Birds
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Increase abundance
Data collection in progress
Koitajoki Watershed
Finland
Problem: The Finnish peatland landscape provides key habitats for many bird species such as waders and golden eagles. This habitat has been degraded for decades by drying peatlands (through ditching) and converting them to plantation forests, as well as peat harvesting and mining.
Action: Snowchange is working to restore key sites in this landscape that are particularly important for vulnerable, threatened, and critically endangered birds. These actions include mainly peatland restoration, but also enhancing old-growth forest corridors and restoring and constructing small wetlands for water quality protection.
Indicator: The increase presence and abundance of key bird species will demonstrate the benefit of the recovering landscape to avian movement and reproduction.
Methods
Field visits are made in from early spring to the June mating season. The point count method is used in line with Finland’s national bird monitoring methodology, occurring at 17 sites (Fig. 1), and mainly at night and early morning. Data recorded includes visual and auditory observations, field notes and GPS locations. Records are additionally saved in the National TIIRA Observation Network. These surveys are conducted annually. From the observations, several metrics are calculated for each site: total abundance of birds, species richness (number of different species observed at each site), and species richness specifically of birds of special conservation interest (listed in the IUCN Red List, the EU Habitats Directive, or as a Finnish responsibility species of international bird protection).
Figure 1: Map of bird survey sites in Koitajoki watershed.
Results
Changes in bird abundance and species richness from 2023 – 2024 are shown in the tabs below (Fig.s 2-4). Note that some sites were added in 2024 and therefore only have data for that year. Data for further years will be added as the project progresses.
Figure 2: Bird abundance. Some sites were added in 2024 and therefore only have data for that year.
Figure 2: Bird species richness. Some sites were added in 2024 and therefore only have data for that year.
Figure 2: Species richness of birds of special conservation interest – species that are IUCN Red-Listed, listed in the EU Birds Directive, or are Finnish responsibility species of international bird protection. Some sites were added in 2024 and therefore only have data for that year.
References
Finland National Bird Monitoring: https://www.luomus.fi/en/bird-monitoring
National TIIRA Observation Network: https://www.tiira.fi
Monitoring method is from Koskimies P. & Väisänen R.A. 1988: Linnustonseurannan havainnointiohjeet. Helsingin yliopiston eläinmuseo.
Wood sandpiper. Photo: Snowchange Cooperative.
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