Wild birds as bio-indicators in Europe

1. Wild birds as bio-indicators in Europe Richard D. Gregory Chairman, European Bird Census Council & Head of Monitoring & Indicators, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

2. Globally: World Summit Sustainable Development 2002 target: ‘significantly reduce biodiversity loss by 2010’ Europe: Göteborg (EU) & PEBLDS (pan-Europe) declarations: ‘halt biodiversity loss by 2010’ World leaders have set ambitious targets to reduce biodiversity loss

3. How can we measure such loss? We use ‘indicators’ • Headline biodiversity indicators have been agreed at European & EU levels • Status and trends of the components of biodiversity is one major category defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), specifically: Trends in abundance and distribution of selected species This is where information on birds and other taxa can really make a difference & is making a difference!

4. What is the role of bio-indicators? • Communicate complex information in a simple manner • Help policy & decision makers formulate & review environmental policies • Provide the ‘big’ picture (not all the answers!) • The tip of a very large ‘iceberg’ of knowledge

5. Why might birds be good indicators? Well, there are many good reasons: Widespread, diverse, mobile - live in most habitats  Relatively easy to identify, survey & census  High in food chains –sensitive to land use & climate change  Long-time series – masses of information available  Data realistic & inexpensive to collect, analyse & report  Methods of survey & analysis proven  Better known than most other taxa  Popular - have resonance with the public & decision makers alike  Very useful to raise awareness of biodiversity issues  Can, in some circumstances at least, faithfully reflect trends in other biodiversity 

6. Several studies show parallel declines of birds & other biodiversity in the countryside With due care, birds can be good bio-indicatorsBut birds are not always the very best indicators – we need caution and we need more monitoring & research • Donald 1998 (invertebrates & plants) • Sotherton & Self 2000 (plants & arthropods) • Benton et al. 2002 (arthropods) • Robinson & Sutherland 2002 (reptiles, amphibians, plants, invertebrates) • Pitkanen & Tiainen 2001 (plants, bees, butterflies) • Thomas et al. 2004 (plants, butterflies) • van Strien et al. 2004 (butterflies) • Biesmeijer et al. 2006 (bees & hoverflies)

7. SPAs/IBAs Track changes in the conservation status of key sites for birds Common species Monitor status of key habitats using common and widespread birds Threatened species Track changes in the conservation status of threatened birds Pan-European Bird Monitoring Strategy European Bird Census Council/BirdLife promote a 3-pronged approach to monitoring

8. Collecting data on widespread birds: the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS) • Joint initiative of the European Bird Census Council (EBCC) & BirdLife International • Aims to deliver policy-relevant indicators to decision makers in Europe • Started in 2002 with RSPB funding • Core funding now from EU & RSPB to Spring 2009 • 1st indicators published in 2003 • 2nd improved set in 2005 • 3rd further improved set in 2007 http://www.ebcc.info

9. How the PECBMS is organised: Volunteer counters ( ‘serviced’ by regional/national coordinators) National coordinators (usually EBCC delegates) Steering Group (BLI, EBCC, RSPB, CSO, SN) Central coordination unit (Petr Voříšek, Alena Pazderova) Technical Advisory Group (RSPB, BTO, CSO, CBS/Statistics Netherlands, SOVON, EEA-ETC/BD) Annual indices and reporting http://www.ebcc.info/pecbm.html

10. Aims of the common bird indicator: • State indicator comprising common wild breeding species • Compositeindicator – reflects the balance of population trends in a basket of species • Species are weighted equally • Sensitive to a number of different potential drivers/pressures in the environment • To act as a barometer of wider environmental change in Europe – a surrogate for changes in nature more broadly

11. Most countries have good breeding bird surveys and new schemes are developing Dark = Established breeding bird surveys Mid = Redesign or new in last 10 years Light = Redesign or new in last 5 years Orange star = new scheme pilot or planned * * * * * * * * * * *

12. 2007 PECBMS update Some 20 countries contributed data – others will soon be able to do so http://www.ebcc.info/pecbm.html

13. Creating Pan-European wild bird indicators 1. Select the species/habitats 2. Calculate national species trends (in software TRIM) 3. Calculate supranational species trends (in software TRIM) 4. Combine supranational species trends into multi-species indices (geometric means) = “indicators” van Strien et al. 2001. Bird Study 48, 200-213; Gregory et al. 2005. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B. 360, 269-288; Gregory 2006. Significance, 3, 106-110; Gregory et al. 2007. Ibisdoi: 10.1111/j.1474-919x.2007.00698.x http://www.ebcc.info/pecbm.html

14. Species & habitat selection 1. Agricultural and grassland habitats (~50% land area) 2. Boreal and temperate forests (~30% land area) Plan to expand coverage of other habitats Based on Tucker, G. M. & Evans, M. I. (1997) Habitats for birds in Europe: a conservation strategy for the wider environment. BirdLife International

15. Latest results from the 2007 PECBMS indicator update… All indicators available freely at:http://www.ebcc.info/pecbm.html

16. A biodiversity indicator for Europe:Population trends of common wild birds 2007 -14% Forest (28 species) -15% All (124 species) -43% Farmland (33 species)

17. Common farmland birds – trends in New EU versus Old EU countries -28% New EU (23 species) -41% Old EU (33 species)

18. North South East West

19. Regional trends of common farmland birds -3% South (41 species) -31% West (25 species) -35% East (20 species) -38% North (12 species)

20. Common forest birds – trends in New EU versus Old EU countries +3% New EU (25 species) -13% Old EU (28 species)

21. Regional trends of common forest birds +3% East (34 species) -6% West (30 species) -20% North (15 species) -21% South (29 species)

22. What do the new indicators tell us? • We are some way from achieving the EU’s target for halting biodiversity loss: • “Common farmland birds” have declined sharply • Steep decline 1980-1995; near stability in the last decade - with some regional variation & declines • “Common forest birds” have declined modestly • Regional trends more marked in common forest birds - with declines in the North • “All common species” in our sample are in modest decline

23. Success of the European wild bird indicators so far… • High impact – used in a wide range of environmental reporting processes in Europe & Globally • Farmland Bird Index is a European Union Structural and Sustainable Development indicator & agri-environment indicator under Rural Development Regulations • Highlighted the decline of farmland wildlife • Three sets of indicators published (2003/05/07) • Good example of international cooperation on biodiversity research - delivering & communicating

24. Where next for the PECBMS? Take five: • Improve systems of national & international data collation, support communication & feedback with the network & extend geographical coverage • Carry out research to understand patterns & pressures/drivers across Europe • Help develop indicators for other taxa & habitats? Develop impact indicators of climate change? • Promote long-term funding & sustainability of monitoring and indicators at national, and then international levels? • Develop cooperation & agreements with key European institutions & bodies working on biodiversity

25. Very special thanks to many people • Norbert Teufelbauer, Michael Dvorak, Christian Vansteenwegen, Anne Weiserbs, Jean-Paul Jacob, Anny Anselin, Jiri Reif, Karel Stastny, Henning Heldbjerg, Michael Grell, Andres Kuresoo, Risto Vaisanen, Frederic Jiguet, Johannes Schwarz, Martin Flade, Tibor Szep, Olivia Crowe, Lorenzo Fornasari, Elisabetta de Carli, Ainars Aunins, Ruud P. B. Foppen, Magne Husby, Przemek Chylarecki, Dagmara Jawinska, Geoff Hilton, Juan Carlos del Moral, Ramón Martí, Virginia Escandell, Ake Lindström, Soren Svensson, Hans Schmid, Andrew Joys, & David G. Noble. • The project is supported by the European Commission and the Royal Society for Protection of Birds, BirdLife Partner in the UK. • Thanks for help, advice and support to Lukas Viktora, Lucie Hoskova, Norbert Schaffer, David W. Gibbons, Ian Burfield, Zoltan Waliczky, Nicola Crockford, Jose Tavares, Henk Sierdsema, Sergi Herrando, Grégoire Loïs, Dominique Richard, Anne Teller, Pierre Nadin, Laure Ledoux, EBCC & BirdLife European Partnership.

26. Key questions for the EIONET-NRC Biodiversity seminar • How can we delivermedium-long-term funding for biodiversity monitoring & indicators at national levels? • How can we delivermedium-long-term funding for biodiversity monitoring & indicators at international (i.e. European) levels? • How can we share European bird and other biodiversity datasets more effectively? • How can European institutions, bodies, governments work more closely with the NGO community on biodiversity? • In this context, what can we usefully learn from our experience working with wild birds?

27. With growing threats to biodiversity from all sides - we need urgently to find ways of working smarter and more effectively together Thank you for yourattention