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In 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 the Trenca Association has been a beneficiary of the Biodiversity Foundation’s call for grants with the same project, “Conservation and recovery actions of the lesser grey shrike (Lanius minor) in Spain”.

The Lesser Grey Shrike is a species listed as ‘critically situated’ in the National Catalogue of Threatened Species. The project seeks to prevent the extinction of the Iberian population of the Lesser Grey Shrike in order to reverse this situation, or contribute to mitigating it.

The general objective of the project is to prevent the extinction of the Iberian population of the Lesser Grey Shrike, through direct actions (management of the species) and indirect actions (habitat improvements).

Specific objectives include:

• To know the current status of the species both in the breeding areas and in the territories where it develops and its movements.
• Increase their population by releasing chickens raised and rescued from the wild.
• Improve the carrying capacity of the medium.
• Publicize the critical state of the population and disseminate the results of the project.

• Coordination of the project and monitoring of the Lesser Grey Shrike population in the SPA (Special Protection Area for Birds) of Mas de Melons-Alfés (Lleida), in former territories of Aragon and in Aiguamolls de l’Empordá (Girona) and establishing contacts to control the population in the south of France.
• Breeding of chicks born in captivity at the Vallcalent Wildlife Centre. Tasks have been carried out to control pairings, control copulations, control of clutches, removal of chicks, feeding them for 24 hours, control of second clutches and control of chickens in flight cages prior to release in hacking (country breeding).
• Rescue and adoption of free-range chickens that have or may have problems in the area of Torreribera (Lleida). Although the entity has not had to rescue any chicks this season, the resources to monitor and control the specimens present have been maintained according to forecasts and the population has been monitored.
• Hacking or free-range breeding of chicks born in captivity and expansion of the hacking area in former territories in Torreribera (Lleida) and Aiguamolls del Empordà (Girona).
• Supplementary feeding, specifically crickets and beetle larvae, provided on trays, both for wild pairs and for hacking chicks, once released. The action has taken place in Torreribera (Lleida).
• Control of possible predators of the shrike by placing cages.
• Habitat improvements, in order to achieve and maintain optimal conditions for the presence and feeding of specimens. Thus, the trees have been pruned to improve the nesting areas. In March, when the vegetative period began, irrigation began in the plantations carried out in previous years. From May to July, clearing work was carried out in areas with the presence of shrikes, to keep the vegetation low and thus favor the presence of insects on which this bird feeds.
• Specific studies in the habitat. A study of insects from the Torreribera and Alfés farms, in Lleida, has been carried out to evaluate the natural availability of insect in the habitat of the Lesser Grey Shrike, as it is essential for its survival.
• Dissemination and dissemination of the project. As part of this action, press communications, publications on social networks and a results report have been carried out.

• The project has involved the laying of the first stone to try to recover the old breeding nucleus of the Girona Lesser Grey Shrike.
• 5 specimens have returned to the Vallcalent Wildlife Centre, the presence of a breeding pair with 3 chicks has been detected, 60 chicks have been released from the captive breeding centre, 41 in Torreribera (Lleida) and 19 in the Aiguamolls del Empordà Natural Park (Girona).
• With the results obtained during 2019, there are already 621 shrikes released since 2009.
• The actions carried out have served to improve the populations of the Lesser Shrike in Catalonia, thus preventing the extinction of the Iberian population of the Lesser Grey Shrike.