Contributing to a better understanding of migratory Palearctic birds and their habitats at different periods of the annual cycle is one of the main purposes of the association. Armed with experience, OMPO has embarked on a major project entitled "Conservation and Management of Huntable Birds in Europe" the purpose of which is to document as accurately as possible the conservation status and managment methods of the huntable bird species listed in Part A of Annex II to the Birds Directive 2009/147 / EC.

The scarcity of the data available on the number of migratory birds who have been hunted in Europe is detrimental to the understanding of the demographic trends of their populations shown by international assessments. However, this information is necessary to perceive the management of these species at the international level, especially in the case of those that benefit from an action plan. This project  carried out with the support of FACE and the Fondation François Sommer meets the documentary requirements of AEWA and especially of the European Commission who    this year 2015    evaluate the efficiency of the implementation of the Birds Directive on the conservation of wild birds in Europe. In this context, it is easy to understand that the case of huntable species receives special attention. The work in progress focuses on a global approach to the management of these species in the EU and more widely in Europe, since the 36 states represented by FACE (the Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU) are considered. The aim is to better base decision-making for their conservation by highlighting the essential contribution of hunting to the sustainability of wild birds and their habitats. OMPO has developed a standardized reporting template that integrates all available knowledge (eg ringing reports, harvest data, ...) on the management of huntable bird species and their populations. The report details the distribution, ecology, phenology, population estimates and demographic trends of the species and/or their populations, their harvest and the management measures they receive across Europe, even though this area, the data lacks scientific relevance. The data currently available are obsolete given the abrupt acceleration of changes affecting the demography of species. The objective assessment of the situation requires a synthesis, in one document, of the abundance estimates, the potential risks and threats and the different management measures or initiatives taken in favor of species. This document highlights the contribution of the actors of the hunting world to the preservation of the ecosystems and biodiversity, through sustainable hunting respectful of the European obligations. The work done by OMPO, which is a novelty, is crucial in this respect to the dogmas of European stakeholders in the conservation of wild birds, given the large number of migratory species listed in Appendix II, Part A of the Birds Directive.

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