Stable or changed? Migratory numbers in three rare breeding bird species from Luxembourg
Abstract:
Many bird species have experienced population declines in recent years and are forced to deal with climate change effects, causing some species to adjust their migratory patterns. While numerous studies have addressed this issue, research from Luxembourg is currently still lacking. Therefore, this study investigated how the migratory numbers of three rare breeding bird species have changed over a time period of 10 years. For this purpose, the ringing data of the two largest bird ringing stations in Luxemburg were analysed. The results showed over time an overall increase in migratory numbers for Bluethroats (Luscinia svecica) due to increasing numbers in fall that more than compensated the decrease in spring. There were no significant changes in migratory numbers for Sedge Warblers (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) and Whinchats (Saxicola rubetra). These differing results underline the importance of migratory bird research and highlight the importance of stopover site conservation.