Status of Waterbirds in Asia

The Asian Waterbird Census (AWC), conducted each year in January, is a waterbird and wetland-monitoring programme initiated in 1987 within the framework of the International Waterbird Census. This report summarises the results of the AWC from 1987 to 2007, comprising counts at 6,705 sites in 27 countries. A total of 1,387 sites met at least one of two criteria of internationally important sites according to the Ramsar Convention. Of these, 312 sites were reported to support more than 20,000 waterbirds, and 1,382 sites recorded more than 1% of the biogeographic population of at least one species of waterbird. 

In the most recent five years (from 2003-2007), a total of 2,963 sites was counted and 673 were identified as internationally important sites. A total of 671 sites recorded more than 1% of the biogeographic population of at least one species of waterbird, and 137 supported more than 20,000 waterbirds. Totals of 349 waterbird species and 74 wetland-dependent species were recorded during this period. Brief status accounts, accompanied by 328 maps, are presented for 396 species, including 52 Globally Threatened species and 24 Near Threatened species. Preliminary trend analyses using the statistical package TRIM suggest that four of the eight most numerous dabbling duck species in East Asia are in decline.

Background

The Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) was initiated in 1987 and runs in parallel with other waterbird censuses carried out in Africa, Europe, Central and West Asia and Latin America under the umbrella of the International Waterbird Census (IWC), which is organised by Wetlands International. The IWC is the largest and longest-running internationally coordinated faunal monitoring programme in the world. 

The AWC started on the Indian subcontinent in January 1987 and has grown rapidly to cover the rest of Asia, Australasia and eastern Russia. During 1987-2007, a total of over 6,700 sites in 27 countries were counted at least once. 

The AWC takes place annually, during the second and third weeks of January, and is carried out by volunteers interested in collecting information on waterbirds and wetlands as a basis for contributing to their conservation. 

The data collected by the AWC have been used in various reports and contribute to a range of conservation activities at levels from local to global, including: 

• species and site conservation and research programmes and campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of wetlands in many countries;
• the development of national wetland and waterbird conservation Action Plans and Strategies;
• the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, by identifying Wetlands of International Importance through regular monitoring of waterbirds at Ramsar List sites and other wetlands;
• the Convention on Migratory Species, by monitoring the status of migratory waterbirds and their habitats;
• the Convention on Biological Diversity’s goal of conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity;
• the implementation of the Asia-Pacific Migratory Waterbird Conservation Strategy (1996-2006), through monitoring of waterbirds and their sites, including sites listed under the three East Asian – Australasian Migratory Waterbird Site Networks (for shorebirds, cranes and Anatidae);
• the West/Central Asian Site Network for the Siberian Crane and other waterbirds (WCASN);
• BirdLife International’s Important Bird Area (IBA) programme; 
• IUCN/BirdLife’s globally threatened birds programme; and
• Wetlands International’s Waterbird Population Estimates (WPE) programme.

In addition to the wide range of applications outlined above, the AWC has been extremely successful in achieving its primary objectives of: 

• providing the basis for estimates of waterbird populations;
• monitoring changes in waterbird numbers and distribution by regular, standardised counts of representative wetlands;
• improving knowledge of little-known waterbird species and wetland sites;
• increasing awareness of the importance of waterbirds and their wetland habitats at local, national and international levels.

The AWC has also built and strengthened national networks of enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers and facilitated their training as an integral part of achieving its objectives. 

As a result of their increased awareness, local people and governments are now setting about the conservation of important sites in most of the countries covered by the census. However, coverage and conservation efforts vary considerably, and the increasing pressure on wetlands and their biodiversity highlights the need to strengthen the programme to tackle ever-growing challenges. 

These include global climate change and its far-reaching impacts on changes in distribution and types of wetlands, as well as seasonal variations linked to probable changes in the carrying capacities of the wetlands used by the waterbirds for feeding, nesting and roosting. 

Highlights of the 1987–2007 censuses  

Twenty-seven countries participated in the censuses, and 6,705 sites were covered at least once between 1987 and 2007. Of the sites covered, 116 were Ramsar sites, nine were World Heritage sites, eight were Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) heritage sites, nine were Man And Biosphere (MAB) reserves, 502 were IBAs, 55 were East Asian-Australasian Flyway Network sites and 417 were nationally protected areas. 

A total of 1,387 sites met at least one of two criteria of internationally important sites according to the Ramsar Convention. Of these, 312 sites were reported to support more than 20,000 waterbirds, and 1,382 sites recorded more than 1% of the biogeographic population of at least one species of waterbird.  

In the most recent five years (from 2003-2007), a total of 2,963 sites was counted, including 906 of the 1,387 internationally important sites identified by earlier counts. During this latter five-year period, only 673 of these sites met at least one of two criteria of internationally important sites. A total of 671 sites recorded more than 1% of the biogeographic population of at least one species of waterbird, and 137 supported more than 20,000 waterbirds. The remaining 233 sites no longer met either of the international importance criteria. 

Totals of 349 species of waterbirds and 74 species of wetland-dependent species (covering 18 species of sea birds, 44 birds of prey and 12 kingfishers) were recorded. The 28 most numerous species for which more than 100,000 individuals were reported were, in order of decreasing abundance, Common Coot, Baikal Teal, Northern Pintail, Mallard, Common Teal, Common Pochard, Northern Shoveler, Greater White-fronted Goose, Greater Scaup, Lesser Whistling Duck, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Asian Openbill, Dunlin, Eurasian Wigeon, Bar-tailed Godwit, Bean Goose, Great Knot, Garganey, Spot-billed Duck, Common Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Red-necked Stint, Demoiselle Crane, Cattle Egret, Little Stint and Greater Flamingo. 

Fifty-two of the species recorded are recognised as globally threatened, according to BirdLife International (2008a). They include nine Critically Endangered, 16 Endangered and 27 Vulnerable species. In addition, 25 Near Threatened species were recorded. One hundred and seventy-four of the species covered by the census are listed in the Appendices of the Convention on Migratory Species. Of these, 28 are listed in Appendix I while 146 species are listed in Appendix II. Additionally, 66 species are listed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); 15 and 51 species are listed in Appendices I and II respectively. 

Fishing, agricultural development, hunting, excessive cattle grazing, pollution of wetlands through domestic sewage, pesticides and fertilisers, and overgrowth of vegetation were reported as the main on-site uses and threats. Wetland reclamation is believed to be the most destructive cumulative threat to the wetlands and their use by waterbirds.  

The collection of data was coordinated and carried out by a dedicated volunteer network of National/Sub-national Coordinators and over 1,000 volunteers in 22 countries.  

The AWC covers the following four main regions: South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and Australasia. 

South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) 

A total of 4,236 sites in South Asia were counted at least once. Totals of 193 species of waterbirds and 41 species of wetland-dependent birds were counted, 24 of which are Globally Threatened and 16 of which are Near Threatened.  

Southeast Asia (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam) 

A total of 1,248 sites in Southeast Asia were counted at least once. Totals of 211 waterbird and 34 wetland-dependent species were counted, 25 of which are Globally Threatened and 16 of which are Near Threatened. 

East Asia (mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, Republic of Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Mongolia and eastern Russia) 

A total of 864 sites in East Asia were counted at least once. Totals of 198 species of waterbirds and 37 species of wetland-dependent birds were counted, 28 of which are Globally Threatened and eight of which are Near Threatened. 

Australasia (Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea) 

A total of 357 sites were counted at least once. Totals of 160 waterbird and 19 species of wetland-dependent birds were counted, seven of which are Globally Threatened and eight of which are Near Threatened. 

Status and distribution of species  

Individual status reports are presented for a selection of 339 waterbird species (292 maps), including 44 Globally Threatened and 20 Near Threatened species for which relatively significant data are available. Internationally important sites for each species were identified according to the 1% criterion provided in Waterbird Population Estimates – Fourth Edition (Wetlands International 2006). 

Statistical Analysis  

Statistical analysis of population trends using the data in the AWC database was undertaken using TRIM software. The software requires a high proportion of sites to have been counted in a majority of years, and in most countries, site coverage in space and time is only now attaining this level. The data quality is highest in the East Asia and Australasia regions, and trend analyses were successful for a small selection of species in these two regions. Although a very impressive number of sites have been included in the census in the other regions, coverage of the same sites from year to year was often too inconsistent to attempt population trend analyses using TRIM.

Example trend graphs for eight duck species in the East Asia region suggests that four of them decreased between 1998 and 2007, while three are stable, and only one, Baikal Teal, increased in this period. The species which appears to be in strongest decline in this region is the Mallard, but caution is necessary when interpreting this finding because trends in adjoining regions are not yet sufficiently well known. The trend analyses also confirmed the pattern of increase for the Globally Threatened Black-faced Spoonbill.

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