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The Mediterranean shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan) has been categorised as vulnerable in the Red Book of Birds of Spain, as a reduction in the breeding population of more than 30% has been detected in the next three generations. According to initial estimates, the wintering population does not exceed 10,000 individuals and is estimated to experience a continuous decline of at least 10% in three generations, with extreme fluctuations in the number of mature individuals. For its part, the Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus), considered until recently a subspecies of the Mediterranean shearwater, is the only endemic seabird in Spain and is also very threatened, with a population of around 3,000 breeding pairs.

This project has sought to improve the knowledge of the two most endangered species of seabirds endemic to the Mediterranean, with special emphasis on innovatively studying the use they make of the marine Natura 2000 Network and the connectivity between different spaces. According to the entity, the tagging of birds in the sea has been particularly noteworthy and novel, as a complementary approach to the one already developed in colonies. In addition, it has sought to obtain new information on the marking of young people, attending to the Menorcan population, whose taxonomic situation is confusing.

Likewise, the initiative proposes tools that contribute to monitoring programs on land and sea for these species, involving the general public in certain actions to facilitate the dissemination of the knowledge acquired and public awareness. The entity has also highlighted that, for the first time, special attention is paid in Spain to the Mediterranean shearwater, and has proposed to prepare a document that endorses its inclusion in the Spanish Catalogue of Endangered Species (CEEA).

The general objective of the project has been to contribute to the conservation of two species of seabirds endemic to the Mediterranean and highly threatened: the Balearic shearwater and the Mediterranean shearwater; studying their connectivity between sea and land through an innovative approach, while providing new tools for their monitoring, and contributing to the characterisation of Natura 2000 Network sites (both existing and candidate).

The specific objectives were as follows:

• To explore the connectivity between sea and land of Balearic and Mediterranean shearwaters through an innovative approach, based on the tagging of birds with remote monitoring devices in their feeding areas, as well as the tagging of young in their colonies.
• To contribute to the characterisation of Special Protection Areas for Marine Birds (SPAs), both those already designated and those under study, as well as the connectivity between them.
• Contribute to monitoring programmes for these species, implementing new tools, such as nest boxes in colonies, coastal surveys or satellite monitoring.
• Involve the public in monitoring and assessing threats to the project’s two target species, as well as other threatened seabird species.
• To highlight an endangered species of regular occurrence in Spanish waters, until now neglected because it does not have breeding populations: the Mediterranean shearwater.

• Marking and remote monitoring of 12 birds caught at sea (10 Puffinus mauretanicus, one Puffinus yelkouan and one Calonectris diomedea) in a feeding area in the north of the province of Barcelona candidate for SPA. Based on this monitoring, the entity has developed cartography that shows the movements of the captured specimens, concluding the presence of a high connectivity between colonies.
• Capture, tagging and monitoring of 22 Balearic shearwaters (9 juveniles and 13 adults) with remote monitoring devices in the colony of La Mola de Maó de Menorca, the main breeding nucleus of the Menorcan population. Mapping has also been carried out based on the movements generated in this case. In this sense, the data show a strong connection with French and Italian waters, which highlights, according to the entity, the importance of working internationally. Finally, this study has also served to identify the most important feeding areas for the Menorcan population of Balearic shearwater, located between the central Catalan coast and the Gulf of Lion.
• Improvement of the monitoring of the Menorcan breeding population: 20 nest boxes have been installed on the cliffs of La Mola de Maó in the vicinity of the Balearic shearwater breeding areas, in order to increase the number of nests accessible for breeding monitoring. In addition to the nest boxes, 3 photo traps have been placed in the same area, that is, cameras equipped with a motion sensor to determine the presence of shearwaters in the vicinity of the boxes and possible predators. Likewise, actions have been carried out to carry out an identification study of Menorcan birds due to the morphological characters they present (intermediate between the Mediterranean and Balearic shearwater). To this end, work has been carried out both in the Menorca colony and in the sea, taking biometric measurements and photographs of young people and adults.
• Carrying out coastal inspections of shorebirds, in order to understand the causes of mortality of the two species of shearwater targeted by this project, as well as other species. In total, 31 people have participated in the beach prospections, adding up to a total of 134 transects and 93 kilometers traveled.
• Preparation of a technical proposal document to include the Mediterranean shearwater in the Spanish Catalogue of Endangered Species (CEEA). This document has also included files on the species treated for the Red Book of Birds of Spain and for the Atlas of Breeding Birds of Spain.
• Dissemination and communication of the project through different media: creation of a section of the project on the institutional website of the entity, publications on its social networks, dissemination of press releases, publication of an informative report in the magazine “Aves y Naturaleza” and the preparation of a general brochure as a summary of the project.

PUFMED has addressed the study and conservation of the Balearic shearwater and the Mediterranean shearwater, two endemic species of the Mediterranean that are highly threatened at a global level, paying special attention to the population that breeds in Menorca, which has hybrid characters between both species. It should be noted that this research has been carried out in two areas of the Natura 2000 Network, such as the SPA of S’Albufera a la Mola and the marine area of the southeast of Menorca, in the Balearic Islands. Likewise, thanks to the project, the Mediterranean shearwater has been proposed for inclusion in the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species and the species has been included in the Red Book of Birds of Spain within the “Vulnerable” category.

Among the actions carried out, the entity highlights that the tagging of birds captured at sea with remote monitoring transmitters has been innovative, as a complementary approach to the one already developed in colonies. Thus, the tagging with satellite and GPS transmitters of 12 shearwaters caught in the open sea in the waters of the central coast of Catalonia has made it possible to relate this feeding area with numerous colonies of origin, both in the Balearic Islands and beyond (up to Sardinia), being able to detect 6 colonies of origin unknown until now. On the other hand, the tagging of juveniles and adults (with 22 specimens in total) of the Menorcan population of La Mola de Maó has shown its dispersive movements after the breeding season, which do not go beyond the western Mediterranean (unlike the rest of the Balearic shearwater colonies, whose specimens go out to the Atlantic).

According to the entity, these actions reveal the importance of working internationally due to the connection detected with Italian and French waters. In addition, the detection of the preferred feeding areas for these species has reinforced the importance of the marine SPA “Mar de l’Empordà” and the area proposed as a SPA on the north coast of Barcelona, highlights SEO/BirdLife.

On the other hand, the project has also contributed to better monitoring of Balearic shearwater populations, with the installation of 20 nest boxes in the Mola de Maó, and the implementation of a marking programme with colour rings for remote reading. It has also made it possible for the public to be involved in monitoring the species and assessing its threats, through the use of ICAO, a mobile application for coastal inspection of shorebirds, developed with the support of the LIFE INTEMARES project. In total, 93 kilometers were covered and the involvement of 31 volunteers was achieved.

Finally, dissemination and dissemination actions have been carried out to society in general, through the publication of 13 posts on social networks, 6 press releases, an informative article in the magazine “Birds and nature” and a general brochure as a summary of the project. It has also addressed the scientific community with the preparation of a manuscript to facilitate the identification of the Menorcan Balearic shearwater, as well as the competent administrations with the sending of reports to the Directorate General of Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), the Department of Territory and Sustainability of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Ministry of the Environment and Rural Development. Territory of the Balearic Government.