New ornithological monitoring on the heathlands of the Park
At the initiative of the Regional Natural Park, the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO) is currently conducting a monitoring of the birds present on the sites of the Regional Nature Reserve "network of Atlantic heaths of the PNR Périgord Limousin".
A little context
Created in December 2015, the Regional Nature Reserve "Atlantic Heathland Network of the Périgord Liomusin Regional Natural Park" preserves 7 heathland sites for a little over forty hectares, spread across 9 municipalities in Haute-Vienne. This classification is the result of a collaboration with the Conservatoire d'espaces naturels de Nouvelle-Aquitaine (Conservatory of Natural Areas of Nouvelle-Aquitaine). The management plan, currently being finalized, specifies... significant issues regarding naturalist knowledge, particularly on birds dependent on these environments.
Based on these findings, the Park commissioned LPO Limousin to conduct inventories using the "ornithological quadrats" method as part of a contract. three yearsThe year 2026 will focus on three sites: the Massaloux heath (Gorre), the Judie heath (Champsac), and the Forgeas tile works heath (Saint-Bazille). The Jarosses heath (Champagnac-la-Rivière and Saint-Laurent-sur-Gorre), the Beaubreuil heath (Saint-Cyr), the Puy Chabrol heath (Bussière-Galant), and finally the Puycheny heath (La Meyze and Saint-Hilaire-les-Places) will be studied in 2027 and 2028.
Methodology and initial observations
The quadrat method (gridded planes) consists of determine the number of birds present, on the site and its surroundings, due to a potential for hosting of the type nesting or feedingThis method is standardized, with repeated visits in the morning (10 visits to the site) and with different layouts (to increase comprehensiveness) between April and July on days of good weather and low wind (ideal weather conditions). This allows for the collection of quantitative data (number of species, number of individuals per species per hectare) and qualitative data (behavior, confinement to certain areas). These quadrats will thus allow for the assessment of the site's biological diversity, but above all, to to monitor the evolution of birdlife in relation to the management measures undertaken.
As Romain DA SILVA of the LPO points out, among the sites studied in 2026, the Massaloux heath seems to stand out with the presence of a procession of heathland birds: Tree pipit, Whinchat, Red-backed shrike, Yellowhammer. The presence of the latter is noteworthy. A ground-nesting species dependent on agricultural environments, the species has lost 45% of its national numbers in 10 years*.
Following these initial observations, it will now be necessary to wait until the end of the monitoring in 2028 to draw reliable conclusions from the work carried out.
* Sources: https://www.lpo.fr/decouvrir-la-nature/fiches-especes/fiches-especes/oiseaux/bruant-jaune
