Agricultural development, for example switching from traditional extensive agriculture to intensive agriculture, the development of infrastructure, tourism or climate change can all have a significant impact on bird populations. Therefor it is essential to follow the changes of the breeding, migratory or wintering populations in order to detect the negative trends in time and take the necessary steps for their protection. In 2006 the ”Milvus Group” Bird and Nature Protection Association initiated a programme for the monitoring of wintering birds of prey populations. The aims of the programme are on one hand the mapping of the species distribution and winter population levels in different regions of Romania, on the other hand the long term monitoring of these populations.
The method implies two data collection sessions each winter (between 29 November-12 December and 7-20 February), repeated annually. Observations take place along routes of at least 5 km length selected by the participant with the help of the programme coordinator. The route is covered on foot and particpants have to note down all birds of prey and weather conditions. The programme relies entirely on voluntary work. If you would like to join the programme please contact the programme coordinator, István Kovács on the istvan.kovacs.kov@gmail.com e-mail address.
The forms and methodology can be downloaded from here (in Romanian and Hungarian)
An analysis of the data collected between 2006-2010 can be downloaded from here (in Romanian)
An overview of the situation was presented at Bird Numbers 2019 conference, Évora, Portugal
