african stopovers and wintering sites of aquatic warbler acrocephalus paludicola awct meeting 2014

African stopovers and wintering sites of Aquatic warbler Acrocephalus paludicola

State of knowledge and project proposal for future activities

Julien Foucher AWCT meeting 2014 Goniądz

AW in the Wetland of Guimi, center of Mauritania. 5/12/2013, all feathers molted

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African stopovers and wintering sites : state of knowledge and project proposal for planned searching activities

Julien Foucher – AWCT meeting 2014 Goniądz

Association for Knowledge and Ornithological Research along Loire and Atlantic« ACROLA » is the EURING code for Aquatic warbler (hereafter AW)

Includes ringers, researchers, birders, all volunteers…Created in 2006 by the ringers who were managing ringing station of Donges

Study of migration of AW at the ringing station of Donges since 2002Research about conservation measures on estuarine wetlands for AW• 1 192 AWs among 116 025 birds caught

Ringing on breeding sites in PolandAlphanumeric colour rings• 241 AWs among 326 birds caught

Research for wintering sites of Aquatic warblers since 20093 sites discovered, several partnerships with local authorities• 56 AWs among 4 208 birds caught

Introduction

Association ACROLA

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Important refuelling on European stopoversAutumn migration : half of the migration of AW (3000 km) is still unknownSpring migration : no recent datas

Introduction > State of knowledge

African stopovers

Map of AW ring recoveries performed by Association ACROLA. Red lines : recoveries from Africa, orange lines : recoveries from Loire Estuary (Donges ringing station) and green lines : recoveries from

Poland

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MoroccoPotential habitats from Schäffer & al., Bird Conservation International (2006) :• « Salt marshes with Salicornia sp. and Tamarix sp. » • « Freshwater marshes with Juncus sp. » • « Meadow »

Rapid and strong development of the country, increasing threats on wetlandsPotential areas for AW :• Suitable for AW : El Oualidia wetlands, Oued ez-Zehar • Non suitable : Oued Loukkos (Larache marshes), Merja Zerga• Historical areas, to check : Oued Moulouya, Oued Massa

TunisiaAccording to Schäffer & al. : Principally spring migration : most of datas in April and May / No record of the species since 1968 ! / Most of records made on the coastline

AlgeriaAccording to Schäffer & al. : Principally spring migration : most of datas in April and May / No record of the species since 1978 !

Egypt ?Uncertain records

Introduction > State of knowledge > African stopovers

Autumn and spring migration

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Suitable for AW

Oued Ez-Zehar, Sahara. Place where wintering of Sedge Warblers was proved by Hamid Rguibi-Idrissi

El Oualidia lagoon, near El Jadida. General view and detail of the vegetation : Salicornia schrubs mixed with Sedges and Reeds

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Non suitable for AW

Larache wetland, ringing site

General view of Larache marshes

Merja Zerga wet meadow, Spartina densiflora

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Historical areas, to check

Smir wetland, Ritz-Carlton complex project, built now

Moulouya Estuary, Salicornia schrubs, suitable habitat for AW

Smir wetland before Ritz-Carlton complex, at the front suitable habitats for AW Oued Souss-Massa

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Mainly West african countries are concerned now : According to Walther & al., Ibis (2007), potential area includes Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Ghana, Togo and BeninGuinea and Guinea-Bissau ?

Currently known, three potential important areas :Senegal delta (Mauritania and Senegal)Inner Niger Delta (Mali)Ephemeral wetlands (Mauritania)Lake Tchad ? (Niger)

From October-November to February-March 4 months for moultingSuitability periods different between wetlands

Introduction > State of knowledge

Wintering sites

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Introduction > State of knowledge > Wintering sites

B. A. Walther & al., Ibis (2007)

Salewski & al., 2012

Oppel & al., 2011

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Senegal delta : Djoudj, Diawling and other wetlands

Djoudj National ParkMost important wintering site knownAccording to Tegetmeyer & al., 2014 :

• 4 729 ha of potential habitat• estimate a total population size of 776 individuals• (range 260–4 057)

Diawling National ParkSimilar habitats than DjoudjSince 2009 : 2750 ringed birds, noone AW

Other wetlandsSome places look suitable but mostly of these are invaded by cattail (Typha) or transformed into ricefieldsIn the Senegal valley, it’s very difficult to reach wetlands without a guide and an all-terrain vehicleLake R’kiz : Most important part of the lake transformed into ricefields, the rest of the wetland looks suitable but ringing is very difficult due to the huge numbers of Quelea quelea and weavers.Lake of Aleg : historical site for AW but currently overgrazed

Borders of Diawling NP (green) and Djoudj NP (red), red dots : ringing places

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Senegal delta : Djoudj, Diawling and other wetlands

Lake of Aleg : overgrazing problem

Site of Tiguet close to the Djoudj NP, site with highest density of AW

Lake R’Kiz : potential suitable zone for AW, bird : Quelea quelea

Wet meadows of Diawling NP, no AWs

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Wintering zone for Aquatic warblersAbundance, distribution, wintering and moult strategy are still unknownSuitable period is end of January to end of February, after drying of wetlands in Senegal delta and Mauritania -> possibility of a migration West to East ?


Inner Niger delta

Inner Niger Delta, red square : studied zone Studied zone, red dots : ringing places without AW ; green dots : with AW

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In Mauritania the continental wetlands are very lesser known than coastal zones like Diawling National Park or Banc d’Arguin NP, in despite of their rich biodiversity and crucial role for migratory birds.

Flooded period of these wetlands depends strongly of the raining seasonPoor raining season : not flooded or only in October – November


Ephemeral wetlands

Map of continental wetlands in Mauritania, region of Hodh el Gharbi. Source GIZ 2007

Wetland of Guimi, wintering and moulting zone for AW, but also for Bluethroat or Savi’s warbler

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Threats affecting potential suitable wetlands in West Africa:Agriculture, mainly rice fieldsOvergrazingGlobal warming : acceleration of desertificationEconomical development (tourism infrastructures)Dams constructionInvasion by cattails

Introduction > State of knowledge > Proposal for future activities

African priority

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Planned actionsAchieve ringing sessions the wetlands of El Oualidia and Oued Ez-Zehar in order to quantify the importance of migratory passage for Aquatic warblers and others reedbed passerines

Other actions Check suitable habitats for Aquatic warbler on historical sites : Moulouya Estuary, Souss-Massa Estuary (Morocco) ; and also check historical sites in Algeria and Tunisia (idea of birding holidays ?)


Stopovers sites

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Planned actionsTry to find the explanation of the absence of AW in Diawling NP (Understand the reason could permit to adapt natural management of Diawling NP to AW and if it works, to double the potential suitable area in Senegal delta)

Continue to realise ringing sessions at the site of Tiguet, in Djoudj NPContinue searching of suitable wetlands along Senegal river

Other actionsIncrease Djoudj conservation measures for AW (the site of Tiguet is not in the perimeter of Djoudj NP and is under pressure of local people who want to make rice culture)


Senegal delta

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Planned actionsAchieve ringing sessions on a maximum of different places will be performed in order to identify the preferred habitats of AW and their density. With these data we will be able to extrapolate the wintering importance on the Inner Niger Delta according to vegetation and hydrology existing maps. Continue searching for suitable wetlands close to the Delta (Lake Oro, Lake Télé)

Other actionsContinue searching for suitable wetlands in the rest of the country


Inner Niger delta

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Planned actionsOn each visited wetland, through field inventories and population surveys, will be filled informations like : area’s size, landowners, land management, hydrologic and edaphic carachters, descriptive of plant and birds communities and waterbirds census. If the site seems to be suitable for Aquatic warbler, ringing sessions will be performed in order to identify the importance of the wetland for this species.Rendering of this inventory will be in the form of sheets for each wetland that will be given to the Mauritanian Direction of Protected Areas and Coastline in order to supply their databases. The results of these inventories will also given to international databases like Wetlands International, Ramsar or MedWet.


Ephemeral wetlands

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Study and protection of African wetlands for AW are also a good way to protect other reedbed passerines.

Introduction > State of knowledge > Proposal for future activities > Conclusion

AW : an « umbrella » species

Ring recoveries performed from the african missions since 2009, mainly on Sedge warbler

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GeolocatorsSatellite image analysis???

Introduction > State of knowledge > Proposal for future activities > Conclusion

Other searching methods - Debate

african stopovers and wintering sites of aquatic warbler acrocephalus paludicola awct meeting 2014

Environment

migration of aw

gonidz aw

project proposal

aw oued ezzehar

breeding sites

gonidz association

unknown spring migration

wintering of sedge warblers