Publications and other documents are gradually brought online

Convention OMPO – OMPO Vilnius – Wetlands International

This program combining several European research institutes strengthens scientific cooperation between Wetlands International and OMPO within the scope of the EU New Flubird Project [1]. It gives OMPO an active role in the United Nations Environmental pilot project "Wings over Wetlands WOW" in which Lithuania participated with 11 other states of the African-Eurasian range.

Object: The program aims at objectively assessing the role of migratory birds in the spread of these viruses, a prerequisite for the establishment of a European early warning of health risk.

Object:

• Develop scientific knowledge and monitoring of huntable migratory bird populations in their

• Palaearctic distribution range

• Enhance hunting data and the concept of sustainable hunting

• Contribute to the scientific work of international bodies involved in the conservation of migratory birds

Status: in progress

Convention with the Russian Bird Ringing Centre

Object: The analysis of migratory waterbird ring recoveries in Russia will light up the following points:

• spatial and temporal distribution of species: breeding and moulting areas, migratory spring and fall stopover sites, wintering area,

• Flyway of biogeographical populations of the African- Eurasian range,

• Specific migration scheme and spring/fall migration chronology,

• Migration routes of waterbird populations in particular those stopping over or wintering in France,

• Evolution in migratory species behaviour (change of route and shortening of movements, change in wintering range, exhaustion of migration flows in Western Europe, settling ...

• Impact of global warming, changes in habitat.

Status: action started end 2010

Convention with the French Hunting and Wildlife Agency (ONCFS)

Object: Yearly winter waterbird census in Senegal in January

The study of the status and ecology of the Pintail Anas acuta wintering in Senegal:

• Spatio-temporal distribution in the Senegal River delta,

• Use of ecosystems and habitats,

• Behavior and winter survival strategy,

• Carrying capacity of the Djoudj National Birds Park at the end of the wintering period.

Status: Winter counts took place in January 2011 in Senegal.

Celebration of the 40 years of the Djoudj National Birds Park (Senegal) and of the 20 years of Diawling National Park (Mauritania) in April 2011 (with the participation of the French Ministry of Ecology).

Convention with LKN Analysis Ltd., Greece (2006-2013)

Object: Assist the implementation of a census network of migratory waterbirds wintering in Greece in order to determine the prenuptial and postnuptial migration phenology of the main species, with a priority given to huntable species.

OMPO provides scientific and technical assistance to the study at 3 levels:

• Definition and implementation of a method for monitoring migratory waterbirds on selected representative Greek sites.

• Annual analysis of data collected under this protocol during spring and autumn migration.

• Synthesis of observations collected at the end of year 3, 5 and 8 of the study.

Status: Annual Monitoring Report 2010 approved by the Hellenic Hunters Confederation. Summary of observations made at the end of five years of study (2006-2010) is presently being validated by OMPO. Waterbirds count 2011 in progress.