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Flamingos in the Ebro Delta, in the Mediterranean region. Toni Duran-Shutterstock
Waterbirds Prefer Northern Wetlands Amid Southern Deterioration

Waterbirds Prefer Northern Wetlands Amid Southern Deterioration

54% of Species Analysed by SEO/BirdLife Have Declined, Especially in Doñana, Albufera de Valencia, and Ebro Delta

J. A. G.

Viernes, 31 de enero 2025, 17:25

Waterbirds are favouring the northern peninsular wetlands due to the deterioration and poorer conservation status of those in the south, according to the SEO/BirdLife report 'Wetlands Facing an Uncertain Future'. The report states that 76% of these habitats are in an unfavourable conservation status, particularly those in the Mediterranean (89%) and Alpine (80%) regions. This is a significantly high percentage considering that within the European Union, this figure drops to 60%. The document was presented this Friday by SEO/BirdLife to mark World Wetlands Day, celebrated this Sunday, February 2nd, around which the NGO is organising a catalogue of educational activities.

Of the 67 bird species analysed that are linked to these environments, 36 have experienced a population decline, accounting for 54% of the total, highlighting a decline in wintering waterbird populations in our country in recent years.

In the three most important wetlands, Doñana, Ebro Delta, and Albufera de Valencia (all located in the Mediterranean region), which host nearly 40% of the wintering waterbird populations, recent trends are negative. There is a noticeable decline in common and abundant species such as the common goose, common coot, common moorhen, mallard, and cattle egret.

The Doñana wetlands, according to the environmental organisation, are suffering severe deterioration due to agricultural overexploitation exacerbated by drought. "The avifauna is not immune to this dynamic, and the population trends of migratory waterbirds reflect the extreme deterioration Doñana is experiencing, as indicated by the results of the censuses conducted in January 2024, which, with 122,196 individuals, marks the worst wintering in the national park's history," warns the SEO/BirdLife document.

In the case of the Ebro Delta, although this wetland remains a key refuge, in the short term, it is also observed that populations of ducks and coots, which reached high numbers, have experienced a significant decrease.

Lastly, the Albufera de Valencia hosts an impressive diversity of waterbirds in winter, with wintering duck populations ranging between 20,000 and 40,000 individuals annually. "However, the wintering waterbird populations also show a negative trend in recent years," notes SEO/BirdLife.

"Commitments Made"

To reverse this process of wetland deterioration and the decline of its associated avifauna, SEO/BirdLife calls for the administrations to implement "the commitments made" in the Strategic Wetlands Plan by 2030, especially in those most in need, such as the La Janda lagoons (Cádiz), which, with over 7,000 hectares, was once the largest in the Peninsula, and the Antela lagoon (Ourense) originally with 3,600 hectares, among others.

"We need urgent action to save the wetlands. The report's results provide a reliable and comprehensive diagnosis of the state of these ecosystems. We have five years left to save the wetlands and restore the ecological functionality of these areas," warns Asunción Ruiz, executive director of SEO/BirdLife.

Similarly, the NGO has been urging the Ministry of Ecological Transition (Miteco) to declare coastal lagoons, a priority community interest habitat, as the first habitat in danger of disappearance in Spain, and to include them in the Spanish Catalogue of Habitats in Danger of Disappearance, which is still pending creation by Miteco. This ecosystem includes, among other wetlands, the Mar Menor, Albufera de Valencia, Doñana, Maspalomas lagoon, Prat de Cabanes-Torreblanca, and Adra lagoon.

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