Improving the capabilities of the EuroBirdPortal project in order to boost its contribution towards EU policy objectives under the Birds Directive and the 2030 Biodiversity Strategy

Introduction

The present project will help improve the quantity and quality of bird-related data available in Europe and enhance its contribution to EU policy objectives under the EU Birds Directive and Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. This addresses the specific need identified by the LIFE sub-programme "Nature and Biodiversity" by reinforcing the EuroBirdPortal (EBP) capabilities and aligning them with those of the European Breeding Bird Atlas 2 and the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme.

Project Objectives

Specifically, the project has three main objectives:

1. Improving Data Quality and Coverage

   • Improving the geographical coverage and the overall quality of the bird-related data collected in Europe by increasing participation, data collection, and the use of more structured data collection protocols, particularly in SE Europe.

2. Enhancing Data Flow

   • Adding all the species recorded in Europe to the EBP data flow, making full use of the EBP data standard and updating the EBP viewer accordingly.

3. Demonstrative Outputs

   • Producing two demonstrative outputs to showcase how the improved EBP capabilities could be applied to help implement key EU Biodiversity Strategy goals.

Goal 1: Improving Data Quality and Coverage

The first goal will be accomplished by:

1. Improving capacities and setting up and running new online bird portals and International Census Plots in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
2. Developing a regional data collection dynamization campaign in SE Europe.
3. Promoting the collection of complete lists in Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, and Malta.

Goal 2: Enhancing Data Flow

The second goal will be addressed by:

1. Increasing the capacities of the EBP automatic data flow system and databank.
2. Adding all species recorded in Europe to the EBP data flow, identifying all data collected using protocols.
3. Re-designing the EBP viewer.

Goal 3: Demonstrative Outputs

Finally, objective 3 will be attained by producing two demonstrative outputs:

• An update of the breeding distribution maps of the species included in the Farmland Bird Index.
• A pilot assessment of the Natura 2000 network outside the breeding season.