Digital Monitoring of Threatened Avifauna in Morocco: Insights from Social Media

This study evaluated social media platforms as complementary tools for monitoring threatened and rare bird species in Morocco from 2015 to 2025. Records were extracted from groups, pages, videos, photographs, and ornithological publications based on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, Telegram platforms. Multi-language and validation criteria were used to standardize records, and then data were analyzed and mapped to assess spatio-temporal dynamics, habitat preferences, and threatening factors. Results revealed significant interspecific differences (p < 0.001), with dominance of Streptopelia turtur arenicola (250 ± 48.35 records), followed by Geronticus eremita and Chersophilus duponti (222.15 ± 26.58 and 222 ± 59.31 records), Acrocephalus paludicola, and Chlamydotis undulata. Adults dominated records (851.54 ± 364.70 records), while eggs and chicks were weakly recorded. Records were mostly photographs and were from Facebook. Digital records were higher in March and April. Spatial records highlighted ecological specialization, G. eremita in Souss Massa and C. undulata in southeastern desert ecosystems. Results showed associations with steppes, riparian, agricultural, and semi-desert mosaics depending on recorded species. Predation (50 ± 3.54 records) and hunting (49 ± 13.44 records) were the main affecting factors, particularly in S. t. turtur (22.22% and 52.38% of records) and C. undulata (31.25% and 62.5%). The identified habitats and threats provide actionable indicators for prioritizing protection, monitoring, and targeted mitigation measures. These findings show that social media can support passive citizen-science and contribute to conservation planning and large-scale ecological monitoring of threatened avifauna. However, future research needs to combine field and digital investigations to reduce biases and present a more comprehensive picture of threatened birds.