Bearded Vultures were very busy during this year’s breeding season, with a record number of fledglings in the Alps and successful breeding in new areas! The monitoring of their breeding populations in the Alpine range and on Corsica is coordinated by the International Bearded Vulture Monitoring Network (IBM). The breeding situation is regularly updated and reported to the IBM-database.
So, how many breeding pairs and fledglings have we observed up until now?
Latest reports of breeding
The Bearded Vulture population is booming in the Alps!
In this year’s breeding season, 57 territories have been reported to the IBM so far with 52 breeding pairs and five breeding trios. Out of these 57 territories, a clutch has been observed in 49 nests, and 42 chicks hatched. A record number of 38 fledglings took off for their first flight, nine more fledglings than in 2018. Across all territories, 11 breeding failures have been reported, four of them after the hatching of the young bird. In 7 territories with successful reproduction, no breeding has been observed in previous years.
Monitor Bearded Vultures yourself
You can join conservationists for a day, in a coordinated effort to observe these magnificent birds during the International Observation Days 2019 (IOD).
The IOD is an ambitious conservation initiative that cannot be achieved without the help of the public! This year’s simultaneous count is on 12 October 2019. All over the Alps, the Massif Central, the department Aude, Andalusia and Bulgaria, we are inviting people to get involved, pick up a pair of binoculars, spend the day in the mountains, help us look for Bearded Vultures and get counting.
Through our network of organisations, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. Please contact the regional coordinators below if you are interested in participating or contact us for any other question:
Austria
Nationalpark Hohe Tauern – ferdinand.lainer@salzburg.gv.at
France
Asters Haute-Savoie Conservatory of Natural Areas: etienne.marle@asters.asso.fr
Le Parc national du Mercantour: monique.perfus@mercantour-parcnational.fr
Parc national de la Vanoise: jerome.cavailhes@vanoise-parcnational.fr
Envergures Alpines: christian.couloumy@gmail.com
Parc naturel régional des Grands Causses: lea.giraud@lpo.fr
Parc naturel régional du Vercors: life.gypaete@pnr-vercors.fr
Vautours en Baronnies: gypaete@vautoursenbaronnies.com
Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux de l’Aude: yves.roullaud.aude@lpo.fr
Italy
Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio: enrico.bassi76@gmail.com
Aosta: c.chioso@regione.vda.it
Parco Naturale Alpi Marittime: fabiano.sartirana@parcoalpimarittime.it
Spain
Fundación Gypaetus: prodriguez@gypaetus.org
Switzerland
Stiftung Pro Bartgeier: franziska.loercher@swild.ch
Germany
LBV: henning.werth@lbv.de
The International Bearded Vulture Monitoring Network (IBM)
The International Bearded Vulture Monitoring Network (IBM) is a unique international collaboration led by the Vulture Conservation Foundation between national & natural parks and non-governmental organisations to coordinate the monitoring activities for European Bearded Vulture populations. Through this network, data about the Bearded Vulture in Europe is collected, shared and made available to everyone working for the conservation of the species. The IBM-network also uses this data and comes together to discuss conservation strategies and priorities for this species on an international level. There are currently 16 partners and two associated organisations part of the IBM-network.
