THE DECLINE OF WET-MEADOW BIRDS IN SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN GERMANY FROM 1950 TO 1992

In Schleswig-Holstein, most wet meadows have been transformed into cultivated grassland (1446 km2). The populations of 12 selected bird species have changed correspondingly: Corncrake and Ruff now are almost extinct in the lowlands; the Snipe drastically declined (from 13 000 pairs in 1970 to 1500 pairs in 1992). Due to a broader habitat choice and an increase in embanked areas a decline is less noticeable at least for the whole country in Lapwing (in 1992 63 % of 1970), Black-tailed Godwit (in 1970 1500-2000, in 1992 1250 pairs), Ruff (150 breeding females), Skylark (in 1992 20 % of 1975), Blue-headed Wagtail (in 1950 18000, in 1992 2100 pairs), Whinchat (in 1950 13000, in 1992 2200 pairs). Species for which the decline in lowlands does not seriously affect the total of Schleswig-Holstein are Oystercatcher > 15300, Redshank > 6000, Meadow-pipit 10000-13000 (all figures for 1992). In the Curlew the situation is not fully known (in 1985 260-310 pairs.