Towards a methodology to define „Favourable Conservation Status“ for birds examples from Austria Michael Dvorak, BirdLife Österreich

Article 7 Obligations arising under Article 6 (2), (3) and (4) of this Directive shall replace any obligations arising under the first sentence of Article 4 (4) of Directive 79/409/EEC in respect of areas classified pursuant to Article 4 (1) or similarly recognised under Article 4 (2) thereof, as from the date of implementation of this Directive or the date of classification or recognition by a Member State under Directive 79/409/EEC, where the latter date is later. Is the „Favourable Conservation Status“ relevant to the Birds Directive ?

Population dynamics data on the species concerned indicate that it is maintaining itself on a long-term basis as a viable component of its natural habitats The natural range of the species is neither being reduced for the forseeable future There is, and probably continue to be, a sufficiently large habitat to maintain its population on a long-term basis „Conservation Status“ is favourable when

Three sets of criteria Population Range Habitat

Population Population size Population trend Reproductive success Mortality Others

Range size of range number of occupied grid cells number of populations/sites

Habitat area of suitable habitat quality of habitat disturbance through human impact

Spatial scale European Union (single site/population) Special Protection Area Member State

Problems I Availability of data Rare species, restricted distribution Rare species, wide distribution Common species, restricted distribution Common species, wide distribution

Problems II interpretation of data Population fluctuations Factors outside breeding range climatic factors others

Assessments at the national level Red list status Population trend

Assessments at the site level species-specific combination of indicators (at least one per criterion)

Great White Egret IndicatorABC Population trend (10 yrs) stable or increase small decline (20-50 %) large decline (> 50 %) Number of colonies >7 >75-7 < 5 Reproductive success >1.4 juv. /pair juv./pair < 1 juv. /pair < 1 juv. /pair Area of reedbed not harvested or burnt > 50 % % < 25 %

Corncrake IndicatorABC Occurrence (last 10 years) (almost) yearly 4-8 years< 4 years max. number of calling males > 3 Indiv.2-3 Indiv.single birds Reproductive success regularlysingle cases no late mown grassland> 10 ha<10 hanone