Bird monitoring takes place in different ways. The ornithologist admits that it is not possible to fully monitor rare bird species, but it is especially important to collect data on nesting species in Latvia, because we are responsible for them. One method is to have specially trained people move along a randomly selected route, counting all the birds. There are different methods for night and day bird counting. Viesturs Ķerus emphasizes that although it is important to take care of all the birds found in Latvia, the most attention should be paid to those that nest here. “If we think about nature conservation, the traditional division is birds that nest with us, so nesting populations, and birds that do not nest with us, but use as a stopover on their journey to other nesting sites. Our biggest responsibility is for the nesters – both migratory birds and campers who live here all year round.”
Ornithologists also follow the routes of migratory birds because it is important to understand whether changes in the population are affected by processes occurring in other habitats. As conditions change in one of the bird camps in Africa or Southern Europe, the number of birds that migrated to Latvia may decrease. However, Latvian environmentalists cannot influence these processes, so it is important to do your homework – to ensure that our agriculture and forestry are bird-friendly and provide good conditions for their nesting.
Tags: Latvia bird population decreasing species disappearing altogether
