Research Objective

Songbirds are declining in the valley of Grünau im Almtal, following similar trends as elsewhere in Austria and Europe. Our long-term monitoring of songbirds over the past 24 years has shown that the largest percentage of declining songbirds is among insectivores and cavity nesting species.

The overall objective is to implement measures to reverse the decline of songbird biodiversity in Upper Austria.

Specifically, we aim to

1. Increase the abundance of invertebrates by delaying the month during which meadows are mowed.

2. Increase the availability of nesting cavities by providing 300 nest boxes.

3. Use drone technology to locate eggs and nests and then protect sensitive nests from disturbance.

4. Measure the impact of traffic noise on developing songbird embryos, chicks, and parents; then, make recommendations about vehicle speed limits to reduce noise impacts to a level that is acceptable for development.

Research Questions

How does delayed mowing of meadows affect invertebrate abundance and diversity?

Which species occupy the nest boxes, and how is nest box success related to the abundance and diversity of songbirds that we measure during annual mist-netting?

How can we use drone technology to improve conservation monitoring?

How does traffic noise affect songbird chicks and adults?