Whinchat
Distribution and development
Habitat and food
The Whinchat prefers open, structurally diverse, extensively or not too intensively used upland meadows (terraced landscape in Sent GR, 1500 m).
In recent years, the Whinchat has increasingly colonised summer pastures with dwarf shrubs, scree and/or flat moorland. In 2021, around 100 territories were counted in Piora TI (1900–2200 m).
It tolerates wet meadows at all altitudes. In the valley and hillside areas, the species can be found only in moorland areas (reed meadows and some adjacent intensively used meadows) (Hanenried OW, 470 m).
The Whinchat prefers open, structurally diverse, extensively or not too intensively used upland meadows (terraced landscape in Sent GR, 1500 m).
In recent years, the Whinchat has increasingly colonised summer pastures with dwarf shrubs, scree and/or flat moorland. In 2021, around 100 territories were counted in Piora TI (1900–2200 m).
It tolerates wet meadows at all altitudes. In the valley and hillside areas, the species can be found only in moorland areas (reed meadows and some adjacent intensively used meadows) (Hanenried OW, 470 m).
Whinchat
Birds of Switzerland
Project managers
The Whinchat is a victim of intensive grassland use in its breeding grounds. In addition, habitat is being lost due to encroachment (reforestation), infrastructure and disturbance. Losses in wintering grounds probably have little impact on population trends.
- Mowing too early and too frequently kills many broods (and some breeding females).
- Reduced supply of insects (quantity and accessibility) due to fertilization and irrigation of meadows.
- Predation (e.g. foxes, domestic cats).
- Snowfall during the nestling period leads to brood losses.
- Migration is a challenge for all long-distance migrants (hunting, loss of resting places and food, climate change, light pollution, etc.).
- However, these problems probably play a minor role compared to habitat loss in the breeding grounds.
- Continue to monitor population trends.
- Identify main regional distribution areas (baseline mapping).
- Carry out impact assessments before and after the implementation of measures.
- Extensification of maximum possible area as part of ecological compensation and regional conservation projects with partners (especially late mowing of large areas).
- Further evaluation of conservation measures in priority areas.
- Advising local stakeholders (farmers, general public) and awareness-raising.
- Continue applied research on the conservation measures that enable the stabilisation or recovery of populations under the current agricultural framework (especially summer grazing areas).
- Continue knowledge sharing via the International Whinchat Working Group.
- In lowlands, large, late-mown meadows are scarce, so only a few individual pairs manage to establish themselves.
- Only at higher elevations, where there are large areas of extensively managed late-use grassland, does the species have a future.
- Umbrella species for diverse upland meadows.
- Impact of climate change and thus on distribution, especially in summer grazing area, is unclear.
- Unless measures are taken, the critical situation will deteriorate further.
Extensive grazing promotes species- and structure-rich vegetation and keeps grassland areas open (measure against scrub and forest encroachment).
Nests can be protected with areas left untouched during mowing/farming operations. This time-consuming measure is only suitable for small populations in grassland used early in the year.
Scrub clearance and re-wetting maintain the open character of the landscape and prevent the emergence of forest.
