“Birds are a reflection of the environment”

This winter, the evening skies above Langenthal in the canton of Berne were the showcase for hundreds of thousands of bramblings descending on the fir trees to spend the night. Every winter, the bramblings come from Scandinavia to Switzerland, explains Livio Rey, a biologist at Sempach Ornithological Institute: “However, you will only see a mass migration every few years, when the conditions are right.” They need enough beech nuts and there can’t be any snow; the conditions also have to be worse further up north. That’s when the birds move south.

Sempach Ornithological Institute is considered something of an authority on all things bird-related. Founded by the Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Vogelkunde und Vogelschutz (Swiss society for ornithology and bird protection) in April 1924, it is a longstanding institution in Switzerland. The foundation employs almost 160 people and advises the authorities and professional groups, responds to enquiries from the general public and provides information on all things avian. The fact that 75 per cent of its funding comes from donations and legacies testifies to the trust and affection in which it is held by the general public. Although it is not funded by the public sector, it does perform assignments for the Confederation and cantons.

Early conservationists

The founders, including the first head of the institute, Alfred Schifferli from Sempach, an accountant and ornithologist, wanted to support research into bird life, which was an up-and-coming discipline at the time. Schifferli and his assistants ringed many birds to find out more about bird migration. The institute became the main reporting centre for ring recoveries and it provided specimens and eggs for studies. Its foundation is also connected with early nature conservation movements at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries in Switzerland. The institute’s purpose has always been to apply its learnings about bird life to benefit the birds.

“We have to understand birds in order to protect them and preserve their diversity for future generations,” says Rey, who is based at the headquarters at Lake Sempach, which is just outside the town and comprises a treatment centre for injured birds and a visitors’ centre. On this particular winter day, if you look out at the right time you can see a brightly coloured common kingfisher. Understanding, protection and preservation underpin the work of the institute and, according to Rey, its mission is now more urgent than ever.

Bird species in wetlands, bodies of water or marshes, are also suffering. Leisure activities as well as other things are impacting their livelihood. “Birds are a reflection of the environment,” concludes the expert. “They are a very accurate indicator of how we treat the environment.” Knowledge of how things are developing is also based on the extensive data held by the institute. Monitoring, i.e. counting numbers, has been one of their top priorities for decades. They have more than 2,000 volunteers supporting them all over the country, from retired natural scientists to track layers.

Teaming up with agriculture…

Researching bird migration is another cornerstone of the institute’s mandate. The nature of this work has changed in line with technological advances. Migratory birds aren’t just ringed anymore; they also carry extremely light data storage devices known as geolocators that are attached to the birds like a rucksack. They deliver “impressive findings”, says Rey. For example, the alpine swift remains airborne for 200 consecutive days. The small great reed warbler reaches heights of up to 6,000 metres during migration. Although the ornithological station has been working more closely on the living conditions of birds for about 50 years, it stays out of politics. The institute wants to focus on providing information, explains the biologist. The biodiversity initiative is an exception, however. It goes to the vote in 2024. The institute agrees with the popular initiative calling for more space and resources to cultivate diversity. To improve the birds’ living environment, the institute works mainly on site by cooperating with farmers that work in close harmony with nature.

…to the benefit of the birds and hares