International Census Plots – the beginning of common bird monitoring in Serbia

Over the last two decades, several extensive bird census programs have been conducted in Serbia, producing results that represent a solid base for monitoring the breeding birds population dynamics. Also, several key publications were published, such as Critical list of species (Šćiban et al. 2015), Breeding population estimates and trends (Puzović et al. 2003, Puzović et al. 2015), Red book of the fauna of Serbia (Radišić et al. 2018). Furthermore, Serbian ornithologists contributed to the EBBA2 (Keller et al. 2020) with a significant amount of data, so Serbia isn’t left as a blank space on the ornithological map of Europe.

However, until recently, conducting a large-scale breeding bird monitoring remained out of reach for Serbian ornithologists. Although a significant number of skilled experts exist, lack of interest and support, primarily financial, from state institutions postponed the start of common bird monitoring in Serbia. So far, only a few threatened or rare species, as well as local avifauna on a few sites, is regularly monitored.

At the beginning of 2021, EBCC Board and PECBMS coordination team made an initiative and an assessment of BPSSS capability to conduct a common bird monitoring (CBM). Results indicated that conditions are allowing CBM to start in Serbia. We agreed that monitoring should be based on International Census Plots (ICP), an approach currently being developed by the EBCC as a tool for enlarging a coverage of Europe by common bird monitoring. Breeding season in 2021 is set to be a pilot season that will give us insight if some changes are needed in future. BPSSS was obliged to organize and coordinate fieldwork while EBCC decided to help financially and with advice.

Although not much time was left for preparations before the start of the breeding season, a group of 27 fieldworkers was formed, and census plots were established. Census plots were selected semi-randomly, in the sense that in areas that are accessible to the fieldworkers, a random set of 2×2 km squares was selected in which two 1 km long transects were defined. A total of 34 census plots were successfully visited twice, the first time between April 15^th and May 10^th and the second time between May 15^th and June 10^th. The data acquired during field research will be used not only for ICP but also for national breeding bird atlas.

Radislav Mirić, Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia

Dimitrije Radišić, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Department of Biology and Ecology

References:

Keller V, Herrando S, Voříšek P, Franch M, Kipson M, Milanesi P, Martí D, Anton M, Klvaňová A, Kalyakin MV, Bauer HG, Foppen RPB (2020): European Breeding Bird Atlas 2: Distribution, Abundance and Change. European Bird Census Council & Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Puzović S, Simić D, Saveljić D, Gergelj J, Tucakov M, Stojnić N, Hulo I, Ham I, Vizi O, Šćiban M, Ružić M, Vučanović M, Jovanović T (2003): Ptice Srbije I Crne Gore – veličine gnezdilišnih populacija i trendovi: 1990-2002. Ciconia 12: 35-120.

Puzović S, Radišić D, Ružić M, Rajković D, Radaković M, Pantović U, Janković M, Stojnić N, Šćiban M, Tucakov M, Gergelj J, Sekulić G, Agošton A, Raković M (2015): Ptice Srbije: procena veličina populacija i trendova gnezdarica 2008 – 2013. Društvo za zaštitu i proučavanje ptica Srbije i Prirodno-matematički fakultet, Departman za biologiju i ekologiju, Univerzitet u Novom Sadu, Novi Sad.

Radišić D, Vasić V, Puzović S, Ružić M, Šćiban M, Grubač B, Vujić A eds. (2018): Red book of fauna III – Birds. Belgrade: Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology and Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia.

Šćiban M, Rajković D, Radišić D, Vasić V, Pantović U (2015): Ptice Srbije – kritički spisak vrsta. Pokrajinski zavod za zaštitu prirode i Društvo za zaštitu i proučavanje ptica Srbije, Novi Sad.