Eagles, owls and bearded vultures returning to Switzerland

A bearded vulture files near the summit of the Croix des Chaux/Chaux Ronde in western Switzerland (archive picture) © Keystone / Anthony Anex

Birds of prey are returning to the Swiss skies in droves, Le Matin Dimanche reported on Sunday. The development has delighted bird experts.

Environmental NGO WWF describes the return of the bearded vulture to Switzerland as an “unqualified success”. It has included the raptor among its winners in its 2022 list of animal winnersExternal link and losers.

“The year 2022 was favourable for the bearded vulture in the Alpine region and particularly in Switzerland, where 21 young birds fledged, compared to 49 in the Alps in general. Since 2007, their population has been increasing very rapidly; it is currently made up of around 250 individuals in Switzerland,” WWF Switzerland’s Cédric Jacot-Guillarmod said.

The Swiss Ornithological Institute in Sempach has also observed the trend. “Almost all species of diurnal [day] and nocturnal birds of prey have recovered relatively high numbers, and sometimes even record numbers, as in the case of the red kite,” spokesperson Chloé Pang told Le Matin Dimanche.External link

These results show that conservation efforts are having results, added Pang.

Key has been a general raising of awareness among the population. But not using dangerous pesticides has also been important, experts said. This includes DDT, “a pesticide that has damaged their eggs and poisoned their food”, said biologist Lionel Maumary.

Global warming is also playing a role in the rising number of birds of prey in the Alpine nation, he continued.