Bird monitoring initiatives launched in Selfkant and Schleswig-Holstein

Various bird monitoring initiatives are underway in Germany to support species protection and research. In the Selfkant region, a call for volunteers has been issued to monitor house martins and barn swallows. Participants are asked to record nest activity, including distinguishing between occupied and unoccupied nests, during the breeding season from May to August.

In Schleswig-Holstein, the Michael-Otto-Institut (MOIN) is coordinating breeding success monitoring for the endangered Eurasian oystercatcher in the Wadden Sea. This monitoring serves as an early warning system to identify causes for the declining populations in the region. The project is integrated into the Trilateral Monitoring and Assessment Program (TMAP) involving Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands, as local breeding success has frequently been too low to offset mortality rates.