Updated trends for wintering waterbirds in the EU
The European Association of Wetlands International has updated the dashboard presenting an overview of the trends of the wintering waterbird species in the European Union. This includes both multi-species trends for groups of species according to which of the annex a species is listed on the Birds Directive and the trends for individual species.
Species protected under Annex 1 of the EU Birds Directive have shown the strongest increase, both since the 1980 and in the last 10 years of the trend. Only Smew and Bewick’s Swan have a slightly negative trend over the full analyses period, although the rate of decline for Bewick’s Swan has increased in the final 10 years.
The overall and 10 year trends for Annex 2 species is also positive, although at the species level there are strongly diverging trends. Some species such as gadwall have shown a strong increase whilst many more abundant species of high interest continue declining including the Common Moorhen, Common Pochard, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Tufted Duck, Eurasian Coot, Mallard and Red-breasted Merganser. Member States and the European Commission should take steps to continue monitoring and avoid overharvesting these species.