EUROPEAN BIRDWATCH 2013

Over the past weekend, more than 19.000 of adults and children took part in more then 900 events in 30 countries in Europe and Central Asia to watch the fascinating migration of 2,4 millions birds to their wintering areas in the South. For the 20^th time already, the public was invited by the national organisations of BirdLife International to observe this spectacle of nature.

To survive, the migratory birds need good breeding conditions in the North, save stopovers on the flyway and good conditions in the wintering areas. The national partner organisations of Birdlife International took the opportunity of the 20th anniversary of the event to raise awareness on bird migration and promote needed actions to save threatened bird species and their habitats. With these events the nature conservation organizations encourage people of all ages to go out, observe, explore and enjoy birds. They were mainly focusing on biodiversity and the needs to protect it. The data of bird observations was collected in each country and referred to the European Centre, this year the Slovak organization SOS/BirdLife Slovakia.

"In these 20 years, BirdLife International realized a great number of projects along the European-African flyway for the protection of the birds on their dangerous journey", says Fritz Hirt, SVS/BirdLife Switzerland, who has coordinated the EuroBirdwatch since its beginning in 1993. We've welcomed VIPs also on birdwatching events, for example in Switzerland, the President of the National Council visited an observation stand to give her support for the preservation of migratory birds, especially in the Mediterranean; in Serbia visited an event the Provincial Secretary and in Uzbekistan were welcomed Rector of Karakalpak National University and Defence Attaché for Uzbekistan from British Embassy Tashkent.

The most frequently observed species were:

1. Common Starling

2. Common Coot

3. Chaffinch

During the observations rare bird species were encountered in many countries. Among these rarities were Black Vulture and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters in Armenia, Purple swamp-hen in Azerbaijan, Slender-billed Gull in Belarus and Armenia, Moustached Warbler in Czechia, Greater Spotted Eagles in Hungary and Bulgaria, Sardinian, Radde's and Dusky Warblers in Finland, Pectoral Sandpiper in Italy, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Yellow-browed Warblers in Netherland, Pallas's Gull and Long-tailed Skua in Poland, White-billed Diver and Gyrfalcon in Sweden, Glossy Ibis in Switzerland or Rufous Scrub Robin in Uzbekistan.

Huge migration of the birds was registered in the whole of Europe and Central Asia. In Czechia and Hungary thousands of Starlings were observed, in Finland thousands of Barnacle Geese as well as flocks of Chaffinches, Wood Pigeons and Cranes across the whole continent. EBW events were also organized in Uzbekistan by UzSPB staff. Bird observations were carried out in Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara regions of Uzbekistan as well as in Karakalpakstan. Over 150 people participated in the events and observed more than 6 thousand birds of 74 species. The three top bird species in our country were Common Crane, Rock Pigeon and Coot. We also should mention such interesting meetings as Great White Pelican, White headed Duck and Rufous Scrub Robin - 2.