Contribute to the Small Grant Fund and help develop bird monitoring in Europe

In many countries, bird monitoring projects lack adequate funding. Also, other constraints, e.g. economic situation, lower tradition of volunteer field ornithology, poor infrastructure, etc., play a role, resulting in a clear geographical bias in European bird monitoring activities. The experience from the European Breeding Bird Atlas (EBBA2) shows that a lot can be done with little support in areas where available resources are not enough.

The number of fieldworkers contributing to the second European Breeding Bird Atlas (EBBA2) illustrates the geographical bias in capacities for monitoring in Europe. While there were some 40 observers per one 50 km square in some western European countries, there was only one observer per two 50 km squares in the east of the continent. Source: Keller, V., Herrando, S., Voříšek, P., Franch, M., Kipson, M., Milanesi, P., Martí, D., Anton, M., Klvaňová, A., Kalyakin, M.V., Bauer, H.-G. & Foppen, R.P.B. (2020). European Breeding Bird Atlas 2: Distribution, Abundance and Change. European Bird Census Council & Lynx Edicions, Barcelona

The European Bird Census Council (EBCC) aims to support bird monitoring projects. It has identified the development of bird monitoring in some regions as a key activity for the coming years. Without the possibility to provide some funding, such activities are likely to fail. Therefore, the EBCC has set up a Small Grant Fund (SGF) to support national bird monitoring activities, particularly in Europe’s low- and middle-income countries.

Countries contributing to PECBMS European trends and indices in 2021. Source: PECBMS.

The number of Species of European Conservation Concern (SPEC 1, SPEC 2 and SPEC 3) per 50 km square shows that SPEC species are distributed across Europe incl., areas with rather poor coverage by monitoring schemes. Source: Keller, V., Herrando, S., Voříšek, P., Franch, M., Kipson, M., Milanesi, P., Martí, D., Anton, M., Klvaňová, A., Kalyakin, M.V., Bauer, H.-G. & Foppen, R.P.B. (2020). European Breeding Bird Atlas 2: Distribution, Abundance and Change. European Bird Census Council & Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

The approach has been tested since 2021 when EBCC supported pilot schemes as part of the International Census Plot scheme in Serbia, Moldova and Montenegro. In spring 2023, we launched the first round of applications for small grants in EBCC. The EBCC Office received ten applications from ten countries. The projects are under evaluation now. They should be limited in time, with a maximum duration of 18 months. Grants are limited to a maximum of 10,000 euros, and an active engagement by grant holders to search for other funding sources to secure projects in the long term is required. Cross-cutting projects and activities related to the main EBCC projects but also beyond (e.g. with single-species monitoring, with projects funded by other organisations) are encouraged, and the importance of a project for EBCC programmes and priorities plays a role in the selection too.

Based on the evaluations, the EBCC Board will select the projects eligible for support. Depending on the funding available, the final agreements will be signed in January 2024 to allow projects to start as early as possible.

The sum applied for in the applications received in 2023 is 96,570 euros. EBCC is keen to put some of its own resources into the Small Grant Fund. However, this certainly will not be enough as the EBCC budget is limited.

Therefore, we kindly ask anybody to help develop and maintain European bird monitoring by contributing to the Small Grant Fund. We would appreciate donations of any amount sent to the EBCC account (see below). Thank you!

We will keep the donors and wider audience informed about the projects via the EBCC Newsletter and the website.

Donors who want to receive personalised information, please provide your email to the EBCC Officer Petr Voříšek, vorisek@ebcc.info.

EBCC Bank Account

Name of account holder: EBCC treasurer

Address bank: ING Bank NV POB 1800 1102 BW Amsterdam Netherlands

IBAN (International Bank Account Number): NL62INGB0004235670

BIC (SWIFT-code): INGBNL2A

EBCC is an association under Dutch law.