As in previous years, we will count winter waterbirds between 10-20 January. This monitoring programme was started in 1967 by Wetlands International. In Romania it is coordinated by the Romanian Ornithological Society and the Milvus Group. The aim of the survey is to get an accurate picture of the number and distribution of waterbird species.
The data collected under the Romanian programme will be used, among other things, to identify important bird conservation areas (areas that are home to at least 20,000 waterbirds on a continuous basis). Several of these have been designated as Natura 2000 sites and proposed for more appropriate protection at European level.
In order to make this programme as effective as possible, we need volunteers to help with data collection. Last year, 164 observers collected data on 487 wetlands across the country.
The observers involved in the census visit each wetland (lake, stream, marsh, bank, etc.) once during the day, usually between 9am and 4pm, when there is sufficient light and good weather conditions for good observation of the species. Bird sightings are uploaded directly to the OpenBirdMaps database using the dedicated phone app form.
The methodology of the programme and all the information needed to participate can be found at https://milvus.ro/en/monitoring/iwc/ .
The programme coordinator for Milvus Group is Szilárd J. Daróczi, szilard.daroczi@milvus.ro.
