© Stephan Trösch
Winter visitors
With its many lakes and rivers, Switzerland is an important wintering site for waterbirds. Accordingly, population and distribution monitoring during the winter focuses on this group. For decades, waterbirds have been counted twice every winter on all important sections of rivers and lakes. Switzerland has an international responsibility for several species. Many other species that are not dependent on waterbodies are surveyed via the project “Monitoring rare breeding and visiting birds”, as are migrants.
Projects
Further analyses
In Birds of Switzerland, you can find the results of the waterbird census for individual species and the changes in waterbird numbers.
Detailed results of the waterbird census are available here as Excel files:
- Overall Swiss population of all species from 1967 to 2021 (January) and from 1991 to 2020 (November).
- Number of individuals per species and site: season 2020/2021
- Proportion of overall Swiss population in reserves of international importance: season 2020/2021
- Monthly population numbers in each reserve of international importance: season 2020/2021
Publications
- Gaget, E., D. Pavón-Jordán, A. Johnston, A. Lehikoinen, W. M. Hochachka, B. K. Sandercock, A. Soultan, H. Azafzaf, N. Bendjedda; T. Bino, L. Božič, P. Clausen, M. Dakki, K. Devos, C. Domsa, V. Encar-nação, K. Erciyas-Yavuz, S. Faragó, T. Frost, C. Gaudard, L. Gosztonyi, F. Haas, M. Hornman, T. Langendoen, C. Ieronymidou, V. A. Kostyushin, L. J. Lewis, S-H. Lorentsen, L. Luiujoe, W. Meissner, T. Mikuska, B. Molina, Z. Musilová, V. Natykanets, J-Y. Paquet, N. Petkov, D. Portolou, J. Ridzoň, S. Sayoud, M. Šćiban, L. Sniauksta, A. Stīpniece, N. Strebel, N. Teufelbauer, G. Topić, D. Uzunova, A. Vizi, J. Wahl, M. Zenatello & J. E. Brommer (2020): Benefits of protected areas for nonbreeding water-birds adjusting their distributions under climate warming. Conserv. Biol., doi: 10.1111/cobi.13648.
- Knaus, P. & N. Strebel (2020): Überprüfung des «AEWA sites inventory» für die Schweiz, Update 2020. Schweizerische Vogelwarte, Sempach.
- Pavón-Jordán, D., W. Abdou, H. Azafzaf, M. Balaž, T. Bino, J. J. Borg, L. Božič, S. H. M. Butchart, P. Clausen, L. Sniauksta, M. Dakki, K. Devos, C. Domsa, V. Encarnaçao,K. Etayeb, S. Faragó, A. D. Fox, T. Frost, C. Gaudard, V. Georgiev, I. Goratze, M. Hornman, V. Keller, V. Kostiushyn, T. Langendoen, Ł. Ławicki, C. Ieronymidou, L. J. Lewis, S.-H. Lorentsen, L. Luigujoe, W. Meissner, T. Mikuska, B. Molina, P. Musil, Z. Musilova, S. Nagy, V. Natykanets, L. Nilsson, J.-Y. Paquet, D. Portolou, J. Ridzon, A. Santangeli, S. Sayoud, M. Šćiban, A. Stipniece, N. Teufelbauer, G. Topić, D. Uzunova, A. Vizi, J. Wahl, K. E. Yavuz, M. Zenatello, & A. Lehikoinen (2020): Positive impacts of important bird and biodiversity areas on wintering waterbirds under changing temperatures throughout Europe and North Africa. Biol. Conserv. 246: 108549
- Strebel, N. (2019): Überwinternde Wasservögel in der Schweiz: Ergebnisse der Wasservogelzählungen 2018/2019. Schweizerische Vogelwarte, Sempach.
- Strebel, N. (2019): Monitoring hivernal des oiseaux d’eau en Suisse: Résultats des recensements des oiseaux d’eau 2018/2019. Station ornithologique suisse, Sempach.
- Strebel, N. (2021): Überwinternde Wasservögel in der Schweiz – Ergebnisse der Wasservogelzählungen seit 1967. Ornithol. Beob. 118: 344–360.
- Strebel, N. (2021): Oiseaux d’eau hivernant en Suisse: résultats de plus d’un demi-siècle de recensements. Nos Oiseaux 68: 201–221.
- Strebel, N., U. Weibel & S. Werner (2020): Massive Abnahme der Wintergäste im international bedeutenden Wasser- und Zugvogelreservat Stein am Rhein. Analyse der möglichen Ursachen. Schweizerische Vogelwarte, Sempach.
Internet links
- An overview of all species found in Switzerland and their species categories is available here: www.vogelwarte.ch/id (available in German, French or Italian). Find more on recording at: www.ornitho.ch/instructions.
- Our recording platform www.ornitho.ch provides information on the occurrence of waterbirds and their duration of stay in Switzerland and neighbouring regions.
- The related app “NaturaList” (for Android devices) is available in the Google Play Store. Instructions can be found here.
- International Waterbird Census IWC