Changes in Water Birds Habitat Suitability Following Wetland Restoration in the Yellow River Delta, China

It has been 10 years since the 2002 implementation of a wetland restoration project in the Yellow River Delta, China. The project mainly aimed to improve natural habitat for rare birds by modifying hydrological processes. Integrated multi‐criteria evaluation methods and cartographic modeling based on long‐term field monitoring and surveying were used to determine habitat suitability for the critical bird species that belong to five orders in the study area. Results showed that the habitat suitability index (E) increased in the first 6 years but declined recently as vegetation coverage increased. Future wetland restoration efforts should consider the influence of vegetation coverage on the development of potential habitats. The results of this study will be of value in further restoration designs in the Yellow River Delta and other similar wetlands. Ecological water supplement is an effective way to restore degraded wetlands caused by lack of freshwater in the study area. The results showed that habitat suitability index increased in the first 6 years but declined as soon as vegetation coverage increased.