WATERFOWL COUNTS
National midwinter counts of waterfowl have been undertaken in Sweden since the start of the International Waterfowl Counts (IWC) organized by Wetlands International (formerly IWRB) since they started in 1967, forming a part of that programme. Before that monthly waterfowl counts were made on a small scale in south Sweden during 1959/60 - 1974/75. As many waterfowl species leave the country for the winter, suplementary national counts have been undertaken in South Sweden in September each year since 1973.
The project is also included in the National Swedish environmental monitoring programme organized by Naturvårdsverket.
During the first years of midwinter counts the aim was to get a full coverage of all important waterfowl areas in the country. In 1969-73 more or less complete coverage of the entire coast except ofsshore aeas and most inland sites of importance was obtained by the cooperation of a large numbers of voluntary counters, boat surveys from coastguard patrol vessels and aerial surveys.
After the first exploratory years the programme was standardized and includes:
Annual index counts January counts are undertaken on an annual sample of about 600 sites grouped in about 70 reference areas plus spread sites to provide data for the calculation of annual population indices. In addition to the International Counts in January an additional September count is undertaken on about 200 sites also to produce population indices. The counts are concentrated to southern Sweden where ice-free waters are available in midwinter.
From 1987 onwards a number of larger reference areas along the coasts and inland were established. These areas are counted in the same way every year and are included in the index calculations together with a number os more wide-spread and smaller sites. The totals counted on these reference areas are shown in a series of graphs and tables.
Country-wide surveys In 1969
(1971)- 1973 a more or less complete coverage of the entire Swedish coast with
the exception of offshore areas was obtained in addition to a vast inland
coverage. Similar country-wide surveys were organized in January 1987-89 and
January 2004. According to the plans these country-wide surveys should be
undertaken at intervals to check for changes in distribution patterns in
addition to establishing population totals. They are also necessary to establish
that the annual sample is representative of Swedish waterfowl areas.
Special surveys Special surveys for
Whooper Swans have been organized in Europe with five year intervals as the
species has changed habits and now is more terrestrial and not well covered by
the waterfowl counts any more.
Offshore survey In the winter of 2007 a special offshore survey was planned in cooperation with the other Baltic countries with the aim to make a complete survey of the seabirds wintering in the Baltic. Due to bad flying weather only part of the programme could be fullfilled. There was bad flying weather also in the winter 2008, but the main survey could be finished in 2009. Offshore surveys in Swedish waters continued in 2010 and 2011 and the data are now under analyzing.
For more information on different aspects of the project follow the links below:
Midwinter Count 2004 (last country-wide survey)
Annual Reports ( PDF-FILES)
in Swedish from 2001/02 With summary)
General analysis (PDF-files)
Species accounts
