The Portuguese Atlas of Winter and Migratory Birds 2011–2013: a synopsis

Abstract

The first Portuguese Atlas of Winter and Migratory Birds will be published in 2017 and was innovative in including the post-nuptial migratory period and data from ringing stations. The standard methodology was identical in both seasons and based on counting birds during a 30 min walk in each of six non-adjacent tetrads (2×2 km) within a 10×10 km UTM square. Additional records were also included as well as data from 26 ringing stations working only during the migratory season. It was possible to cover around 60% of the territory during the migration period and ca. 80% in winter. Despite some limitations of the project like short time for field work (only 2 consecutive winters and migratory seasons), results are very positive and set up a milestone for future initiatives.