The indicator is an index and integrates the population abundance and the diversity of a selection of common bird species associated with specific habitats. Each of the three EU aggregate indices (i.e. common farmland birds, common forest birds and all common birds) is a composite, multispecies index calculated using Monte Carlo simulations as described in Soldaat et al. (2017) and an R-script developed by Statistics Netherlands (2017). This indicator presents the unsmoothed estimate. No rare species are included, although some species common in certain Member States may be considered rare in others. The species covered under the common farmland and common forest indices are deemed to be dependent on that particular kind of habitat for feeding and nesting. The list of species is available in the annex under "EU list of all common bird species". When counting the birds in the wild, countries record the observations in different ways. For the analysis done by the EBCC, the results have to be processed according to the minimum standard common to all countries. For more information on the use of bird population data as a general indicator of environmental status, read 'Use of outputs generated by Pan-Europe common bird monitoring scheme'.

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Common bird index
Common bird index by type of species (source: EBCC)

This indicator is an index and integrates the population abundance and the diversity of a selection of common bird species associated with specific habitats. Rare species are excluded. Three groups of bird species are represented: common farmland species (39 species), common forest species (34 species) and all common bird species (167 species) which include the farmland species, the forest species and a further 94 common species (generalists, as opposed to the farmland and forest specialists). Farmland birds have a high dependence on cultivated land during the nesting season and for feeding during most of the year, while forest birds are equally dependent on wooded areas. An agreed European list of bird species is used, from which each country chooses the species to be covered by the data collected in the field. This means that different species are covered in each country, according to their occurrence; for example for the farmland birds, only the Skylark is included in the indices of all countries. The indices should be judged only in their overall development rather than in their annual fluctuation because they are the result of a modelling procedure. The whole time series is re-calculated each time new data are added. Although this indicator has a narrow focus compared to EU policy objectives on biodiversity and ecosystem services, it is considered to be the best available dataset and also indicative of general environmental status. Data are for the EU, an aggregate that changes according to countries joining the Pan-European Common Birds Monitoring Scheme. This aggregate has nothing to do with the same countries' accession to the EU. Norway and Switzerland are not included in the EU estimates. For more information on the use of bird population data as a general indicator of environmental status, read 'Wild bird indicators: using composite population trends of birds as measures of environmental health'

The Common bird monitoring scheme is developed by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds. The data are used to produce trends of common birds in the country which are published in nine yearly reports. These reports contain not only individual species trends but also habitat indices like the Farmland bird index and Forest Bird Index. The first year of publication is 2007 which contains the first assessment of the species trends for the period 2005-2007.

Data are submitted annually to the Pan European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme administration to produce European wide indices and species trends. These trends and indices are delivered to the European Commission and Eurostat for decision-making.

The current data set presents data for each individual survey plot visited in the period mentioned below.

TThe indicator is a multi-species composite index, which integrates the abundance and the diversity of a selection of common bird species associated with specific habitats. Rare species are excluded. Three groups of bird species are represented: common farmland species (39 species), common forest species (34 species) and all common bird species (168 species; including farmland and forest species). The indices are presented for EU-aggregates only and with smoothed values. The European Bird Census Council and its Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme programme delivers data from 26 Member States. MT is not covered.