Övervakning av fåglarnas populationsutveckling : årsrapport för 2016

We present the results of the Swedish Bird Survey, run by the Department of Biology, Lund University, as a part of the National Monitoring Programme of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. The results for 2016 include data from: 565 winter point counts in 2015/2016 (41st winter), of which 281 were carried out during the Christmas/New Year count, 249 summer point count routes (42nd year) and 493 Fixed routes (21st year). In the programme for covering night-active birds (7th season), 148 routes were covered at three occasions each (March, April and June). The new monitoring systems for wetland birds and archipelago birds that were launched in 2015 continued in 2016. As many as 273 wetland routes and 184 archipelago squares of 2 x 2 km2 were surveyed. Population trends were analyzed using TRIM and trends for 198 different species are presented. The geographical distributions of the covered routes are also presented (Fig. 1). Larger mammals are counted on the Night routes and the Fixed routes since 2010 and 2011, respectively and we can now present short-term trends for 12 mammal species based on these two systems. In the Christmas/New Year count 2015/2016, about 156,000 individuals of 139 species were counted by 225 observers. On the point count routes in summer 2016, about 85,000 birds of 204 species were counted by 149 observers. From the Fixed routes 138,000 birds of 220 species were reported by 234 persons. The Night routes yielded a little more than 11,000 birds of 45 species, counted by 126 observers. Trend graphs for a large number of species are presented in Figs. 10–12. More graphs and indices can be found on the homepage (address below). More than 6400 mammals were counted (all surveys together), the most common being Roe Deer, Fallow Deer, European Hare, Wild Boar, Red Fox and Moose. Almost 60,000 birds of 95 selected species were counted in different forms of wet habitats. Within the system for archipelago birds, more than 95 000 birds of 66 selected species were registered in 2016. Over the last 10 years, the most pronounced declines are found in Ortolan Bunting, Hazel Grouse, Greenfinch, crossbill sp., Black Grouse, Lesser Whitethroat, Pheasant, Yellowhammer and Starling. The strongest increases during the same period are found in Common redpoll (spp. cabaret), Ptarmigan, Chiffchaff (spp. collybita), Kestrel, Goldfinch, Hawfinch, Redshank, Chiffchaff (spp. abietinus), Bullfinch and Whooper Swan. When analyzing trends for groups of species, based on their phylogeny and habitat preferences, the last decade has seen particularly declining numbers in waterfowl, grouse and sparrows, birds of farmland and mountain birch forest