Fewer than 300 pairs of swamp buntings (Emberiza shoeniclus) remain as one of Spain’s most endangered birds. They survive only in a handful of pristine wetlands across the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. One of the two subspecies is nearing direct extinction, with fewer than 30 breeding pairs left nationwide.
The swamp bunting shows a marked decline: the Ibero-Western subtype has dropped about 62 percent, while the Ibero-Eastern subtype has fallen roughly 22 percent, according to the latest census conducted by SEO BirdLife. This long term survey ties the species closely to Spain’s wetland habitats and tracks changes in their availability and condition.
The protection framework underscores the species’ reliance on wetlands, which have suffered from extensive transformation and fragmentation. As wetlands shrink and degrade, the swamp bunting is quietly marching toward extinction, a trend evident when comparing the current census with the 2005 results.
Las Tablas de Daimiel remains one of the key sites where the species persists. This enduring landscape serves as a stark reminder of the habitat the bunting needs and the pressures it faces from habitat loss and water management practices in the region.
The current assessment shows that the Ibero-Western subspecies now has around 20 to 30 breeding pairs, while the Ibero-Eastern subspecies holds between 238 and 244 pairs. These numbers justify placing the species in the critically endangered category on the IUCN conservation lists.
Both populations already experienced steep declines in the early 21st century, with documented losses exceeding 80 percent in some periods, as noted in the census materials.
Presently, the two subspecies are confined to two geographic clusters spanning roughly 10 square kilometers: the Ibero-Western population inhabits six wetlands in Galicia, while the Ibero-Eastern population lies in scattered sites within the Ebro Delta, Las Tablas de Daimiel, and the Albufera wetlands near Mallorca.
Recently extinct in Euskadi, Cantabria and Asturias
Over the last two decades, the swamp bunting has disappeared from several autonomous communities, including the Basque Country, Cantabria and Asturias.
SEO BirdLife notes that survival hinges on specific plant assemblages in flooded wetlands, such as sparse reed beds and waterlogged rushes, which provide shelter and feeding opportunities for the species.
The loss of 60 to 75 percent of Iberian wetlands over the last two centuries has hit this species hard. The tendency to form small, isolated breeding populations in shrinking wetlands has been exacerbated by changes in water regimes resulting from agricultural intensification and groundwater use.
Eastern Iberian bunting observed during winter at the Utxesa Reservoir illustrates the ongoing challenges facing the population in scattered habitats across the region.
In response to these threats, SEO BirdLife prepared a policy draft aimed at ecological transition and demographic stabilization. The document, submitted to the Ministry, outlines strategies to prevent the total extinction of the marsh bunting in Spain.
Mario Giménez, SEO BirdLife representative for the Valencia Community, emphasized two pillars: one focused on regional actions to protect and restore suitable habitats, and another aimed at improving the hydrological management of wetlands through integrated watershed policies. The goal is to safeguard and recover critical wetlands where the species exists and to strengthen landscape connectivity between wetlands to facilitate dispersal and colonization of new sites.
The technical team also advocates increasing the number of breeding pairs in occupied wetlands and expanding the bunting’s distribution by improving habitat quality in areas where it has been recorded in the past two decades, coupled with efforts to reconnect habitats to support wider dispersal and resilience.
Palustre Notary Census 2021: marked citation within this article refers to the official publication, with attribution to SEO BirdLife and the associated research materials. The census data are used here to illustrate trends and drive conservation planning (SEO BirdLife).
…….
Environment department contact details have been removed in line with publication guidelines to protect sensitive information.