Technical considerations in conjunction with the proposal to apply Autumn derogation for the live-capturing of seven finch species – Chaffinch ( Fringilla coelebs ), Linnet ( Carduelis cannabina ), European Goldfinch ( Carduelis carduelis ), European Greenfinch ( Carduelis chloris ), Hawfinch ( Coccothraustes coccothrausthes ), European Serin ( Serinus serinus ) and Eurasian Siskin ( Carduelis spinus ). An analysis of the proposal presented by the Federation for Hunting and Conservation — Malta (FKNK) Wild Birds Regulation Unit Parliamentary Secretariat for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights Ministry for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change April 2014 Abbreviations BTO British Trust for Ornithology BWP Birds of the Western Palearctic FKNK The Federation for Hunting and Conservation — Malta IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature KVM Das Kompendium der Vögel Mitteleuropas WBRU Wild Birds Regulation Unit i Executive Summary On the 22 nd August 2013, the Federation for Hunting and Conservation — Malta (FKNK) submitted a proposal before Malta Ornis Committee concerning the application of a derogation under Article 9 of the EC Birds Directive to permit limited live capturing of seven species of finches under strictly supervised regime. The Committee requested the Wild Birds Regulation Unit to assess this proposal from a legal, technical and conservation point of view and to refer back its analysis for further consideration. FKNK’s proposal concerns the opening of an autumn 2014 season for the live-capturing of seven finch species, namely Chaffinch ( Fringilla coelebs ), Linnet ( Carduelis cannabina ), Goldfinch ( Carduelis carduelis ), Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris ), Hawfinch ( Coccothraustes coccothraustes ), Serin ( Serinus serinus ) and Siskin ( Carduelis spinus ) from 7 October to 7 December. This report reviews the technical and conservation issues arising out of this proposal with the aim of providing the Ornis Committee and the Government with an informed basis for further consideration and decision. ii Contents Page No. Abbreviations......................................................................................................................................... i Executive Summary.............................................................................................................................. ii Key to conservation status codes.......................................................................................................... vi Categories of Species of European Conservation Concern (SPECs) and Non-SPECs........................ vi 1. FKNK’s proposal................................................................................................................................. 1 2. Consideration of specific conditions in the application of the derogation................................... 1 (i) Small numbers criteria............................................................................................................ 1 (ii) FKNK’s proposal with respect to small numbers..................................................................... 2 3. Methodology........................................................................................................................................ 3 a) Conservation status............................................................................................................................... 3 b) Ring recoveries..................................................................................................................................... 4 c) Recruitment rate: breeding success vs. breeding rate.......................................................................... 5 d) Partitioning of the <% mortality with other Member States.................................................................. 5 e) Formula for calculating <1% mortality of the reference population and proportionality to Carnet de Chasse data.......................................................................................................................................... 6 Species Conservation Status and Small Numbers 4. Chaffinch ( Fringilla coelebs ).............................................................................................................. 7 5. Linnet ( Carduelis cannabina )............................................................................................................. 13 6. European Goldfinch ( Carduelis carduelis )....................................................................................... 20 7. Greenfinch ( Carduelis chloris )........................................................................................................... 26 8. Hawfinch ( Coccothraustes coccothraustes ).................................................................................... 32 9. Serin ( Serinus serinus )....................................................................................................................... 40 10. Siskin ( Carduelus spinus ).................................................................................................................. 45 11. Conclusions regarding the reference populations and the <1% threshold................................... 51 12. Conclusion........................................................................................................................................... 52 References............................................................................................................................................ 53 Appendix I: FKNK’s proposal for autumn live-capturing of seven finch species.................................. 54 List of Figures Fig. 1 Distribution and conservation status of the European Chaffinch ( Fringilla coelebs ).......................... 7 Fig. 2 Chaffinch EU population trend by Member State............................................................................... 10 Fig. 3 Chaffinch EU population trend (ring recoveries in Malta)................................................................... 10 Fig. 4 Distribution and conservation status of the Linnet ( Carduelis cannabiba ).......................................... 13 Fig. 5 Linnet EU population trend by Member State..................................................................................... 16 Fig. 6 Linnet EU population trend (ring recoveries in Malta)......................................................................... 16 Fig. 7 Linnet EU ring recoveries: overall change (minimum pairs)............................................................... 16 Fig. 8 Linnet EU ring recoveries: overall change (maximum pairs).............................................................. 16 Fig. 9 Distribution and conservation status of the Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis )....................................... 20 Fig. 10 Goldfinch EU population trend by Member State............................................................................... 23 Fig. 11 Goldfinch EU population trend (ring recoveries in Malta)................................................................... 23 Fig. 12 Distribution and conservation status of the Greenfinch ( Carduelis chloris )........................................ 26 Fig. 13 Greenfinch EU population trend by Member State............................................................................. 29 iii Fig. 14 Greenfinch EU population trend (ring recoveries in Malta)................................................................. 29 Fig. 15 Distribution and conservation status of the Hawfinch ( Coccothraustes coccothraustes )................... 32 Fig. 16 Foreign-ring recoveries of Hawfinches in Italy.......................................................................... 35 Fig. 17 Foreign-ringed Hawfinches recovered in Italy during the autumn migration period............................ 35 Fig. 18 Hawfinch EU population trend by Member State............................................................................... 36 Fig. 19 Hawfinch EU population trend (ring recoveries in Italy)...................................................................... 36 Fig. 20 Hawfinch EU ring recoveries: overall change (minimum pairs).......................................................... 37 Fig. 21 Hawfinch EU ring recoveries: overall change (maximum pairs)......................................................... 37 Fig. 22 Distribution and conservation status of the Serin ( Serinus serinus )................................................... 40 Fig. 23 Serin EU population trend by Member State...................................................................................... 43 Fig. 24 Serin EU population trend (ring recoveries in Malta).......................................................................... 43 Fig. 25 Distribution and conservation status of the Siskin ( Carduelis spinus )................................................ 45 Fig. 26 Siskin EU population trend by Member State..................................................................................... 48 Fig. 27 Siskin EU population trend (ring recoveries in Malta)......................................................................... 48 List of Tables Table 1 Carnet de Chasse live-capturing data for the seven finch species (2002–2008)............................. 2 Table 2 Short-term and long-term trend classifications of the seven finch species (Pan-European)............ 3 Table 3 Percentage change in the minimum and