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Meadow birds: population trends

Between1990 and 2000 the numbers of meadow birds in the Netherlands declined appreciably.

Trends


In 2000 the national populations of black-tailed godwit, oystercatcher and lapwing were some 15 to 40 percent below the figures for 1990 (see left-hand figure). Redshanks, however, increased by about 10 percent. According to a recent estimate by SOVON, in the Netherlands the black-tailed godwit declined from approximately 100 000 breeding pairs in the mid-1980s to a mere 50 000 in 2000.

Numbers of black-tailed godwit, lapwing and redshank are not declining in the west and southwest of the country; there, they remain stable or are even increasing slightly. The comparison of the carr peat areas - traditionally the bastions of meadow birds - reveals striking differences: in the peat pastures of Holland the black-tailed godwit and lapwing are increasing slightly and the redshank is increasing sharply. But in the peat pastures of north Netherlands, the black-tailed godwit, oystercatcher, lapwing and redshank are declining more than anywhere else. Here, the numbers of black-tailed godwit, lapwing and oystercatcher have, on average, halved by comparison with 1990.

Black-tailed godwit, lapwing, redshank and oystercatcher are waders. The sky lark and meadow pipit, two songbirds that nest on farmland, are also declining (see right-hand figure).

The decline in meadow birds began before 1990, largely because of the intensification of agriculture. For this reason, sweeping measures were introduced to protect meadow birds, especially in the 1990s. They included protecting the nests, modifying the mowing strategy and designating reserves. Despite this, the decline continues. The reason that the decrease has been greater in the north than in the south of the country is probably the more intensive grassland use.

Black-tailed godwit and redshank are on the Red List of birds. The more than 25 percent decline in the black-tailed godwit has international significance, as over half the European breeding population of this species is found in the Netherlands.

Technical note


The index figures are from the Ecological Monitoring Network's national network for monitoring meadow birds. Every year, the number of breeding pairs of meadow birds is counted in almost 1000 locations. Over half of these locations are drawn from provincial monitoring networks; the remainder are censuses done by volunteers in the national network for monitoring breeding birds. The national index figures have been corrected for the bias that some census takers have for the better meadow bird areas.

The Foot and Mouth crisis in 2001 resulted in too few data being collected that year to ensure reliable index figures.

Furthermore, the trends have not been adjusted to take account of the decline in the area of grassland in 1990-2000.

References


  • Beintema, A., O. Moedt en D. Ellinger (1995). Ecologische Atlas van de Nederlandse Weidevogels. Schuyt & Co. Haarlem.
  • Teunissen, W.A., L. Soldaat, M.G.P van Veller, F. Willems en A.J. van Strien (2002). Berekening van indexcijfers in het weidevogelmeetnet. SOVON-onderzoeksrapport 2002. SOVON Vogelonderzoek Nederland. Beek-Ubbergen.

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This page was last changed on 06 May 2004  (version 01).