Birds of wetland habitats

Our Department carries out research and monitoring activities on birds in the main Trentino’s wetlands with the following aims: 1) the evaluation of the conservation status of the nesting species and their habitats; 2) the detection of threatened species according to the Red List of Birds and species of significant ecological and conservation value according to the Action A8 and A3 Life+T.E.N.; 3) the launch of a monitoring programme of species included in All.I of the Birds Directive.

The census is conducted along sample paths, mainly linear, visited 2 or 3 times in the early morning during the breeding season (May-July) in different years. All the target species (and others when possible) are recorded together with the factors that could help to determine the species detectability (i.e. time, weather condition, potential disturbance factors).

Monitoring activities conducted between 2015 and 2016 in the protected areas of Trentino have highlighted the ecological deterioration of the wetland habitats, proved by the general decline in the target species and the consequent need of launching a network planning including all the protected wetland areas and ameliorating the quality of adjacent habitats.