Collecting monitoring data on selected breeding birds

Colony breeders, inhabitants of special sites or secretive species are usually insufficiently covered by other Swiss Ornithological Institute monitoring programmes (e.g. the monitoring of common breeding birds), but can be monitoring data can be collected by means of special surveys. This is often very involved, however. This means that many species cannot be monitored throughout the whole of Switzerland, only in selected areas.

Domain Research

Unit Monitoring

Topic Population Development

Habitat farmland, rocky terrain, wetlands, rivers & streams, semi-open farmland, alpine habitats, wasteland, settlements, forest, meadows and pastures

Project start 1987

Project status ongoing

Project management Nicolas Auchli

Project region Switzerland

Details

Project objectives

The population development and distribution of colony-nesting, rare, secretive or captive breeding bird species is monitored nationwide as far as possible.

Methodology

The breeding populations of a selection of species are surveyed according to species-specific criteria for the whole of Switzerland or on a regional basis and this information is collated centrally in Sempach. The data basis is diverse: incidental observations to the Information Service (please insert link to Information Service), group-specific forms, species-specific monitoring, regional area reports and information from species specialists all come together to allow us to obtain information on breeding populations of colony breeders, rare breeding birds, secretive species and other project species.

Significance

The standardised detection of breeding populations allows for quickly compiled overviews of the occurrence of rare breeding bird species in terms of both place and time, thereby providing a valuable supplement to the monitoring of common breeding birds. The population development of such rare or endangered species provides the basis for promotion projects and allows conclusions to be drawn about the efficiency of the measures. Newly emerging breeding bird species and captive escapees are documented. The data on breeding populations also provides an important basis for the Swiss Bird Index SBI.