The State of Birds in Switzerland Special Issue on the Breeding Bird Atlas 2013–2016 Breeding Bird Atlas 2013–2016: Key Findings

The State of Birds in Switzerland Special Issue on the Breeding Bird Atlas 2013–2016 Breeding Bird Atlas 2013–2016: Key findings

Specialists are in decline and generalists on the rise, increasing the potential for conflict with unpopular species.  page 6

Many long-distance migrants have lost ground. Insectivores in particular are in steady decline.  page 14

Several birds of prey have made a long- term recovery. These popular, iconic birds are well protected by law.  page 16

The effects of global warming are clearly visible and have caused several species to move to higher ground. Many birds are at risk from climate change, but only few stand to benefit.  page 18

2 Farmland birds have suffered the greatest losses. While the lowlands are most affected, pressure is increasing in the mountains as well.  page 20

Several woodland species have increased in number. The growing forest area, nature-friendly forest management and more deadwood have given woodland birds a boost.  page 24

Conservation action has become essential. Recovery measures have succeeded in reversing the trend for several threatened species.  page 34

Contents Editorial ...... 4 Birds as environmental indicators ...... 6 Overview ...... 8 Recent trends ...... 14 Situation in the habitats ...... 20 Further information Human disturbance ...... 32 Visit our website for a review of Species conservation ...... 34 2017, including population trends of breeding birds, results of the water- Fieldwork & analyses ...... 36 bird census and additional analyses: Acknowledgements ...... 40 www.vogelwarte.ch/state

3 EDITORIAL

The atlas – a milestone

The 2018 report on «The State of Birds all parts of the country. This atlas, the in Switzerland» is a very special one. fourth in a series of atlases published For once, our report does not present at 20-year intervals, again triggered a the results of the latest annual counts wave of enthusiasm among our volun- of breeding birds and wintering water- teers, who responded with countless birds; rather, it summarises the key find- hours of skilled fieldwork. Their tremen- ings of the «Swiss Breeding Bird At- dous effort is acknowledged on pag- las 2013–2016» and in doing so takes es 40–43. stock of the developments of the past But the Swiss Breeding Bird Atlas 20 years. 2013–2016 is a momentous event for For the next 20 years, the Swiss the Swiss Ornithological Institute as Breeding Bird Atlas 2013–2016 will be well: from planning and preparation to the standard work of reference when it the printing of the book, the creation comes to assessing the state of our na- of the website and, finally, the publi- tive bird communities and how they are cation of journal articles, the atlas will changing over time. Its findings paint a have kept us busy for almost ten years. clear picture of how we impact our en- Our atlas team set its goals high, fig- vironment. For example, the atlas re- ured out how to achieve them, direct- veals that woodland birds (with some ed the volunteer collaborators, prepared contributions from institutions or small exceptions) are doing well. In contrast, all the materials, checked the data, clar- and large amounts from individuals birds that breed in farmland have suf- ified uncertainties, sent annual progress who sponsored a species account or ex- fered further dramatic declines, leading reports to the observers in charge of the pressed their recognition for this unique to the disappearance of some species at atlas squares, analysed the data, mod- project in other ways. a regional scale or – in the case of the elled distribution and the change in We hope that the Swiss Breeding Woodchat Shrike – from all of Switzer- distribution, generated the maps, pro- Bird Atlas 2013–2016 will not remain a land. We explain the reasons for the duced population estimates, wrote, ed- simple documentation, but will give rise various trends and suggest ways to pre- ited and translated the texts so that the to targeted measures in support of our serve and promote our native birdlife. atlas could be made available in four bird communities and, in turn, benefit Indeed, urgent action is called for to languages. All of this was only possible nature and the environment. support our bird communities. thanks to a remarkable degree of com- In Switzerland, breeding birds are mitment and enthusiasm for this collab- the best monitored group of wild an- orative project. Prof. Dr. Lukas Jenni imals, thanks to the tireless, dedicated Last but not least, we are grateful to Chairman of the Board of Directors and often decade-long effort of more our numerous donors for their gener- and Scientific Director than 2000 volunteer collaborators in ous support, be it in the form of larger Historischer Brutvogelatlas Historischer nicheurs oiseaux des historique Atlas

Die Landschaften in der Schweiz haben sich in Ces dernières décennies, les paysages de Suisse den letzten Jahrzehnten stark verändert, was ont subi d’importantes mutations qui se sont tiefgreifende Auswirkungen auf die Vogelwelt fortement répercutées sur l’avifaune. Ce livre hatte. Dieses Buch illustriert diesen Wandel illustre cette évolution, en s’appuyant sur la ré- anhand der Verbreitung der Brutvögel in den partition des oiseaux nicheurs dans les années Jahren 1950–59, 1972–76 und 1993–96. Die 1950–59, 1972–76 et 1993–96. La présenta- Historischer Brutvogelatlas Darstellung der verflogenen Vielfalt ist ein Plä- tion de cette diversité révolue constitue un plai- doyer für einen nachhaltigeren Umgang mit doyer en faveur d’une gestion durable de la Die Verbreitung der Schweizer Brutvögel seit 1950 dem Natur reichtum der Schweiz. nature et de ses richesses en Suisse. Atlas historique des oiseaux nicheurs La répartition des oiseaux nicheurs de Suisse depuis 1950

1950–1959 Knaus et al. 2011 1972–1976 Schifferli et al. 1980

Documenting trends in bird communities in Switzerland is one of the 1993–1996 Swiss Ornithological Institute’s core missions. The 2013–2016 breeding Schmid et al. 1998 bird atlas is a further milestone that has earned the institute interna- 2013–2016 tional recognition. Knaus et al. 2018

4 2 Territories/km >79>79 60 60 40 40 20 20 0 0

The Chaffinch is the most common breeding bird in Switzer- land, with about one million breeding pairs. Its density map shows that it occurs in high densities in wooded areas across the country.

5 The pressure of urbanisation and the Swiss preference for «tidy» landscapes: unfavourable conditions for many bird species with special requirements.

Birds reflect the state of the environment

Birds delight us with their colour- mercury from industrial waste and to • Birds are easier to observe than most ful plumage, their song, their feats of other toxins, and observations of mi- other animals: they are fairly large, flight and their behaviour. But they are grant birds arriving earlier in the sea- quite prominent, mostly active dur- also excellent bioindicators, meaning son were among the first signs of global ing the day, can be identified from that they provide information on the warming. Birds are therefore general- a distance, and the number of spe- state of the environment and our im- ly considered important indicators for cies is manageable. pact on nature. In some ways, birds re- the state of the environment. There are • Therefore, birds are comparatively semble us: they share our living space good reasons for this: easy to monitor and count. We have and have similar requirements in terms of soil, water, air, vegetation and food. In fact, our kinship with birds has often served us well. Take, for example, the proverbial canary in the coal mine. Coal miners used to carry a canary into the mine. If there was any danger from toxic gasses, the canary would fall si- lent, warning the miners to leave the coal mine and make their way to safety. The most sensitive creatures are the first to signal an imminent threat to the entire system. In the early 1970s, the collapse of Peregrine Falcon and Bald Eagle populations revealed the dangerous effects of the insecticide DDT before it could harm human health. Peregrine Falcons are not only among the world’s fastest animals, they are also top predators. Birds have drawn our attention to the Because many pesticides accumulate in the food chain, these birds are early indicators of environ- environmental pollution caused by mental toxins.

6 BIRDS AS ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS

The Common Cuckoo shows a marked decline below 1500 m asl, drawing our attention to the fact that butterflies are in great difficulty, as the Cuckoo is a specialist that feeds largely on caterpillars. Butterflies and Cuckoo need more tapered, semi-natural forest edges and adjacent flowery meadows.

documented their distribution and • Birds occupy almost all habitats. nature conservation and environmental abundance for decades and have ex- Changes in the populations of dif- protection should therefore not only be cellent data that allow us to identify ferent species point to changes tak- measured by the number of implement- changes. ing place in their respective habitats. ed management plans or the amount of • Birds respond with sensitivity to • To a certain degree, birds are repre- money invested – though both these changes in our shared environment. sentative of other groups of organ- things are undoubtedly very important They are at the top of the food chain isms; moreover, they orient them- – but also by the state of bird commu- (just like us), where negative influ- selves at a spatial scale that is relevant nities. This will show us how hospita- ences can accumulate. in terms of our spatial planning. ble landscapes and habitats are for an- • We know a lot more about birds In short, birds convey a detailed picture imals and humans and where there is than about most other groups of of the state of the environment and al- cause for alarm. animals and plants. We know their low us to detect changes in habitat con- life histories and their habitat re- ditions at an early stage. Understand- quirements, which allows us to ing birds allows us to read the signs of Further information correctly interpret changes in bird the times. Birds are a reliable measure www.vogelwarte.ch/atlas communities. of sustainability. Our future efforts in

Habitat structures like hedges have been removed from our landscapes, and the land has been built up and overused, leaving less space for birds with particular requirements. Less specialised, highly adaptable species, so-called generalists, are the ones that benefit, such as Yellow-legged Gull, Rook and Common Woodpigeon. Their populations have grown since 1993–1996, and they increasingly occupy habitats in proximity to humans, increasing the risk of conflict.

7 Number of species/10 × 10 km 99 100 140 91 104 109 105 111 126 120 101 96 110 100 106 104 98 108 97 97 95 73 100 101 103 112 100 91 96 105 114 103 90 91 87 89 89 91 85 124 8080 103 110 97 96 101 101 84 93 97 110 100 96 107 88 80 81 85 86 90 87 112 6060 91 93 97 95 93 90 93 102 95 95 105 110 92 110 99 79 76 78 81 94 110 4040 88 92 89 95 97 114 112 99 82 89 92 131 104 2020 107 84 98 111 121 91 92 92 0 0 97 90 93 106 118 109 99 79 86 111 97 95 99 99 102 116 124 110 99 107 123 90 106 107 109 125 108 101 90 81 72 79 97 94 101 103 111 103 105 93 101 92 106 125 78 78 95 99 99 112 124 120 109 97 104 84 81 82 84 95 118 111 107 112 96 87 95 86 83 118 124 94 76 72 88 88 95 119 111 120 104 104 83 106 86 78 88 94 93 115 98 115 102 88 88 79 87 73 120 123 96 87 62 60 107 94 97 122 122 111 105 104 89 87 94 91 85 96 100 112 95 92 69 99 69 62 104 110 101 117 96 93 85 59 98 104 100 101 112 109 86 88 94 101 93 95 113 133 118 123 107 105 94 80 79 92 98 98 92 96 93 113 102 96 58 88 92 67 71 98 101 110 99 78 81 87 104 100 97 98 104 121 109 93 70 81 34 91 83 85 58 77 87 84 96 102 82 73 101 59 65 101 89 104 101 108 96 104 97 87 100 109 97 98 94 96 87 90 32 8 90 84 83 94 90 94 49 71 75 77 86 44 102 60 91 104 104 82 73 90 107 103 92 98 98 87 79 66 23 93 105 76 70 78 90 91 69 82 64 61 100 77 76 75 113 103 93 140 132 94 93 89 82 104 95 78 109 95 73 80 78 76 100 76 91 87 95 78 54 90 106 99 104 94 116 111 96 96 121 109 135 120 112 106 47 85 84 91 80 98 101 91 92 115 109 104 94 111 113 123 107 85 86 76 77 78 80 83 99 123 124 101 71 65 98 116 92 70 88 71 78 73 71 70 92 92 91 85 85 91 84 66 65 55 81 20 19 80 90 73 79 76 28 80 87 75 77

2013–2016 breeding bird atlas: the number of recorded species per atlas square (10 × 10 km). The most species-rich squares are in areas where all important types of habitat occur, from lowland wetlands to Alpine habitats.

Swiss birdlife in numbers

The main objective of the 2013– species of breeding birds were found species were counted per kilometre 2016 atlas is to document the cur- in 2013–2016 (on Swiss territory: 204 square. In total, 745 428 territories rent distribution and population num- as well as six non-native species), 13 were detected during the surveys. The bers of breeding birds in Switzerland more than during the last atlas sur- most abundant species is the Com- and Liechtenstein. Equally important veys. However, four of these new spe- mon Chaffinch, with an estimated is showing the changes in distribu- cies are not native to Switzerland. On 0.9–1.1 million breeding pairs. The tion over the past decades. The goals average, 93 species were recorded per Black Redstart remains our most uni- are therefore similar to those of the atlas square. The most species-rich at- versal bird: it was recorded in 94.7 % 1993–1996 atlas: las square was Vouvry VS with 140 of all surveyed 1-km squares, mak- species; only eight species were re- ing it the most widespread, though 1. to document all breeding bird spe- corded in the atlas square in the Fin- not the most abundant bird species. cies present in each atlas square steraarhorn area BE/VS, due to the Woodland birds like Common Chaf- (10 × 10 km), as far as possible, natural topography, making it the finch, Eurasian Blackcap and Com- 2. to determine the abundance of square with the smallest number of mon Blackbird, present in forests at breeding birds using territory map- species. all altitude levels, are the ones with ping surveys, and the largest populations. The number 3. to record rare and colonial species Results in the kilometre squares of species and territories decreases as comprehensively as possible. The territory mapping surveys in 2318 with increasing altitude: at 600 m asl, kilometre squares, which make up a kilometre square on average held Country-wide results about 5 % of the total area within the 50 species with 396 territories; at A total of 467 atlas squares measur- atlas perimeter, provide a comprehen- 1200 m, 48 species with 351 territo- ing 10 × 10 km were surveyed in Swit- sive and representative data set with a ries were found, and 38 species with zerland and Liechtenstein as well as huge potential for analysis, especially 209 territories at 1800 m. in areas just beyond the Swiss bor- of common and widespread species. der. Within the atlas perimeter, 216 On average, 239.6 territories of 35.4

8 OVERVIEW

Territories/km2

1000

800800

600600

400400

200200

0 0

Total number of modelled breeding bird territories in the kilometre squares. The habitats with the most abundant birdlife are found in the lowlands north of the Alps as well as in Valais and Lower Engadine

Overview of the 2013–2016 atlas data Most abundant & widespread species Present in % of Population size Total number of records 3 169 412 Species surveyed km2 (territories) of which records from territory mapping surveys 1 524 429 Black Redstart 95 % 300 000–400 000 Number of kilometre squares with at least one record 36 002 (77 %*) Common Chaffinch 88 % 900 000–1 100 000 Surveyed kilometre squares 2318 (5 %*) Eurasian Blackcap 80 % 700 000–800 000 * = in percent of the entire survey area (46 202 km2) Common Blackbird 81 % 500 000–700 000 European Robin 81 % 450 000–650 000 Coal Tit 72 % 400 000–600 000

Surveys in kilometre squares Atlas squares with highest and lowest species richness

Average number of species 35.4 Vouvry (square 55/13) 140 species Min./max. number of species 2 / 69 Pfynwald (61/12) 135 species Average number of territories 240 Thun (61/17) 133 species Min./max. number of territories 3 / 742 Leysin (56/13) 132 species Total number of territories 745 428 Sennwald (75/23) 131 species Average survey time (per kilometre square) 10 h 49 min...... Number of survey visits 9095 Mattmark (64/9) 19 species Total survey effort 3.9 working years Finsteraarhorn (65/15) 8 species

The atlas square «Vouvry» at the eastern end of Lake Geneva accommo- dates diverse habitats and is therefore the most species-rich area.

9 Number of species/km2

2.002

1.001 0.500,5 0.25 0.000 −0.25 −0.50–0,5 −1.00–1

−2.00–2

Distribution change of Red-List species (2001/2010) since 1993–1996. The map combines the change maps of 27 species with sufficient data to model the occurrence probability for both atlas periods (most of the remaining 50 species are extremely rare).

Number of species remains constant, but...

To come straight to the point: the «bare increased from one atlas to the next, our of many areas have changed fundamen- figures» in the breeding bird atlas must level of knowledge has grown, the effort tally. On the other hand, the geographic be interpreted with great care. On the put into the surveys increased enormous- scale of the maps plays a critical role: alone hand, the number of observers ly, and mobility as well as the accessibility though many species that are moderately New breeders Fieldfare Fieldfare Pochard Red-crested Purple Heron Black-necked Grebe Wagtail Western Yellow Dove Eurasian Collared Common Pochard Warbler Savi’s Duck Tufted Gadwall Warbler Barred Pipit Tawny Melodious Warbler Rook Mew Gull Gull Yellow-legged Mediterranean Gull Reedling Bearded Warbler Cetti’s Common Rosefinch Common Eider Pallid Swift Bluethroat Bee-eater European Common Shelduck White-backed Woodpecker Cormorant Great Vulture Bearded Short-toed Snake Eagle

1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 – – – – – – – – – – – 1919 1929 1939 1949 1959 1969 1979 1989 1999 2009 2018 Disappeared Osprey Common Redshank Shrike Lesser Grey Lark Crested Shrike Grey Great Western Orphean Warbler Eurasian Curlew Shrike Woodchat Ortolan Bunting

Overview of species that have appeared in Switzerland since 1910 and have established themselves as breeders (top) and traditional breeding birds that have disappeared from Switzerland (bottom). The Bearded Vulture was reintroduced.

10 OVERVIEW

Swiss breeding bird communities are (too) dynamic

No more records: the Woodchat Shrike, once a Dwindling numbers: the Ortolan Bunting occu- Brief appearance: a pair of Black-winged Stilts widespread breeding bird, has disappeared from pied 150–250 territories 20 years ago, but there attempted to breed in 2013. Switzerland. have been no breeding records since 2014.

New breeder: the European Bee-eater has bred Gaining a foothold: following the first breeding Unwanted invasive species: the Ruddy Shelduck in Switzerland since 1991 and exceeded the record in 2012, 3–5 Short-toed Snake-eagle and more recently the Egyptian Goose (image) threshold of 100 breeding pairs in 2017. pairs have now become established. have established breeding populations.

common or scarce have decreased, this species require larger habitats, are sensi- surveys in the 1990s. Most affected are change is often not visible on the distri- tive to human disturbance, rely on large those 40 % of our native breeding birds bution maps at the 10 × 10 km scale. For insects for food, or are ground breed- that are quite rare or whose populations example, if there used to be one hun- ers exposed to the threats of farming are declining. For example, it is already dred pairs in a given atlas square, but machinery and predation. For many of clear that several species will have to be only one now remains, the atlas square them, conditions in Switzerland have be- added to the new Red List when it is pub- will still appear as occupied on the map. come even more precarious since the last lished in 2020. For this reason, we decided not to pub- lish the number of occupied atlas squares per atlas period for any species direct- Probability of occurrence/km2 ly. Comparisons of the detailed results 1.0 1 from those kilometre squares that were surveyed in both 1993–1996 and 2013– 0.50,5 2016 are much more informative. 0.0 0

−0.5–0,5 Homogenisation continues The few species that bred in Switzer- −1.0–1 land for the first time – mostly concern- ing just a handful of pairs – produce a positive overall balance in the number of current breeding species in pure- ly arithmetic terms. But the populations of many breeding birds in Switzerland are in marked decline and often show range contractions as well. Overall, we face a situation that is more unstable than necessary. The groups most affected by declines are wetland birds, birds No more dove talk? The results of the 2013–2016 atlas surveys do not bode well for the European that breed in low-intensity farmland, and/ Turtle-dove. Even in its former hotspots in Geneva, Vaud and Ticino, the species is in marked decline or long-distance migrants. Often, these (red areas).

11 OVERVIEW

Population trend, status and population size of breeding birds in Switzerland in 1950–1959, 1972–1976, 1993–1996 and 2013–2016 Each of the following 216 species bred in Switzerland in at least one of the four atlas periods in the 1950s, 1970s, 1990s and/or the 2010s. ● = annually, ○ = irregularly, ♦ = exceptionally. (=) population largely constant or fluctuating, or no significant trend; ++ = strong increase, X = no trend could be calculated. Trends can only be determined for 174 species currently classed as regular breeders. The maximum decline is –100, while an increase can exceed +100. Population in 2013–2016 (territories/ pairs/broods) Population in 2013–2016 (territories/ pairs/broods) Trend Trend 1990–2017 Trend 2008–2017 1950–1959 1972–1976 1993–1996 2013–2016 Species Trend 1990–2017 Trend 2008–2017 1950–1959 1972–1976 1993–1996 2013–2016 Species Common Quail (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 500–2 000 Grey Heron 32 36 ● ● ● ● 1 600–1 800 Rock Partridge –57 (=) ● ● ● ● 2 500–4 500 Purple Heron ++ ++ ● ● ♦ ● 6–17 Common Pheasant XX ● ● ● ● 40–60 Great White Egret XX ♦ 0–1 Grey Partridge (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 5–10 Little Egret XX ♦ 0–1 Hazel Grouse (=) 26 ● ● ● ● 3 000–5 500 Great Cormorant ++ 462 ● 1 200–2 100 Rock Ptarmigan –33 (=) ● ● ● ● 12 000–18 000 Black-winged Stilt XX ♦ 0–1 Western Capercaillie –35 (=) ● ● ● ● 360–470 Eurasian Dotterel XX ♦ ○ 1–3 Black Grouse (=) 14 ● ● ● ● 12 000–16 000 Little Ringed Plover (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 90–120 Mute Swan XX ● ● ● ● 590–720 Northern Lapwing –55 89 ● ● ● ● 140–180 Greylag Goose XX ● ● 45–60 Eurasian Curlew –97 X ● ● ● 0 Common Eider XX ● ● 1–5 Common Snipe –93 X ● ● ○ ♦ 0–1 Common Goldeneye XX ♦ ♦ 0 Eurasian Woodcock –12 (=) ● ● ● ● 1 000–4 000 Red-breasted Merganser XX ♦ ♦ 0–2 Common Sandpiper (=) 73 ● ● ● ● 70–90 Goosander 109 22 ● ● ● ● 600–800 Black-headed Gull –62 (=) ● ● ● ● 560–800 Egyptian Goose XX ● 8–13 Mediterranean Gull ++ (=) ♦ ○ ○ 0–5 Ruddy Shelduck XX ● ● 10–15 Mew Gull (=) –94 ● ● ○ 0–3 Common Shelduck XX ♦ ● 1–4 Yellow-legged Gull ++ 54 ● ● ● 1 240–1 430 Wood Duck XX ♦ ♦ 0–1 Arctic Tern XX ♦ 0–1 Mandarin Duck XX ♦ ♦ ● ● 10–20 Common Tern 149 (=) ● ● ● ● 580–760 Red-crested Pochard 973 65 ● ● ● ● 210–300 Common Barn-owl –19 (=) ● ● ● ● 200–1 000 Common Pochard (=) (=) ♦ ● ● ● 6–9 Eurasian Pygmy-owl (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 800–2 000 Ferruginous Duck XX ♦ ♦ 0–1 Little Owl 181 84 ● ● ● ● 115–150 Tufted Duck 78 (=) ♦ ● ● ● 160–280 Boreal Owl (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 1 000–3 000 Garganey XX ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 0–1 Eurasian Scops-owl 172 (=) ● ● ● ● 30–40 Northern Shoveler XX ♦ ♦ ○ 0–1 N. Long-eared Owl 15 (=) ● ● ● ● 2 000–3 000 Gadwall 137 (=) ♦ ♦ ● ● 5–10 Tawny Owl (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 6 000–8 000 Common Teal XX ○ ○ ○ ○ 0–2 Eurasian Eagle-owl (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 200–230 Mallard 24 (=) ● ● ● ● 20 000–30 000 Europ. Honey-buzzard 20 (=) ● ● ● ● 500–1000 Little Grebe –19 (=) ● ● ● ● 800–1 300 Bearded Vulture ++ 433 ● 9–15 Black-necked Grebe (=) 405 ○ ○ ○ ○ 3–4 Golden Eagle 16 (=) ● ● ● ● 350–360 Great Crested Grebe –26 (=) ● ● ● ● 3 500–5 000 Short-toed Snake-eagle XX ○ 3–5 Feral Pigeon XX ● ● ● ● 20 000–35 000 Western Marsh-harrier XX ○ ♦ ♦ 0–3 Stock Dove 58 32 ● ● ● ● 2 000–4 000 Montagu’s Harrier XX ○ ♦ 0 Common Woodpigeon 215 40 ● ● ● ● 130 000–150 000 Eurasian Sparrowhawk 26 (=) ● ● ● ● 3 500–6 000 European Turtle-dove –43 –29 ● ● ● ● 150–400 Northern Goshawk (=) 17 ● ● ● ● 1 300–1 700 Eurasian Collared-dove 50 (=) ● ● ● ● 15 000–25 000 Red Kite 552 64 ● ● ● ● 2 800–3 500 European Nightjar –18 –18 ● ● ● ● 40–50 Black Kite 112 (=) ● ● ● ● 2 000–3 000 Alpine Swift 107 (=) ● ● ● ● 1 800–2 300 Eurasian Buzzard 33 (=) ● ● ● ● 15 000–20 000 Pallid Swift 165 (=) ● ● 29–36 Common Hoopoe 56 (=) ● ● ● ● 180–260 Common Swift (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 40 000–60 000 European Bee-eater ++ 414 ● ● 53–72 Common Cuckoo (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 15 000–25 000 Common Kingfisher 51 (=) ● ● ● ● 400–500 Western Water Rail (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 500–800 Eurasian Wryneck (=) 42 ● ● ● ● 1 000–2 500 Corncrake 205 (=) ● ● ● ● 15–40 Grey-faced Woodpecker –73 –46 ● ● ● ● 300–700 Spotted Crake (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 10–20 Eur. Green Woodpecker 75 (=) ● ● ● ● 10 000–17 000 Little Crake XX ● ● ● ● 1–5 Black Woodpecker 171 39 ● ● ● ● 6 000–9 000 Baillon’s Crake XX ♦ ♦ ♦ 0–1 Three-toed Woodpecker (=) 56 ● ● ● ● 1 000–2 500 Common Moorhen (=) 46 ● ● ● ● 1 000–2 000 Middle Sp. Woodpecker 216 57 ● ● ● ● 1 700–2 100 Common Coot 31 26 ● ● ● ● 5 000–8 000 Lesser Sp. Woodpecker 21 26 ● ● ● ● 1 500–3 000 White Stork 220 118 ● ● ● ● 370–460 White-b. Woodpecker XX ♦ ● 20–30 Common Little Bittern (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 90–120 Great Sp. Woodpecker 102 (=) ● ● ● ● 70 000–90 000 Black-cr. Night Heron XX ♦ ♦ ♦ 0–1 Common Kestrel 138 34 ● ● ● ● 5 000–7 500

12 OVERVIEW Population in 2013–2016 (territories/ pairs/broods) Population in 2013–2016 (territories/ pairs/broods) Species Trend 1990–2017 Trend 2008–2017 1950–1959 1972–1976 1993–1996 2013–2016 Species Trend 1990–2017 Trend 2008–2017 1950–1959 1972–1976 1993–1996 2013–2016 Eurasian Hobby 12 (=) ● ● ● ● 500–1 000 Wallcreeper –33 (=) ● ● ● ● 1 000–2 500 Peregrine Falcon 106 (=) ● ● ● ● 260–320 Northern Wren 61 (=) ● ● ● ● 400 000–550 000 Eurasian Golden Oriole 50 (=) ● ● ● ● 3 000–4 500 White-throated Dipper 36 (=) ● ● ● ● 6 000–8 000 Red-backed Shrike –50 (=) ● ● ● ● 10 000–15 000 Common Starling (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 120 000–140 000 Lesser Grey Shrike XX ● ○ 0 Mistle Thrush 31 (=) ● ● ● ● 130 000–150 000 Great Grey Shrike XX ● ● 0 Song Thrush 40 49 ● ● ● ● 300 000–350 000 Woodchat Shrike –100 (=) ● ● ● 0 Eurasian Blackbird 41 13 ● ● ● ● 500 000–700 000 Red-billed Chough 150 (=) ● ● ● ● 70–80 Fieldfare –44 (=) ● ● ● ● 40 000–45 000 Yellow-billed Chough (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 11 000–21 000 Ring Ouzel –35 (=) ● ● ● ● 50 000–75 000 Eurasian Jay 22 (=) ● ● ● ● 60 000–75 000 Spotted Flycatcher –35 (=) ● ● ● ● 35 000–55 000 Eurasian Magpie 157 (=) ● ● ● ● 35 000–40 000 European Robin 38 20 ● ● ● ● 450 000–650 000 Northern Nutcracker (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 20 000–25 000 Red-spotted Bluethroat 395 (=) ♦ ● ● 5–12 Eurasian Jackdaw 71 35 ● ● ● ● 1 250–1 500 Common Nightingale 58 33 ● ● ● ● 1 700–2 200 Rook ++ 113 ● ● ● 5 800–7 300 Eur. Pied Flycatcher 49 (=) ● ● ● ● 17 000–22 000 Common Raven 69 (=) ● ● ● ● 2 000–3 000 Collared Flycatcher XX ● ● ● ● 15–25 Carrion Crow 123 (=) ● ● ● ● 80 000–120 000 Black Redstart 13 (=) ● ● ● ● 300 000–400 000 Hooded Crow XX ● ● ● ● 2 000–3 000 Common Redstart (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 12 000–18 000 Coal Tit 530 (=) ● ● ● ● 400 000–600 000 Rufous-t. Rock-thrush –28 36 ● ● ● ● 2 000–3 000 Crested Tit 72 (=) ● ● ● ● 90 000–110 000 Blue Rock-thrush (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 15–25 Marsh Tit 45 (=) ● ● ● ● 70 000–100 000 Whinchat –56 –29 ● ● ● ● 7 000–9 000 Alpine or Willow Tit 100 (=) ● ● ● ● 70 000–95 000 Common Stonechat 91 25 ● ● ● ● 1 500–2 000 Eurasian Blue Tit 107 (=) ● ● ● ● 200 000–300 000 Northern Wheatear 31 (=) ● ● ● ● 40 000–60 000 Great Tit 31 (=) ● ● ● ● 400 000–550 000 Goldcrest 58 (=) ● ● ● ● 200 000–400 000 Eurasian Penduline-tit XX ○ ○ ○ ♦ 0–1 Common Firecrest (=) 104 ● ● ● ● 250 000–400 000 Woodlark (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 250–300 Alpine Accentor (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 25 000–40 000 Eurasian Skylark –43 –20 ● ● ● ● 25 000–30 000 Dunnock 20 22 ● ● ● ● 200 000–250 000 Crested Lark XX ● ○ 0 House Sparrow 18 (=) ● ● ● ● 450 000–550 000 Bearded Reedling (=) (=) ● ● ● 80–110 Italian Sparrow XX ● ● ● ● 20 000–25 000 Zitting Cisticola XX ♦ ♦ ♦ 0–2 Eurasian Tree Sparrow 66 (=) ● ● ● ● 80 000–95 000 Melodious Warbler 27 47 ● ● ● ● 300–350 White-w. Snowfinch –12 (=) ● ● ● ● 6 000–9 000 Icterine Warbler –74 (=) ● ● ● ● 100–150 Tree Pipit –49 (=) ● ● ● ● 50 000–70 000 Moustached Warbler XX ♦ ♦ 0–1 Meadow Pipit –54 (=) ● ● ● ● 500–800 Sedge Warbler XX ♦ 0 Water Pipit (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 150 000–200 000 Marsh Warbler (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 3 000–6 000 Tawny Pipit XX ♦ ♦ ○ ○ 1–3 Common Reed-warbler (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 9 000–11 000 Western Yellow Wagtail 21 (=) ● ● ● ● 300–340 Great Reed-warbler 67 92 ● ● ● ● 270–320 Grey Wagtail (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 17 000–20 000 Savi’s Warbler 49 (=) ● ● ● ● 280–310 White Wagtail –11 –14 ● ● ● ● 90 000–110 000 C. Grasshopper-warbler 36 (=) ● ● ● ● 150–250 Common Chaffinch 31 (=) ● ● ● ● 900 000–1 100 000 Northern House Martin –29 (=) ● ● ● ● 70 000–90 000 Hawfinch (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 13 000–17 000 Barn Swallow (=) 23 ● ● ● ● 70 000–90 000 Common Rosefinch (=) 173 ● ● 50–70 Eurasian Crag Martin 55 51 ● ● ● ● 7 000–9 000 Eurasian Bullfinch (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 40 000–75 000 Collared Sand Martin –44 61 ● ● ● ● 2 300–3 000 European Greenfinch (=) –38 ● ● ● ● 90 000–120 000 West. Bonelli’s Warbler 110 38 ● ● ● ● 40 000–60 000 Common Linnet (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 25 000–30 000 Wood Warbler –64 (=) ● ● ● ● 5 000–7 500 Redpoll (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 15 000–20 000 Willow Warbler –67 –34 ● ● ● ● 4 000–5 000 Red Crossbill 123 (=) ● ● ● ● 25 000–35 000 Common Chiffchaff 52 (=) ● ● ● ● 250 000–300 000 European Goldfinch –36 (=) ● ● ● ● 50 000–70 000 Greenish Warbler XX ♦ 0–1 Citril Finch –37 (=) ● ● ● ● 10 000–20 000 Cetti’s Warbler XX ○ ○ ○ 0–2 European Serin –15 (=) ● ● ● ● 35 000–45 000 Long-tailed Tit 117 (=) ● ● ● ● 20 000–35 000 Eurasian Siskin (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 10 000–16 000 Eurasian Blackcap 65 19 ● ● ● ● 700 000–800 000 Corn Bunting –39 (=) ● ● ● ● 80–110 Garden Warbler –39 –24 ● ● ● ● 35 000–50 000 Rock Bunting (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 7 000–10 000 Barred Warbler –87 –87 ● ● ● ● 0–5 Ortolan Bunting –98 –90 ● ● ● ○ 1–5 West. Orphean Warbler X X ♦ ○ ○ 0 Cirl Bunting (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 1 000–1 500 Lesser Whitethroat (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 17 000–23 000 Yellowhammer (=) –16 ● ● ● ● 65 000–75 000 Subalpine Warbler XX ♦ ♦ 0–1 Reed Bunting –27 (=) ● ● ● ● 1 700–3 000 Greater Whitethroat 31 32 ● ● ● ● 1 800–2 500 Short-toed Treecreeper 37 (=) ● ● ● ● 45 000–55 000 Eurasian Treecreeper 161 (=) ● ● ● ● 75 000–100 000 Eurasian Nuthatch (=) (=) ● ● ● ● 110 000–170 000

13 The Eurasian Wryneck inhabits open, light-flooded deciduous woods, gardens and traditional orchards and relies on sites with nutrient-poor soils and low, patchy ground vegetation. This is where it finds its favourite food, ants and their larvae and pupae, which it extracts from nests in the ground with a rapid extension of its tongue.

Long-distance migrants in decline

Overall, the numbers of long-distance specialised, the former are more affected important food source for many long-dis- migrants are declining, while those of by habitat changes in the breeding and tance migrants. About 40 % of Swiss short-distance migrants and residents wintering grounds and therefore more breeding bird species feed almost exclu- appear to be increasing. Being more vulnerable. In addition, insects are an sively on insects. A further 25 % have a mixed diet, but rely mainly on insects to feed their young. Insectivores therefore need an ample supply of suitable insects Territories/km2 that also have to be easy to catch. The

+3+3 steep decline of insects in farmland in particular is a major problem for our na- +1.5+1,5 tive breeding birds. +0.5+0,5 −0.5–0,5 −1.5–1,5 Many dangers in many places Long-distance migrants travel between −3–3 several completely different locations, spending 4–5 months in the breeding grounds, two months on spring and au- tumn migration, and 5–6 months in the wintering sites. Certain species move considerable distances within their wintering range in a single season. Habitat changes at one of the sites frequented in the course of the year can quickly put them under pressure. They need to be in certain places at certain times, in keeping with their tight annual schedule. More The Red-backed Shrike feeds mainly on large insects. While there were some local increases, e.g. near Geneva, the species has declined significantly in its former strongholds in the Jura, Valais and over, many species face a high risk of Ticino (red areas on the density change map, see p. 38 for more details on this map type). mortality during migration.

14 RECENT TRENDS

3500 140 2013–2016 1993–1996 3000 120 2500

2000 100 Index 1500 Bestandsindex Altitude (m asl) 1000 80

500 60 0 2 4 6 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 Main number of species of long-distance migrants per km2

Comparing the altitudinal distribution of long-distance migrants in 1993– The populations of long-distance migrants (red) are in marked decline, 1996 and 2013–2016 shows that significant losses only occurred below while short-distance migrants and residents (blue) are faring much better. 1500 m, which suggests that many declines are «home-made».

The fact that long-distance migrants manure of these animals attract sig- only 20 years. The proportion of ex- have above all disappeared from the nificantly fewer insects. tremely dense meadows increased con- Swiss lowlands, where the impact of ● Use of pesticides in private gardens as siderably during the same period. The human activity is especially strong, is well. Pesticide-free gardening would wheat yield per hectare has tripled in an indication that the decline is largely be an easy measure to implement. Switzerland since 1940, thanks to heavy «home-made». nitrogen fertilisation and closely spaced Insects are poorly accessible crop varieties. Insectivores like Eurasian Causes of insect decline Many crops and meadows are much Hoopoe, Eurasian Wryneck, Little Owl Although data are scarce throughout denser than they used to be. Sparse, and Common Redstart are unable to central Europe, it is safe to say that few- low-nutrient meadows, for instance, forage in such densely vegetated mead- er insects exist today than a few decades declined by 20 % in the Engadine in ows and fields. ago. This loss is documented for several areas in Germany, where insect biomass decreased by 75 % in the past 27 years. While there are no data from Switzerland, Territories/km2 there are plenty of signs that indicate a +10+10 similarly large loss. The reasons for the +7+7 decline are diverse: +4+4 +1+1 ● Loss of habitats such as semi-dry and −1–1 dry grassland, wetlands and semi-nat- −4–4 ural waterbodies. −7–7 −10–10 ● Farming methods that are hostile to insects: Semi-natural embankments are often mulched during the peak flowering period. Baled silage has become widespread right up to the sub-Alpine zone. Meadows are cut up to six times a year. ● Herbicides reduce the supply of plant food for many insects. ● Use of insecticides: beneficial organisms are decimated as well as harmful ones. The Barn Swallow is a familiar harbinger of spring. Its population has declined significantly in large ● Use of medication to control para- parts of the country. During bad weather especially, the insufficient food supply can lead to brood sites in farm animals: The dung and loss. In addition, the decline of farms with livestock has caused breeding sites to disappear.

15 The Golden Eagle is present throughout the Swiss Alps; all suitable territories are occupied. The breeding success of the approximately 350 pairs is quite low, putting a natural limit on population growth. However, an increasing number of breeding attempts now fail due to disturbance by humans.

Recovery of raptor populations

For centuries, raptors and owls were di- large-scale use from 1940, was a se- The – intentional – decimation of in- rectly persecuted by humans. The last vere threat. As it accumulates at the sects also had serious consequences. Bearded Vulture in the Alps was shot in top of the food chain, it hit birds of The reduced food supply affects 1913, and the last Osprey pair bred in prey particularly hard, causing them to many species, including raptors, the Switzerland in 1911. The populations of produce eggs with thin shells. In conse- final links in the food chain, which ei- Red Kite and Golden Eagle were severe- quence, only a single Peregrine Falcon ther hunt insects themselves or prey ly depleted. Despite the ban on hunting pair bred successfully in Switzerland on small, insectivorous mammals like introduced for several species in 1926, outside of the Alps in 1971. Follow- shrews. many raptor populations were slow to ing a ban on persistent chlorinated hy- Various human activities have had recover. Golden Eagle, Eurasian Hobby drocarbons (including DDT and PCB) in a positive effect on certain species: in- and Peregrine Falcon were not protect- most western countries in the 1970s, tensively managed grassland, where ed until 1953, Northern Goshawk and the affected species started to recov- grass is mowed several times a year, Eurasian Sparrowhawk not until 1963. er. But poisoning by carbofuran, only appears to benefit less specialised banned in Switzerland in 2013, contin- birds of prey, such as Red and Black Fatal pesticides ued to occur regularly in farmland are- Kite and Eurasian Buzzard. Targeted Besides direct persecution, the use as well into the 1990s, affecting Eura- conservation measures have boosted of pesticides such as DDT, put to sian Buzzards and Red and Black Kites. the Red Kite population, for example,

1950–1959 1972–1976 1993–1996 2013–2016

In the Middle Ages, the Red Kite was a widespread and common species in central Europe. Its area of distribution shrank considerably with the spread of firearms and as a result of poisoning. The species has since recovered and extended its range far into the Alps.

16 RECENT TRENDS

The reintroduction of the Bearded Vulture in the Alps is a particularly notable success. The species has bred again in Switzerland since 2007 and occupied as many as 16 atlas squares in Switzerland in 2013–2016. Such reintroduction schemes require a huge effort and should remain an exceptional measure. and nest boxes have helped the Com- raptors’ southern migration and win- the protection of nest sites for sensi- mon Kestrel. tering grounds. tive cliff breeders. Timber should be Today, the populations of almost all harvested outside of the breeding sea- birds of prey are comparatively large Need for action son. To protect migrating birds, impor- – in some cases, such as the Red Kite, Migratory raptors in particular, such tant migration routes such as mountain numbers are probably higher than ever as Red and Black Kite, European Hon- passes and ridges should remain unob- before. But several species are in de- ey-buzzard, harriers and falcons, are ex- structed by infrastructure. Other desir- cline once more. The Peregrine Falcon posed to a number of threats, reaching able measures include the monitoring is a particularly critical case (due in from direct persecution to drought and of breeding populations and breeding part to illegal persecution), and North- rainforest deforestation. Many of these success, especially for secretive wood- ern Goshawk and Eurasian Sparrow- problems are hard to address. Howev- land species. hawk populations appear to be unsta- er, the replacement of dangerous pow- ble again. er pylons in Switzerland is feasible and long overdue. We could also improve Trends can easily reverse Most raptors are long-lived, reach sex- ual maturity late and have a low reproductive rate. Therefore, even a small in- Probability of occurrence/km2 crease in adult mortality can affect the 1.0 1 population trend. Current threats in- 0.5 clude habitat loss, increasing human 0,5 disturbance, electrocution on power 0.0 0 pylons, collisions with overhead pow- −0.5–0,5 er lines, cables, vehicles, trains and win- −1.0–1 dows, pesticide contamination, lead poisoning from fragments of ammu- nition in the carcasses of game animals (affecting carrion eaters) and finally, illegal persecution. Human leisure activities such as rock climbing, paragliding and nest photography also increasingly affect breeding success in several species, e.g. the Golden Eagle. The growth of wind energy will result in breeding birds disappearing from certain areas and also cause casualties among mi- Clear positive trend: the Common Kestrel occurs in almost every atlas square. Numbers decreased grating raptors. Currently, collisions significantly in the 1980s. Compared to the 1990s, populations have recovered throughout the with wind turbines mostly occur in the lowlands.

17 RECENT TRENDS

Climate change forces birds upwards

Not only are glaciers in retreat, but the vegetation cover around and above the tree line is also changing. As a result, many breeding birds of mountain forests and Alpine habitats move to higher ground while at the same time deserting the lower-lying regions.

Mediterranean species such as the whose western or southern range However, climate change in Melodious Warbler, which reach limit lies in Switzerland appear to Switzerland affects the Alps first their northern distribution limit in be retreating northwards, among and foremost. The atlas results Switzerland, have increased since them Grey-faced Woodpecker and show how related environmental 1993–1996 and extended their rang- Willow Warbler. Climate warming changes already impact breeding es to the north. In contrast, cen- is presumably a driving force behind bird communities today, directly or tral and northern European species these trends. indirectly. Ringdrossel

3500

Territories/km2 3000 2500 +10+10 +7+7 2000 +4+4 1500 +1+1

−1–1 Altitude (m asl) 1000 −4–4 −7–7 500 −10–10 0 2,5 5 7,5 10 −2,5 0

Percentage of population (%) Change 2013–2016 since 1993–1996

Switzerland has an international responsibility for the Ring Ouzel. It has lost ground in the western Jura and along the northern Pre-Alps (red areas). This is particularly alarming as these areas are the species’ strongholds.

18 RECENT TRENDS

200 +200

+160

+120 100 +80

+40

0 0 –40 Bestandsindex Bestandsindex –80

–100 –120

–160 Change in mean altitude per species (m) Change in mean altitude per species (m)

500 1000 1500 2000 0 4 8 12 16 Mean altitude per species 1993–1996 (m asl) Number of species

Average altitudinal distribution per species between 1993–1996 and 2013– Between 1993–1996 and 2013–2016, 16 breeding species showed no 2016. Mountain birds have experienced a more pronounced upward shift change in average altitudinal distribution (red). 40 species shifted upwards than lowland species. (in some cases significantly), 15 species downwards.

Two thirds of common bird species their average altitudinal distribution. What does the future hold for our move to higher altitude The remaining 27 species either show mountain birds? Swiss breeding birds are distributed only increases at higher altitudes or The changes in altitudinal distribution along an altitudinal gradient of more only losses in lower areas. Only in the suggest that the Alps may serve as a than 3000 m. The atlas data allows us case of four species did we find loss- refuge in the future, when even more to determine the shift in altitudinal es at high altitudes and gains in the pronounced environmental changes distribution for 71 common species lowlands. are expected to occur. But they will with density change maps for the pe- The upward shift between the only be able to fulfil this function if riod between 1993–1996 and 2013– two atlas periods is particularly pro- biodiversity is taken into account in 2016; 40 of these are woodland birds. nounced in species whose popula- the development of tourist infrastruc- The average altitudinal distribution of tions are concentrated at high alti- ture or agriculture. all 71 species has shifted upwards by tude. The ten species with the highest There are limits to this shift to high- 24 m in the past 20 years. Almost two altitudinal distribution in 1993–1996 er ground. On the one hand, the sur- thirds of all species moved to high- experienced an average upward shift face area of suitable habitats decreas- er altitude between the two atlas of 51 m. es with increasing altitude simply due periods. Of the species whose aver- to topography. On the other hand, age change in altitudinal distribution Trends with various causes habitats respond to climate warm- was more than 50 m, only four shift- Other reasons, such as changes in ing with a certain time lag, especial- ed downwards, while 22 species ex- farming practices, probably also play ly forests. How the resulting ecologi- perienced an upward range shift. a part. But we assume that climate cal imbalances will affect the species change is the main reason for the up- occupying these habitats is impossi- A common pattern: losses down ward range shift of breeding birds in ble to predict. One thing is clear: the below, gains up high Switzerland. Because climatic factors Alps will play an even more critical Among the 47 species whose range have a greater limiting influence on role in the conservation of breeding has shifted upwards, 20 show a sim- mountain birds than on lowland spe- birds in Switzerland than they have ilar pattern: their populations have cies, and because climate change is done so far. Unfortunately, it is also decreased at lower altitudes while more pronounced at higher altitudes, clear that the process underway will increasing in the upper reaches of climate change could also explain the produce more losers than winners in their distribution, independent of above-average upward range shift of the long term. their ecological requirements and mountain birds

19 New techniques lead to increasingly intensive farming. For example, the large-scale use of protective fleece or plastic tunnels prevents farmland birds from breeding in their traditional habitats.

Monotonous farmland

The situation of farmland birds has industrial machinery. Farming practices gradually being driven out by intensi- worsened since the 1990s, in the have changed dramatically since 1950. fied land use. mountains in particular. If you keep your Land consolidation, drainage of wet- The federal government reacted by eyes and ears open on a walk in the lands, the clearing of traditional or- introducing policy instruments to stop countryside, you will notice some ubiq- chards and hedgerows, mechanisation the impoverishment of nature. In order uitous species like the Carrion Crow but and the use of pesticides and artifi- to qualify for direct payments, farmers very few other birds. Where farming cial fertilisers have reduced the biolog- now have to provide «proof of ecolog- families used to cultivate a diverse mo- ical quality of farmland. In the last at- ical performance», one of the require- saic of cornfields, flowery meadows, las published 20 years ago, the Swiss ments being the creation of biodiversity hedgerows and traditional orchards, Ornithological Institute already con- promotion areas (BPA). The federal gov- agricultural land is now managedFeldlerche with cluded that many farmland birds were ernment also developed a system with measurable goals, presented in the report «Environmental Objectives in Agri- 140 culture (EOA)». But despite significant effort, none of these objectives has been

120 achieved so far; on the contrary, the gap has actually widened. For example, the population size of EOA target species 100

Index has declined by half since 1990.

Bestandsindex Such results are frustrating – not 80 only for conservationists, but also for the farmers that have shown genuine 60 commitment and made a huge effort. 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 So what are the reasons for the failure of our current agricultural policy, which The Eurasian Skylark, once a widespread and common species throughout Switzerland, has be- is backed by more than 2.7 billion Swiss come a symbol for the decline of farmland birds. It has already disappeared from large parts of the francs annually in the form of direct Jahr country, and its population trend continues to decrease. payments and other public funds? Since

20 SITUATION IN THE HABITATS

the 1990s, the intensification of agricul- Number of species/km2 ture has continued to progress. The im- 4.04 port of feed concentrates continues to 3.03 2.02 grow, leading to the increased produc- 1.01 0.5 0.00 tion of manure and slurry. Faster ma- −0.5 −1.0–1 chinery means that larger expanses of −2.0–2 land can be managed in less time. Mod- −3.0–3 −4.0 ern harvesting and forage-conservation –4 techniques (baled silage) resulted in the further rationalisation of intensive grassland management as many as 20 years ago. The amounts of pesticides have re- mained constant at a high level, but the substances used today are much more toxic. New livestock-fattening units are built and roads are constructed to access remote areas. Many of these ecologically harmful developments are sup- ported by the federal government. Only about one fifth of the direct payments In the red: change map for species included in the «Environmental Objectives in Agriculture» (the invested in agriculture target the pro- map combines target and characteristic species). motion of biodiversity whereas the majority of the funds are used to further intensify production, promoting a form of agriculture that is harmful to the sufficient quality; in the valley and hill Many farmers have a profound inter- environment. Thus, agricultural policy regions, high-quality BPA account for est in nature. However, most of them thwarts its own efforts for more biodi- only 5.1 % of the total area of cultivat- are out of their depth when it comes versity. The system of direct payments ed land. The situation is even worse on to biodiversity-friendly practices and do needs to be greatly improved if agricul- arable land, where wildflower strips and not have the necessary knowledge to ture is to be brought onto a more sus- rotational fallows make up only 1.3 % apply them. This is not surprising, as bio tainable track. Only sustainable systems of the area. diversity and ecology are given far too should receive support, but this support Another critical measure would be little attention in education and training needs to be wholehearted. the effective implementation of existing and in the existing advisory services for The most important single measure regulation. At present, numerous viola- farmers. The Swiss Ornithological Insti- would involve the creation of sufficient tions of existing laws go unsanctioned. tute was able to show that farmers who high-quality biodiversity promotion ar- Such practices not only harm nature, have benefited from advice and train- eas (BPA). There is ample evidence that they also put those farmers that culti- ing implement more potent and more breeding birds, but also other animals vate the land in an environment-friend- diverse measures, thus promoting bio- and plants, benefit from such valua- ly way at a disadvantage compared to diversity in an effective way. ble areas. But only a part of BPA are of those farming intensively.

100

60 Index 40 Bestandsindex

0 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 The Corn Bunting inhabits richly structured farmland and the edges of wet- Way off target: the Swiss Bird Index SBI® «Target species EOA» shows an lands, but has few special requirements. The fact that we have been unable uninterrupted decline. to sustain even this species reflects the complete failure of our agricultural policy.

21 The bright green colours are a tell-tale sign: mountain farmland that is easily accessed with machinery receives large amounts of fertiliser and is used intensively. As a result, meadow birds barely stand a chance in this mountain valley in Grisons at 1700 m.

Intensification in the mountains

While farmland birds came under farmland is only observed in relative- change is slow and goes almost un- pressure on the Central Plateau sever- ly few areas. noticed. Nevertheless, it leads to the al decades ago, many species contin- Agriculture in the mountains has loss of habitat for countless small ued to maintain substantial popula- undergone major changes in the past animals as well as breeding sites for tions in mountain areas. The situation decades. Mountain farmers are work- birds. A recent development is the has worsened considerably since the ing increasingly large areas of land use of stone crushers to transform 1990s. Due to the intensification of and as a consequence can use more large expanses of richly structured agriculture, many bird populations, powerful, faster and larger equip- meadows into intensively used grass- especially ground breeders, have col- ment. Small structures are an obsta- land, a process that completely de- lapsed in mountain regions as well. cle for these machines, so rocks and stroys the value of the land as habi- In contrast, a decline in species rich- bushes are gradually removed and in- tat for Woodlark, Northern Wheatear ness due to the abandonment of clines are levelled. In general, such and Tree Pipit.

These two images from Gadmen BE are a striking illustration of the ongoing process of homogenisation in the mountains. On the left, an image from 1950, on the right, one from 2003. And yet this development goes largely unnoticed.

22 SITUATION IN THE HABITATS

In the Jura too, farming methods have intensified. Areas levelled with stone-crushers in the Cantons of Berne and Solothurn.

Subsidies leading in the wrong introduction of silage means that grass the needs of meadow birds and other direction can be cut ever earlier in the year in wildlife. Low-intensity meadows and Between 2003 and 2016, the federal favourable farming locations: between pastures should make up about 20– government spent more than 80 mil- 1988 and 2002 alone, the date of the 40 % of the grassland area on the lion francs per year on soil improvement first mowing advanced by 20 days – Central Plateau, 60 % in the moun- and farm buildings. Two thirds of the ex- which means that it now coincides tains. This would be possible if live- penditure have been allocated to moun- with the breeding season of meadow stock numbers were adjusted to tain regions, triggering a substantial birds in many mountain areas. Year after match the grassland’s natural po- amount of additional investment. The year, countless broods, and even incu- tential for forage production. Farm- funds were used to improve road access bating adults, are destroyed by mowing ers whose meadows and pastures to cultivated land or finance irrigation machinery. The high rate of brood loss are managed at low intensity receive systems in the central Alps, which in causes populations to collapse. compensation under the federal sys- turn led to more intensive use of mead- tem of ecological direct payments. ows. In the Engadine, the area of nutri- Solutions exist ent-poor grassland shrank by 20 % in There is an urgent need for manage- just 25 years. On the other hand, the ment practices that take into account

Where meadow sage once bloomed, nutrient-rich and species-poor grassland now grows due to irri- The nests of ground breeders like this Skylark gation systems and fertilisation. brood are often destroyed through mowing.

23 SITUATION IN THE HABITATS

Positive trends for woodland birds

Continued increase in forest area and growing stock Many woodland species have probably simply benefited from the increase in forest area and wood biomass. Be- tween 1993–1995 and 2009–2013, forest area increased by 7 %. In the same time period, the growing stock increased by 3 %, reaching 352 m3/ ha. On the Central Plateau, however, growing stock decreased by 11 %. Significant increases occurred in the central Alps (15 %) and southern Alps (30 %), mostly in areas above 1200 m. Here, the use of remote farmland was abandoned long ago, making way for the spread of forest. Another factor driving the increase in growing stock is declining timber exploitation in are- Slightly larger forested area, increased growing stock and more deadwood: the Black Woodpecker as where access is difficult. Finally, cli- and many other woodland species have benefited from the positive overall development of forests mate warming stimulates the growth in Switzerland. of trees in higher and less productive areas. Forest currently accounts for 31.3 % of Swiss territory and consists The trends of woodland birds are pos- trunks such as woodpeckers and the of about 535 million trees. Forests are itive overall. The long-term monitor- Eurasian Treecreeper have increased the second largest type of habitat in ing scheme indicates that their popu- significantly. However, a few typical terms of surface area after agricultur- lations have increased by about 20 % woodland species are also in decline, al land. since 1990. In particular, widespread for example Western Capercaillie and species that make their nests in tree Wood Warbler. More natural regeneration, deadwood and habitat trees The practice of natural and site-adapted forest regeneration implement- Number of species/km2 ed throughout the country since the

3.03 start of the millennium has reduced

2.02 stands with a large proportion of co- 1.01 nifer trees by one fifth, especially in 0.5 0.00 −0.5 the lowlands. The volume of dead- −1.0–1 wood more than doubled between −2.0–2 1993–1995 and 2009–2013, increas- −3.0–3 ing from 11 to 26 m3/ha on average. However, the distribution of deadwood is unsatisfactory. In the more intensively used forests of the Jura and the Central Plateau, the amount of deadwood is still only half that of the Alps and Pre-Alps, where it is concentrated in the windthrow areas created by storm «Lothar». Many areas in the Jura and on the Central Plateau have not yet reached the federal target of Distribution change since 1993–1996 of Eurasian Green, Black, Great Spotted, Middle Spotted, 20 m3/ha, to be achieved by 2030. and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, European Crested Tit, Willow Tit and Eurasian Treecreeper. Dead- The promotion of biodiversity has wood and old growth are critical for these typical woodland birds. also led to an increase in so-called

24 SITUATION IN THE HABITATS

habitat trees compared to 1993– Probability of occurrence/km2

1995 (1.7 vs. 1.1 trees/ha). As they 1.01 age and are exposed to external in- fluences, large old trees often form 0.50,5

rot, cracks, crevices, cavities as well as 0.00 moss and lichen growth, offering habitats for a large range of organisms; −0.5–0,5

these in turn serve as a food source −1.0–1 for woodpeckers and treecreepers. But the number of habitat trees in our managed woods remains small: there are about 30 times as many such trees in the primeval beech forests of the Ukrainian Carpathians.

On the way to becoming an ecological hotspot? The Forest Act of 1991 requires owners and foresters to use a close-to-nature approach to forest management. The Middle Spotted Woodpecker, a species that mainly occupies deciduous trees with furrowed Thanks to this practice of na- bark, has gained a lot of ground in the past 20 years. ture-friendly silviculture and the fact that the total extent of forest area is protected by law, the ecological quality of woodlands is high compared to a sufficiently broad and well-struc- – give cause for concern. Due to the other habitats. As promising as the tured shrub and herb belt. increased use of wood for fuel, the increasing use of biodiversity-friend- Forests are also becoming more proportion of deadwood and old ly methods in forestry is, there have and more popular with leisure seek- growth could decline again in the fu- been other, more problematic trends ers, which affects game animals ture if no measures are taken to pre- in recent years: as the forest has and birds sensitive to disturbance, vent this. For these reasons, we need grown, open, light-flooded types of such as Western Capercaillie. Fi- to continue to pay close attention to woodland have become even scarcer. nally, trends in forest management the use of forests despite the over- Moreover, the loss of forest edges as that involve ever larger wood-har- all positive trends in bird populations. patches of forest grow together is un- vesting machinery and interven- desirable in terms of overall species ditions at all times of the year – in- versity. 84 % of forest edges still lack cluding during the breeding season

140

120

100

80 Index 60

Bestandsindex 40

0 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 The Swiss Bird Index SBI® for woodland birds shows a growing long-term Old forests rich in deadwood are necessary to support specialised species, trend with annual fluctuations. but are absent in many parts of the country, especially in easily accessible areas of the Central Plateau and Jura.

25 Overall, substantial amounts are invested in wetlands and lakes, for example in the Reuss delta UR, where structures typical for natural river deltas have been restored in the past 25 years. Nevertheless, their small size and geographic isolation continue to cause problems in many wetlands, along with recreation pressure, agriculture and insufficient water levels.

Wetlands under pressure

While the populations of several wet- The large river regulation schemes southern shore of Lake Neuchâtel, cov- land birds have increased slightly since and many smaller drainage projects ering about 30 km2, is small in interna- 1993–1996, many species continue to have led to the loss of more than 90 % tional comparison. The importance of have small populations and are unable of mires in Switzerland since 1850. The the Grande Cariçaie is demonstrated to compensate earlier losses. Most re- most critical loss of area occurred in the by the fact that 41 of the 52 breeding maining wetlands today are small and large wetlands. Today, only few wet- bird species associated with wetlands isolated. Other problems include the lands larger than 1 km2 remain in our in Switzerland were recorded there in human influence on hydrological re- country, such as Les Grangettes VD, 2013–2016. More than 50 % of Swit- gimes through water-level regulation Pfäffikersee ZH, Bolle di Magadino TI zerland’s Purple Herons, Savi’s Warblers and drainage as well as nutrient input and Neeracherried ZH. Even our largest and Bearded Reedlings breed there, and recreation pressure. wetland, the Grande Cariçaie on the and more than 10 % of Red-crested

1950–1959 1972–1976 1993–1996 2013–2016

Good-bye Eurasian Curlew: once a traditional breeding bird in many of our marshes, the species’ last remaining breeding sites are in Vorarlberg A. The Eura- sian Curlew has thus become a symbol for the failure of Swiss nature conservation policy.

26 SITUATION IN THE HABITATS

Pochards, Great Crested Grebes, Com- lakes and rivers. Since the risk of flood- Protection and management are key mon Little Bitterns, Western Water Rails, ing has increased, the water level of The populations of several wetland spe- Black-headed Gulls, Common Terns, many lakes is lowered in spring as a cies such as ducks, Common Tern and Great Reed-warblers and Reed Buntings. preventive measure. With the excep- Great Reed-warbler have increased tion of Lake Constance and Walensee, since 1993–1996. Wetlands are now Small size and isolation are a the outflow of all larger lakes in Swit- under protection and management has problem zerland is regulated. improved in many areas. While man- Large wetlands hold twice as many The peak water level is often not agement used to focus on preventing species as small ones, and some typi- reached until late May or June; many shrub encroachment by mowing large cal wetland species breed there in high- nests are lost when water levels rise so areas of reeds, more targeted and di- er densities. This is most notably the late in the season. Wetland birds are verse measures are now used in an case for species that breed in reedbeds, adapted to fluctuations in the water attempt to meet the requirements of such as Western Water Rail, Common level and losses caused by flooding are various animals and plants. But the pos- Reed-warbler, Savi’s Warbler and Reed normal. However, the species are not itive trends should not obscure the fact Bunting. Large wetlands are also more adapted to artificial fluctuations that do that populations of several species, e.g. regularly occupied. Along with size, the not correspond with their phenology. rails, Common Little Bittern and Beard- isolation of wetlands also plays a role. ed Reedling, remain very small and Small and isolated wetlands are less fre- Winners and losers therefore vulnerable. The fate of Eura- quently occupied by the Reed Bunting Among the «winners» are Red-crested sian Curlew and Common Snipe clearly than large ones, and the species’ breed- Pochard, Yellow-legged Gull and Com- shows that our wetlands need to be re- ing success is lower in small, fragment- mon Tern, whose populations at least stored at a large scale to give these and ed habitats. The increasing fragmenta- doubled in number for various reasons. other species a chance. There is also tion of areas that used to be continuous The Great Cormorant is a new breed- room for improvement when it comes could be one reason for the decline of er and reached a record high in 2017 to limiting human disturbance. this species. with 2299 pairs in 12 colonies. After a long absence, the Purple Heron once Poor habitat quality again counts among our regular breed- The wetlands that remain today are ing birds. With the disappearance of the not only much smaller, but also of- Eurasian Curlew as a breeder since the fer habitat of poorer quality for many last atlas and only exceptional breeding birds owing to nutrient input, inade- records from the Common Snipe, we quate water levels and increasing hu- have lost two of our traditional breed- man disturbance. Particularly alarming ing birds. Finally, a few breeding species is the fact that many wetlands are dry- that have always been rare in Switzer- ing up due to drainage of surrounding land bred only exceptionally in the re- farmland and water-level regulation on cent atlas period.

5 2500 Western Water Rail Great Cormorant Savi’s Warbler Yellow-legged Gull 4 Reed Bunting 2000

2 Eurasian Reed-warbler Mean number of Territories/km2 3 1500

2 1000 Breeding pairs Breeding Number of territories/km 1 500

0 0 < 0,5 0,5–0,9 1,0–2,9 > 3,0

Surface area (km2) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

18 relatively common wetland birds reach higher densities in large Rapid increases of Great Cormorant and Yellow-legged Gull show wetlands. Data from 89 wetlands. how dynamic some species can be.

27 The gravel bars of the heavily canalised Rhine between Trübbach SG and Rüthi SG accommodate the largest breeding population of Little Ringed Plovers in Switzerland. As the gravel bars are mostly accessible from the riverbank, recreation pressure is particularly high. They are also frequently flooded due to large variations in the water level.

Gravel-nesting birds in trouble

The birds of floodplains like Little Ringed restored in Switzerland, mainly for the the rivers Inn, Moesa, Reuss, Kander Plover and Common Sandpiper face purpose of flood protection. Further and Rhone. But these are also areas naturally difficult conditions on our riv- restorations will follow in the decades popular with leisure seekers, and rec- ers and streams. Most floodplains are to come. Gravel-nesting birds have al- reation pressure often leads to brood quite small, and the high flow veloci- ready been able to benefit from such loss. ty often prevents suitable islands from restoration projects, for example on forming. Heavy rainfall typical for June storms in the mountains is often exac- erbated by the snow melt. This happens at a time that is crucial for the breeding 1993–1996 success of gravel-nesting birds. Many 1993–1996 & 2013–2016 nests are submerged by the rising water. 2013–2016

Human interventions River regulations, gravel extraction and the construction of power stations and infrastructure add to the difficulties of the natural environment. Interventions on the riverbed are aggravated by the effects of hydropeaking. In some places, channels are flushed to remove trapped sediment. These sudden, mas- sive changes in the water level pose an additional threat to breeding birds. Fi- nally, gravel-nesting birds face frequent disturbance from human recreation.

Opportunities through restoration The situation of the Common Sandpiper is unstable. While it has recolonised certain revitalised Since the start of the millennium, rivers, it has disappeared from several other areas. In the 1970s, some populations still existed on many stretches of river have been the Central Plateau.

28 About 90–120 pairs of Little Ringed Plover breed in Switzerland. Many habitats are temporary and the species’ breeding activity is disrupted by frequent human disturbance.

29 About 400 000 houses or blocks of flats have been built since 1991. In the majority of settlements, gardens are uniform and highly manicured, with few trees and hedges.

Inhospitable towns and cities

Settlements are among the fastest 2004–2009 land-use statistics, settle- This development has consequenc- growing types of land use in Switzer- ments and urban areas cover approx- es for bird communities. Species that land. Between 1985 and 2009, settle- imately 3079 km2, which corresponds want to survive in settlements face a ments grew by about 25 %, or 584 km2. to 7.5 % of the surface area of Swit- host of challenges. Besides new com- This corresponds to an area larger than zerland, or an area about twice the petitors or predators, many non-native Lake Murten every year. Based on the size of the Canton of Lucerne. plants and a range of hazards (traffic,

Changes in settlements Species that typically inhabit settlements showed the following losses in kilometre squares surveyed in both 1993–1996 and 2013–2016:

Fieldfare –231 squares (–29 %) Garden Warbler –226 squares (–26 %) Northern House Martin –85 squares (–19 %) Common Redstart –75 squares (–19 %) Spotted Flycatcher –126 squares (–19 %) European Serin –99 squares (–16 %)

A few common species recorded in settlements were found in more squares Eurasian Crag Martin +59 squares (+71 %) Feral pigeon +35 squares (+32 %) Eurasian Magpie +165 squares (+32 %) Common Woodpigeon +187 squares (+24 %) Eur. Green Woodpecker +129 squares (+20 %) Eurasian Blue Tit +110 squares (+13 %)

Birds love this type of environment: an above-average number of birds inhabit settlements with plenti- ful green spaces and diverse, near-natural structures.

30 SITUATION IN THE HABITATS

glass windows, cats), the direct and were most affected, but also orchards, few near-natural structures, only at- indirect disturbance caused by the vineyards and horticultural areas tracting species with simple habitat re- permanent presence of humans (e.g. (13.5 %). In the transition zones be- quirements. The atlas survey in 2015 noise, light) is a particular challenge. tween settlements and farmland es- recorded 31 species of breeding birds Only a handful of highly adaptable pecially, many ecologically valuable – 17 fewer than in 1995. Among the species are able to colonise this new habitats have been lost to building lost species are many birds of open habitat, including Yellow-legged Gull, development. Birds with a preference landscapes and near-natural habi- Common Woodpigeon and Rook. for this type of habitat, e.g. Eurasian tats such as Eurasian Skylark, Com- A small number of species are Wryneck, Common Redstart and Spot- mon Nightingale, Red-backed Shrike, largely or even completely depend- ted Flycatcher, have therefore become Garden Warbler, Greater Whitethroat, ent on buildings for nesting: Common, scarce in these areas. Marsh Warbler, Common Chiffchaff Pallid and Alpine Swift, Barn Swallow, Woodland was less affected by con- and Spotted Flycatcher. The Yellow- Northern House Martin, House and struction, one reason being that for- hammer was able to hold a single ter- Italian Sparrow. However, as a result ests benefit from better legal protec- ritory out of ten recorded in the 1990s. of our modern «flawless» building de- tion than farmland. sign, these species find few nest sites on new or renovated buildings. More- The example of Corcelles-près-Pay- over, food in urban habitats is scarce, erne VD often too low in protein, or has to The situation described below is typical be transported over long distances. for many settlements and urban areas Birds that rely on buildings for nest- in our country: the two municipalities ing therefore face difficult conditions Corcelles-près-Payerne VD and Pay- Losses in Corcelles-près-Payerne in many places – not least due to a lack erne VD have expanded considerably of acceptance from humans. over the past 20 years and have now Breeding pairs 1995 2015 Eurasian Skylark 4 0 For farmland birds, already under practically grown together. The pop- Common Nightingale 4 0 pressure from agricultural intensifica- ulation of the two towns increased by Red-backed Shrike 2 0 tion, the spread of settlements gen- 39 % and 28 %, respectively, between Garden Warbler 6 0 erally means the loss of foraging and 1995 and 2015. A new residential area Greater Whitethroat 5 0 Marsh Warbler 4 0 nesting sites. As a result, the birds was built during this time period in the Common Chiffchaff 5 0 disappear. This is particularly prob- surveyed kilometre square, and many Spotted Flycatcher 5 0 lematic because 89 % of new settle- old trees, copses and hedges were lost. Yellowhammer 10 1 ments were built on farmland. Grass- The gardens in the new housing devel- Total breeding species 48 31 land (32.8 %) and arable land (31.5 %) opments are young, small and offer

Corcelles-près-Payerne VD in 1972 (left), 1996 (centre) and 2013 (right). In the lower left corner, a whole new neighbourhood was built, with construction mainly taking place between 1996 and 2013. The expansion of built-up area led to the loss of trees, copses and hedges. Reproduced with permission of swisstopo (BA180142).

31 HUMAN DISTURBANCE

Nature as a leisure park

Is Switzerland the land of opportu- nity for leisure seekers? Go out into the country on a fine Sunday and see for yourself! Many habitats occupied by birds are also used by recreation seekers and sports enthusiasts – and the trend is growing. These human activities cause varying degrees of disturbance that can lead to a decline in certain bird populations. Dense- ly populated Switzerland is home to a vast number of outdoor recreation seekers, so species sensitive to disturbance are particularly vulnerable. Disturbance refers to an event that leads to sudden changes in behaviour Many mountain-bike trails lead straight through typical Black Grouse habitats. and/or metabolism. Signs of disturb ance that are observed in the field include escape flights, alarm calls, increased vigilance, or distraction dis- However, there is no question that When is disturbance especially plays near the nest. But disturbance disturbance can cause birds to aban- problematic? is not always easily recognised. Birds don certain areas or reduce an indi- Birds are particularly sensitive to dis- that react to human activities by re- vidual’s life span or reproductive rate, turbance during territory establish- maining motionless may nevertheless leading to a decline in population ment, which for most species occurs be affected. Studies of grouse have size in the long run. Along with hab- in spring, as this is when they select shown that such situations cause the itat loss, human disturbance is now a suitable site for breeding. But dis- release of stress hormones and an in- thought to be the main reason for turbance has a huge impact during creased pulse, but no striking chang- decline in several bird species. The the actual breeding season as well, es in behaviour. disappearance of Western Capercail- when it affects the future genera- A combination of factors is often lie and Black Grouse from the Napf tion as well as the current one. Dis- at play (e.g. disturbance and habitat region BE/LU, a popular leisure des- turbance not only affects Western changes), so that it can be difficult tination, presumably falls into this Capercaillie, Golden Eagle and oth- to isolate the effects of disturbance. category. er large birds. Less spectacular species and even those living in proximity to humans are vulnerable too: dogs on a leash and other forms of mi- nor disturbance can reduce the density of a population and even species richness, while major disturbance can cause birds to abandon their brood. Moderate and short-term stress can also affect the quality of the offspring, as stress hormones released during egg formation are deposited in the egg, affecting the traits of the chicks. For grouse, the breeding season is not the only sensitive time of year; in winter, these birds operate on a low-energy budget. In addition, the available habitat is significantly di- minished by human recreation. Off- Panels placed along the ski runs explain the purpose of quiet zones for Black Grouse. Not all piste winter sports in particular in- visitors comply with them yet... trude into the wintering habitats of

32 HUMAN DISTURBANCE

Black Grouse, Western Capercail- lie and Rock Ptarmigan. The flush- ing of Black Grouse and Capercail- lie leads to extra energy expenditure and higher stress-hormone levels. But mass tourism on the slopes has negative effects as well: the number of displaying Black Grouse is lower in ski resorts than in other areas. In the Valais, only one fourth of the Black Grouse’s wintering grounds is unaf- fected by winter sports.

Outdoor activities – anytime, anywhere Leisure activities in nature are popular, Stand-up paddlers cause a lot of additional disturbance on many lakes. and outdoor sports have increased . significantly since the 1993–1996 atlas. Visitors are penetrating further Solutions and possible measures to the benefit of wildlife. It is crucial and further into the remote habitats To eliminate disturbance from hu- that the campaign be continued and of many bird species. An example of man recreation and its negative im- extended to the summer season. The an outdoor activity that has recent- pact, the needs of birds and humans precautionary principle requires us to ly gained popularity is geocaching, a need to be separated through spatial create temporal or spatial refuges for kind of treasure hunt. It can cause or temporal restrictions. This can be birds. Only when visitors accept qui- considerable disruptions, especial- achieved by requiring visitors to stay et zones and times and keep to the ly around cliffs where sensitive spe- on the trails and introducing protect- paths and slopes is the long-term con- cies have their nests, as the search ed zones. To be effective, such pro- servation of sensitive species in such for «caches» can go on for hours in tected zones must be clearly marked a densely populated country possible. otherwise undisturbed areas. Anoth- and compliance regularly monitored. er new trend is stand-up paddling. Switzerland still has a lot of work to Paddlers often fail to keep the re- do in this respect. Publishing recom- quired distance to protected zones, mendations for visitors can dramat- causing waterbirds to take flight. This ically reduce the threat to birds in happens mostly out of ignorance and unprotected areas as well. The cam- often goes unnoticed by the paddlers paign «Respect to protect» succeeded themselves. in lessening disturbance in many areas

Rock Ptarmigans spend a lot of time in burrows Off-piste skiing is popular and causes disturbance across large areas, even in places without ski lifts, dug into the snow. If they are disturbed and like in the Furka region shown here. forced to flee, they deplete their energy reserves.

33 Today, more than 80 % of Swiss Alpine Swifts nest in buildings. Renovations regularly put breeding sites at risk. However, many sites have been preserved and improved thanks to the collaboration with architects and building owners, resulting in an increase in population size of about 50 % since 1995.

Species conservation is worth the effort

Fifty of our regular breeding birds are Species conservation goes beyond in- designated as special protection sites for dependent on recovery measures. The stalling nest boxes ground-nesting birds. Swiss Species Recovery Programme for The traditional and simplest conserva- The Northern Lapwing lacks suitable Birds, launched in 2003 by BirdLife Swit- tion measure involves increasing the breeding sites in farmland, and preda- zerland and the Swiss Ornithological In- availability of suitable nest sites as well tion and intensive farming practices re- stitute in collaboration with the Federal as improving and maintaining the sites. duce breeding success. Thanks to conser- Office for the Environment FOEN, de- This is an effective measure where suffi- vation measures in various regions, the velops conservation measures for these cient habitat exists but nest sites are few. Lapwing population has been recover- so-called priority species and supports Nest boxes are provided for Common ing since 2009. For typical orchard birds their implementation together with sev- Barn-owl, Common Hoopoe, Common such as Little Owl, Eurasian Wryneck and eral partners. The results show that the Swift, Northern House Martin, Eurasian Common Redstart, the problem is often efforts have paid off. Jackdaw, and others. Rafts, platforms not a lack of trees but of low-nutrient, Many rare and threatened species and gravel islands benefit Common Tern insect-rich meadows. Patches of bare now only occur in small, often isolated and Black-headed Gull, and many plac- ground between the trees make it eas- populations. Measures are needed to es provide nest platforms for the White ier for the birds to catch insects. Sever- preserve populations and boost numbers Stork. al projects exist to promote these types if possible. The recolonisation of poten- However, habitat quality is often in- of habitat. tial areas should also be a target. Recov- adequate. Targeted measures are neces- The Western Capercaillie requires open, ery schemes enter the picture when hab- sary to improve the habitats of many pri- undisturbed mountain forests with dwarf itat conservation and protected sites are ority species. To protect ground breeders, shrubs, while the Middle Spotted Wood- not enough to secure a species’ survival. for example, large flower meadows cut pecker relies on forests with large oaks To eliminate the factors limiting popula- late in the season need to be preserved. and other trees with furrowed bark as tion growth, customised measures are In collaboration with the cantons Val- well as standing deadwood. Action plans implemented for each species. ais and Grisons, core areas have been for these two species involve forestry

34 SPECIES CONSERVATION

500 1200

1000 400

800 300 600 200 400

100 Number of breeding pairs Number of breeding Number of breeding pairs Number of breeding 200

0 0 19101900 1930 1950 1970 1990 2010 1890 1910 1930 1950 1970 1990 2010 White Stork numbers are soaring – thanks to decades of conservation work Trend reversal for the Northern Lapwing: since reaching a low point in the by the White Stork conservation society «Storch Schweiz», but also thanks early 2000s, the population has doubled to about 180 pairs. This was only to the species’ adaptability. possible thanks to effective conservation measures. They will continue to be necessary in the future.

interventions and the designation of spe- expertise and show great commitment. populations remain vulnerable. In future, cial forest reserves to promote suitable The regional integration of recovery pro- other birds will have to be included in habitat in priority areas. Refuge zones for jects via people, institutions and author- the species recovery programme, as they Western Capercaillie protect the species ities is a key success factor. meet the inclusion criteria following sub- from disturbance, at least in winter. stantial population declines. Species con- Future challenges servation is specified as an important im- Partnerships are crucial To date, national action plans for seven mediate measure in the action plan for Species conservation has become an es- breeding bird species have been pub- the Swiss Biodiversity Strategy. Meet- tablished part of nature conservation lished in the context of the Swiss species ing these challenges requires adequate policy in Switzerland. The cantons have recovery programme. Hopefully, these funding but also mutual understanding defined priorities based on the national action plans will reinforce the commit- and close collaboration between author- strategies. For example, Valais and Tici- ment to species conservation on the part ities, conservationists, land owners and no have developed cantonal species re- of the cantons and other partners. land users. Successful species conserva- covery schemes together with the Swiss The results of the 2013–2016 atlas tion takes time and resources, so recovery Ornithological Institute and BirdLife Swit- clearly show that species conservation programmes must be planned careful- zerland. Other cantons have implement- will continue to play an important role in ly and include strategies for monitoring ed species-specific cantonal action plans, nature conservation in Switzerland. Birds success. often in collaboration with partners from that breed in farmland and on natural riv- agriculture and forestry. ers have experienced especially steep de- A central pillar of species conserva- clines. Despite important achievements in Further information tion are the many volunteers and lo- the recovery of Capercaillie, Lapwing, Lit- www.conservation-oiseaux.ch cal organisations that contribute their tle Owl, Hoopoe and other species, their

Benefits from grasshopper conservation and nest Benefits from nature-friendly management of Benefits from river restorations and the creation boxes: Eurasian Scops-owl. army training grounds and vineyards: Woodlark. of small waterbodies: Common Kingfisher.

35 Not for late risers and wimps: surveys began at the break of dawn – often following a long hike or a night under the stars. The volunteer observers were re- warded with stunning views and unforgettable experiences of nature in places they would never normally visit.

Atlas: the making-of

More than 200 bird species breed in of the core elements were the territo- provided individual feedback. The atlas Switzerland – depending on their oc- ry mapping surveys in 2318 kilometre team checked new entries on ornitho.ch currence, abundance and biology, they squares, conducted following the pro- on a weekly basis. Records of species that require different survey methods. To cedure used in the common breeding had not been detected in a given atlas achieve comparability with the 1993– bird monitoring scheme. After the sur- square before were checked especially 1996 atlas, but also in an effort to opti- vey visits, the ornithologists digitised carefully. We required additional breed- mise the fieldwork process, we grouped their records on the «Terrimap online» ing evidence for observations outside of the species into five categories that in platform and defined the territories. the known breeding range, e.g. a record turn defined the survey methods. The of the Eurasian Golden Oriole in the Alps. minimal goal was to record each species Review of territory mapping surveys at least once per atlas square. and individual records Producing the maps and altitude Experienced fieldworkers from the charts Major data collection effort Swiss Ornithological Institute reviewed For most species, we show the distri- Fieldwork was carried out in the four the survey results according to pre-de- bution in 2013–2016 as well as the breeding seasons of 2013 to 2016. One fined guidelines, made corrections and change in distribution since 1993–1996.

5 species categories – 5 methods Enormous survey effort Widespread species (93 species) • territory mapping in selected kilometre squares Upon conclusion of the four fieldwork sea- • if the species was absent in the 1 × 1 km square, the sons, the level of coverage was extremely sat- rest of the atlas square was searched isfactory in all 467 atlas squares. The number Rare species (126 ) • all observations were recorded with the exact location of observers that contributed more than 100 • records in several kilometre squares if possible records was 1527. Territory mapping surveys Rare species Central Plateau / Jura (9) • same as «rare species» in the 2318 kilometre squares were conduct- • Central Plateau and Jura only ed by 753 people. We estimate that volunteer observers spent a total of about 3.9 working Colonial species (10) • detailed count years on fieldwork and travelled 46 438 km. • in the whole atlas square Colonial species in settlements (2) • survey of colonies with at least ten pairs • in the whole atlas square

36 FIELDWORK & ANALYSES

467 atlas squares at a scale of 10 × 10 km were surveyed (light grey). In 13 atlas squares along the Special attention was paid to instruction and Swiss border, only the areas on Swiss territory were visited (squares outlined in green). Red kilo- feedback: for example, the responsible observers metre squares were surveyed in both 1993–1996 and 2013–2016, blue ones in 2013–2016 only. repeatedly received maps of their area showing the records collected so far for each species.

However, because the data sets differ the change in density since 1993–1996 counts are only possible for compara- from one species to the next, we put a (see the following pages). The altitude tively few species. In most cases, ex- lot of effort into developing meaningful, charts show the proportion of the total trapolations were necessary; we used informative maps. In the case of wide- population at each altitude level. These four different procedures, taking into spread species, for example, we calcu- charts also illustrate the shifts that have account a diverse range of factors. We lated density maps based on the newest taken place in the past 20 years. then selected the estimate that best rep- modelling methods, incorporating 16 resented the situation of the species in environmental variables. We also took Population estimates – a real question. When interpreting these esti- into account the detection probability challenge mates, it is important to account for a of each species. On this basis, we were Estimating the population size of breed- degree of uncertainty. able to generate maps documenting ing birds is a challenging task. Complete

ornitho.ch as data centre The online platform ornitho.ch played a central role in collecting records for the breeding bird atlas. It allowed users to view the current status of the surveys and helped to avoid unnec- essary search effort. This national online platform was launched in 2007 under the auspices of Ala, Nos Oiseaux, Ficedula and the Swiss Or- nithological Institute and developed by Biolo- vision S.à.r.l., Ardon. Up until 2018, about 15 The atlas team began work in 2011 and now looks back on busy years. (from left to right: Jérôme million records had been entered on ornitho. Guélat, Thomas Sattler, Samuel Wechsler, Peter Knaus, Marc Kéry, Nicolas Strebel, Sylvain Antoniazza). ch; three million of these were used for the breeding bird atlas.

37 FIELDWORK & ANALYSES

From field surveys to density change map Thanks to the surveys in 2318 kilometre squares, quantitative data was collected on the occurrence of more widespread species on about 5 % of Swiss territory. This sample allows us to show an accurate representation of geographic and altitudinal distribution. Comparing the data with the survey results from the 1990s allows us to quantify the changes that have occurred since then.

The black crosses represent the number of Blue Tit territories found during the territory mapping surveys (example in the small image on the left). The larger the cross, the greater the number of territories. Blue dots show survey squares in which the Blue Tit was absent.

2013–2016 atlas The yellow-red gradient shows the estimated number of Blue Tit territories for 1993–1996 atlas all of Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

7070 480

Calculating the difference between the 1993–1996 density map (new calculations, small map above) and the 2013– 2016 map yields the estimated change in the number of territories per kilometre square, the so-called density change map. Beige represents areas where the Blue Tit occurred in one of the two atlas periods, but where change was less than one territory per kilometre square. The light grey areas (relief) are those in which the Blue Tit does not occur, or only very rarely.

38 FIELDWORK & ANALYSES

From density maps to change in altitudinal distribution Based on the territory mapping surveys in the kilometre squares, we can represent the altitudinal distribution in detail, either for the whole country or for selected regions. Here, too, the comparison with the 1993–1996 surveys allows us to show the percentage change in altitudinal distribution. Höhenverteilung Schweiz Swiss relief

4000

3500 3000

3000 2000

2500 1000

0 2000

Höhe (m) 1500

1000

500

0 369 %

2013–2016 atlas 1993–1996 atlas

parcae.drw

% km 2 besiedelt / occuppés % Population m

7070 2800 480 2600 2400 2200 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 Blaumeise 800 600 2013–2016 atlas 1993–1996400 atlas 0 10 20 30 40% 50 3500

Alpennordseite / Nord des Alpes 3000 Alpensüdseite / Sud des Alpes m 2800 2500 2600 2400 2000 2200 2000 1800

Höhe (m) 1500 Adding the densities for the average altitude of each kilometre square yields a pat- 1600 tern that reflects altitudinal distribution, shown on the left for the Eurasian Blue Tit 1400 1000 1200 per 100-m altitude band in 2013–2016. Almost 25 % of the Blue Tit breeding popu- 1000 800 500 lation occupies the altitude level between 400 and 500 m asl. The proportion of 600 Swiss territory coveredBlaumeise by each altitude level and the SwissBlaumeise relief are shown in the 400 0510 15 20 % 0top. +5 % 0 200 400 600 800 Reviere pro 100 km2 Territoires par 100 km2

3500 3500

98 3000 3000 93 72 Anteil am Bestand (%) Veränderung 90 45 2013−2016 2500 seit 1993−1996 2500 20 4 38 48 2000 2000 36

Regionale Atlasfrequenzen %in The difference between the Höhe (m) values 1500for 1993–1996 and 2013– Höhe (m) 1500 Fréquences atlas régionales en% 2016 gives us the increase or decline at each altitude level (green 1000 1000 and/or red). In the case of the Blue Tit, the population growth between 400 and 500 m alone accounts500 for almost 10 % of the 500 current population. 0510 15 20 % 050 +5 % 10 15 20 +50

Anteil am Bestand (%) AnteilVeränderung am Bestand (%) Veränderung 2013−2016 2013−2016seit 1993−1996 seit 1993−1996 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Tremendous support

Countless individuals, organisations Hirschheydt, Johannes Wahl, Lucas AG, coordination team for the Euro- and institutions contributed to the Wolfer, Andy Wyss and Stephanie pean Breeding Bird Atlas 2 (EBBA2), success of the 2013–2016 breeding Zihlmann. Lega italiana protezione uccelli (LIPU), bird atlas in a number of ways. Spe- The following organisations, com- Ligue pour la protection des oiseaux cial thanks goes to all field ornitholo- panies and individuals provided us (LPO) Ain, Ligue pour la protection des gists who collected the data used in with observation data collected within oiseaux (LPO) Franche-Comté, Ligue the production of the atlas. the scope of their own projects: Abtei- pour la protection des oiseaux (LPO) lung Natur und Landschaft des Kan- Haute-Savoie, Naturzentrum Glarner- Data collection tons Zug, Abteilung Umwelt und Ener- land, Observation International, Office With great enthusiasm and persist gie der Stadt Zug, Ala – Schweizerische des Données Naturalistes du Grand ence, the following persons on civil- Gesellschaft für Vogelkunde und Vo- Est (Odonat), Theiler Landschaft eco- ian service duty, interns and experts gelschutz, Amt für Raumentwicklung logical consultants, Orniplan AG, Or- helped us to conduct fieldwork in dif- Kanton Thurgau, Aqua Terra, Asso- nithologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft ficult terrain or poorly surveyed areas, ciation de la Grande Cariçaie, Auen- Bodensee (OAB), Ornithologische digitise new territory mapping results schutzpark Aargau, BINA Engineering Arbeitsgruppe Reusstal (OAR), Or- or those from 1993–1996, establish SA, BirdLife Aargau, BirdLife-Naturzen- nithologischer Verein der Stadt Zug, routes prior to fieldwork, and/or veri- trum Neeracherried, BirdLife Austria, Pro Natura Vaud, Réseau Gypaète Su- fy and process data: Pascal Aeby, Joël BirdLife Switzerland, BirdLife Zürich, isse occidentale (RGSO), Swiss Bird Anliker, Lukas Arn, Nicolas Auchli, British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Ringing Scheme, Swiss National Park, Elias Bader, Hansruedi Batzli, Frederik Centre Suisse de Cartographie de la Société des Amis des Chouettes et Baumgarten, Jean-Luc Ferrière, Bas- Faune (CSCF), Centro Italiano Studi Hiboux des Endroits Montagneux (SA- tien Guibert, Dominik Hagist, Mar- Ornitologici (CISCO), Cornell Lab of CHEM), Stadt Aarau, Stiftung Lauer- co Hammel, Isabelle Henry, Dominik Ornithology, Dachverband Deutscher zersee, Stiftung Pro Bartgeier, Storch Henseler, Merlin Hochreutener, Simon Avifaunisten (DDA), EBN Italia, Fon- Schweiz, Verein Hopp Hase, Vul- Hohl, Isabelle Kaiser, Alessio Martino- dation des Grangettes, Fondazione ture Conservation Foundation (VCF), li, Julien Mazenauer, Corentin Morvan, Bolle di Magadino, Groupe Broyard de game wardens of the cantons of Bern, Valentin Moser, Nikolai Orgland, Joël Recherches Ornithologiques (GBRO), Grisons, St. Gallen and Ticino, Zürich- Piaget, Yann Rime, Christian Rogen- Groupe d’Étude sur les Rapaces Noc- see Landschaftsschutz ZSL as well as moser, Martin Roost, Luca Schenardi, turnes de l’Ouest Vaudois (GERNOV), Gaby Banderet, Pierre Beaud, Simon Martin Spiess, Simon Stricker, Kata- Groupe Ornithologique de Baulmes et Birrer, Jost Bühlmann, Valentin Bütler, rina Varga, Chris Venetz, Philine von Environs (GOBE), Hintermann & Weber Walter Christen, Serge Denis, Arthur

The atlas surveys, conducted in all corners of the country, were a lonely job. Nevertheless, a sense of community developed among the more than 2000 volunteers. The various national and regional meetings – the image shows one in Ticino – were always well attended.

40 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Egloff, Sepp Frei, Pierre Henrioux, Ro- ger Hodel, Denis Horisberger, Andreas Jaun, Thomas Leu, Roland Luder, Lio- nel Maumary, Lukas Merkelbach, Erich Mühlethaler, Gilberto Pasinelli, Livio Rey, Marianne Richter-Bütler, Willi and Regula Schlosser, Daniel Studler, Thomas Troxler, François Turrian, Lau- rent Willenegger, Jean-Lou Zimmer- mann and Jean-Luc Zollinger. A big thank you also goes to all volunteer collaborators, partner organisations, and employees of the Swiss Ornithological Institute who collected data for the institute’s ongoing monitoring projects. These data were also used in the 2013–2016 atlas. Michael Lanz, Pierre Mollet, Muriel Perron and Atlas launch with around 300 participants on 1 December 2012 in Fribourg. Martin Roost helped us identify poten- tially suitable areas for White-backed Woodpecker, Western Capercaillie, Eurasian Woodcock and Western Yel- Coup d’Ailes, Association Sorbus oiseaux, Musée d’histoire naturelle low Wagtail. Jérémy Savioz played a (Sauvegarde des Oiseaux Rares et de La Chaux-de-Fonds, Natur- und major role in creating the point maps de la Biodiversité Utile à leur Surv- Vogelschutzverein Oberwallis (NVO), and population estimates. J. Andrew ie), Basellandschaftlicher Natur- und Naturmuseum Solothurn, Naturmuse- Royle from the Patuxent Wildlife Re- Vogelschutzverband (BNV), Berner um Thurgau, Nos Oiseaux – Société search Institute in the United States Ala – Bernische Gesellschaft für Vo- romande pour l’étude et la protec- provided support in calculating the gelkunde und Vogelschutz, Berner tion des oiseaux, Ornithologische Ar- population estimates. Vogelschutz (BVS), BirdLife Aargau, beitsgemeinschaft Bodensee (OAB), Our launching and closing events BirdLife Luzern, BirdLife Sarganser- Ornithologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft were held at the University of Fribourg. land, BirdLife Switzerland, BirdLife Graubünden (OAG), Ornithologische The University of Fribourg provided the Solothurn, BirdLife St. Gallen, BirdLife Gesellschaft Basel (OGB), Swiss Alpine venue and Jacques Roubaty organised Zug, BirdLife Zürich, Bureau exécutif Club (SAC), Société des Sciences Na- food and drink. de l’Association de la Grande Cariçaie turelles du Pays de Porrentruy (SSNPP), We thank the regional atlas coor- (BEx), Centre d’Étude et de Protection Société Neuchâteloise des Sciences dinators for their contacts with local des Oiseaux Bienne et environs (CE- Naturelles (SNSN), Société Vaudoise ornithologists and especially for or- POB), Cercle des sciences naturelles des Sciences Naturelles (SVSN), So- ganising the regional atlas meetings: de Vevey-Montreux, Cercle des scienc- ciété Zoologique de Genève and Thur- Edi Baader, Albert Bassin, Jean-Daniel es naturelles du Chablais, Cercle des gauer Vogelschutz (TVS). Blant, Jérôme Duplain, Martin Gerber, Sciences Naturelles Nyon-La Côte, Cer- Jérôme Gremaud, Alain Jacot, Rob- cle Ornithologique de Fribourg (COF), Developing the methodology erto Lardelli, Bernard Lugrin, Chris- Cercle Ornithologique de Lausanne The 2013–2016 atlas builds largely on toph Meier-Zwicky, Claudia Müller, (COL), Cercle ornithologique des Mon- the methods used in the 1993–1996 Bertrand Posse, Pierre-Alain Ravussin, tagnes neuchâteloises (COMONE), atlas. Valuable advice on methodol- Martin Roost, Michael Schaad, Hans Cercle ornithologique et des sciences ogy came from Beat Naef-Daenzer, Schmid, Natalina Signorell, Silvana Si- naturelles d’Yverdon-les-Bains (COS- Hans Schmid and Niklaus Zbinden. We gnorell, Stephan Trösch, Martin Wegg NY), Commune de Bernex, Fauna.vs, thank Gaëtan Delaloye and the Biolo- ler and Georg Willi. Ficedula, Groupe des Jeunes de Nos vision S.à.r.l. team for adding a special We are grateful to the following in- Oiseaux, Groupe Ornithologique du atlas tool to www.ornitho.ch. Pirmin stitutions and organisations for pub- Bassin Genevois (GOBG), Groupe or- Kalberer (Sourcepole AG) and Guido lishing calls for participation in the nithologique et des sciences natur- Häfliger developed «Terrimap online». 2013–2016 atlas field surveys and/ elles de Morges et environ (GOS), Le The technology for modelling the den- or progress reports as well as for or- Pèlerin – Association franc-montag- sity maps in the atlas was developed ganising lecture venues: Association narde d’étude et de protection des within the scope of Jérôme Guélat’s

41 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

doctoral thesis, funded by the Swiss Statistical Office (FSO), Federal Of- Laesser, Michael Lanz, Roberto Lardelli, National Science Foundation (SNSF) fice for the Environment (FOEN), Li- Hans Märki, Christian Marti, Christoph (No31003A_1464125, M. Kéry and M. nus Cadotsch, Swiss Federal Institute Meier, Christoph Meier-Zwicky, Flori- Schaub). Daniel Rohrer advised us with for Forest, Snow and Landscape Re- an Melles, Stephanie Michler, Pierre regard to ideas for automatic territory search (WSL), MeteoSwiss, Section Mollet, Claudia Müller, Mathis Müller, mapping. Species notes were provid- du cadastre et de la géoinformation Beat Naef-Daenzer, Luca Pagano, Ber- ed to facilitate the search for species canton du Jura and Swisstopo. Mar- trand Posse, Mathias Ritschard, Mi- that are difficult to survey. These notes tin Vollenweider and Isabelle Bentz of chael Schaad, Michael Schaub, Bru- were compiled by: Ernst Albegger, Si- the Institute for Multimedia Produc- no Schelbert, Hans Schmid, Martin mon Birrer, Martin Blattner, André tion (IMP) at the University of Applied Schuck, Markus Schuhmacher, Reto Bossus, Ueli Bühler, François Estoppey, Sciences (HTW) in Chur provided us Spaar, Jürgen Ulmer, Henri Vigneau, Philippe Frei, Anatole Gerber, Chris with concept ideas for the multime- Jan von Rönn, Martin Weggler, Ste- Hails, Pierre Henrioux, Ruedi Hess, dia presentation of atlas data. fan Werner, Friederike Woog, Ruedi Alain Jacot, Verena Keller, Jacques Wüst-Graf, Niklaus Zbinden and Jean- Laesser, Roberto Lardelli, Hans Mär- Text and photos Lou Zimmermann. Marcel Burkhardt, ki, Valère Martin, Pierre Mollet, Chris- We would like to thank the 70 au- Philip Büttiker, Guido Häfliger, Isabelle toph Moning, Claudia Müller, Gilberto thors of the species accounts, focus Kaiser and Tabea Kölliker were respon- Pasinelli, Bertrand Posse, Pierre-Alain texts and habitat texts. The follow- sible for the layout and website. The Ravussin, Hans Schmid, Antoine Sier- ing experts offered their knowledge texts were translated by Tania Bras- ro, Philippe Vuilleumier, Michael Wid- for the interpretation of observations seur Wibaut, Bärbel Koch, Stephanie mer and Niklaus Zbinden. and to review the texts: Bettina Alma- Morris, Osvaldo Negra, Francesca Pe- si, Michel Antoniazza, Raphaël Arlet- drocchi, Bertrand Posse, Chiara So- Geodata sets and maps taz, Raffel Ayé, Alain Barbalat, Hans- lari, Johann von Hirschheydt and Hen- To generate the field maps, the var- Günther Bauer, Laurent Broch, Daniel ri-Daniel Wibaut. Copy-editing was iables for the models, and the atlas Bruderer, Ueli Bühler, Walter Christen, performed by Walter Christen, Lukas maps, we were able to use geodata Serge Denis, Hubert du Plessix, Jérôme Jenni, Verena Keller, Matthias Kesten- from Swisstopo (VECTOR 25, Topo- Duplain, François Estoppey, Christian holz, Bertrand Posse, Jérémy Savioz, graphical Landscape Model, aerial im- Geiger, Bernard Genton, Urs N. Glutz Arno Schneider, Chiara Solari and Ber- ages, pixel maps), the Federal Statis- von Blotzheim, Dominik Hagist, Hein- nard Volet. tical Office (land-use statistics), the rich Haller, Isabelle Henry, Petra Horch, Office of Construction and Infrastruc- Harald Jacoby, Alain Jacot, Lukas Jen- ture of the Principality of Liechtenstein ni, David Jenny, Markus Jenny, Vere- (land-use statistics), Meteotest/Federal na Keller, Marc Kéry, Matthias Kes- Office for the Environment (nitrogen tenholz, Andreas Kofler, Peter und deposition) and the European Envi- Ursula Köhler, Daniel Kratzer, Jacques ronment Agency (CORINE land cover). Geodata on woodland habitats were made available in an exchange with Learn more! the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, The Swiss Breeding Bird Atlas can be ordered from mid-November 2018 in German, French Snow and Landscape Research (WSL). or Italian in the Swiss Ornithological Institute’s shop (CHF 88 plus postage). From Janu- ary 2019, it will be available online in English as well as in German, French and Italian: The ETH Zurich Institute of Carto www.vogelwarte.ch/atlas graphy and Geoinformation provided us with the relief background for our maps, and René Sieber and Stefan Räber advised us on the cartograph- ic design. Thanks to Lorenz Hurni and Christian Häberling, we were able to use the overview map of Switzerland from the Swiss World Atlas published by the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK). The following agencies and individuals sup- plied us with maps and data for the chapter on habitats: Office of Con- struction and Infrastructure of the Principality of Liechtenstein, Amt für Raumentwicklung und Geoinfor- mation Kanton St. Gallen, Federal

42 Unremarkable, but successful: in absolute numbers, the Eurasian Blackcap has achieved the greatest increase and become the third-most abundant breeding species.

Donors We are extremely grateful to the following donors, whose generous support allowed us to realise the 2013–2016 atlas in its entirety: Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), Amt für Natur, Jagd und Fischerei des Kantons St. Gallen, Ministry for the Environment of the Principality of Liechtenstein, Swiss Na- tional Science Foundation (SNSF), legacy of Zoé Jeanne Matthey-Jonais, Fondation Grenouille, Alfons und Mathilde Suter-Caduff Stiftung, the charitable foundation Accentus, Stiftung Vinetum, Stiftung Yvonne Jacob, Zigerli-Hegi-Stiftung and an anonymous foundation. Sponsors who donated 250 Swiss francs or more are acknowledged in the species accounts. We received a large number of further donations from many individuals, in part thanks to a special atlas send-out.

Impressum Authors Hans Schmid, Matthias Kestenholz, Peter Knaus, Livio Rey, Thomas Sattler With the collaboration of Sylvain Antoniazza, Raffael Ayé, Simon Birrer, Marcel Burkhardt, Jérôme Guélat, Lukas Jenni, Isabelle Kaiser, Verena Keller, Matthias Kestenholz, Tabea Kölli- ker, Markus Jenny, Pierre Mollet, Claudia Müller, Michael Schaad, Reto Spaar, Nicolas Strebel, Katarina Varga, Samuel Wechsler Translation Stephanie Morris Images R. Aeschlimann (Ring Ouzel 2 pictures), Aletsch Arena (Aletsch Glacier), R. Arlettaz (undisturbed wildlife habitat), O. Born (Rock Ptarmigan), M. Burkhardt (Rook 2 pictures, Song Thrush, Common Woodpigeon, Ortolan Bunting, Black-winged Stilt, European Bee-eater, Golden Eagle, Red Kite, Bearded Vulture, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Little Ringed Plover, uniform settlement), P. Donini (Short-toed Snake-eagle), J.-M. Fivat (Vouvry), A. Gerber (Jura), S. Gerth (Corn Bunting), R. Graf (irrigation), Graphische Sammlung der Schweizerischen Nationalbibliothek (Gadmen 1950), M. Jenny (Eurasian Skylark), F. Korner (Off-piste skiing), R. Martin (Willow Warbler, Woodchat Shrike, Peregrine Falcon, Yellow-legged Gull, Black Woodpecker, Eurasian Curlew, Eurasian Scops- owl, Woodlark), A. Meyer (Gadmen 2003), D. Occhiato (Eurasian Skylark), G. Pasinelli (forest), J. Peltomäki (Barn Swallow), O. Richter (Eurasian Wryneck), RSPB/E. Woods (Common Cuckoo), B. Rüegger (Little Owl, Red-backed Shrike, Common Kingfisher), C. Scandolara (Magadino), M. Schäf (Common Kest- rel, Common Chaffinch, Woodchat Shrike, Egyptian Goose, Common Sandpiper, Eurasian Blue Tit, Eurasian Blackcap), H. Schmid (settlement, mountain farming, Jura, Reuss delta, Rihne; atlas team), S. Schweizer (Alpine Swift), S. Trösch (Stand-up paddlers), Z. Tunka (European Turtle-dove), M. Varesvuo (Com- mon Hoopoe, Common Kestrel), R. Witt (natural garden), N. Zbinden (forest edge). All other images: archive Swiss Ornithological Institute. ISSN 2297-5691 (electronic resource: 2297-5705) Recommended citation Schmid, H., M. Kestenholz, P. Knaus, L. Rey & T. Sattler (2018): The State of Birds in Switzerland: Special Issue on the Breeding Bird Atlas 2013–2016. Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach. PDF download www.vogelwarte.ch/state