Mountain birdlife 'under threat'

The Caucasian black grouse: Flamboyant

By Alex Kirby BBC News Online environment correspondent in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

The relentless growth in human exploitation of mountainous areas means more than half of Europe's mountain birds are in danger, say experts.

The warning, from BirdLife International, came on the opening day of the Global Mountain Summit here.

Many of Europe's regionally threatened species, including the lammergeier or bearded vulture and the golden eagle, face the threat of regional extinction

Canan Orhun, Birdlife International

Farmers, hunters and tourists share the blame for the birds' plight, BirdLife says.

And it fears some birds could be driven to extinction in certain areas.

BirdLife, a global alliance of conservation groups, has identified 558 areas in Europe's mountains which it has designated Important Bird Areas (IBAs).

It says their conservation is critical to the species at risk.

Yet 91% of them face one or more threats caused by unsustainable human activities.

Tourism threat

The head of BirdLife's European division, Canan Orhun, said: "Thirty-seven of Europe's 73 mountain bird species are threatened by over-exploitation, inappropriate farming and forestry practices, and unsustainable tourism carried out in mountain areas."

The bearded vulture's habitat is being exploited

She issued her warning in a letter to the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep), telling it of BirdLife's intention to join Unep's International Year of Mountains initiative.

The UN has declared 2002 the year of the mountain, and Unep is supporting the Government of Kyrgyzstan in holding the Bishkek mountain summit, which is due to end on 1 November.

Szabolcs Nagy, BirdLife's European conservation manager, said: "Many of Europe's regionally threatened species, including the lammergeier or bearded vulture and the golden eagle, face the threat of regional extinction if the mountain systems they depend on in the Alps and Pyrenees continue to be over-exploited for winter sports and summer tourism.

"Another species at risk is the flamboyant Caucasian black grouse, which is declining because of habitat destruction and persecution in the Caucasus."

Web record

Birdlife is using a website to argue for better protection of mountains through setting up reserves and promoting environmentally sustainable development which involves local communities.

The site also provides detailed information about the IBAs and about Europe's mountain birds.

With several partners BirdLife is working on a community-based project in the Caucasus mountains to improve the prospects of Caucasian black grouse at five sites in Georgia and Azerbaijan.

It hopes to promote some of these pilot areas to responsible eco-tourism operators worldwide, to help to boost local incomes.