As hundreds of thousands of migratory birds fly over Belgium, they will be observed by ornithologists participating in the 16th edition of Eurobirdwatch, organized simultaneously in 36 countries of Europe and Central Asia during the first weekend of October. The birds, mainly from Scandinavian and Eastern European countries, fly each year between July and mid-October to warmer climates in the south. Some species migrate singly while others form virtual clouds of birds.
“We’ll be able to observe cormorants, wagtails or sparrows; many different species will make the journey,” Antoine Derouaux, ornithologist at the Natagora environmental protection association, explains. “Others, thrushes for example, will stop here, in our country, because the climate is pleasant, and food is available”.
The annual migration gives ornithologists an opportunity to carry out a census of the migratory birds. “We’ve set up 10 observation posts in Wallonia,” Derouaux said. “Observers will note down the species they observe, then they’ll record the information in a database”.
(Source: Belga)
