National accounts suggest that the Common Pochard Aythya ferina was an uncommon breeding bird throughout western Europe before 1850. Extensions to the breeding range in the late 19th century were potentially aided by the rapid development of managed fish-ponds in eastern Europe, which provided suitable novel habitat at that time. Expansion into western Europe followed in subsequent decades. Wetland and waterbody eutrophication throughout Europe, which likely provided food and cover for the birds, may have accelerated the rapid expansion from the 1950s until the early 1980s. Widespread declines in the last 30 years, especially in eastern Europe, where breeding numbers are highest, are possibly linked to intensification and/or abandonment of freshwater fish farming and changes in water quality. Studies show that Pochard gain fitness benefits from nesting in Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus colonies and hence has been affected by major losses of European gull colonies in the last 30 years. The spread of alien fish species such as the Carp Cyprinus carpi, which compete with Pochard for food resources, is a problem in the Mediterranean region. Changing predation pressures (in some cases linked to invasive alien mammals) are also implicated in some areas. Relatively modest numbers breeding in the UK, France and the Netherlands have remained stable or increased over the same recent span of years, confirming that different factors currently affect Pochard breeding abundance throughout its range. We urgently need better information relating to key factors affecting Pochard breeding success and abundance, which is currently showing an unfavourable conservation status throughout much of Europe.

The North American ruddy duck is an invasive alien species in Europe, which threatens the native white-headed duck through hybridisation. A substantial population established in the UK following escapes and releases beginning in the 1950s. The species then spread widely within Europe, with records across much of the continent, and viable populations established in Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Spain. An international plan to eradicate the species from Europe has been adopted, but the approaches and intensity of control have varied widely between countries. We report on progress towards eradication across the continent. Numbers in 2013 were less than 7 % of the 2000 population, although coordinated action is still required to achieve eradication. The European Union is considering a new legislative instrument on Invasive Alien Species, which is likely to place responsibilities on member states to control named species. Coordinated control across those member states with remaining ruddy duck populations is likely to be an early test of any new responsibilities, with the potential to achieve the first continental scale eradication of an invasive alien species.

A total of nearly 800,000 waders of 27 species were estimated to winter on the non-estuarine coasts of the 12 countries that participated in the European Non-Estuarine Coastal Waterbird Survey (Europe-NEWS) (note, this is a minimum estimate as in some countries, counts were not extrapolated or regions were not covered). Most were found in the north-west of Europe, the UK (including the Isle of Man) holding 49.8% of the total estimate, France 19.3%, Germany 13.6% and Ireland 11.5%. The most abundant species were Eurasian Oyster- catcher Haematopus ostralegus, Dunlin Calidris alpina, Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus and Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata, though key species - those for which the non-estuarine habitats in the participant 12 countries were estimated to hold over 25% of biogeographic populations - were Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula, Sanderling Calidris alba, Purple Sandpiper C. maritima and Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres. Omissions from these estimates and population trends are discussed.