Asian Waterbird Inventory (AWC)
Launched in the Indian subcontinent in 1987, AWC has quickly covered Asia from Afghanistan to Japan, Southeast Asia and Australasia. It therefore covers most of the East Asia-Australia migration route and the Central Asia migration route.
The Asian Waterbird Inventory runs in parallel with the International Waterbird Inventory project in Africa, Europe, West Asia, the New Tropical Region and other parts of the Caribbean. Every January, thousands of volunteers from Asia and Australia walk into the wetlands of various countries and conduct waterbird statistics, an activity known as the Asian Waterbird Inventory (AWC). AWC is part of the Global Waterbird Monitoring Program (IWC) coordinated by Wetlands International.
This webpage is the initial source of information for AWC related documents. Includes statistical/survey checklists and various reports available for download from our AWC documentation page. On the AWC News page, you can browse the latest developments in the AWC network and the published AWC newsletter.
Background Information
aims
AWC’s information helps identify and monitor international and national wetlands. It also helps decision makers designate these wetlands as internationally important wetlands, protect threatened species, improve awareness of lesser known waterbird species, and assess wetland values. These data also include an international project to maintain the size, status and development of waterfowl populations.
AWC also helps increase local awareness and participation in protecting waterfowl and its wetland habitat. If you would like to join thousands of AWC volunteers and need more information, please contact Mr. Lu Wei ([email protected]).
organization
This activity takes place in the second and third weeks of January each year. The inventory was mainly implemented by volunteers from various industries and partner organizations in China. In order to improve the coordination efficiency of China’s AWC, these activities are jointly led by three coordinators: Wetland International China Office is responsible for mainland China, Hong Kong Bird Watching Association is responsible for Hong Kong and Taiwan Bird Association is responsible for Taiwan. At the regional level, the Wetland International-South Asia Office is responsible for AWC network coordination.
Waterfowl statistics and survey point information are standardized questionnaires, count tables, clicks on download files, and survey points. Click to download files for recording. Statistics are taken once for each survey point. This information is submitted to the Coordinator. After sorting and verification, the data was transferred to the Wetland International-South Asia office and organized into the International Waterbird Inventory Database. These data are then used to achieve the international goals outlined above. AWC can also provide a framework for national coordinators for domestic analysis and reporting.
Type and range of survey points
Wetland survey sites covered by AWC include all natural and constructed wetlands, including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, ponds, freshwater marshes, mangroves, tidal flats, coral reefs, rice fields and sewage treatment sites covered by the Convention on Wetlands.
The types to be counted include all types of waterfowl that regularly appear in wetlands, including pelicans, pelicans, herons, mites, mites, spoonbills, flamingos, ducks, geese, swans, cranes. Classes, pheasants, otters, mites, gulls, terns, and gull-cut gulls. In addition, raptors, kingfishers and other food sources rely primarily on birds in the above-mentioned wetland habitats.
result
Since the establishment of AWC in 1987, thousands of volunteers have actively participated in AWC in 6,100 wetlands in 27 countries. The data collected by volunteers is widely used by government agencies and NGOs and contributes to a wide range of conservation activities, from local to global, including:
Raise awareness of waterbird and waterbird protection issues;
Support local wetland conservation activities;
Wetland Convention: Identify and monitor wetlands of international importance;
The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS): monitoring migratory waterbirds and their habitats;
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use;
Implement the East Asia-Australia Migration Route Partner Initiative (EAAFP) and the Central Asia Migration Route Action Plan by monitoring important migration route network points;
BirdLife International Birds (IBA) project;
IUCN/International Birds Global Species Project (Red List of Endangered Species);
Wetland International Waterfowl Population Estimation Project.
AWC statistics also contribute to many publications of Wetland International, including:
Current status of Asian waterfowl: Asian waterfowl inventory results 1987-2007;
Asian Waterbird Inventory 1987-1991: Distribution and Status of Asian Waterbirds;
Number and distribution of wetlands and waterfowls in the Asia-Pacific region: Asian waterfowl inventory results 2002-2004;
East Asia-Australia migration route 鸻鹬: an important network of population estimates and international significance;
Results of the International Waterbird Inventory in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2003-2005.
AWC data is also encouraged for scientific research. Researchers can fill out the form to obtain AWC data. Please keep in mind that Wetland International does not have ownership of the data in the International Waterbird Inventory Database, so we cannot provide country-level data for publication without the permission of the National Coordinator.
For the name, organization and contact details of the AWC National Coordinator, please visit:
http://south-asia.wetlands.org/WhatWeDo/AsianWaterbirdCensus/NationalCoordinators/tabid/2894/Default.aspx.
Contact information:
AWC National Coordinator – Mainland China
Lv yong
Senior technical officer
Wetland International – China Office
Phone: 010-62058405
E-mail: [email protected]