conservation of migratory birds -- 1970s amateur birders noticed decline in migratory songbirds, not...
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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
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
Congaree National Park, SC
Largest contiguous old growthlowland forest in U.S.
Surveyed for four years byCornell, but no ivory bills
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