FNC-PSN-PR10-2013 - Consecuencias de invernada en Europa par

The Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa is a long-distance migrant and gregarious species that uses marine and freshwater habitats. It forages largely on invertebrates during the breeding season, but shifts partially to plant material, especially rice, in winter and during migration (Sánchez et al. 2006, Lourenço et al. 2010, Sora and Masero 2010). The species is listed in theIUCN Red list of threatened species as “near-threatened” (BirdLife International 2012) with two populations present in Western Europe. The Icelandic population L. l. islandica breeds in Iceland, winters in Europe and shows a positive population trend (Gunnarsson et al. 2005, Gill et al. 2007); the continental population L. l. limosa breeds in temperate sites in North-Western Europe, with the stronghold found in The Netherlands, and winters mostly in West-Africa.the The population is declining dramatically owing to changes in agricultural practices in the breeding sites in the last decades (Schekkerman et al. 2008). Consequently, many research projects have been developed in the breeding sites in The Netherlands and knowledge about the breeding ecology and the effects of the intensive agricultural practices on the population dynamics increases (Groen et al. 2012, Kentie et al. 2013). Such knowledge becomes to be used for developing new conservation plans in the breeding sites. However, little is still known regarding how large-scale habitat change along its traditional geographical distribution during the non- breeding season is affecting the godwit population.