Monitoring of birds of European importance Methods in Bavaria Prof. Dr. Volker Zahner

Bird monitoring methods in SPAs Monitoring goals What is monitored? –Target species –Area ranking How do we monitor? –Area selection –Design rare species large scale small scale (+ modelling) – forest inventory Evaluation –Species in the forest and non-forest habitats

Monitoring goals Important Bird Areas Special Protection Areas by Directive

Goals: Conserve our natural heritage Protect viable populations of bird species (Annex I) Instruments: Evaluate SPA‘s quality Develop action plans Coherent European network

What is monitored? Target species Annex I species –breeding pairs –numbers Habitat structures forest inventory Area ranking not all species of Annex I are monitored in all SPA‘s for each species the 5 most important areas are monitored on landsape level the two most important species occurrence is monitored

How do we monitor? e.g. 16 species of Annex I BD in SPA Male Karpaty, only few are monitored List of monitored birds: Ficedula albicollis Dendrocopus medius Pernis apivorus = 6 monitored species per SPA

- time of the year Aegolius funereus Owls Woodpeckers Songbirds MrzAprMai Dendrocopos medius Jun Ficedula albicollis Effort woodpeckers and owls are monitored at the same time of the year...

- daytime Aegolius funereus10 pm Owls Woodpeckers Songbirds Dendrocopos medius 5 am Ficedula albicollis 4 am...but at different times a day. = 2 visits per day

Microstructures Stand 5 ha Landscape ha 500 ha ha SPA On which scales do we monitor? large scale small scale rare species 0,5 ha

Rare species (birds of prey, storks, rare passerines) Information Where are potential habitats? Where are former records? Methods mapping the whole area 3 visits, recording –nest sites –mating activity –territorial behavior

Forest types Niche Black WoodpeckerMiddle Spotted Woodpecker Why do we monitor on different scales? Deciduous forest Mixed forest Coniferous forest

How do we monitor on different scales? SpeciesSize of a sampling areaCount points Larger scales Black Woodpecker 500 ha Nightjar150 ha 12 Smaller scales (modeling) Flycatchers30 ha30 Size of SPA ha Size of a sampling area 500 ha> 20 %> 15 % > 10 %

Large monitoring scales (most woodpeckers, owls) 500 ha SPA x 10% = xx ha 31 point 5 Target species: Size of sampling area Area of SPA Number of sampling area Number of count points Grey-headed Woodpecker

Grauspecht - Picus canus Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus Habitat old broadleaf stands (beech,oak) old tress with damages (fungus) laying dead wood forest edges ,5 breeding pairs/100 ha

We monitor on large scale 500ha >10% of each SPA should be monitored If Woodpeckers are monitored 500 ha squares are choosen

ha SPA x 10% = ha ha: 500 ha = 5 squares We monitor on large scale

4 2,236 m trails and logging roads as transect lines

transect lines cross country 4

400m 200 m Methods 500 ha = 16 ha per point = 31 stop counts = m working with sound imitation walking on –fixed transect lines –along trails or logging roads large scale monitoring (most woodpeckers, owls) 16 ha Effort ~ 5 min per stop / species 15 min point to point only mornings = 2 days per species, per visit 3 visits in the breeding season = 6 days in total per species

Small scale monitoring with modeling 30 ha Collard flycatcher 30 points ? Target species: Area of SPA modelling suitable habitats Number of suitable sampling areas Size of sampling area

What are the habitat needs? with GIS, database or map –where are e.g. broadleaf trees oak >80 Y., beech >100 years canopy openings dead wood tree cavities Small scale monitoring with modeling forest inventory

100m 50 m Mapping methods like „large scale“, but: modelling suitable habitats mapping these habitats in 30 ha samples, 30 ha = 30 stop counts > 10% of suitable habitats Small scale monitoring (passerines)

Forest inventory net data are collected, every 10 years information about –soil (Nightjar) –rejuvination –species composition (woodp.) –age –social strata –canopy closure –snags –dead wood Forest inventory

Conserving a favorable status of –species –habitats Species of the forest habitats Evaluation of habitat and population mapping and evaluation favorable status of population –number of breeding pairs –population trend habitat quality –number of cavities –network of habitats

Species of the forest habitats Collard flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) Habitat old trees with large treetops cavity richness snags warm microclimate ~10 breeding pairs/10 ha

Species of the forest habitats Middle spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos medius) Habitat old broadleaf stands old trees with bark structure snags breeding pairs/10 ha

Species of the non-forest habitats Red Kite (Milvus milvus) Habitat big nesting tree meadows, fields, forests streams, ponds Methods mapping all nest sites 3 visits (march - mid. april) bp/ 100 km 2 r = 1km

Species of the non-forest habitats Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) Support: globally threatened species priority for LIFE- Nature funding Methods 3 visits (april -may) 2 hours befor dawn or after dusk number of boomig males Habitat „modelling“ Large reedbeds (>20 ha) former records

Methods mapping >10% 3 visits (mid.march - mid.june) 5 km transect lines are mapped (random sampled) 2-4 pairs/ 5 km Habitat „modelling“ streams ponds Species of the non-forest habitats Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Conclusions Random sample Monitoring mode Rare speciesWhole area Large scale500 ha samplessamples fixed Small scalemodeling + samples samples rotate instruments and methods are the same between forest habitats and non-forest habitats, scales are different