What is your favorite bird species? You have many species to choose from! Around 500 different bird species have made Europe their home.[1] Spring is a great time to observe birds in Europe. Did you know that Natura 2000 Day is coming up on 21 May? The Natura 2000 network is made up of more than 27,000 protected areas to safeguard the plants, animals, natural environments or biodiversity they contain.[2] The celebration of Natura 2000 day is an initiative from the European Union to honor the efforts of everyone involved in the extensive Natura 2000 network.[2] Plants and animals are observed across borders. It is thus very important to implement nature protection in a European framework.[3] Birds especially are often living across borders, migrating across several habitats depending on their lifecycle, the seasons and food resources available. Did you know that one in five bird species migrate? [4]
We can learn a lot about the status of an ecosystem by the bird species that can be observed. Birds are sensitive to environmental change, making them great indicators of environmental health. Additionally, they are practical indicators because they are easy to find, count and identify.[5} We can estimate their population numbers, but also analyse the composition of species present in an ecosystem.
All organisms have an impact on the environment they live in, by their movements, eating habits, interactions with other species and more. The services that a species or an ecosystem provides us with, are called ecosystem services. A few examples of ecosystem services are provision of wood, clean water and air, seafood, but also genetic resources for pharmaceuticals, temperature regulation, erosion control, and pollination.[6] Cultural ecosystem services are for example a cultural identity that people identify with, access to walking routes, water bodies for swimming and the experience of appreciating a landscape’s aesthetics.[6] Birds too provide ecosystem services! They contribute to pest control, seed dispersal, nutrient cycling and offer recreational activities such as birdwatching, and contribute to our overall health and well-being.[6]
Wild birds and their habitats in Europe are protected under the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive.
Explore the Map of the Week to see marine bird observations distribution within European marine waters or collected by European researchers outside European marine waters.
Wish to learn more about birds and bird conservation? Have a look at the following resources!
- To ensure that future bird generations can continue to occupy the spaces and use the resources they require (i.e. that their functional habitat is conserved), international organisations like Birdlife International are working hard. Have a look at Birdlife Europe and Central Asia’s work areas, which include nature restoration, ocean, climate, campaigns and more;
- Learn more about seabirds on the webpage ‘Everything you need to know about seabirds’ on Birdlife International’s website;
- Read the article ‘Birds as environmental indicators: raptor species a good proxy for agricultural bird diversity’ to learn about research that looked at raptor species as a proxy for the richness of breeding avian communities;
- Are you in Belgium? Check out which bird species you can observe at the Zwin Nature Park at different times of the year;
- Take a look at the interactive map of the Natura 2000 network, click on the Natura 2000 sites and learn about the habitats and species present at these sites;
- Find a Natura 2000 site near you.
The data in the map is provided by EurOBIS.
The European Atlas of the Seas is powered by the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet). Don’t miss the latest news, register for the monthly EMODnet News Digest.
[1] https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/birds-directive_en
[2] https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/natura-2000/natura-2000-day_en
[3] https://www.natura2000.nl/
[4] https://www.birdlife.org/migratory-birds/
[5] https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/indicators/common-bird-index-in-europe