Science & Wildlife

The Importance of British Wetlands

Data collected by thousands of Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) volunteers, (which includes Stoke Newington Reservoirs / Woodberry Wetlands) is published annually by the British Trust for Ornithology, showing the importance of the UK's wetlands for millions of wintering waterbirds.

Key wetland sites are located right across the country, providing a wide range of waterbirds with a safe and resource-rich environment. Many of these important sites have been designated as Special Protected Areas (SPAs e.g. Lea Valley) under the European Commission's Birds Directive, which came into force in 1979. The volunteer-collected data from WeBS are used to inform these designations.

Recent WeBS reports draw attention to declining population trends of some familiar waterbirds, including Mallard and Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna, photo, a species seen at Woodberry Wetlands). Although Mallard is still a regular sight on inland and coastal wetlands, numbers have declined by 39% at sites monitored by WeBS since the mid-1980s.

Similarly, Shelduck - which lives on coastal habitats outside the breeding season - has dropped by 23% over the same period, with an especially marked decline in recent years.

The reasons behind these declines are unclear and likely to be complex. However, the population changes have occurred against a backdrop of climate-driven shifts in distribution of other waterbirds such as Smew. The changing climate may therefore be affecting Mallard and Shelduck too, and understanding this is vital for an appropriate conservation response.

Many familiar coastal waders, such as Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Eurasian Curlew and Common Redshank, have also declined in recent decades, although some others, such as Avocet and Black-tailed Godwit, have increased. The wintering populations of the latter two species have increased by 58% and 49% respectively over the past 10 years. SPAs in southern Britain, such as the Exe Estuary and Poole Harbour, have proved particularly important for Avocet.

The WeBS report, published annually as a paper report and also available as an interactive online interface, makes information readily accessible to anyone interested in birds and the environment. None of this is possible without the efforts of 3,100 volunteers.

Published by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)

April 2015

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