MONET 2030: Populations of breeding birds

SDG 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Swiss target 15.5: The state of conservation of local species, especially populations of national priority species, is improved and to the extent possible, their extinction averted. Genetic diversity is preserved.

Significance of the indicator
The indicator shows the change in numbers of nesting bird species on the Red List, which records endangered or rare species observed in Switzerland. The number and presence of birds depends largely on the diversity and quality of habitats. Nesting bird populations are a good indicator of a territory’s biodiversity. An increase in the value of the indicator, therefore, is a step towards sustainable development.

Help for interpretation
The population in 1990 was defined as the index value of 100. A value of less than 100 indicates a reduction in observed Red List nesting bird populations compared with 1990, whereas a value of more than 100 indicates an increase in the population.
The indicator is based on observations. In the short term, population trend is dependent on weather conditions and other random fluctuations. The observation of long-term trends enables conclusions to be drawn about the success of measures implemented for the conservation of species, changes in their habitats and the impact of harmful factors.
Extinct species or those that were never frequent in Switzerland are not included in this indicator

International comparability
The indicator is similar to the “Common Bird Index” of the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS), but the two indices differ with regard to the number and the choice of species included.