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Supporting birds in Extremadura

We carry out and actively support work in a number of areas. This year efforts have focussed on Cranes during the winter months and then Montagu's Harriers and Marsh Harrier during the breeding period.

This work is done for two reasons. The first is for scientific purposes - to gather data and develop a clearer picture of the status of certain birds in the region. The outcomes of the work are of interest to ornithologists. The second one is to try to encourage local people to play a more active and supportive part in looking at and looking after the birds of the region. Birdwatching in Spain is by no means as established as it is in the UK and other northern European countries. It is very much still a minority interest - the RSPB equivalent organisation (Sociedad Española de Ornitología) has only 8,000 members (the RSPB has over 1 million). There is a need to generate interest amongst local people, particularly farmers and children. Despite the region's great richness in bird life, many species are vulnerable to changes in agricultural practice and development projects. At the moment there are few voices to speak in defence of birds and this can lead to direct loss of individual birds and habitat loss. An example of what from a bird perspective is a major retrograde step is the project to irrigate an area of around 20,000 hectares of agricultural land near Acedera. This is traditional habitat for Great Bustard during the winter. Apart from the disturbance during the intensive pipe-laying operations, the sources of food the birds depend on are going to reduce beyond a point of no return. Despite the protests of regional bird groups this work is going ahead. Local agricultural interests quite reasonably see the increased profits this will lead to and are in favour.

In order to respond to threats like this one, we want to appeal to longer-term financial interests as well as arguing that a loss of traditional habitat and concomitant birdlife must be handled with extreme caution. At the moment bird-watching activities in the area are on the increase but have little impact on local economies. The people most directly involved in working in the countryside are the least likely to derive any benefit from such activities, indeed they might quite reasonably create work and problems. Through small-scale localised projects we wish to promote an increasing sense of identification between the people who live and work in the countryside and the bird populations. Ornithological tourism can play a vital role in improving economic prospects for many people in the future.

With a view to informing people better, we engage in awareness-raising activities with talks and exhibitions in local villages and schools. Once people are better informed they can help defend the birds and the environment, as well as get enjoyment themselves from seeing and understanding more. Also we make small payments to individuals who are making an effort to look after bird populations, during the breeding season in particular. This work is supported by the contribution of €35 from each visitor.

Current initiative

In the coming year we will be working to support the breeding colonies of Collared Pratincole. These birds nest in arable fields and are vulnerable to many routine agricultural activities. The project informs local people about the beauty and the interest which the birds offer and funds specific efforts to avoid disturbance at critical times. This means using small payments to encourage farmers to harvest or carry out other tasks at less sensitive times.

Over the next two years we will be working to the following scheme:

Year 1

Year 2