Animal protection - Threatened Summer Guests: Rare Quail in Pursuit
In Hessen, Wachtelkinges have chosen an unusual breeding site this year: the relatively densely populated Kinzigtal between Gelnhausen and Bad Soden-Salmünster. At least five males have been observed by ornithologists in a meadow near the river Kinzig – and not far from the heavily trafficked Autobahn 66. "That's very unusual", says ornithologist Stefan Stübing during an evening stroll, where he hears the typical, quacking call of five individuals.
Ornithologists: Wachtelkinge are "our Naturschutz-Silver"
Ornithologists are delighted that the rare summer guest has arrived. In the past, there were several hundred, even over a thousand Wachtelkinges in Hessen – for example, in wetlands along the Eder, Lahn, Schwalm, Wetterau, Rhine and Main, and in the mountains like the Rhön. "Due to the draining of meadows, multiple mowing per year, and heavy fertilization, we have significantly restricted the habitat of the Wachtelkinge in Hessen, leaving theoretically only room for 100 or 200 individuals," explains the 51-year-old ornithologist from Bad Nauheim (Wetteraukreis). At night, the noise on the A66 is quieter. "Ideally, that's not great, the Rhön is much more inviting for the bird," he says. In normal, drier years, the Wachtelkinge is likely to return to the Kinzig.
Expert: Wachtelkinge is "our Naturschutz-Silber"
In fact, there are significantly fewer than that. In good years, perhaps 40 to 60 Wachtelkinges spend the summer in Hessen, estimates Stübing. In 2017, only three calling males were found in Hessen. This decline is not only in Hessen and Germany but throughout the western part of its distribution range, which extends from Scotland to Siberia. The Wachtelkinge is EU-protected and is considered "our Naturschutz-Silber" due to its great rarity, he explains.
Local ornithologists are at the forefront of efforts to protect the endangered bird. They report possible sightings via the platform "ornitho.de". These reports are then checked by the Hessian Society for Ornithology (HGON). If a Wachtelkinge is confirmed, specialists like Stübing mark the breeding site in special maps and provide the data to the lower nature conservation authorities.
Compensation for farmers
The Hessian Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection has announced that farmers in the Kinzigtal will receive compensation for any losses incurred due to the presence of the Wachtelkinge. This is to ensure that the farmers do not disturb the birds or their breeding sites. The compensation is intended to cover any costs incurred as a result of the presence of the Wachtelkinge, such as the cost of protecting crops from damage by the birds. The amount of compensation will depend on the size of the affected area and the extent of the damage caused by the Wachtelkinge. The ministry has not yet announced how much compensation will be paid per hectare or how the payments will be calculated. However, it is expected that the compensation will be sufficient to cover the costs incurred by farmers. The ministry has also stated that it will work with farmers to minimize any potential conflicts between the protection of the Wachtelkinge and the farming community.
The authorities go to each farmer who owns a meadow and tell him: "Please don't mow yet, there's a Lapwing king living with you." The farmer receives a state compensation for his yield loss if he mows at a later time. Mowing poses great danger for Lapwings: They rely on their camouflage and often don't fly away. "Unfortunately, this results in the destruction of the brood and the death of the birds."
The consultation of meadow owners is supported and financed by the Hessian Bird Protection Station in Gießen, as its head, Simon Thorn, explains. "We have had good experiences with this," Thorn reports, who holds the chair for Special Avian Ecology at the University of Marburg. The intensive care is worth it: Farmers are often even enthusiastic about the rare bird on their meadows. No farmer intentionally mows down Lapwings, Thorn emphasizes.
The high effort for the approximately 25 centimeter large migratory bird, which spends the winter in East Africa, is justified in Thorn's opinion. "There is not only the legal obligation," Thorn explains. "The Lapwing is a charismatic species and worthy of conservation in its own right." It's a special experience to hear the call of the Lapwing chick at night over a misty meadow.
Hotspot Rhön
Hotspot for Lapwings in Hessen is the Rhön. "There are places to which the birds return every year," reports Stübing. In the Fulda district, special efforts have been made for years to preserve the Lapwing's habitat, its occurrence is recorded, and mowing and grazing dates are rescheduled.
"This works very well in the Rhön and it also works in the Kinzigtal now," the bird expert is pleased. So, with little effort, a good balance between the protection of the extremely rare bird and agriculture can be achieved.
In "good years," there are 40 or 45 Lapwings in Hessen, half of which live in the Rhön. "In bad years, there are only about 25, and almost all of them live in the Rhön," explains Stübing. Nesting sites are approximately around the Wasserkuppe, at the Red Moor, and at several corners along the border with Bavaria.
- The Wachtelkinge's unusual breeding site in Hessen, this year, is the Kinzigtal between Gelnhausen and Bad Soden-Salmünster, which is known for its relatively dense population.
- Ornithologist Stefan Stübing, from Bad Nauheim (Wetteraukreis), believes that the Rhön is a more inviting destination for the Wachtelkinge than the noisy A66.
- The Hessian Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection has announced that farmers in the Kinzigtal will receive compensation for any losses incurred due to the presence of the Wachtelkinge.
- The Rhön in Hessen is identified as a hotspot for Lapwings, with special efforts made to preserve their habitat and reschedule mowing and grazing dates.
- In the Fulda district, the occurrence of Lapwings is closely monitored, and mowing and grazing dates are adjusted to protect the birds' nesting sites.
- Ornithologist Stefan Stübing mentions that the Wasserkuppe, the Red Moor, and several corners along the border with Bavaria are common nesting sites for Lapwings in the Rhön.
