parts of the country. We also scheduled six bird-song classes, six workshops on «Terrimap online» and four introductory courses on www.ornitho.ch. Five «Atlas camps» were held starting in 2014 to improve the coverage of rarely visited atlas squares. These mapping and observation weekends took participants to Martina GR, Trun GR, Domodossola I, Château-d’Œx VD and St-Ursanne JU.

On 17 September 2016, a closing event took place at the University of Fribourg to celebrate the conclusion of fieldwork and thank volunteers for their tremendous effort.

«Terra incognita» and «Atlas Auction»

Fieldwork for the 2013–2016 atlas was successfully launched with the first field season in 2013. In early 2014, we identified 12 atlas squares where survey activity was still very low. Many of these areas were in the Alps, some in the Jura. The project «Terra incognita» in 2014 encouraged the participation of further volunteers to search these atlas squares for species that had not yet been detected. 19 observers joined in, covering all the atlas squares targeted by the project.

The project «Atlas Auction» served to recruit volunteers for territory mapping in squares that had not yet been assigned. In 2015 and 2016, observers could sign up online for territory mapping surveys in remaining kilometre squares. The «auction» was widely used in both years.