Conservation of Migratory Birds

-- 1970s amateur birders noticed decline in migratory songbirds, not as many seen in favorite birding spots over many years

-- small woodlots, urban areas in particular showed this

-- e.g., Rock Creek Park, Washington D.C., birders with notes since 1940s indicated about one third less by 1970s butpark size did not change to account for this decline

-- quantifiable data later included Breeding Bird Survey started in 1965with 1500 transects on roads throughout the U.S. and Canada

-- period from 1966 – 1987 verified dramatic declines in many species,75% of forest-dwelling and long-distance migrants especiallyhad declined

http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/bbs.html

Radar studies in Gulf of Mexico also showedserious declines in migratory songbirds

Work by Sidny Gauthreauxusing images in 1960scompared to those takenin 1980s

Migratory waves had declined by 50%

Causes for declines:

-- forest fragmentation, declines steepest in long-distancemigrants that live in forests

-- have shorter breeding season, fewer eggs compared toshort-distance migrants

-- also predators, nest parasites involved in declines,e.g., raccoons, jays, crows, cowbirds

-- tropical deforestation also destroys winter habitat whenbirds are more densely concentrated in flocks

-- source/sink areas now used in conservation

Extinct (EX) - No individuals remaining. Extinct in the Wild (EW) - Known only to survive in captivity, or as a naturalized

population outside its historic range. Critically Endangered (CR) - Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Endangered (EN) - High risk of extinction in the wild. Vulnerable (VU) - High risk of endangerment in the wild. Near Threatened (NT) - Likely to become endangered in the near future. Least Concern (LC) - Lowest risk. Does not qualify for a more at risk category.

Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category. Data Deficient (DD) - Not enough data to make an assessment of its risk of

extinction. Not Evaluated (NE) - Has not yet been evaluated against the criteria.[6]

IUCN Red Data Books started in 1963

-- thousands of plant and animal species evaluated everyfive years and categorized:

Endangered Species Act 1973

-- two categories for species as endangered or threatened

-- listed species receive immediate protection

-- also have Species of Concern, but these have no statusfor protection

-- Act also protects hybridization, recognizing it as part ofthe speciation process

California Gnatcatcher

ESA Case Examples

Dusky Seaside Sparrow

California Gnatcatcher

ESA Case Examples

Dusky Seaside Sparrow

Whooping Crane

Solutions:

-- protect habitat, especially sources or larger forests

-- Partners in Flight, cooperation between 12+ Federalagencies to locate and protect most importantsites

-- also international cooperation needed, training, andeducation

-- monitoring of populations to track changes, managespecies and habitats

San Pedro River valley, Arizona -- BLM protected 40 mile section in 1989 -- growing populations of songbirds

Western HemisphereShorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN)

Started by private groupsin 1985

Locates and protectsimportant stopover areas

Periodic synchronouscounts to monitorpopulations

Ivory-billed Woodpecker

11 Feb. 2004: first sighting in Big Woods, AR21 May 2005: sighting in FL panhandleNo definitive proof of bird in either area

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/ivory/video_2011/

Congaree National Park, SC

Largest contiguous old growthlowland forest in U.S.

Surveyed for four years byCornell, but no ivory bills