The Portuguese Osprey Reintroduction Project: Achievements, Lessons and Perspectives

Abstract

Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) breeding distribution inPortugal comprised most of the coast until the beginning of the XX century. Thereafter, a continuous decline due to persistent persecution and habitat loss led the native population to extinction in 2002, long after the disappearance of the species as a breeder from the rest of continentalIberia. Reintroduction was the only remaining option to restore a breeding population and it was carried out in a vast inland reservoir in 2011–2015 with the collaboration ofFinland andSweden as donor countries. A total of 56 nestlings were translocated, of which 47 successfully dispersed. From 2016–2018, the follow-up of the project focused on improving nesting conditions through artificial platforms set up in favourable areas (reservoirs, estuarine marshlands, large rivers), especially those regularly used by over-summering ospreys. So far, 25 platforms of different types were set up.Portugal offers a wide range of favourable habitats for ospreys: large rivers and estuaries, sizable inland reservoirs, and a relatively well preserved rocky coast that can become naturally reoccupied, thereby restoring the species historical distribution. Natural wetlands and artificial reservoirs offer few and often precarious natural nest supports but this could be compensated by artificial platforms, which can hopefully foster the spreading out of the founder population. Altogether, there are good perspectives for a self-sustaining breeding population of ospreys in southern coastal and inlandPortugal in the future, provided that sustainable monitoring and vigilance, and management of human disturbance are assured. At the same time, further improvement of nesting conditions with platforms wherever necessary should closely follow the expansion of the population.

Keywords

• raptors
• birds of prey
• osprey
• pandion haliaetus portugal
• extinction
• reintroduction
• restored population