The State of Birds in Switzerland Report 2022
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The State of Birds in Switzerland Report 2022
Headlines
While biodiversity measures have led
to increases in some farmland species
in 2021, others continue to suffer losses
due to intensive agriculture. page 6
Birds that favour open habitats, wet-
lands, hedges or low-intensity farmland
occur in above-average numbers on
military training sites. page 8
The southern end of Lake Neuchâtel
accommodates many species in nation-
ally important numbers. The Association
de la Grande Cariçaie manages the area
and is in charge of population monitor-
ing. page 12
«Monitoring common breeding birds»
(MHB) brings to light the large-scale
decline of the European Greenfinch. The
nosedive can be traced to a parasite infect-
ing the birds’ digestive tract. page 14
2
The Red-rumped Swallow extends its
range in Europe to the north. It has been
observed in Switzerland almost every
year since 2000. Spring 2021 saw the
greatest influx so far. page 20
In January 2022, 430 000 waterbirds were
recorded in Switzerland, the lowest
count since about 1970. The wintering
numbers of common species such as
Tufted Duck, Common Pochard and Mal-
lard are in decline. page 26
Compared to other countries in central
Europe, the positive trends of woodland
birds in Switzerland since 1990 stand out.
However, many farmland species in our
country suffered their greatest losses be-
fore 1990. page 32
Contents
Editorial.......................................................................................... 4
Breeding birds................................................................................ 6
Methodology................................................................................ 18
Migrants....................................................................................... 20
Winter visitors.............................................................................. 26 Further information
You can find further information online, in-
International news...................................................................... 32
cluding population trends for breeding birds
Acknowledgements..................................................................... 34 and additional analyses:
www.vogelwarte.ch/state
Authors and copyright.................................................................35
3
EDITORIAL
Long-term monitoring is crucial
When I was young and began to de-
velop an interest in ornithology, Green-
finches were everywhere, and Skylarks,
Tree Pipits and Wood Warblers were
fairly widespread, while seeing a Mid-
dle Spotted Woodpecker was a rare
treat. Anyone who starts to take an in-
terest in birdlife today will experience
the current situation of these species
quite differently. Older and young-
er birdwatchers have different base-
lines with regard to how widespread
or how common a species is, depend-
ing on when they began to pay atten-
tion to birdlife. These shifting baselines
mean that we perceive changes over
time differently and give those chang-
es a different meaning depending on
our experience. The Corn Bunting is a common bird in the Mediterranean region. An expansion wave was
Long-term data sets are necessary to registered regionally in Switzerland until the 1970s. The population collapsed dramatically
from the 1980s, and the species is now considered critically endangered.
avoid the trap of these subjective ap-
praisals. The monitoring projects that
the Swiss Ornithological Institute has
been conducting since the 1960s with long-term data series and the huge ad-
the help of more than 2000 volunteers vances in statistical analysis, to which
deliver exactly that. Thanks to these the monitoring data of the Swiss Or-
ongoing monitoring schemes that are nithological Institute have contributed,
geared towards continuity, we know offer great potential that can now be
that the Greenfinch population below exploited, for example in the context
1000 m asl has almost halved in the of climatic changes.
last ten years, while the Middle Spot- The value of the monitoring pro-
ted Woodpecker is currently seeing a grammes relies greatly on the conti-
rise unprecedented since systematic re- nuity of data collection. At the same
cording began. time, ongoing adjustments need to
This is the kind of information we be made as species that are subject to
expect monitoring schemes to deliver. special monitoring become more wide-
But like other long-term studies, they spread in Switzerland, such as White-
sometimes provide insights that go be- backed Woodpecker or non-native spe-
yond the programme’s original focus. cies like Egyptian Goose. Encouragingly,
One such example are the changes the number of records made via the on-
over time in local patterns of birdsong. line platform ornitho.ch and the Nat-
Long-term monitoring projects tell us uraList app continue to grow, necessi-
what species occur or once occurred in tating structural adaptation of the da-
certain areas, allowing us to (re-)con- tabases and raising new challenges in
struct local soundscapes. The results terms of data storage and analysis.
show that spring birdsong in Europe The shifting baseline syndrome will
and North America since 1996 has be- not disappear – but thanks to moni-
come quieter and less varied. toring programmes geared to the long
Linking data from bird monitor- term, we and future generations will be
ing programmes with data from oth- better equipped to deal with it.
er long-term environmental monitor-
ing schemes can further our under- PD Dr Gilberto Pasinelli
standing of population changes. These Scientific Director
4
The population of Black Woodpeckers in Switzerland has doubled since 2000. The species is now widespread between 400 and 1700 m asl. That was not always the case: in the 1950s, gaps were apparent on the Central Plateau even in well-mon- itored areas, and the Mendrisiotto TI and parts of the Lake Geneva basin have been newly colonised since 1993–1996.
Flooding in the Fanel and Chablais de Cudrefin nature reserves (Lake Neuchâtel) in July 2021. Breeding birds whose offspring had already fledged
were not affected.
How are breeding birds doing?
Overall, the population estimates of Effects on breeding success the nestlings in the colonies of Burg-
breeding birds in 2021 were encourag- It was a difficult breeding season for dorf, Biel and Solothurn, for example.
ing. The favourable breeding conditions many bird species. This was particular- Rainfall in June and July was twice
in the year before certainly contribut- ly apparent in the case of swifts. Com- the usual amount in some parts, caus-
ed to this positive outcome; spring and mon Swifts, for example, had to post- ing water levels to rise sharply during
summer of 2020 were very warm and pone egg-laying by about three weeks the breeding season, which resulted
dry. The following winter 2020/21 was to the end of May. They were lucky in in above-average brood loss. Counts
largely mild in lowland regions, with that a period of reasonably good condi- of Red-crested Pochard and Tufted
only January seeing a longer period of tions for chick rearing followed. In the Duck families, for example, were very
snow cover. The moderate winter was end, breeding success was only slight- low; the same goes for Great Crest-
followed by a cold, wet spring in 2021, ly below average, though there were ed Grebes. Similarly, many typical in-
which may have led to reduced song marked differences from one colony habitants of rivers, such as the Com-
activity in some species. Still, counts to the next. Alpine Swifts were less mon Kingfisher, or reedbeds, like the
from MHB territory mapping surveys fortunate. They require almost two Reed Warbler and Reed Bunting, ex-
were relatively high for many songbirds, months to raise their young. The wet perienced massive brood losses. In
and may have been higher still had the and cold weather in late July/early Au- June, hailstorms swept large parts of
weather been milder. gust caused the death of around half the country. Hailstones up to 7 cm in
140 –
120 + ~
100
The population index of priority species for recovery programmes
80 (blue) has increased significantly in the past years. Rising and declining
Index
trends are about equal, but there are also several species that have dis-
60
appeared completely. The overall trend of all breeding bird species
40 + (red) is positive. The coloured segments of the pie chart show the pro-
– portion of species with a positive (green), negative (red) and neutral or
20 ~ fluctuating trend (blue). The grey and black segments, respectively,
0 represent species that have newly occurred or disappeared as breeders
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 since 1990.
6
BREEDING BIRDS
3,5
3
Eurasian Wryneck
2,5 Grey-faced Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
2
Black Woodpecker
Index
1,5 Great Spotted Woodp.
Middle Spotted Woodp.
1 Lesser Spotted Woodp.
Three-toed Woodpecker
0,5
0
2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015 2018 2021
All woodpecker species apart from the Grey-faced Woodpecker have increased since 2000. Like some other woodpecker species, Lesser
The Grey-faced Woodpecker is the focus of a current research project at the Swiss Ornitho- Spotted Woodpeckers rely on rotting or
logical Institute. Data for the White-backed Woodpecker are insufficient to calculate a trend. dead wood to excavate their nesting holes.
diameter are sure to have affected such as European Robin and Eurasian demand for wood fuel and the simul-
many species, but the losses are im- Blue Tit. Similarly, trends are current- taneous decline in productivity of many
possible to quantify. Among the vic- ly positive for all woodpecker species forests due to climate change could
tims were White Storks, Great Cormo- apart from Grey-faced Woodpecker. bring an abrupt end to the encour-
rants and Yellow-legged Gulls. Strong populations of «nature’s car- aging signs we currently see in many
penters» will benefit other cavity nest- populations. This applies especially to
Bright spells … ers. The positive trend in White Stork the easily accessible woods at low and
Several species reached new highs in numbers continues unabated, while mid-elevation.
2021, a sign that conservation efforts there are signs of a trend reversal for
are gaining traction. The positive trends Yellow-legged Gull.
over the past years of Common Kestrel,
Eurasian Wryneck or Common Hoopoe … or clouds on the horizon?
can be attributed in part to the suc- Despite encouraging trends, we must
cess of species recovery programmes. not forget that many species could
Some farmland birds also showed a have extremely sensitive reactions to
strong increase, e.g. Common Stone- possible future changes. The positive
chat, Greater Whitethroat or Wood- trends of many woodland species, for
lark – possibly as a result of the dry and example, is related to the fact that for-
warm summers of the past few years. ests have been managed at relative- Further information
Among the woodland species, sever- ly low intensity in the past few years. www.vogelwarte.ch/state/breeding
al have continued their upward trends, Rising timber prices, the increasing
2,60
2,40
Number of chicks per brood
2,20
2,00
1,80
1,60
1,40
Alpine Swift Common Swift
1,20
1,00
1987 1993 1999 2005 2011 2017 2021
These young White Storks were lucky despite being injured in a hail- In bad weather years like 2021, Alpine Swifts (red) raise significantly
storm in the summer of 2021. They were looked after at the Swiss Or- fewer young than Common Swifts (blue). Breeding success was only
nithological Institute’s bird care centre before being released back into slightly below average in Common Swifts. Based on 12 610 and
the wild. 26 422 broods, respectively, from 1987 to 2021.
7
BREEDING BIRDS The vast tank training grounds that are part of the military training site in Thun (BE) include pools, ponds, shrubs and wasteland. These form at- tractive habitat for breeding and migratory birds, but also for amphibians, reptiles, insects and a rich flora. Ten years of monitoring breeding birds on military sites armasuisse Real Estate is a major Diverse habitats from «normal» landscapes. While landowner in Switzerland. Military The armasuisse sites are spread across there are a few «top-performing» sites are far from being idyllic habi- Switzerland. For that reason, they in- squares with 50 breeding species and tat, and there are conflicts of interest clude diverse habitats ranging from more, in up to 460 territories, other here, too. But armasuisse oversees an bare airfields on the Central Plateau to squares are less spectacular and pull above-average share of valuable habi- richly structured areas in the Jura and the average back down. But the differ- tat on its property and actively engag- high-lying shooting ranges in Alpine ence is a qualitative one. Military train- es in environmental management. In valleys. As varied as the sites them- ing sites attract more breeding species terms of surface area, the amount of selves are their vegetation and breed- that prefer open, arid habitats or wet- habitat worthy of protection on mili- ing bird communities. In the monitor- lands, that favour pioneer habitats or tary training grounds is at least three ing period 2020/21 alone, we regis- colonise hedges and bushes in low-in- times the Swiss average. tered 122 breeding bird species in the tensity farmland. These habitats are in Since 2012, the biodiversity moni- 34 kilometre squares. To assess species short supply in the normal landscape, toring programme of the Federal De- composition and trends, the monitor- which is why many of their inhabitants partment for Defence, Civil Protec- ing project, which is coordinated by are red-listed. Performance reviews tion and Sport (DDPS) has document- ecological consultants Hintermann & confirm that the military sites contain ed the presence of breeding birds Weber AG, draws on reference data a higher number of species on the Red and vascular plants on the 26 larg- collected by the Biodiversity Moni- List and the «Environmental Objectives est military training grounds, shoot- toring Switzerland (BDM) scheme in in Agriculture» list than normal land- ing ranges and military airfields in our «normal» landscapes. scapes. And that is not all: at the sites country. Within this programme, the where these species occur, the num- Swiss Ornithological Institute organ- Not more species, but … ber of territories is often much higher. ises the breeding bird counts. They The results show that the average Surveys in 2020/21 in all 34 kilometre take place every two years in 34 kilo- number of breeding bird species on squares revealed a remarkable 10,8 % metre squares. military training sites hardly differs of territories of species considered 8
BREEDING BIRDS
Inhabitants of open, low-intensity grassland – like the Woodlark – are particularly drawn to military training grounds. Species like the Common
Nightingale that favour hedges and thickets also occur in above-average abundance.
Endangered (7 territories), Vulnerable in the period 2015–2020 combined, our natural heritage. Compared to the
(204), or Near Threatened (711). The the proportion of areas with vege- national average, the military training
sample taken in «normal» landscapes tation worthy of protection is much grounds are doing well in terms of
only had a share of 7,9 %. greater than in the rest of Switzerland meeting the demands of the federal
Among the species that benefit (32,6 % vs 8,9 %). The share of semi- Biodiversity Action Plan. It is a big chal-
most from the DDPS sites are birds dry grassland in particular, at 9,6 %, is lenge for armasuisse to maintain this
of open land, such as Eurasian Sky- far above the Swiss average of 2,4 %. high standard while having to concen-
lark, Woodlark, Whinchat, Common Figures are similar for fens, meadows trate training activities in fewer areas.
Stonechat, but also Common Cuckoo of marsh marigold, and slopes dom- The new environmental guideline pro-
and inhabitants of shrubs and ruder- inated by Carex ferruginea. Still, at poses action plans to help the DDPS
al habitats, such as Greater and Lesser 32,6 %, the most common type of meet these challenges in the future.
Whitethroat, Garden, Marsh and Wil- grassland habitat on DDPS sites, like in
low Warbler, Red-backed Shrike and the rest of Switzerland, is nutrient-rich
Yellowhammer. grassland.
Since the adoption of the Roth-
Important: limited use and enthurm initiative and the passing
targeted care of the Swiss Landscape Concept, the
The differences are not mere coinci- military’s conservation efforts have
dence: in all 25 DDPS sites surveyed resulted in respectful stewardship of
Stonechat DDPS sites
Normal landscape
Nightingale
Cuckoo
Woodlark
Linnet
Garden Warbler
Skylark
Greater Whitethroat
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Normal landscape (%)
Breeding bird and vascular plant surveys have been conducted at Share of kilometre squares where selected species occur. Comparison
26 DDPS sites since 2012. The illustration shows the 34 kilometre between DDPS sites (n = 34) and MHB/BDM squares in normal land-
squares in which breeding bird territories are mapped (red). The blue scape (n = 165), 2016–2020.
squares from the MHB and BDM network are used for comparison
and consist of areas with similar habitats and elevation.
9
The number of Red-spotted Bluethroat territories found per year has risen to about eight since breeding was first recorded in 1980. The gains are
at least partially related to increased observer effort.
On the lookout for rare breeding birds
For many species, breeding popula- not provide enough data to calculate on the species’ behaviour, we ei-
tions and trends are well documented reliable trends. ther count territories, pairs making a
by the schemes «Monitoring common For the birds that are part of the breeding attempt, or records of con-
breeding birds» (MHB) or «Monitoring programme «Monitoring particular firmed breeding.
breeding birds in wetlands» (MF). But species» (MAA), several data sourc- Working together with local or-
for about half of the approximately es are combined every year to esti- ganisations and ornithologists is cen-
210 breeding bird species, in particu- mate the breeding population in a tral when undertaking breeding pop-
lar colonial nesting birds, rare breed- given area. For many species, adding ulation surveys, especially in wetlands
ers and escaped or introduced species, up the estimates gives us their coun- like the Grande Cariçaie. In the case
these two monitoring programmes do trywide population size. Depending of colonial species, population surveys
16 30
14
25
Number of family groups
12
Number of pairs
20
10
8 15
6
10
4
5
2
0 0
2005
1990
1995
2000
2010
2015
2020
1959
1964
1969
1974
1979
1984
1989
1994
1999
2004
2009
2014
2019
A few Gadwall families have been sighted every year since 1983. The The reintroduction of the Bearded Vulture in Switzerland is a success
positive long-term trend in the small breeding population goes along story and illustrates that patience pays off: the first birds were released
with a marked increase in wintering Gadwall since 1967 and especially into the wild in Switzerland back in 1991.
after 1990.
10BREEDING BIRDS
are only possible with the help of lo- special monitoring projects, the Nat- The database storing the popula-
cal volunteers who monitor the colo- uraList app allows observers to record tion counts has been modernised in
nies. The observations compiled on or- their data digitally in the field. This ap- the past three years as well. A new da-
nitho.ch also deliver important infor- plies to projects monitoring Rook, Eur- tabase system facilitates spatial anal-
mation, signalling, for example, new asian Jackdaw, Collared Sand Martin yses, both when analysing observa-
colonies or rare breeding birds beyond and Eurasian Woodcock. Recording tion data and when making database
wetlands. of Rock Ptarmigan and Black Grouse queries.
counts via ornitho.ch has been availa-
More reports made directly in ble for some time now. And the option
the field to record via NaturaList and ornitho.ch
Data collection methods have ad- will be extended to several more spe- Further information
vanced in leaps and bounds in the past cies in the coming years. www.vogelwarte.ch/state/breeding
years: for certain species surveyed in
8 18
7 16
14
Number of territories
6
Number of territories
12
5
10
4
8
3
6
2 4
1 2
0 0
1958
1963
1968
1973
1978
1983
1988
1993
1998
2003
2008
2013
2018
1952
1957
1962
1967
1972
1977
1982
1987
1992
1997
2002
2007
2012
2017
Observations of Tawny Pipit in Switzerland were sporadic following Breeding of Barred Warbler in Switzerland was first recorded in 1952.
the first breeding record in 1958. From the 1980s, territories were re- After peaking in the early 1990s, the number of territories has since
corded more regularly, 3–4 on average in recent years. steeply declined. The downturn is consistent with trends in Europe as
a whole, where populations have also dwindled since the 1990s.
Since the first breeding record in 2003, the
non-native Egyptian Goose has spread rapidly.
More than 25 annual broods have been re-
corded regularly in recent years.
11BREEDING BIRDS
Grande Cariçaie –
Switzerland’s largest wetland
and protect the population from the
Aare River’s high waters. The interven-
tion caused the water level of Lake
Neuchâtel to drop by almost three me-
tres, laying bare a strip of sand more
than a kilometre wide. The new hab-
itat was gradually colonised by wet-
land flora and fauna. Thus, the Grande
Cariçaie is an involuntary compensa-
tion for the vast moors that once cov-
ered the Dreiseenland but have long
gone, though it is much smaller in size.
With the second Jura river regula-
tion of the 1960s and 70s, water level
fluctuations significantly lessened, re-
sulting in less frequent flooding of the
The Grande Cariçaie reserve is a diverse patchwork of habitats including riparian woodland, lakeshore wetlands. The effect on the
wet meadows, ponds and reedbeds. Grande Cariçaie, along with erosion by
waves and currents, was the continual
loss of wetland area to lake and wood-
land. From 1982, an extensive array of
At least 90 % of wetlands in Switzer- A young and fragile gem maintenance activities became neces-
land have been destroyed since 1850. The Grande Cariçaie is quite recent: it sary to preserve the marshes, which ac-
The remaining areas therefore play a was created during the first Jura river commodate the largest number of pri-
vital role in the conservation of marsh regulation project in the 1870s. This ority species. Over time, other tasks fol-
birds, most notably the Grande Cariçaie large-scale project made it possible to lowed, including legal protection of the
at the southeastern end of Lake Neu- «rehabilitate» the areas prone to flood- area, building visitor infrastructure, and
châtel. It is the largest lakeside wetland ing around Lakes Biel, Neuchâtel and monitoring the populations of priority
in Switzerland. Murten (the so-called Dreiseenland) species. Today, the Association de la
120 180
160
100
140
Number of territories
Number of territories
80 120
100
60
80
40 60
40
20
20
0 0
2003
2006
2009
2012
2015
2018
2021
2003
2006
2009
2012
2015
2018
2021
A third of the Swiss population of Great Reed-warblers is found at the Territory numbers of Willow Warblers at the southern end of Lake
southern shores of Lake Neuchâtel. The population trend there and in Neuchâtel appear to be stabilising following a decline in the early
Switzerland overall is rising. 2000s.
12BREEDING BIRDS
Grande Cariçaie is in charge of all ac-
tivities in the reserve. Well-monitored bird communities
Such a vital area requires careful monitoring. Since 1982, this has been the responsibility of
Immense diversity the Association de la Grande Cariçaie, which employs more than ten members for monitor-
ing tasks. Keeping track of bird communities is complex, and some monitoring programmes
The unique biological diversity of the
have been running for more than 70 years. Among them are breeding colony surveys of ducks,
Grande Cariçaie encompasses no less gulls and terns, conducted by volunteer members of Nos Oiseaux or Ala, as well as winter
than a quarter of the flora and fauna waterbird counts. The latter project has revealed some exciting developments, relating, for
native to Switzerland. Sixteen of twen- example, to hunting bans, the arrival of the zebra mussel, or improvements in water quality.
Since the 1980s, the more abundant wetland species have been mapped on grids in three
ty native amphibian species have been
sectors of the Grande Cariçaie, in order to track the effects of maintenance activities and im-
observed here, as well as 340 species prove the management of the area. One of the things we have learnt, for example, is that the
of birds! But most notably of all, the greatest density of birds is reached 4–6 years after reed cutting. Over time, further monitor-
area holds an important share of the ing projects have been added.
Swiss breeding population of certain
species: more than a third in the case
Winter
of Great Crested Grebe, Savi’s Warbler,
Winter and breeding period
Bearded Reedling and several gull spe- Breeding period
cies. Of the birds on the national prior-
ity list, 13 occur in the Grande Cariçaie, 1 waterbird count/year
in substantial numbers. Thanks to suc- 8 waterbird counts/year
cessful habitat protection, their popu-
12 waterbird counts/year
lations have on average remained sta-
ble over the past decades. Surveys of colonial species
8 mapping surveys/year in 3 grids
10 mapping surveys/year in the entire area
7 ringing periods/year in Champ-Pittet
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2022
History of systematic bird monitoring in the Grande Cariçaie.
120
100
Number of territories
80
60
40
20
0
2003
2006
2009
2012
2015
2018
2021
The population size of Eurasian Golden Orioles at the southern end of Further information
Lake Neuchâtel is remarkably stable. www.vogelwarte.ch/state/breeding
13BREEDING BIRDS
Current trends of common breeding birds:
Greenfinch gives cause for concern
above 1000 m, where the species is
much scarcer, but where numbers
have remained more or less stable.
Parasite poses deadly threat
Trichomonas gallinae has been identi-
fied as the cause of the collapse. The
single-celled organism infects the
birds’ digestive organs. Mass deaths
of Greenfinches and Chaffinch-
es were first reported in the UK in
2005. The phenomenon soon spread
to large parts of Europe. While oth-
er finches barely showed signs of de-
cline, Greenfinch populations in many
countries crashed. In Finland and the
UK, they dropped by up to two thirds;
only in the Netherlands did numbers,
Until ten years ago, the Greenfinch was a common bird. Since then, numbers have drasti- surprisingly, remain high. The reasons
cally declined. for these variations and the higher
susceptibility of Greenfinches are still
unclear. The trends of the past years
give no hope for a recovery anytime
Until a few years ago, the Europe- reclassified as Near Threatened. The soon.
an Greenfinch was a common breed- population trend is well documented
ing bird across the Central Plateau. It thanks to the common breeding bird Setback for Crag Martins
was seen visiting feeding stations and monitoring scheme MHB. The 2013–2016 breeding bird atlas
was omnipresent in gardens, parks, or- The extensive decline occurred in documented the expansion of Eura-
chards, vineyards and forest edges dur- lowland areas both north and south sian Crag Martins over time. The spe-
ing the breeding season. After 2012, of the Alps, thus affecting the species’ cies has come to thrive in proximi-
the population diminished by rough- main distribution range in Switzerland. ty to humans in many Alpine valleys,
ly 40 %, a collapse it has not recov- Below 1000 m asl, the population has and partly at the foot of the Alps and
ered from so far. This unexpected de- almost halved over the last ten years. on the Central Plateau. MHB data
cline meant that the species had to be The situation looks somewhat better showed a continuing increase. But
4
3,5
3
2,5
2
Index
1,5
1
0,5
0
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
These Crag Martins (left) found in Tarragona on the Spanish Mediterranean coast starved to death because of the cold weather. The index (right)
shows a decline by about half from 2020 to 2021.
14BREEDING BIRDS
2 1,2
> 1000 m asl Central Plateau
1,8
< 1000 m asl 1 Jura
1,6 Alps
0,8
1,4
Index
Index
1,2 0,6
1
0,4
0,8
0,2
0,6
0 0
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
The Greenfinch population below 1000 m has halved since 2021. Skylarks on the Central Plateau and in the Jura continue to decrease.
Above 1000 m it remains stable. However, only about one tenth of Only the small population in the Alps is more or less stable following a
Greenfinches in Switzerland live above 1000 m. marked decline that came to a halt around 2009.
winter 2020/21 seems to have caused territories has dropped by more than out. As leaf buds burst earlier due to
a setback. A severe cold spell on the half since 1999. climate change, late arrivals can miss
Spanish Mediterranean coast claimed this brief phase of optimal food sup-
countless victims – most probably in- Pied Flycatcher doing better ply. A new study from the UK suggests
cluding many birds with breeding sites than expected that birds are able to at least partial-
in Switzerland. MHB data indicate that Several years ago, studies from dif- ly avoid this trap. In Switzerland, too,
numbers dropped to about half the ferent countries already warned that Pied Flycatchers have been doing well.
2020 level. In many cases, short-dis- conditions could worsen for European The population above 1000 m asl has
tance migrants have seen more pos- Pied Flycatchers. From the extensive increased by about 50 % since 1999,
itive trends in recent years than research on this species, we know that albeit with marked annual fluctua-
birds migrating to sub-Saharan Afri- reproductive success depends heavi- tions. In the main distribution range
ca. Common Chiffchaff and Willow ly on the right timing. The supply of below 1000 m, numbers have actual-
Warbler, for instance, have opposite insects, its main source of nestling ly doubled.
trends. But the collapse of Crag Mar- food, is associated with trees leafing
tin populations illustrates that species
which stay in Europe year-round also
face considerable risks.
2,5
Bird of the Year in > 1000 m asl
downward spiral 2 < 1000 m asl
BirdLife Switzerland has chosen the
Eurasian Skylark as bird of the year. 1,5
Without doubt, this threatened spe-
Index
1
cies is in dire need of attention. The
small population in the Alps appears
0,5
to be fairly stable. But trends based on
MHB data from the Central Plateau,
0
the northern foot of the Alps and the
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
Jura indicate a persistent decline. The
situation is especially bleak in regions The Pied Flycatcher’s main range is in the lowlands of central and east-
dominated by livestock farming. In ern Switzerland. Population sizes fluctuate heavily and vary across re-
gions, but are fairly stable overall.
the Jura, for instance, the number of
15BREEDING BIRDS
Regular breeders in Switzerland
Population trends for 176 regular breeding birds1 in Switzerland for the entire survey period (1990–2021) and for the last
ten years (2012–2021). Trends shown as +++ or – – – signify a change by more than a factor of 5, while ++ or – – marks a
change between a factor of 2 and 5 and + or – a change by less than a factor of 2. The symbol • means that no statistical-
ly significant change was detected. This is the case for populations that are fluctuating or stable, or for which we have in-
sufficient data. The colours in the last two columns indicate the status on the Swiss Red List (RL): red = CR – Critically Endan-
gered, light red = EN – Endangered, yellow = VU – Vulnerable, light green = NT – Near Threatened, green = LC – Least Concern.
Species Trend Trend RL RL Species Trend Trend RL RL
1990–2021 2012–2021 2010 2021 1990–2021 2012–2021 2010 2021
Common Quail • • LC VU Yellow-legged Gull +++ • LC LC
Rock Partridge • ++ NT VU Common Tern ++ + NT NT
Grey Partridge ––– ––– CR CR Common Barn-owl – + NT NT
Hazel Grouse • • NT NT Eurasian Pygmy-owl • • LC LC
Rock Ptarmigan4 – • NT NT Little Owl ++ + EN EN
Western Capercaillie – • EN EN Boreal Owl – • LC NT
Black Grouse + • NT NT Eurasian Scops-owl ++ ++ EN EN
Common Eider • • VU EN Northern Long-eared Owl³ • • NT LC
Goosander ++ + VU NT Tawny Owl² + LC LC
Red-crested Pochard +++ • NT NT Eurasian Eagle-owl • + EN VU
Common Pochard • • EN EN European Honey-buzzard + • NT NT
Tufted Duck + • VU VU Bearded Vulture +++ ++ CR CR
Gadwall ++ • EN VU Golden Eagle + + VU NT
Mallard + • LC LC Eurasian Sparrowhawk • • LC LC
Little Grebe • • VU NT Northern Goshawk + • LC NT
Great Crested Grebe – – LC NT Red Kite +++ + LC LC
Black-necked Grebe • • VU VU Black Kite² • LC LC
Stock Dove ++ ++ LC LC Eurasian Buzzard + • LC LC
Common Woodpigeon ++ + LC LC Common Hoopoe + • VU VU
European Turtle-dove –– – NT EN European Bee-eater +++ +++ EN VU
Eurasian Collared-dove + + LC LC Common Kingfisher + • VU VU
European Nightjar – • EN EN Eurasian Wryneck • + NT NT
Alpine Swift ++ + NT NT Grey-faced Woodpecker –– – VU EN
Pallid Swift ++ • VU VU Eurasian Green Woodpecker³ + + LC LC
Common Swift² • NT NT Black Woodpecker ++ + LC LC
Common Cuckoo + + NT NT Three-toed Woodpecker • + LC LC
Western Water Rail • + LC LC Middle Spotted Woodpecker ++ + NT NT
Corncrake • • CR CR Lesser Spotted Woodpecker + + LC LC
Spotted Crake ++ • VU VU Great Spotted Woodpecker ++ • LC LC
Little Crake +++ • VU VU Common Kestrel ++ + NT NT
Common Moorhen + + LC LC Eurasian Hobby + + NT NT
Common Coot + • LC LC Peregrine Falcon + – NT VU
White Stork ++ ++ VU NT Eurasian Golden Oriole + + LC LC
Common Little Bittern + • EN EN Red-backed Shrike – + LC NT
Grey Heron + + LC LC Woodchat Shrike ––– • CR CR
Purple Heron +++ • CR CR Red-billed Chough ++ + EN EN
Great Cormorant +++ ++ LC LC Yellow-billed Chough² • LC LC
Little Ringed Plover • • EN EN Eurasian Jay + • LC LC
Northern Lapwing • + CR EN Eurasian Magpie ++ + LC LC
Eurasian Curlew ––– • CR CR Northern Nutcracker • • LC LC
Eurasian Woodcock – • VU VU Eurasian Jackdaw + • VU NT
Common Snipe ––– • CR CR Rook +++ ++ LC LC
Common Sandpiper • + EN EN Common Raven + • LC LC
Black-headed Gull –– – EN EN Carrion Crow ++ • LC LC
Mediterranean Gull • • VU VU Coal Tit² • LC LC
Mew Gull • • EN VU Crested Tit + • LC LC
16BREEDING BIRDS
Species Trend Trend RL RL Species Trend Trend RL RL
1990–2021 2012–2021 2010 2021 1990–2021 2012–2021 2010 2021
Marsh Tit + • LC LC Bluethroat ++ • VU VU
Alpine or Willow Tit² + LC LC Common Nightingale + • NT LC
Eurasian Blue Tit ++ • LC LC European Pied Flycatcher² • LC LC
Great Tit + • LC LC Black Redstart + + LC LC
Woodlark + ++ VU VU Common Redstart • • NT NT
Eurasian Skylark – • NT VU Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush – • LC LC
Bearded Reedling + • VU VU Blue Rock-thrush • • EN EN
Melodious Warbler + + NT NT Whinchat – + VU VU
Icterine Warbler ––– • VU EN Common Stonechat ++ + NT NT
Marsh Warbler • • LC LC Northern Wheatear + + LC LC
Common Reed-warbler • + LC LC Goldcrest + • LC LC
Great Reed-warbler ++ + NT NT Common Firecrest • • LC LC
Savi's Warbler + + NT NT Alpine Accentor – • LC LC
Com. Grasshopper-warbler + • NT NT Dunnock + • LC LC
Northern House Martin – • NT NT House Sparrow + + LC LC
Barn Swallow • + LC NT Eurasian Tree Sparrow + • LC LC
Eurasian Crag Martin ++ + LC LC White-winged Snowfinch – • LC NT
Collared Sand Martin – ++ VU EN Tree Pipit – • LC NT
Western Bonelli's Warbler ++ + LC LC Meadow Pipit –– • VU VU
Wood Warbler –– –– VU VU Water Pipit + + LC LC
Willow Warbler –– – VU VU Tawny Pipit • • EN EN
Common Chiffchaff + + LC LC Western Yellow Wagtail • • NT VU
Long-tailed Tit + • LC LC Grey Wagtail • • LC LC
Eurasian Blackcap + + LC LC White Wagtail – • LC LC
Garden Warbler – – NT VU Common Chaffinch + • LC LC
Barred Warbler ––– ––– VU VU Hawfinch + • LC LC
Lesser Whitethroat + + LC LC Common Rosefinch + • VU EN
Common Whitethroat + + NT NT Eurasian Bullfinch – • LC LC
Short-toed Treecreeper + + LC LC European Greenfinch – – LC NT
Eurasian Treecreeper ++ • LC LC Common Linnet + + NT LC
Eurasian Nuthatch – – LC LC Redpoll • –– LC LC
Wallcreeper • • LC LC Red Crossbill² • LC LC
Northern Wren + • LC LC European Goldfinch • + LC LC
White-throated Dipper + • LC LC Citril Finch – • LC NT
Common Starling + + LC LC European Serin • + LC LC
Mistle Thrush + + LC LC Eurasian Siskin² • LC LC
Song Thrush + • LC LC Corn Bunting –– –– VU CR
Eurasian Blackbird + • LC LC Rock Bunting + • LC LC
Fieldfare –– – VU LC Ortolan Bunting ––– ––– CR CR
Ring Ouzel – • VU NT Cirl Bunting + ++ NT NT
Spotted Flycatcher – • LC NT Yellowhammer • – LC LC
European Robin + + LC LC Reed Bunting – + VU NT
1
This includes species categorised as regular breeders at least once since 1990 (i.e. the species has bred
in Switzerland in at least nine of ten consecutive years) for which we have the necessary data. 179 spe- Further information
cies belong in this category, not counting introduced species (i.e. Mute Swan, Ruddy Shelduck, Common www.vogelwarte.ch/state/breeding
Pheasant). No assessment is possible for White-backed Woodpecker, Collared Flycatcher and Italian Spar-
row due to lack of data.
2
Survey period 1999–2021 References
3
Survey period 1996–2021
Müller, C. (2022): Seltene und bemerk-
4
Survey period 1995–2021
enswerte Brutvögel 2021 in der Schweiz.
Ornithol. Beob. 118 (in press).
Knaus, P., S. Antoniazza, V. Keller, T. Sattler,
Irregular and exceptional breeders H. Schmid & N. Strebel (2021): Liste rouge des
oiseaux nicheurs. Espèces menacées en Suisse.
Since 2000, a further 26 species have bred in Switzerland irregularly or excep-
L’environnement pratique n° 2124. Office
tionally. Their breeding populations are documented as consistently as possi- fédéral de l’environnement (OFEV), Berne, et
ble (table available online in the section «Further analyses»). Station ornithologique suisse, Sempach.
17METHODOLOGY
Loss of acoustic diversity
One of the main peculiarities of birds 0,2 0,2
is their diversity of song. When many
species sing together, they create a
Acoustic diversity index
Acoustic diversity index
0,1 0,1
particular soundscape. As bird com-
munities change over time, so do
the soundscapes. But how can these 0 0
soundscapes be measured? Is it pos-
sible to identify trends over time and
–0,1 –0,1
space? The Swiss Ornithological In-
stitute contributed to an internation-
al study that explored these questions. –0,2 –0,2
1996 2001 2006 2011 2016 1998 2003 2008 2013 2018
Reconstructed soundscapes Changes in reconstructed soundscapes in North America (left) and Europe (right) over a pe-
The study is based on data collect- riod of 20 years
ed by skilled volunteers within long-
term monitoring programmes in Eu-
rope and North America. Data from chiefly in the west and northwest, Fortunately, the dystopian scenar-
Switzerland came from the scheme while some increases were detected io of a «silent spring» described in
«Monitoring common breeding in parts of the south and northeast Rachel Carson’s 1962 book will not
birds» (MHB). The data were com- of the continent. come true any time soon. But declin-
bined with song recordings from the ing acoustic diversity is already having
platform xeno-canto.org to recon- Birdsong helps us rest subtle effects on how we humans ex-
struct soundscapes for each monitor- The results indicate that the changes perience the world.
ing site reaching back to the 1990s. in bird communities in the past dec-
The resulting soundscapes for more ades have led to impoverished sound-
than 200 000 locations in Europe and scapes. Among the species that have
North America were then analysed in declined in Switzerland since the Further information
terms of acoustic diversity. Sound- 1990s are Eurasian Skylark, Whinchat www.vogelwarte.ch/state/breeding
scapes were built to reflect not only and Tree Pipit.
the species present, but also their Vibrant birdsong is not just some-
abundance and intensity of song. thing beautiful to experience. It ac-
The study shows that acoustic di- tually improves our capacity for rest Reference
Morrison, C. A. et al. (2021): Bird population
versity of birdsong has declined more and recreation out of doors. It follows
declines and species turnover are changing
steeply in Europe since 1996 than in that the gradual loss of acoustic di- the acoustic properties of spring soundscapes.
North America. In Europe, it declined versity can affect our mental health. Nature Communications 12: 6217.
In many places, the Skylark with its characteristic song flight has disappeared or become scarce, resulting in a huge loss for the soundscape.
18In many places, the Skylark with its char- acteristic song flight has disappeared or become scarce, resulting in a huge loss for the soundscape.
Among the swallows swooping over lakes and rivers, the aptly named Red-rumped Swallow is easy to spot.
Capricious spring weather
Most years have days of bad weath- southern France and the northern Bal- two days. It is all the more unusual that
er that force large flocks of migrato- kans. It has been seen in Switzerland two Red-rumped Swallows were seen
ry birds to interrupt their passage. This almost every spring since 2000, and in Neeracherried ZH on six consecutive
phenomenon was particularly pro- the trend is rising despite wide fluctu- days in May 2021.
nounced in 2021, which saw the cool- ations. In the spring of 2021 the great-
est April in 20 years, while May was est influx so far was recorded: between More record highs
the coldest and wettest since records 11 April and 5 June, Red-rumped Swal- Other migratory birds on spring pas-
began in 1864. Every now and then, lows were observed in more than 30 sage were also seen in numbers high-
a Red-rumped Swallow could be spot- kilometre squares, the average of the er than any registered since 1990. The
ted among the swallows that congre- last five years being 16 squares. Apart presence index of Mediterranean Gull,
gated over lakes and rivers. The spe- from a few places in valleys in the Val- for example, was 2.5 times the aver-
cies colonised France and Italy from ais and Ticino, where the birds often age of the last ten years. Mediterra-
the 1960s and has since been push- stay for several days, sightings at a sin- nean Gulls were spotted almost daily
ing north on the Iberian Peninsula, in gle location rarely persist for more than throughout April and May in Fanel BE
March April May June July
2021
Ø 2011–2020
8
Presence index
6
% 4
2
0
15 20 25 30 35 40
Five-day periods
In our country, Red-rumped Swallows are most often seen by lakes Although most sightings were recorded in April and May, as usual, the
and rivers, as the map of sightings in 2021 (orange) and the years presence index for 2021 (red) was much higher than the 2011–2020
before (yellow) shows. average (blue).
20MIGRANTS
March April May
80
2021
Ø 2011–2020
60
Presence index
40
20
0
10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Five-day periods
Red-throated Pipits are mainly spotted in Switzerland during spring Red-throated Pipits are most often seen on the Central Plateau. The
migration, which culminates in late April and early May. The 2021 map shows the maximum number of birds per kilometre square in
presence index (red) is much higher than the average of the last ten spring 2021 between 11 April and 17 May: yellow = 1–3 ind., orange =
years (blue). 4–10 ind., red = 11–14 ind.; the white dots represent spring sightings
in earlier years.
and Prévérenges VD, with maximum presence index was four times as high. September, for example. While the av-
numbers of 18 and 17 birds respec- The first record of Red-throated Pipit in erage for this period was only 7 species
tively. The spring peak was reached Switzerland dates back to 1951; since at Lake Sempach from 2001 to 2020, a
on 26 April, when 33 birds were seen the mid-1960s, there have been regu- remarkable 19 species were registered
near Yverdon VD. Groups this size are lar spring and autumn sightings here. in 2021. The sum of daily maxima for
observed fairly often in autumn, but waders between July and September
are much rarer in spring: before 2021, Noteworthy floods is even more impressive: it was 3829
there were only four known records of In the wake of the floods in summer in 2021, the 2001–2020 average be-
groups larger than 15 birds in spring. 2021, the waterlogged areas along ing a mere 61. Although weather con-
Similarly, spring migration of lakeshores turned into attractive stop- ditions were exceptional and in some
Red-throated Pipits was the heaviest over sites for some migratory spe- places dramatic, the example goes to
since 1990; compared to the 2011– cies, notably waders. Unusually large show that migratory birds will take ad-
2020 average, the species was sight- numbers of waders congregated at vantage of suitable stopover sites, even
ed in twice as many locations, and the Lake Sempach LU between July and temporary ones, straight away.
March April May
2021
60 Ø 2011–2020
50
Presence index
40
30
20
10
0
10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Five-day periods
The presence index reveals that spring migration of Mediterranean Waders such as Common Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Little Stint, and
Gulls was more marked in 2021 (red) compared to the 2011–2020 av- dabbling ducks such as Common Teal and Garganey found ideal stop-
erage (blue), especially in early May. over conditions at Lake Sempach in autumn 2021.
21MIGRANTS
Winter numbers of Kingfishers can vary from one year to the next depending on weather conditions. But losses are normally made up again in a
few years.
All reports are helpful
Using complete species lists to collect were detected by sight or sound, but presence of birds realistically and en-
ornithological data has many advan- also which species were not found. As able comparisons between different
tages. It involves writing down all spe- a further advantage, increasing observ- years or with long-term averages.
cies that are detected on an excursion, er intensity does not affect numbers
even common ones like Carrion Crows. collected in this fashion. Complete Jewel of the river
Such lists not only tell us which species lists therefore illustrate the seasonal Looking at the phenology of the King-
fisher based on complete species lists,
we see an increase in frequency from
45 July. This is initially down to juveniles
leaving their parents’ territories. They
40 2021
are followed by birds passing through,
35 Ø 2011–2020
whose numbers peak in September. A
second high in November could mark
% of complete lists
30
25 the arrival of winter visitors. Observa-
20
tions then gradually become less fre-
% quent, which could be due to winter
15
mortality and, from February, move-
10 ments to the breeding sites. Compar-
5 ing the 2021 graph with the ten-year
0 average, there is a notable low in Feb-
Jan. Feb. March April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. ruary 2021, which could be related to
Phenology of Common Kingfisher based on data from complete species lists. The values in- the short, severe cold spell in a peri-
dicate the percentage of complete species lists that include the Kingfisher. od of otherwise mild weather. Pres-
ence is below average from August to
22MIGRANTS
60 30
2021 2021
long-term average long-term average
50 25
Relative frequency (%)
Relative frequency (%)
40 20
30 15
20 10
10 5
0 0
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D
Based on complete species lists submitted on ornitho.ch, these charts show the percentage of lists that contain Song Thrush (left) or Red-backed
Shrike (right) throughout the year.
December as well, possibly as a result was sighted with above-average fre- also become more frequent over the
of poor breeding success in spring and quency: it was listed on one out of years.
summer 2021, when there was a lot of four species lists in this time period, Bird enthusiasts can turn to these
bad weather. compared to one out of five on aver- diagrams, updated in real time, for in-
age. The high numbers may have been formation on many aspects of birdlife
A treasure trove of information down to delays in onward migration in Switzerland, for example the current
Various maps and charts on species due to bad weather. numbers of returning migrants com-
found in Switzerland have recently Another type of image allows for pared to the long-term average.
been made available on ornitho.ch. comparisons not only week by week,
Among them are diagrams on spatial but year by year. The diagrams show
and temporal occurrence, flock size that Barn Swallows now tend to arrive
and altitudinal distribution. These il- somewhat earlier in spring and leave
lustrations are based on the complete a bit later in autumn. This tendency is
species lists. In the case of the Song even more marked in the case of West-
Thrush, we see the early arrival of birds ern Marsh-harrier; since 2012, it has
at the beginning of 2021, perhaps re- been seen much more often in late
lated to the unusually mild weather in autumn and early winter, and winter
February. The first Red-backed Shrikes sightings have been recorded almost Further information
arrived in late April 2021, with a slight annually since 2015. Similarly, winter www.vogelwarte.ch/state/migration
delay. In May, however, this species sightings of European Goldfinch have
Barn Swallow European Goldfinch Western Marsh-harrier
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D
2020
2018
2016
2014
2012
2010
2008
4 32 44 51 59 67 1 2 4 8 13 20 12 20 29 37 43 52
% of complete lists % of complete lists % of complete lists
In this diagram type, relative species frequency, i.e. the percentage of complete species lists on which a species occurs, is represented by a green
square; darker squares denote higher frequency. Each square gives the frequency calculated for one week. Weeks in which the species does not
appear on the complete species lists are grey.
23MIGRANTS
Black-winged Kite on the horizon
The breeding range of Black-winged range, there are three peaks in annual
Kite stretches from Africa across the occurrence, in April/May, August and Swiss Rarities Committee
Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia October. The birds rarely stay in one The Swiss Rarities Committee (Swiss RC)
and reaches its northwestern limit in place for longer than 1–2 days. Excep- is an independent group of experts
Europe. The Black-winged Kite pre- tions include a Black-winged Kite that whose main task is to verify whether re-
ports of unusual bird observations are
sumably colonised the Iberian Penin- was observed from August to Novem-
sufficiently documented to be cited in
sula from North Africa in the 1960s ber 2008 near Laconnex GE, and an- scientific literature. The committee’s ad-
and arrived in France in the 1990s. Ac- other that was seen from May to July ministrative office is at the Swiss Ornitho-
cording to the second European Breed- 2020 in Grosses Moos BE/FR. logical Institute. Swiss RC evaluates re-
cords of species that are rarely seen in
ing Bird Atlas, the species continues to Influxes have become more frequent Switzerland, such as the Black-winged
spread in southwestern France espe- in Germany as well. Of 51 sightings re- Kite. But it also looks at records of spe-
cially, where population size is current- corded between 2010 and 2019, 18 cies that may be common but are rarely
ly estimated at 200–250 pairs. A simi- are from 2019 alone: a breeding at- seen at a specific time of year or in a par-
ticular part of the country, as well as spe-
lar dynamic of expansion is apparent in tempt was even registered that same cies that breed here for the first time. If
the Middle East. The Black-winged Kite year near Cuxhaven in northern Ger- there are no photos, videos or audio re-
colonised Israel in the 2000s and south- many. Given the current range expan- cordings to support the records, the eval-
eastern Turkey in the 2010s. sion, probably bolstered by climate uation is based on a report containing a
detailed description of the observation.
Although the species is considered change, we may soon see this hunter of Cases that are submitted without a re-
to be mainly resident, Black-winged small mammals settling in Switzerland. port but for which photos, videos or au-
Kites are known to range widely from dio recordings exist online are also eval-
uated by Swiss RC; they are, however,
their breeding sites, as document-
published only with indication of the cor-
ed, among other sources, by several responding website. Swiss RC publishes
sightings in central Europe in the 19th an annual report in German (in «Orni-
century. Since the first Swiss record thologischer Beobachter») and French (in
«Nos Oiseaux».)
in 1990, the species has been regis-
tered 43 times; it has been seen annu-
ally since 2014. The distribution of ob-
servations over time confirms that the
species is becoming more frequent: re-
cords went from 2 in the 1990s and 5
in the 2000s to 18 in the 2010s, with
10 sightings in the year 2020 alone and Further information
at least 8 in 2021. Like in Germany and www.vogelwarte.ch/src
the rest of Europe beyond the breeding
8 Days with sightings
1
7 2–10
11–25
6 >25
Number of individuals
5
4
3
2
1
0
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Annual occurrence of Black-winged Kite in Switzerland since the first Sightings are scattered across the entire Central Plateau and the Jura.
report in 1990: three quarters of the records date from April/May, Au- Black-winged Kites appear to avoid the Alps, where only three sight-
gust and October. ings have been recorded.
24Black-winged Kites can breed several times a year and in all seasons. In Israel, as many as 4–5 broods have been re- corded in one year!
Lake Constance once again held by far the largest number of Northern Pintail, around 1200 individuals, in January 2022. The wintering popula-
tions of Northern Pintail are increasing in the rest of the country as well.
Opposite trends among waterbirds
The total Swiss count, including the marginally more than two months numbers continues for species win-
German and French areas of Lake Con- earlier. The record low January counts tering mainly on Lake Constance, like
stance and Lake Geneva, was 420 000 for Tufted Duck (82 000 individuals), Eurasian Wigeon (4000) and North-
in November 2021, which is the third Common Pochard (48 000) and Mal- ern Pintail (1600) but also Common
lowest since the waterbird census began lard (35 000) are comparable to counts Moorhen (1200) and Ruddy Shelduck
in 1991. Only the November counts in from around 1970. In the case of (1600). The last two species reached
2019 and 2020 were slightly lower. The Black-headed Gulls (43 000) and pos- new record highs in January 2022.
downtrend in the January counts has be- sibly Common Coots (86 000), the de- Greylag Geese counts also rose to a
come more marked in the last five years. clines of the past decades appear to be new maximum in November 2021 at
flattening out. The increases observed 2500 individuals.
Few surprises from our in recent years in counts of Red-crest- January numbers were exceptional-
winter visitors ed Pochard (33 000) and Black-necked ly low for Common Eider (25), whose
In January 2022, only about 430 000 Grebe (5300) also appear to be level- counts have been in decline for years,
individuals were counted, just ling off. But the increase in January Lesser Black-backed Gull (7), generally
November 2021 January 2022
Eurasian Oystercatcher 1 0
Northern Lapwing 29 16
Eurasian Curlew 1008 1317
Black-tailed Godwit 0 3
Spotted Redshank 1 0
Common Greenshank 3 1
Green Sandpiper 19 14
Common Sandpiper 45 64
Common Snipe 185 155
Dunlin 36 4
Red Phalarope 1 0
Number of waders counted during the waterbird census 2021/22 in Swit- In the November 2021 waterbird census, the Green Sandpiper was re-
zerland (including foreign parts of Lake Constance and Lake Geneva). corded on no less than 12 survey stretches.
26You can also read
