About Those Birds

In 2007, the large-billed reed warbler was named the world’s least known bird. Recently, researchers discovered breeding pairs in Afghanistan. This is considered the only known range for this unknown warbler. The researchers found the birds in a place called Wakhan Corridor, which is in northeast Afghanistan and has been little affected by war. The researchers were apart of the Wildlife Conservation Society and Sweden’s Gothenburg University.

A variety of techniques were used to identify the birds, such as field observations, DNA examples, and specimens. About 20 birds were even caught and released.

This bird is not a recently discovered species as it was first noted in 1867. However, it would seem that the bird was all but lost except for its second discover in Thailand in 2006. Hardly anything is known about this species, which makes this new discover of breeding grounds so important.

Luckily, the bird was found in a location that has not felt the effects of war and could still hold biological secrets. The Wakhan Corridor houses snow leopards and wild Marco Polo sheep, along with the rare warbler.

Here’s a tough decision: should barred owls be killed to save the northern spotted owl? The spotted owl’s numbers are declining despite efforts to save it. The barred owl is larger and more aggressive, which may be a reason the spotted owl cannot come back. There are talks about shooting or trapping and moving barred owls. If this works, then this practice will be done over a larger area.

The problem is really ethical issues. Should we shoot one species to save another species? Or should we let one species go extinct? It will not be an easy choice to make and I do not envy the person who has to make it.

The spotted owl uses the old growth forests of the region, which are not what they used to be due to logging. The owl is on the endangered species list and has been for quite some time, but its numbers still decline. Since logging has collapsed in the area, scientists are now looking towards the larger barred owl as the reason for the continued decline. The barred owl has mostly been found in the east, but has been moving towards the northwest in recent years.

Choosing one species over another is not a new idea. Sea lions are either moved or killed because they feed on the salmon, which is protected. Ravens and raccoons that feed on snowy plover nests are trying to be driven away by hunters.

However, the decision to kill/trap barred owls will not be made until more information is known about why the spotted owl is still declining. Though if barred owls are found to be contributing to the decline of spotted owls – they will be removed from the region.

Top Picture – northern spotted owl

Bottom Picture – barred owl

Biodiversity is the species diversity in any given ecosystem. This diversity enables the ecosystem to work efficiently and work well. Without biodiversity, many ecosystems could not function because there is nothing stopping one species from being dominant and exploiting that ecosystem. Biodiversity is extremely important and measures need to be taken to conserve it.

There are two major aspects of biodiversity: species richness and species evenness. Species richness is the amount of species in any given location/ecosystem. Species evenness, on the other hand, is the distribution of each species. Are the species even throughout or is there a lot of one species and not too much of the others? These are the components that are used to decide the biodiversity of an area. There is also a third factor that can come into consideration when looking at the conservation of an area. This factor is endemism. For a species to be endemic it can only occur in that area and nowhere else. For example, the Florida scrub jay is endemic to Florida. Not all species are found everywhere and it is important to note this fact when conservation an area.

But why must we conserve biodiversity? It can be an economic answer where a particular species can hold the cure for cancer. For example, many rainforest plants have shown anti-cancer properties. But it can also be a moral answer. We need to conserve just for the sake of conservation – the sake of the species.

For me it is a moral thing. Who are we, as humans, to decide which species lives or dies? Who are we to destroy an ecosystem for the sake of the economy – for the sake of building a mall or skyscraper? Who are we to say that we own this Earth and can do anything to it no matter the consequences? This is where the tragedy of the commons comes into play. So many species have been lost at the hands of humans – not nature. A great example of this is the passenger pigeon, which was once the most numerous bird in the world. We basically killed off the species in less than a century.

I am going to devote my life to the conservation of species, particularly birds. No one has to do that to help conserve, they can do something in their community. Sometimes it’s the small things that really help the big picture.

If you think climate change (global warming) is a hoax set by the government – then you probably should learn the science behind it. It’s really not that difficult to understand and climate change is not a hoax. It’s real and we are causing a great portion of it (not all like some extremists believe). Anyway, climate change is a major threat to many bird species because their environment will change too fast for them to adapt and they will most likely die. This is not good. The Italian Bird Protection League (LIPU) has listed five species that are in critical danger from climate change. Also, half of bird species that reside in the mountains (88 actually nest in Italy) urgently need protection – now.

The rock ptarmigan is a traditional symbol representing Italy’s mountains, but it’s also a species that is majorly vulnerable to climate change. From a 2-degree (I’m assuming C) temperature increase in the mountainous areas has reduced the population of rock ptarmigans to just 5000. Another degree increase would be very bad because the birds would be forced to find colder, more northern climates.

The other species listed by LIPU to be endangered by climate change in Italy are the Egyptian vulture, great bittern, little bustard, and Cory’s shearwater.

The Egyptian vulture only has seven pairs living in southern Italy, there are 50 pairs of great bitterns, and 750 pairs of little bustards left in Italy.

Climate change is not the only factor affecting these birds. Farming, overfishing, and wetland disruption are also major contributing factors to their decline. The five birds were not chosen just because they are at great risk, but because their environments are at great risk. These environments are important to human culture and if birds are not able to live and thrive in them, then how can humans?

Pictured: top – Egyptian vulture, second – great bittern, third – rock ptarmigan, fourth – little bustard, last – Cory’s shearwater.

The painted bunting is a gorgeous, brightly colored bird. If you haven’t seen one – try to – along with scarlet tanagers because those are really pretty too, but the focus of this post is painted buntings. Over the last 30 years, research has shown that painted buntings have been declining. This information comes from the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Just some history: during the 18th and early part of the 20th century the painted bunting was a highly popular cage bird (no surprise there), but this practice was banned in the US. However, the painted bunting pet trade still continues in their wintering places in Mexico and Cuba. Also, the painted bunting is declining due to habitat loss, like many other bird species.

In North America there are two populations of painted bunting, the western and eastern population. The western population is found and breeds in Texas and Mexico and winters in the south of Mexico. The eastern population is found and breeds in the more southern Atlantic shoreline and winters throughout the Caribbean.

Currently, the eastern population has shown some recovery signs, which is good news, but the bad news is that it may not stick and the species may still continue its decline. This is why data collecting of the populations is so important and the data is only focusing on the eastern population. Researchers have put on differently colored bands on hundreds of buntings so that people can easily record which bird they saw. Painted buntings will also visit birdfeeders and people can record data from that also.

Volunteers are very important for determining if the painted bunting population is recovering because scientists can’t do it all themselves. So if you are in the eastern region – se what you can do to volunteer, but I’m really not sure who you contact for that.

Last week, I wrote a post on red kites in England, now I’ve found another article discussing red kites, but this time it’s for Europe.

The main reason red kite populations are declining is because of the overuse of poison. The breeding pair numbers are diminishing because their land has been greatly reduced (by almost 50%). Increased agriculture is also another reason that the populations are declining, but its still mainly poison. These poisons are not for the birds, but for crops to ward off wolves and foxes. However, in some places poison is used for raptors to keep the game bird populations healthy. Red kites scavenge, which means they are more vulnerable to poisons.

Red kite populations declined sharply in Spain, France, and Germany, but as discussed before in this post, the UK has had major increases in red kite populations thanks to a reintroduction program that is quite successful. However, the UK still has problems with intentional and unintentional poisoning of red kites.

There is a Red Kite Action Plan that looks to reduce the numbers of red kite deaths by stopping the use of poison, reduce the risk of red kites scavenging poisoned animals, and improve red kite habitat (like where they breed). Through this plan, red kites may be able to recover throughout the whole of Europe.

Source.

Photo: credit to Flickr user Hobby-Photograph.

In 2004, shooting stopped in a swamp in Barbados called Woodbourne. This swamp, deemed St. Phillip Shooting Swamps Important Bird Area, is the first shorebird refuge in Barbados and was created by BirdLife International. The swamp has a total of four hectares, which is quite large. Two hunters of the region were actually very important in getting this region an IBA. Back in May, restoration began and now the swamp is good to go for fall migration.

The swamp is very important to have as an Important Bird Area because so many birds use the island as a stopover while on their way to South America. Thousands upon thousands of shorebirds use the island to rest, even species of concern. However, many of the birds are still shot.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, BirdLife, and Barbados Wildfowlers Association all work together and funding comes from the USFWS NMBCA. The Woodbourne Refuge was made to really stop the hunting on the island and promote conservation efforts. If people want to continue hunting, they must do so in a sustainable way and there is some resistance to the sustainable hunting efforts.

So far 20 species of shorebird have been sighted and five of them are species of conservation concern. These birds are now doing better due to the heightened cooperation of locals and conservation officials.

Source.

Picture: credit to Richard Roach

There is a new refuge for birds in the Dominican Republic on the northwest border of the Sierra de Bahoruco National Park. The protection for that particular region is extended by 111 square miles. This newly protected habitat is essential for the bay-breasted cuckoo, which is an endangered species. Other resident and migratory birds that are threatened in the region will receive this much needed habitat. These birds all depend on the Island of Hispaniola.

The American Bird Conservancy and their Dominican Republic partner, the Jaragua Group, were the ones who created this essential habitat. They conducted research of the area and analyzed it before it was named a bird refuge. They found that there are 30 endemic species found on the island. Many forests are being destroyed in the area and the birds vitally need protected habitat, therefore this new refuge is a step in the right direction.

Currently, there is work to improve the Sierra de Bahoruco National Park, which is supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source.

Picture: bay-breasted cuckoo credit to Hispanioland on Flickr.

IBAs or Important Bird Areas are areas that are globally recognized as important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Its highly difficult to analyze areas in need of conservation in such a large country. Australia has a total of 803 bird species and 312 of those are endemic. With such a high number of endemic birds, it’s essential that important areas be conserved. Birds Australia published their report of Australia’s Important Bird Areas and this report will help in conservation planning. A total of 314 IBAs are recognized in the report. Now that these areas are outlined, it will be easier (not easy) to conserve the important areas.

There are many birds under threat that call Australia home. Four species are critically endangered, with eighteen endangered, and twenty-five vulnerable. Even common birds are not safe from population declines. According to the 2008 State of Australia’s Birds Report, about two-thirds of common bird’s are showing long-term population declines.

“Australia and its Territories are ranked fourteenth in the world for the number of Globally Threatened and restricted-range bird species.”

The 314 sites name Important Bird Areas were studied over four years, from 2005 to 2009. The sites total up to nearly 44 million hectares (about 170,000 square miles). These areas are in all Australian States and Territories, but nearly half do not have prior protection. The government hopes to protect at least 10% of all bioregions, along with habitats with threatened species. Many regions are unprotected or underprotected. There are also issues on what to protect over others. Some regions need to be protected over large areas and others do not need to be so large. It depends on the species in question. The protected areas, it seems, need to be taken on a case by case basis.

Identifying which areas need to be protected is the first step into conserving them. All of the IBAs fall under different types of land ownership. This gives a great opportunity for all types of land owners, whether it be government or people, to work together to save endangered bird species.

Source.

Pictured: mangrove honeycreeper

On October 13, twelve birds were released into the Alaka’i Wilderness Preserve, which is a mountainous region on the island of Kauai. The puaiohi (Kaua’i thrush) is an endangered species that is part of a program to breed and then release into the wild. This species is only found on Kauai. For the last ten years government and private organizations have facilitated the captive breeding and release program.

Each of the birds has a band and a radio-transmitter, which allows the birds to be monitored for up to 30 days. This enables the scientists to know if the individual birds make it in the wild or if the release was unsuccessful. Since the program started, 188 birds have been released back into their natural habitat. However, before the birds can be released staff had to go in and rid the release site of rats. Rats are a major threat, not only to the puaiohi but to many other bird species among the islands.

David Leonard, a biologist for the Department of Land and Natural Resources – Division of Forestry and Wildlife states that the:

Release of captive birds is one strategy to ensure that the puaiohi does not go extinct; however, it cannot be the only strategy. Restoration efforts also need to include long term and landscape scale control of alien plants and non-native predators, and we are exploring innovative and cost effective approaches to achieve these. For example, we are determining if puaiohi will use rat-proof structures for nesting.

With other efforts in place, like habitat restoration and conservation, birds may well survive much longer into our future.

In 1994, there may have been as few as 200 puaiohi in the wild. Then in 1996, eggs were transferred to the San Diego Zoo’s Keauhou Bird Conservation Center. Since then the center has been able to annually release birds into the wild.

With the assistance of state and federal funds, the Division of Forestry and Wildlife set up the Kaua’i Endangered Forest Bird Recovery Project. With the assistance of biologists, information is taken on the puaiohi in order to serve the species better in the wild. Also, since the bird is listed as endangered financial aid is given to Hawaii by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to collect information and help protect birds like the puaiohi.

With efforts like these it seems that the puaiohi will not go extinct now. Its is when species loss is taken seriously that the species will be able to recover. The puaiohi loss is taken seriously and it is on its way to recovery.

Click here for the full article.

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