| Summary: | Executive Summary: Annual monitoring of the distribution and abundance wintering waterbirds is carried out in the Republic of Ireland by the Irish Wetland Bird Survey (I-WeBS). This monitoring programme, which commenced during the 1994/95 season, is funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and coordinated by the I-WeBS Office based at BirdWatch Ireland. I-WeBS monitors coastal wetland sites together with inland lakes, turloughs, rivers and callows. As I-WeBS is unsuitable for monitoring some waterbird habitats (e.g. non-estuarine coastline), data from the Non-estuarine Coastal Waterbird Survey (NEWS) and a number of species-specific surveys were integrated with I-WeBS data to estimate national population size and trends for a range of waterbird species. I-WeBS, together with these other surveys, therefore provides the principal tool used in the monitoring and conservation of wintering waterbird populations in Ireland and the wetlands upon which they rely. Importantly these data underpin reporting under Article 12 of the EU Birds Directive and thus for monitoring and assessing the efficacy of the Directive for the conservation of birdlife on a national and European scale. This report provides a single comprehensive account on the current population status of wintering waterbirds and their key sites in the Republic of Ireland for the period 2009/10 ? 2015/16. A total of 694 sites were surveyed, 345 of which were covered in three or more seasons. Detailed accounts are provided for 72 regularly-occurring waterbird species; comprising 40 species within the ?wildfowl and allies? category (swans, geese, ducks, and their allies), 22 wading bird species, and 10 gull species. For each regularly-occurring waterbird species, a national (and all-Ireland) population estimate is provided. Furthermore, it was possible to calculate population trends for 34 of these species. Summary data are provided for an additional 63 non-regularly-occurring waterbird species. The total number of waterbirds wintering in Ireland was estimated at 757,910 waterbirds for the period 2011/12 ? 2015/16, which represents a 15% decline since the period 2006/07 ? 2010/11. Of the 19 wildfowl and ally species that were assessed, 17 species are showing declining trends over the recent five year period, with Scaup showing the greatest decline (>80%). Over the recent 22-year period, three species (Goldeneye, Pochard and Scaup) have declined by >50% and a further seven species have declined by 25?50% (Mallard, Pintail, Red-breasted Merganser, Shoveler, Tufted Duck and Wigeon). Conversely, Little Egret and Gadwall have increased by >50% over the 22-year period, and Grey Heron and Little Grebe have increased by 25?50%. Light-bellied Brent and Barnacle geese populations have increased in the long-term but shown population declines in the short term. Greenland White-fronted Goose, Icelandic Greylag Goose and Bewick Swan populations show continued declines while Whooper Swan have increased across all time periods assessed. Nine of the 10 wader species assessed are showing declining trends over the recent five year period, with Knot showing the greatest decline (48%). Four wader species have declined by >50% over the 22-year period (Dunlin, Grey Plover, Lapwing and Purple Sandpiper), while three others (Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank and Sanderling) have increased by >50% during the same period. It was not possible to calculate population trends for gull species. Population data were also used to calculate thresholds relating to site importance at both the national and international (flyway) level. A total of 47 sites supported numbers of international importance and a further 85 sites supported numbers of national importance. Cork Harbour, Dublin Bay, Dundalk Bay, Lough Swilly, and Wexford Harbour and Slobs each supported over 20,000 wintering waterbirds, a criteria under the Ramsar Convention used to identify sites of international importance. This report also includes an assessment of the current pressures and predicted future threats facing Ireland?s wintering waterbirds. Based on this assessment, the most significant pressures and threats are: climate change, energy production (e.g. wind farms), hunting, recreational and other disturbance, shellfish harvesting and aquaculture, as well as afforestation, bycatch, and mixed source water pollution/eutrophication. A synthesis of these pressures and threats is included, highlighting information gaps where applicable. The NPWS Project Officer for this report was: S?an Kelly (Sean.Kelly@chg.gov.ie)
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