Migrants to Africa and climate change

Climate change can impact on the migratory birds that breed in the Netherlands and overwinter in Africa.

Trends in birds migrating to West Africa

The warmer Dutch springs can disrupt the breeding behaviour of migratory birds, such as the pied flycatcher. This can cause the species to decline.

On average, however, no decline has yet been observed in the group of birds that migrate to West Africa. In fact, more species in this group are increasing in number than are declining. Many species in the group (including the sedge warbler and whitethroat) have benefited from the higher rainfall experienced in West Africa south of the Sahara in the last fifteen years. The only species that have declined in numbers are the great reed warbler, black-tailed godwit and wheatear, but this is more to do with a deterioration of the breeding areas in the Netherlands than with the warmer springs.

Trends in birds migrating to elsewhere in Africa

The species that overwinter in east, central and southern Africa have declined as a group since 1990. Examples are the wood warbler, house martin, icterine warbler and turtle dove. The reason for their decline is unknown, but there are no indications that cimate change plays a role.

Technical note

• West Africa: bluethroat (increase), pied flycatcher (stable), tree pipit (increase), marsh warbler (stable), marsh harrier (increase), whitethroat (increase), great reed warbler (decrease), Sandwich tern (increase), black-tailed godwit (decrease), reed warbler (increase), avocet (stable), spoonbill (increase), sand martin (increase), purple heron (increase), sedge warbler (increase), grasshopper warbler (increase), wheatear (decrease), garden warbler (stable), common tern (stable), honey buzzard (stable), garganey (stable) and black tern (stable).
• East, central and southern Africa: swallow (decrease), hobby (stable), lesser whitethroat (increase), willow warbler (stable), wood warbler (decrease), redstart (stable), swift (no clear trend), red-backed shrike (stable), spotted flycatcher (decrease), house martin (decrease), cuckoo (decrease), nightingale (increase), whinchat (decrease), Savi's warbler (increase), icterine warbler (decrease), golden oriole (stable) and turtle dove (decrease).

The data are from the Ecological Monitoring Network's national networks for monitoring breeding birds and meadow birds.

References

• Dijk, A.J. van, L. Dijksen, F. Hustings, D. Zoetebier en C. Plate (2001). Broedvogelmonitoring Project. Jaarverslag 1998-99. SOVON-rapport 2001/03. Beek-Ubbergen.
• Dijk, A.J. van, M.J.T. van der Weide, R. Kleefstra, D. Zoetebier en C. Plate (2001). Kolonievogels en zeldzame broedvogels in Nederland in 1999. SOVON-monitoringrapport 2001/08. Beek-Ubbergen.
• Foppen, R., C.J.F. ter Braak, J. Verboom en R. Reijnen (1999). Dutch Sedge warblers Acrocephalus schoenobaenus and West-African rainfall: empirical data and simulation modelling show low population resilience in fragmented landscapes. Ardea, 87(1): 113-127.