In more than 100 countries, millions of waterbirds are counted each year. Wetlands International brings all this information together. We provide information on the global state of the birds and analyse changes in the population.  

History

In 1967, IWRB (Wetlands International’s predecessor) established the International Waterbird Census (IWC) in Europe and a few countries in Asia and Africa. In 1987, the Asian Waterbird Census was established and in the early 1990’s this was followed by the African Waterbird Census and the Neotropical Waterbird Census (South America).

 In 2001, the first steps were taken towards establishing the IWC in North America. Currently the International Waterbird Census (IWC) covers international census of waterbirds in Africa; Asia; Europe, Middle East and North Africa; and South America. Over 100 countries participated in the International Waterbird Census in the 1990’s and over 30 million waterbirds were counted in participating countries each year.

Importance of the Census

The results of the International Waterbird Census, established in 1967, have been used in the designation of nearly half of the 1,369 Wetlands of International Importance in 138 countries designated under the Ramsar Convention.

The International Waterbird Census also provides strategic input to the activities of partner organisations, particularly the Red Data Book of IUCN, and Birdlife International’s Important Bird Areas (IBA) programme, and to the development of Waterbird Species Action Plans such as those developed for the European Commission and European Union.

The International Waterbird Census is more than a programme to estimate the size of waterbird populations, and has been conceived from the outset as a global waterbird conservation tool. With the IWC it is possible to monitor changes in waterbird numbers and distribution, to improve knowledge of little-known waterbird species and wetland sites, to identify and monitor sites that qualify as Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, to provide information on the conservation status of waterbird species, and to increase awareness of the importance of waterbirds and their wetland habitats at local, national and international levels.

The census involves site-based counting of waterbirds, based on a methodology developed and coordinated by Wetlands International. Most observers are members of enthusiastic, often voluntary networks, with professional co-ordination at national level. The counting is standardised which makes it easy to compare yearly census data.

Uses of our results by International Conventions

The Ramsar Convention on the protection of Wetlands uses IWC data to designate Wetlands of International Importance. One of the most important criteria for a so-called 'Ramsar site' the so-called 1% criterion. This states that any site which regularly holds 1% or more of a population of waterbirds qualifies as a wetland of international importance. Another Ramsar criterion which can only be met if regular, high quality counting takes place states that a wetland is Internationally Important if it regularly holds 20,000 or more waterbirds. Waterbird monitoring under IWC also presents information vital to the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS, Bonn Convention).