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    Atlas

    Bird species

    Habitat

    Subject

    Changes

    Report Berichte

    No limits to leisure activities?

    Many bird habitats are also used by humans for recreation and leisure sports. These human activities cause varying degrees of disturbance which can lead to a decline in certain bird populations. Densely populated Switzerland is home to a vast number of…

    Species concerned

    Grouse and Rock Partridge – herbivores at the mercy of the weather

    The breeding success of grouse is extremely variable, mainly because of weather conditions during the rearing of the chicks. If the weather is cool and rainy, the population declines. Population fluctuations are a typical feature of all grouse and partridge…

    Species concerned

    Gaining ground: non-native bird species

    For a long time, non-native birds received little attention. But today, invasive species are considered a threat to biodiversity. Monitoring these populations is therefore critical. Only then can we recognise when a species is spreading and, if necessary,…

    Species concerned

    Hedgerows and forest edges – valuable structures in farmland

    In otherwise open country, hedges provide shelter, nest sites and hunting perches. Forest edges, like all transition zones between different habitats, are especially rich in species. But most hedgerows and forest edges do not offer the habitat quality…

    Species concerned

    Nesting sites for gulls and terns

    Gulls and terns breed in the transition zone between land and water. Breeding in colonies on islands allows them to defend collectively against predators from the air or protect the site against competitors. Today, most gulls and terns depend on artificial…

    Species concerned

    Agriculture has a responsibility for bird conservation

    The federal government has defined target and characteristic species that merit special conservation efforts in agricultural environments. Despite the government objectives, these species have undergone a marked decline. The available instruments such…

    Species concerned

    Continued decline of Red List species

    Threatened species on the Red List are most frequently found in the Jura, the inner-Alpine valleys and the wetlands of the Central Plateau. Only very few threatened species still breed in areas of intensively cultivated farmland. Since 1993–1996, the…

    Species concerned

    The return of the Bearded Vulture

    Once extirpated in the entire Alpine range, the Bearded Vulture now inhabits large parts of the Alps in the Valais and Grisons again. The successful reintroduction of Switzerland’s largest bird of prey is a fine example of cross-border collaboration in…

    Species concerned

    A golden age for raptors and owls?

    For centuries, birds of prey and owls suffered persecution. While most species were protected by law from 1926, environmental toxins severely affected the slowly recovering populations in the 1960s and 70s especially. Thanks to a range of conservation…

    Species concerned

    Gravel pits – refuges for displaced species

    Gravel pits add to the diversity of agricultural landscapes and serve as pioneer habitats for birds. Due to the absence or loss of their natural habitats, Collared Sand Martin and Little Ringed Plover have become closely associated with these artificial…

    Species concerned

    Southern species expand northwards

    Mediterranean species that reach their northern distribution limit in Switzerland have increased and extended their ranges to the north since 1993–1996. In contrast, central and northern European species whose southern range limit lies in Switzerland…

    Species concerned

    Deadwood and old-growth stands are essential for birds

    Deadwood and old-growth stands are critical resources for a wide variety of species groups. Both have become more abundant in forests of marginal economic importance. Not surprisingly, birds that rely on deadwood and old growth show positive population…

    Species concerned

    Rock faces – spectacular and valuable places of refuge

    Rock faces are unique habitats where specialised birds find nest sites out of reach from predators. For a long time, these refuges were undisturbed. Today, with the growing popularity of leisure activities, preserving their ecological value has become…

    Species concerned

    Herons and egrets make a comeback

    The 2013–2016 atlas not only documents the increase of the Grey Heron population, but also the recovery of the Purple Heron, the first brood of Great White Egrets, and the first breeding attempt by the Little Egret in Switzerland. These events would have…

    Species concerned

    Gravel-nesting birds under threat

    Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper, both typical species of floodplains, are not faring well in Switzerland. Human interventions have tamed rivers and decreased their value as a habitat for these two wader species. Restorations alone do not guarantee…

    Species concerned

    Species conservation is necessary and worth the effort

    A whole range of endangered species can only be preserved by means of specific measures and projects customised to meet their ecological requirements. Since 2003, the Swiss Species Recovery Programme for Birds has provided added support for the protection…

    Species concerned

    Breeding birds on our doorstep

    Several species of birds are expanding their breeding range in central Europe. Some of them have almost reached Switzerland. For new arrivals or former breeders to find a home here, it is critical that their habitats be sufficiently protected.

    Species concerned

    Rails: secretive life between water and land

    Rails are found in the shallow-water zones of wetlands. They tend to inhabit dense vegetation, so acoustic communication plays a vital role. The three small rail species that occur in Switzerland are rare. Their nocturnal song and secretive behaviour…

    Species concerned

    Waterbirds: where wintering and breeding grounds overlap

    In winter, Switzerland’s lakes and rivers accommodate about half a million waterbirds. The populations are much smaller during the breeding season, and only few species breed regularly in large numbers, as suitable breeding habitats are rare. Ducks are…

    Species concerned

    Hunting and persecution by humans

    Humans have always used birds as a resource, while at the same time decimating species they considered undesirable. In both cases, birds are removed from a population or harmed by the side effects of such actions. Direct persecution has diminished in…

    Species concerned

    Is Switzerland with its abundance of water a paradise for fish-eating birds?

    Switzerland’s lakes and rivers provide suitable habitat for fish-eaters. Distribution and abun-dance of most larger species have shown a positive trend since 1993–1996, but this could soon change as birds once again face persecution.

    Species concerned

    New species still arriving in our cities

    The built-up areas of Switzerland continue to expand, crowding out species that inhabit open spaces. But some species benefit, because they can adapt to conditions in towns and cities and occupy them as new habitat. This colonisation of urban areas is…

    Species concerned

    Many specialist species in open woodland

    Open woodland is characterised by gaps in the canopy that allow a lot of light to reach the ground. Many specialist species rely on open woodland as habitat, especially plants and insects, but also some birds. A striking number of them are threatened…

    Species concerned

    Problematic coexistence – sharing our buildings with birds

    In many areas, rock faces that provide nest sites for typical cliff-nesting birds such as raptors, swifts and swallows no longer exist or have at least become rare. When humans started to erect «artificial cliffs» in the form of buildings, cliff nesters…

    Species concerned

    Swiss bird communities in constant change

    The massive changes in the landscape on the one hand and the progress in species conservation on the other have also affected breeding birds. Wetlands and their inhabitants have suffered huge losses, the species composition in farmland has changed significantly,…

    Species concerned

    Alpine Tit and Willow Tit – an example of incipient speciation?

    Two forms of Poecile montanus exist in Switzerland: the Willow Tit occurs in the Jura, the Pre-Alps and locally on the Central Plateau, while the Alpine Tit is confined to the Alps. The two forms have a distinct song as well as different ecological requirements,…

    Species concerned

    Alluvial forests – a paradise for birds

    Alluvial forests are shaped by the dynamics of rivers, making them the most species-rich forests in Europe. In the past 200 years, many alluvial forests have been destroyed or their natural dynamics interrupted. Only small areas remain in Switzerland…

    Species concerned

    The spread of settlements has consequences for farmland birds

    Settlements have continued to expand in Switzerland since the 1990s. Some birds cope well with this trend, finding suitable habitat in built-up areas. Others, especially farmland birds, have declined considerably as settlements have spread and the surrounding…

    Species concerned

    Monitoring birds in Switzerland

    In the 1980s, the Swiss Ornithological Institute launched a range of monitoring schemes that are carried out with the help of volunteers. The data serve to calculate breeding bird indices from 1990, which in turn allow us to assess long-term trends. Every…

    Unexpected breeders

    The distribution of breeding birds is in constant flux. Occasionally, birds that normally breed far from Switzerland will temporarily or permanently settle in central Europe – a dynamic that never fails to surprise and fascinate birdwatchers and scientists…

    Species concerned

    Switzerland needs large wetlands with plenty of water

    While the populations of many wetland species have increased, they remain small and unable to compensate the losses that occurred in the past. Besides loss of area and isolation, the main problems are linked to the human influence on wetland hydrology…

    Species concerned

    Decline of insectivorous birds

    The steep decline of insects in farmland creates problems for insectivorous birds. The use of pesticides and modern land-use practices are among the main causes for the disappearance of insects. Insectivorous birds in farmland habitats in particular are…

    Species concerned

    Lush and green – too much fertiliser harms birds

    Switzerland is a country of verdant landscapes. Fields and meadows are richly fertilised, and mires and woodlands receive more nutrient input than is good for them. In consequence, the habitat of many bird species that depend on low, patchy vegetation…

    Species concerned

    Many breeding birds move to higher ground

    Between 1993–1996 and 2013–2016, the average altitudinal distribution of Swiss breeding birds increased by 24 m. This upward shift along the altitudinal gradient is a response to recent environmental changes, in particular to climate change.

    Species concerned

    Messengers from the east

    In the past 100 years, Switzerland has seen several new additions to its birdlife, especially from the east. Most new arrivals remain scarce visitors with heavily fluctuating numbers, but there are two notable exceptions: Fieldfare and Eurasian Collared-dove.

    Species concerned

    Mediterranean species in Switzerland

    Climate change is expected to benefit birds with a predominantly southern distribution, but the effects are as yet barely visible when it comes to Mediterranean species in Switzerland. While Subalpine Warbler and Spectacled Warbler may soon establish…

    Species concerned

    Birds of arable land caught in a downward spiral

    In the past century, birds that breed on arable land have severely declined. The downward spiral continues despite federal programmes to protect biodiversity in agricultural areas, indicating that measures urgently need to be adjusted. Several successful…

    Species concerned

    Long-distance migrants in difficulty

    Overall, numbers of long-distance migrants are gradually declining, while those of short-distance migrants and residents appear to be increasing. This trend is not confined to Switzerland. Compared to short-distance migrants and residents, long-distance…

    Species concerned

    Meadow birds – can they be saved?

    Where flowery meadows and species-rich pastures disappear, meadow birds go with them. Early mowing destroys broods, leading to steep population declines. Intensified use has made grassland unsuitable for breeding birds even at higher altitudes. Switzerland…

    Species concerned

    Jura pastures under increasing pressure

    Traditional pastures in the Jura support a great diversity of animals and plants, including endangered species like the Woodlark. But intensified farming practices are putting this valuable habitat under increasing pressure – with devastating consequences…

    Species concerned

    A closer look: crows, sparrows and hybrids

    For many species, the Alps are a natural barrier that limits their range. In Switzerland there is a wide contact zone along this boundary where the ranges of Carrion Crow and Hooded Crow as well as House Sparrow and Italian Sparrow overlap. This zone…

    Species concerned

    The Alps – a refuge for farmland birds?

    While farmland birds came under pressure on the Central Plateau several decades ago, many species continued to maintain substantial populations in mountain areas. But here, too, farming practices are being intensified, and the populations of Whinchat,…

    Species concerned

    The rich birdlife of vineyards

    Woodlark, Cirl Bunting, Eurasian Wryneck, Common Hoopoe and Common Linnet – despite intensive cultivation methods, vineyards provide habitat for these rare birds. Hedges and patchy ground vegetation between the vines benefit birds both in the summer and…

    Species concerned

    Alpine coniferous forests and their birds

    In the coniferous forests of the Alps, species with a predominantly southern European distribution coexist with species of the boreal zone. After centuries of agri-silvicultural use and sometimes overuse, many sub-Alpine

    Species concerned

    Natural disasters give rise to biodiversity

    Forest covers about a third of the area of Switzerland, and therefore plays an important role in species conservation. For the past century, forest area has increased and stands have grown denser, while more open areas of woodland with their rich biodiversity…

    Species concerned

    Richer breeding bird community beyond our border

    In neighbouring countries across the Swiss border, there are more bird species, higher densities and more Red List species per kilometre square than on the Swiss side of the border. These differences are explained by the greater number of semi-natural…

    Species concerned
    Report Berichte