Long-term population trends reveal increasing importance of a Mediterranean wetland complex (Messolonghi lagoons, Greece) for wintering waterbirds

Liordos, Vasilios; Pergantis, Fotis; Perganti, Iris; Roussopoulos, Yannis

doi:10.1186/1810-522X-53-12

Zoological Studies

Table 1 Population data for the 28 most abundant waterbird species wintering at the Messolonghi lagoons during 1982 to 2012

From: Long-term population trends reveal increasing importance of a Mediterranean wetland complex (Messolonghi lagoons, Greece) for wintering waterbirds

Species name	Biogeographic population (flyway/region)				Messolonghi lagoons population
Species name	Name	Estimate	1% threshold	Assessment	Mean ± SD	Range	Ramsar^e
Great crested grebe	Black Sea, Mediterranean (w)	580,000 to 870,000	7,100	Decreasing	832 ± 749	47 to 3,205	0
Black-necked grebe	Europe/S, W Europe and N Africa	159,000 to 268,000	2,100	Decreasing	567 ± 575	21 to 2,862	1
Little grebe	Europe, NW Africa	300,000 to 510,000	3,900	Increasing	453 ± 347	62 to 1,113	0
Dalmatian pelican	Black Sea, Mediterranean (w)	6,600 to 6,800	65	Increasing	65 ± 76	0 to 256	10^f
Great cormorant	Black Sea, Mediterranean	350,000 to 450,000	4,000	Increasing	2,913 ± 2,081	395 to 5,980	13^f
Little egret	Central, E Europe/Black Sea, E Mediterranean	44,000 to 72,400	560	Stable	356 ± 271	8 to 1,050	8^f
Great egret	W, Central, SE Europe/Black Sea, Mediterranean	38,800 to 54,300	460	Increasing	305 ± 218	7 to 927	7^f
Grey heron	Central, E Europe^a	189,000 to 256,000	2,200	Increasing	182 ± 140	5 to 500	0
Eurasian spoonbill	Central, SE Europe/Mediterranean, tropical Africa	11,600 to 11,700	120	Decreasing	54 ± 56	6 to 219	3
Greater flamingo	E Mediterranean	60,000	600	Stable	1,760 ± 2,417	1 to 8,360	13^f
Common shelduck	Black Sea, Mediterranean	120,000	1,200	Increasing	399 ± 458	42 to 2,270	3
Mallard	E Europe/Black Sea, E Mediterranean	2,000,000	20,000	Decreasing	563 ± 634	5 to 2,500	0
Northern pintail	W Siberia, NE, E Europe/S Europe, W Africa	750,000	7,500	Fluctuating	913 ± 799	30 to 2,500	0
Northern shoveler	W Siberia, NE, E Europe/S Europe, W Africa	450,000	4,500	Increasing	2,070 ± 1,602	10 to 6,665	3
Eurasian wigeon	W Siberia, NE Europe/Black Sea, Mediterranean	300,000	3,000	Stable	8,032 ± 3,303	2,563 to 15,600	30
Common teal	W Siberia, NE Europe/Black Sea, Mediterranean	750,000 to 1,380,000	10,200	Increasing	5,048 ± 3,987	30 to 20,770	1
Common pochard	Central, NE Europe/Black Sea, Mediterranean	800,000	8,000	Decreasing	4,574 ± 5,305	90 to 20,000	4
Tufted duck	Central Europe/Black Sea, Mediterranean (w)	600,000	6,000	Decreasing	442 ± 1,002	0 to 4,000	0
Eurasian coot	Black Sea, Mediterranean (w)	2,500,000	25,000	Increasing	20,884 ± 10,878	7,220 to 42,435	11^f
Pied avocet	SE Europe/Black Sea, Turkey (br)	47,000	470	Decreasing	625 ± 456	16 to 1,435	14^f
Kentish plover	Black Sea, E Mediterranean/E Sahel	32,000 to 49,000	400	Unknown	1,854 ± 1,436	31 to 5,150	22
Grey plover	W Siberia, Canada/W Europe, W Africa^a	250,000	2,500	Decreasing (?)	105 ± 64	2 to 205	0
Eurasian golden plover	N Europe/W Europe, NW Africa^b	500,000 to 1,000,000	7,100	Increasing	1,357 ± 882	110 to 3,780	0
Northern lapwing	W Asia/SW Asia, Europe, W Asia (br)	5,500,000 to 9,500,000	72,300	Stable	1,818 ± 1,537	120 to 6,940	0
Dunlin	NE Europe, NW Siberia/W Europe, NW Africa^c	1,330,000	13,300	Stable	5,071 ± 2,923	720 to 10,800	0
Little stint	N Europe/S Europe, N and W Africa	300,000	3,000	Increasing (?)	1,820 ± 1,667	10 to 5,890	7
Common redshank	Central, E Europe (br)^d	570,000 to 870,000	7,000	Decreasing	1,015 ± 770	65 to 3,870	0
Eurasian curlew	Europe, N and W Africa	700,000 to 1,000,000	8,400	Decreasing	177 ± 105	15 to 487	0
Overall waterbirds					63,054 ± 22,241	29,630 to 109,795	31

Biogeographic population data is taken from Wetlands International (2013). Waterbird population estimates (mean ± SD, range) and the number of years in which Ramsar population criteria were met are also presented. ^aSome migrate S in the non-breeding period. ^bNon-breeding range W and S Continental Europe, E Britain, NW Africa. ^cNon-breeding range W Europe, Mediterranean, N and W Africa. ^dNon-breeding range E Mediterranean, Asia Minor, Sub-Saharan Africa. ^eNumber of years in which Ramsar criteria 5 (waterbird species assemblage exceeded 20,000 individuals) and 6 (single species numbers exceeded the 1% flyway population threshold) were met. Internationally important populations are indicated in italics. ^fSingle species populations currently exceeding the 1% threshold that could be assessed as internationally important in the future. w, wintering; br, breeding; ?, uncertain.

Back to article page