Conservation status of birds of prey and owls in Norway Oddvar Heggøy & Ingar Jostein Øien Norsk Ornitologisk Forening 2014 NOF-BirdLife Norway – Report 1-2014 © NOF-BirdLife Norway E-mail: [email protected] Publication type: Digital document (pdf)/75 printed copies January 2014 Front cover: Boreal owl at breeding site in Nord-Trøndelag. © Ingar Jostein Øien Editor: Ingar Jostein Øien Recommended citation: Heggøy, O. & Øien, I. J. (2014) Conservation status of birds of prey and owls in Norway. NOF/BirdLife Norway - Report 1-2014. 129 pp. ISSN: 0805-4932 ISBN: 978-82-78-52092-5 Some amendments and addenda have been made to this PDF document compared to the 75 printed copies: Page 25: Picture of snowy owl and photo caption added Page 27: Picture of white-tailed eagle and photo caption added Page 36: Picture of eagle owl and photo caption added Page 58: Table 4 - hen harrier - “Total population” corrected from 26-147 pairs to 26-137 pairs Page 60: Table 5 - northern goshawk –“Total population” corrected from 1434 – 2036 pairs to 1405 – 2036 pairs Page 80: Table 8 - Eurasian hobby - “Total population” corrected from 119-190 pairs to 142-190 pairs Page 85: Table 10 - peregrine falcon – Population estimate for Hedmark corrected from 6-7 pairs to 12-13 pairs and “Total population” corrected from 700-1017 pairs to 707-1023 pairs Page 78: Photo caption changed Page 87: Last paragraph under “Relevant studies” added. Table text increased NOF-BirdLife Norway – Report 1-2014 NOF-BirdLife Norway – Report 1-2014 SUMMARY Many of the migratory birds of prey species in the African-Eurasian region have undergone rapid long-term declines in recent years. In 2005, a year-long study concluded that 50% of the populations in the region had poor conservation status. The study provided a foundation for the development of an international instrument under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). A Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia was concluded and signed by 28 Parties in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in October 2008. Norway was one of the Signatories at this meeting. In general, all wildlife, including birds of prey, is protected by law in Norway. Eleven species of birds of prey are listed on the Norwegian 2010 Red List for species, including northern goshawk Accipiter gentilis, eagle owl Bubo bubo, snowy owl Bubo scandiacus, Eurasian marsh harrier Circus aeruginosus, hen harrier Circus cyaneus, gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus, Eurasian hobby Falco subbuteo, osprey Pandion haliaetus, honey buzzard Pernis apivorus, great grey owl Strix nebulosa and Ural owl Strix uralensis. In addition to being one of the Parties under the Bonn Convention, Norway is also among the Parties under the Washington Convention (CITES), Ramsar Convention, Bern Convention and Stockholm Convention. None of the Norwegian breeding birds of prey are listed in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The Nature Diversity Act is presently the most comprehensive legislation in Norway concerning the protection of biodiversity and ecological processes. Sustainability and the precautionary principle are important points of the Act. The Wildlife Act regulates hunting, killing, introduction and preparation of animals, and provides some general regulations for the keeping of animals in captivity. Sustainable management of forest resources in Norway is regulated by the Forestry Act, and this Act is especially relevant for forest breeding birds of prey, such as the northern goshawk. In general, all regional plans and all municipal plans with guidelines or framework for future development shall be risk assessed, to evaluate influences on the environment and the community, according to the Planning and Building Act. In several instances, the general legislation does not provide sufficient protection for Norwegian species of birds of prey. In the case of the Forestry Act, birds of prey nests are not protected by law, and regulations on forestry close to such nests are more in the form of guidelines. The guidelines are fairly satisfactory, but forest owners or management are not obliged to follow them. There are also weaknesses in the present Norwegian documentation system for sheep and domesticated reindeer killed by golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos. Compensation is in many cases granted despite lack of documentation, and an increasing number of compensation payments contribute to a negative reputation of the golden eagle. Requirements for environmental impact assessments and follow-up related to windfarm (and power line) development should be more comprehensive, and mitigating measures, compensation and cumulative effects should be considered. Professional advice and scientific research should also be taken more into consideration in these cases. The mainland of Norway has 2,757 protected areas, of which 2,048 are nature reserves, 202 are landscape protected areas and 34 are national parks (the rest have other forms of protection). This covers a total land area of 54,402.49 km2, which is around 16,8% of mainland Norway. However, the protected land area consists mainly of mountain areas and glaciers, and to a lesser extent lowland and forest areas. Thus, a large proportion of Norwegian forest-dwelling birds of prey do not breed within protected areas. Protection along important migration routes and flyways is in general lacking. A total of 52 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are identified in mainland Norway, covering a total area of 9,307 km2 (3% of national land surface). The IBAs are mainly situated along the coast, but two large mountain areas and some wetland systems have been identified in the south. IBAs have been identified for white-tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla, I NOF-BirdLife Norway – Report 1-2014 osprey and gyrfalcon, in addition to some other species of birds of prey in Norway. 36% of the IBAs have no overlap with national protected areas. Despite the wording of the Nature Diversity Act, Norwegian birds of prey face many threats, including environmental crime, collision with human constructions electrocution risk at power pylons, environmental contaminants and lack of habitat protection. The most important of these are probably the collision risk at power lines and windfarms, as well as electrocution. For some species, negative attitude among sheep farmers and reindeer herdsmen is suggested to be one of the major threats. Requirements for environmental impact assessment and follow-up related to windfarm development should be more comprehensive. Cumulative effects should be evaluated, and compensation and mitigating measures carried out. Professional advice and scientific research should also be taken more into account. Electrocution can be avoided by replacement of open transformers with closed transformers, and replacement of low voltage overhead power lines with ground cables, or isolation of open power lines at poles and pylons. Migration monitoring in Norway is carried out at Lista and Jomfruland bird observatories in southern Norway. Some monitoring have also been carried out at Mølen bird observatory (SE- Norway), while shorter time series exist from Mønstremyr (SW-Norway), Hå municipality (SW- Norway) and Borrevannet (SE-Norway). Most birds of prey breeding in the southern part of Norway probably migrate through Falsterbo in Sweden in autumn, and population trends for several migratory species are largely based on migration counts from Falsterbo Bird Observatory. Some studies of birds of prey breeding in the northernmost parts of Norway are indicative of a more eastern migration route through Finland and Russia. Several monitoring and ringing programmes on birds of prey are carried out in Norway, many of these coordinated by the Norwegian Ornithological Society (NOF). Most work is carried out on the larger species: honey buzzard, white-tailed eagle, northern goshawk, osprey, golden eagle, gyrfalcon, peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus, eagle owl, snowy owl, great grey owl, Ural owl and Eurasian tawny owl Strix aluco. Some work is also carried out on smaller species such as the Eurasian sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus, common kestrel Falco tinnunculus, Eurasian hobby, boreal owl Aegolius funereus and Eurasian pygmy owl Glaucidium passerinum. In general, species such as Eurasian marsh harrier, hen harrier, common buzzard Buteo buteo, rough-legged buzzard Buteo lagopus, merlin Falco columbarius, northern hawk owl Surnia ulula, long-eared owl Asio otus and short-eared owl Asio flammeus are not monitored in Norway. Most Norwegian birds of prey populations are considered stable or increasing. The most prominent exceptions are northern goshawk and eagle owl, where populations are declining. The Fennoscandian snowy owl population underwent a major decline throughout the last century. Breeding populations may also have declined for other species, including honey buzzard and rough-legged buzzard, but data is lacking. Declines in national populations are partly due to threaths caused by human activities in Norway and partly due to threats outside of Norway for migratory species. NOF-BirdLife Norway’s priority measures to protect Norwegian birds of prey are the following: - Ensure that forest management takes into consideration breeding birds of prey, and make such considerations legally binding. - Enhance protection of forests. - Improve requirements for environmental impact assessments associated with establishment of new windfarms and power lines. - Reduce harvest