Potential links and synergies between the EU Birds Reporting and waterbird status assessments produced by Wetlands International and the associated waterbird specialist groups Szabolcs Nagy Wetlands International & David Stroud International Wader Study Group

Outline Waterbird status assessment processes coordinated by Wetlands International The role of specialist groups: the case of waders and the Wader Study Group

Waterbird Population Estimates 1994, 1997, 2002, 2006 Forms the basis of the application of the Ramsar site Criterion 6, i.e. 1% thresholds Link to SPA selection under Art. 4.2 Ramsar indicators of effectiveness IUCN Red List 3 year cycle linked to Ramsar COPs

AEWA Conservation Status Report One of the obligatory report under Art. 7.4 of the AEWA Action Plan Forms the basis of listing populations on Table 1 of the AEWA Action Plan In turn, this determines the conservation measures required by the AEWA Action Plan AEWA Indicators of effectiveness 3 year cycle linked to AEWA MOPs

Process linkages Waterbird Population Estimates AEWA Conservation Status Report Americas flyway East Asia – Australasian Flyway International Waterbird Census WI/IUCN SSC Waterbird Specialist Groups Other sources e.g. Birds in Europe, PECBM, etc.

Multi-species assessment of waders: the role of WI Specialist Groups

Process: co-ordination and data-sharing New data

International Wader Studies 15: process Workshops in 1996 & 1998 bringing together technical expertise Compilation of national midwinter (IWC) counts and estimates of migratory wader populations for all countries Compilation of national totals of breeding waders (Europe only)

Flyway-scale outputs

Size-trend categories: flyway conservation priorities East Atlantic Flyway Black Sea / Mediterranean Flyway West Asian/East African Flyway African migrants and residents Small declining populations Small populations, trend unknown Small populations, not in decline Large declining populations Deteriorating status, formerly stable, now declining Deteriorating status, formerly increasing, now stable

Recent launch of new WSG assessment – 26 September 2011 “Is WSG up to the challenge?” ? ? ? ? ? ?

Perspectives from the Specialist Groups Specialist Group networks have much expertise to contribute Can extend geographic scope of assessments to flyway / biogeographic population scale BUT A) Even limited resources can greatly facilitate effectiveness of co-ordinate B) It takes time to co-ordinate volunteers

C) Meaningful flyway assessments depend on contemporary assessments of African mega- sites - time to forward plan surveys is essential

Forward planning..... so clear forward timetables from data ‘users’ are critical Multiple international processes produce or use bird status data and information Can these processes agree a common forward reporting timetable to 2030 to the benefit of all?