Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves , characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweight skeleton. Birds live worldwide and range in size from the 5.5 cm (2.2 in) bee hummingbird to the 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) common ostrich. There are over 11,000 living species and they are split into 44 orders. More than half are passerine or "perching" birds. Birds have wings whose development varies according to species; the only known groups without wings are the extinct moa and elephant birds. Wings, which are modified forelimbs, gave birds the ability to fly, although further evolution has led to the loss of flight in some birds, including ratites, penguins, and diverse endemic island species. The digestive and respiratory systems of birds are also uniquely adapted for flight. Some bird species of aquatic environments, particularly seabirds and some waterbirds, have further evolved for swimming. The study of birds is called ornithology (Wikipedia n.d.).
For each edition of the MSP Challenge there might be information about different groups of birds relevant to the local ecosystem. You will be able to see more information on each region's dedicated tab.
Sources:
(Wikipedia n.d.). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird
Return to birds and mammals.
There are 31 species of seabirds breeding along the coasts of the North Sea, with the major seabird colonies located on the rocky coasts in the northern part of the North Sea. Approximately 10 million seabirds are present at most times of the year, but seasonal shifts and migrations are distinct (OSPAR, 2000).
In the North Sea Edition of the MSP Challenge there are two groups of birds distinguished; one that is sensible to offshore wind farms, and one less so.
"Windfarm indifferent seabirds" is not a standard term in ornithology or ecology. However, in this context, it refers to seabird species that do not exhibit a significant preference or avoidance of areas near offshore wind farms. These species may continue to forage, rest, or nest in areas near wind farms without substantial disruption. In this group are included the shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis), herring gull (Larus argentatus), great black backed gull (Larus marinus), lesser black backed gull (Larus fuscus), and kittiwake (Larus tridactyla).
"Windfarm avoiding seabirds" refers to seabird species that exhibit a behavioral tendency to avoid areas near offshore wind farms. These birds actively choose to steer clear of these locations. Seabirds are highly sensitive to their environment, and the introduction of man-made structures like wind farms can disrupt their natural behaviors, including foraging, nesting, and resting. In this group are included the fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis), gannet (Sula bassana), terns (Sternidae), guillemot (Uria aalge), razorbill (Alca torda), puffin (Fratercula arctica), and great skua (Catharacta skua).
It's important to note that the behavior of seabirds around wind farms can vary widely depending on the specific species, the location of the wind farm, and other environmental factors. Studies on the interactions between seabirds and offshore wind farms are ongoing, and researchers aim to understand how different species respond to these structures. This knowledge is crucial for informing conservation efforts and minimizing potential impacts on seabird populations.
Both groups are shown as a heat map of their spatial distribution with the types specified below.
Windfarm avoiding seabird and windfarm indifferent seabird are a month-by-month, computer generated data layer following calculations made by the ecosystem simulation (EwE). For more information on how Ecopath-with-Ecosim (EwE) works, please visit our Wiki page or visit the official EwE website at https://ecopath.org.
For detailed information on how the simulation works for the North Sea Edition, we recommend further exploring our research publication called "Combining ecosystem modeling with serious gaming in support of transboundary maritime spatial planning".
This layer is only present in the Western Baltic Sea Edition.
The Birds layer in the Western Baltic Sea edition represents the following species of seabirds:
Birds is a month-by-month, computer generated data layer following calculations made by the ecosystem simulation (EwE). For more information on how Ecopath-with-Ecosim (EwE) works, please visit our Wiki page or visit the official EwE website at https://ecopath.org.
For detailed information on how the simulation works for the Clyde Marine Region Edition, we recommend further exploring our research publication called "Combining ecosystem modeling with serious gaming in support of transboundary maritime spatial planning".
Not applicable. This layer is not available in the MSP Challenge Adriatic Sea Edition.
Seabirds is a month-by-month, computer generated data layer following calculations made by the ecosystem simulation (EwE). The simplified EwE Eastern Mediterranean model was adjusted for use in the MSP Challenge by Eyal Ofir.
For more information on how Ecopath-with-Ecosim (EwE) works, please visit our Wiki page or visit the official EwE website at https://ecopath.org.
Co-funded by the European Union.