The incredible impact of one of the world’s largest, longest-running and most influential citizen science projects

Tens of thousands of people have started to fan out into wetlands across the world to participate in the 60^th edition of the International Waterbird Census (IWC) – an extraordinary citizen science project that has played a huge, and largely unsung, role in global conservation efforts over the past six decades.

Clasping telescopes and binoculars, teams of scientists and volunteers are heading for their local wetlands from icy European lakes and warm Caribbean coastlines to Asian mudflats and tropical African estuaries. They are following in the footsteps of all the counters since 1967 – to monitor the health of waterbird populations and the wetlands they depend on.

They are part of one of the world’s largest, longest running and most influential biodiversity monitoring projects, including surveys in 67,000 wetlands in 189 countries and territories. It has driven conservation action worldwide – protecting wetlands, safeguarding waterbird populations, and shaping international conservation policies and practices that have benefited people, nature and climate.

“For 60 years, the International Waterbird Census has shown the power of people coming together for nature – developing into an essential beacon of knowledge and collaboration that has underpinned conservation successes for waterbirds and wetlands across the globe,” said Coenraad Krijger, CEO of Wetlands International – one of the coordinators of the IWC.

Designed to estimate waterbird population sizes and trends, identify and monitor priority wetlands for waterbirds, and support wetland protection and management, the census has contributed to incredible conservation successes, including:

• Designation of 956 Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance, covering 1.5 million km² – roughly the size of Mongolia;
• Identification of 2,701 Important Bird Areas, covering 1.75 million km² – roughly the size of Libya; and
• Identification of 2,721 Special Protection Areas across the EU, covering 418,000 km² – larger than Germany.

“BirdLife International salutes the 60th edition of the  International Waterbird Census to be held this month and next. The  most effective conservation is targeted where the need is greatest and the IWC is a great tool to do just that,” said Martin Harper, CEO of Birdlife International – many of whose partners are national coordinators of the IWC.

“Whether it’s having helped establish 956 Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance, covering 1.5 million km² or identifying 2,701 Important Bird Areas, covering 1.75 million km², the IWC consistently helps keep us on track so we can achieve results at scale,” added Harper.

Waterbirds are highly visible and occur across a wide variety of wetlands worldwide. They are also important in ecosystem functioning.

“Wetlands are our life support systems as well as sustaining the world’s waterbirds and countless other species, but we have lost 22% of our remaining wetlands since 1970 and we are continuing to lose them at an alarming rate,” said Krijger.

The IWC’s cost-effective, long-term monitoring has provided priceless data that has:

• Contributed to analysis of 570 waterbird population estimates and trends;
• Alerted us to declining status of certain species and helped guide successful conservation efforts, including several goose species in Europe; and
• Highlighted how some waterbird distribution patterns are shifting as our climate changes and the world warms, with wintering grounds for some populations in Europe moving north and east into the Baltics and Russia.

“The census also paints a worrying picture of the impact of climate change: waterbird distributions are already shifting – what will this mean for these iconic species, their wetlands, and people? We need to support the IWC  to help us chart the best choices for conservation,” said Harper.

Indeed, many waterbird populations are in decline, with waders experiencing particularly worrying downward trends, reflecting the pressures on wetlands, grasslands and tundra habitats along their flyways. By detecting declines in hunted species, tracking the impact of climate change, and avian influenza, the data from the IWC is essential for guiding conservation policy and action.

“Having people on the ground is the only way to gather this critical data on the health of the world’s waterbirds and their wetlands – habitats that sustain our communities and cities as well as countless other species,” said Jean Jalbert, Director General, Tour du Valat.

“The power of the IWC lies in its continuity. Repeating the same coordinated efforts year after year builds a long-term record that allows us to see beyond short-term fluctuations, understand real population trends, and deliver effective solutions,” said Taej Mundkur, International Waterbird Census Coordinator. “The IWC depends on ordinary people – volunteers from Argentina to Japan who care for our shared world and want to help safeguard waterbirds and wetlands for future generations. Together, they are inspiring action.”