Contact English
Close
Kontakt English Donate

Select language

close
English
English
Filter
Delete filters

Frequently searched

FILTER

Filter by
Delete filters Results
©
© Mathias Schäf
Alpine Accentor
Back to the overview
©
© Mathias Schäf
Alpine Accentor
Projects
Swiss Bird Index SBI ®

Swiss Bird Index SBI ®

Birds are considered a barometer for the development of the environment and the habitats it provides. But the increase or decrease of a species depends on several factors, so it is difficult to arrive at definitive conclusions regarding habitat changes based on the population development of individual species. By contrast, indices based on the development of a large number of species do indeed allow such conclusions to be drawn. The annually updated Swiss Bird Index SBI contains a set of such indicators. In this way, the SBI provides a basic source of information for authorities and nature conservation organisations.

Domain Research
Unit Status of bird species
Topic Population Development
Habitat farmland, rocky terrain, wetlands, rivers & streams, semi-open farmland, alpine habitats, wasteland, settlements, forest, meadows and pastures
Project start 2005
Project status ongoing
Project management Nicolas Strebel
Project region Switzerland

Details

Project objectives

The Swiss Bird Index summarises the population trends of breeding birds in Switzerland. It consists of an overall index and several sub-indices. In order to calculate the sub-indices, the species are selected according to habitat (forest, wetlands and water bodies, Alpine habitats, settlement), special interest (Red List, priority species for species promotion, international responsibility, indicator and target species for environmental objectives in agriculture) or according to the SBI® Climate Change (species subject to a predicted decrease or increase in the event of climate change).

Methodology

The species-specific population trends of the native, regular breeding bird species serve as the basis for calculating the Swiss Bird Index SBI. Derived from this, the SBI indices are calculated using a negative binomial model (for details of the methodology, cf. Korner-Nievergelt et al. 2022). In addition to the development summarised in this way, pie charts are used to show for the individual groups how many species have appeared or disappeared since 1990, how many have clearly increased or decreased, and how many species have shown no clear trend.

Results

Swiss Bird Index SBI®

Further information

The overall index and several sub-indices are included in the statistics of the Federal Offices for the Environment, the Federal Statistical Office and the Federal Office for Agriculture. Furthermore, the species-specific breeding population indices are taken into account in calculating the European species and habitat indices.

Project partner(s)

Publications

Project team members

Avatar Nicolas Strebel
Head of Status of bird species
Nicolas Strebel
+41 41 462 97 94
nicolas.strebel@vogelwarte.ch
Avatar Sylvain Antoniazza
Status of bird species employee
Sylvain Antoniazza
+41 41 462 97 51
sylvain.antoniazza@vogelwarte.ch
Avatar Marvin Moosmann
Status of bird species employee
Marvin Moosmann
+41 41 462 99 35
marvin.moosmann@vogelwarte.ch
Status of bird species link
Unit

Status of bird species

We analyse and assess the situation and development of bird life in Switzerland.

Learn more

Additional projects

Donate
Help the birds of Switzerland.
Your support allows us to monitor stocks, identify problems, develop solutions and provide assistance to endangered species.
Donate Now
Logo Zewo

We handle the donations entrusted to us very carefully. For many years, the Swiss Ornithological Institute has carried the ZEWO seal of approval for non-profit institutions.