This handbook has been produced by: The Brandenburg State Office for Environment The bittern in Europe: (“Landesumweltamt Brandenburg”) is the state authority responsible for a guide to species and the scientific and technical implementation of environmental measures in the Federal State of Brandenburg in habitat management Germany. Among the various tasks are the guidance for the establishment and maintenance of the Natura 2000 network, the responsibility for Large Protected Areas and implementation of LIFE projects. The authority has been the lead partner of the LIFE Co-op project. The RSPB is the UK charity working to secure a healthy environment for birds and wildlife, helping to create a better world for us all. Our Conservation Management Advice team in Europe The bittern works to improve the conservation status of priority habitats and species by promoting best-practice advice to land managers. RSPB registered charity no 207076 www.rspb.org.uk The LPO is a non- governmental organisation founded in 1912. The organisation aims to protect wild birds and their habitats throughout France, with a network of 30 independant LPO sections. Key activities include site management, species conservation, monitoring and research, and environmental education. www.lpo.fr This handbook has been funded by the LIFE Co-op programme within the project LIFE03/ NAT/CP00009 ‘Handbook for actions to promote Bittern protection in Europe’ ISBN: 1 901930 79 3 Cover illustration: A vision of the Hanson-RSPB wetland project at Needingworth, Cambridgeshire, UK Bruce Pearson A new wetland of over 900 ha with extensive reedbeds is being created from sand and gravel workings over the next 25 years. The bittern in Europe: a guide to species and habitat management Edited by Graham White, Jochen Purps and Sarah Alsbury i Citation For bibliographic purposes this book should be referred to as White G, Purps J and Alsbury S (2006) The bittern in Europe: a guide to species and habitat management. The RSPB, Sandy. The techniques described or referred to in this book do not necessarily reflect the policies of the RSPB or individuals involved in its production. No responsibility can be accepted for any loss, damage or unsatisfactory results arising from the implementation of any of the recommendations within this book. The use of proprietory and commercial trade names in this handbook does not necessarily imply endorsement of the product by the authors or publishers. Funding This handbook has been funded by the LIFE Co-op programme within the project LIFE03/NAT/CP00009 ‘Handbook for actions to promote Bittern protection in Europe’. Partners The Brandenburg State Office for Environment has been the lead partner of the LIFE Co-op project. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux have been partners within this project. Published by The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL Copyright © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux and The Brandenburg State Office for Environment 2006 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by means without the prior written permission of the RSPB. Designed by NatureBureau Figures by Dan Powell Printed by Information Press ISBN: 1 901930 79 3 ii Contents Page Foreword v Acknowledgements vi Introduction 1 Chapter 1 The bittern in Europe 1.1 Introduction 7 1.2 Portrait of the bittern 8 1.3 Current status of the bittern in Europe 10 1.4 The European network of Natura 2000 sites 13 1.5 Approaches to bittern conservation in Europe, including LIFE projects 14 Chapter 2 Ecological requirements – the current knowledge of bittern ecology 2.1 Introduction 19 2.2 Habitat requirements during the breeding season 20 2.3 Mating system and territoriality 24 2.4 Food and feeding 30 2.5 Migration and movements 34 2.6 Habitat requirements during winter 37 Chapter 3 Survey and monitoring 3.1 Introduction 41 3.2 Population monitoring objectives 42 3.3 Monitoring booming male bitterns 43 3.4 Monitoring nesting female bitterns 44 3.5 Monitoring wintering and passage bitterns 45 3.6 Monitoring other ecological factors 46 Chapter 4 Threats and limiting factors 4.1 Introduction 51 4.2 Habitat loss and degradation 53 4.3 Changes in species dynamics 57 4.4 Pollution 60 4.5 Weather and climatic effects 62 4.6 Other human effects 64 Chapter 5 Habitat management for bitterns 5.1 Introduction 67 5.2 Planning for management 68 5.3 Reedbed management 70 5.4 Restoration of reedbeds 80 5.5 Creation of new reedbeds 84 5.6 Wider habitat issues 89 5.7 Manipulation of food supplies 91 5.8 Wintering habitats 93 iii Chapter 6 Participation and communication 6.1 Introduction 97 6.2 Focus on Butorstar – French LIFE project 99 6.3 The Bog-ox – German LIFE projects in Brandenburg 101 6.4 The Bittern Bytes – UK LIFE project 103 6.5 Bittern images and branding 106 Chapter 7 Case studies Case studies 109 7.1 How does management for bittern affect other bird species? Lake Parstein, Germany 110 7.2 Action for reedbed birds in the River Haine basin, Belgium 116 7.3 Restoring reedbed by bed lowering, Minsmere, UK 118 7.4 The creation of reedbeds at Malltraeth Marsh, Wales, UK 122 7.5 Restoration of the Skjern River floodplain, Denmark 125 7.6 Gaining the legal ‘water rights’ to enable wetland restoration, Schorfheide-Chorin, Germany 128 7.7 Reedbed restoration at Amvrakikos, Greece 131 7.8 The re-wetting of Rambower Moor, Germany 134 7.9 Restoration of the steppe marshes at Hortobágy National Park, Hungary 137 7.10 The restoration of Lake Dümmer, Germany 140 7.11 Guidelines for the exploitation of reeds in the Seine estuary, France 143 7.12 Experimental management of reedbeds in the Petite Camargue, France 146 7.13 Reed establishment at Ham Wall, UK 148 7.14 Implementing wetland buffer zones through agri-environmental schemes, Schorfheide-Chorin, Germany 151 7.15 Reedbed extension by drying out fishponds in the Brenne, France 154 7.16 Fishpond management at Doberschützer Wasser, Germany 156 7.17 Threats and opportunities for the bittern within fishpond management in Poland 159 Chapter 8 Conclusions Conclusions 165 Appendices 1 Country profiles and LIFE projects 160 2 References and bibliography 180 3 Scientific names of species mentioned in the text 184 Index 185 iv Foreword The secretive bittern is one of the most protection des Oiseaux, BirdLife fascinating birds in Europe – although it is International representatives in the United more often heard than seen. Most people Kingdom and in France, are very grateful never forget the moment they hear the for the contributions of colleagues from all booming male for the first time – the deep European countries. They have very eerie voice is very evocative of its wetland generously given their time, knowledge, home. Despite its almost mythical status, experience of bittern conservation and little was known about the ecology of this some amazing photographs. elusive bird, as little research was carried out until the beginning 1990s. At the same This Handbook The bittern in Europe, time, this mysterious bird has become therefore, offers guidelines for actions to highly threatened in the European Union promote bittern protection, enriched by after a severe decline of the population many vivid practical examples from all during 1970–1990. Consequently, the over Europe. The Handbook has a very European Bittern Action plan set up a practical focus and is aimed at land framework for its conservation, including managers, advisors and interested groups further research, in 1999. in wetland conservation. However, the support and understanding of many other In recent years, the bittern has benefited organisations are necessary for successful from numerous conservation actions in action on the ground. Therefore, the many European countries, mostly financed Handbook is also aimed at Government within the LIFE Nature Programme. These departments and agencies, water suppliers included scientific programmes to fill the and Local Authorities. Future bittern gap between the conservationist’s conservation projects will be able to draw knowledge and the bittern’s ecological upon the results and experiences of the requirements. Indeed, the bittern is the recent LIFE projects in the United most-often targeted species in LIFE Nature Kingdom, France Germany and other projects. The positive results of these countries. All these projects are proving actions are now unfolding with the that it is possible to reverse the decline of population stable or increasing in most bittern populations. countries. This success story is not only good news for the bittern; the bittern plays Future actions to protect the bittern need a key role in safeguarding the wetlands to stabilise a healthy network of Natura within the Natura 2000 Network of the 2000 sites within the enlarged EU. They European Union. have to meet new challenges of wetland conservation, such as global climate In 2004 a LIFE Co-op project was launched change and land use changes in the new to collect, interpret, prepare and to member states. This Handbook provides disseminate the experiences, results and useful guidelines, not only to benefit the know how of Bittern EU-LIFE Projects. It is bittern but also to present the bittern as a the first time that the wealth of experience charismatic ambassador for wetland from across Europe has been brought conservation. together and made easily accessible to a European audience. The three partners of