Experts discuss predation management to protect breeding birds in the Wadden Sea
Despite extensive efforts in conservation, many breeding bird species in the Wadden Sea continue to face significant declines. Predation is considered one major threat. On 9-10 September, more than 50 experts from the fields of research, nature conservation, and environmental management met online for the trilateral workshop “Protecting Birds in the Wadden Sea: Navigating Opportunities and Constraints of Predation Management.” The event was organised by the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat and the Expert Group Breeding Birds under the framework of the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation and focused on exchanges on best practices for addressing the growing impact of predators on ground-breeding bird populations.
Predation is a natural ecological process in the Wadden Sea. Many bird species have developed valuable strategies to adapt to predation risks. Because of high predation pressure, many mainland breeding sites have been abandoned by ground-nesting breeders. Instead, birds settle in areas with low predation pressure, such as islands. However, the presence of terrestrial predators on the islands, often introduced or spread through human activity and barrier dams connecting mainland and islands, has created additional and unnatural pressures. Despite extensive efforts in habitat restoration and targeted predator management programmes, many key species remain at risk. “New results from the trilateral breeding bird monitoring show that most coastal breeding birds are still experiencing declines. Low breeding success, also as a result of predation, is one of the main drivers for this development,” noted Kees Koffijberg of SOVON.
Mammalian predators such as brown rats or feral cats occur on almost all inhabited islands in the Wadden Sea due to human activities. On the Lower Saxon islands, for example, these predators prey on the eggs and chicks and even adults of ground-nesting coastal birds and negatively impact their conservation status significantly. “These predators are fundamentally contrary to the protection and conservation objectives for the Lower Saxon National Park and for the Wadden Sea as a whole. The good news is that on the uninhabited islands of Memmert, Minsener Oog, and Mellum, ground predators do not occur, and birds can breed safely,” explained Gundolf Reichert of the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park Authority.
On some Wadden Sea islands even larger predators like red foxes and racoon dogs have been detected. “With the invasion of racoon dogs from the south it is an ongoing task to protect some of our most vulnerable, ground-nesting birds in the Danish part of the Wadden Sea”, says John Frikke from the Danish Wadden Sea National Park Administration.
As another example, predation by brown rats has led to severe breeding losses in Schleswig-Holstein in recent years, with entire breeding seasons lost at some sites. “Owing to their remarkable ability to reach remote areas far out in the Wadden Sea and to establish populations in almost any habitat, rats represent one of the greatest challenges for shorebird conservation in the Wadden Sea,” said Benjamin Gnep of Schutzstation Wattenmeer e.V.
“The presence of non-native predators on the Wadden Sea islands continues to threaten the survival of ground breeding species in all three Wadden Sea countries, making effective management more crucial than ever. However, legal and logistical challenges as well as public acceptance of the management can slow down conservation efforts”, added Reichert.
The workshop was structured over two days. The first day provided an overview of the situation in the three Wadden Sea countries, including presentations of successful research, monitoring, and management initiatives. On the second day, participants worked in smaller groups to discuss specific monitoring and management issues, as well as the legal, logistical, and societal constraints that affect implementation. The results of these discussions will directly contribute to the ongoing update of the Breeding Bird Action Plan and are also expected to support the development of forthcoming Nature Recovery Plans.