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BIRDS IN BRIEF
Birders Help Reveal Promising Trends in Chicago-Area Birds
The results of a 22-year monitoring effort by birders and biologists, run by a 21-group coalition called the Bird Conservation Network, details recent breeding-bird trends across five of the Chicago area’s main habitats.
The city and region are rich in parkland, and conservation efforts appear to be paying off, with notable population boosts for generally declining species including the Redheaded Woodpecker, Henslow’s Sparrow, Dickcissel, Wood Thrush, Marsh Wren, and Sora.
Species noted as declining included the Upland Sandpiper, Ring-billed Gull, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Great Horned Owl, American Redstart, and House Sparrow.
Learn more: bcnbirds.org/ trends21/trends.html
Upland Sandpiper by Paul Reeves Photography, Shutterstock
Meanwhile, Bird Sightings Dry Up in Arizona…
Prolonged drought and rising temperatures have raised concern in the normally bird-rich hub of southeastern Arizona. Following 2020’s historic drought, birders had a hard time finding even common species such as the Canyon Wren and Rufous-crowned Sparrow in their usual haunts.
According to eBird data analysis by biologist Tim Helentjaris, which he reported on the Tucson Audubon Society’s blog, Elegant Trogon observations were down more than 60 percent between 2019 and 2021, while those of the normally common Black-tailed Gnatcatcher dropped by more than half. “What is most disconcerting about these losses is that we are still seeing the effects into 2022,” Helentjaris wrote.
Elegant Trogon by Greg Homel, Natural Elements Productions
See the blog at: bit.ly/LingeringEffectsof2020 DDT and PCBs Threaten Coastal California Condors
California Condors foraging along California shorelines remain threatened by DDT and PCBs, as well as other contaminants, according to a study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology in May. Although DDT has been banned in the U.S. since 1972 and PCBs since 1979, these persistent compounds were dumped off the California coast decades ago and still threaten marine life including dolphins and sea lions, the carcasses of which condors feed upon. The study estimated that DDT and PCBs were seven and 40 times more abundant, respectively, in condors of coastal California, compared with counterparts living in Baja California, Mexico. Among other health issues, DDT causes eggshell thinning in condors and other raptors.
California Condor by Susan Haig
Yurok Tribe Leads Condor Reintroduction in Northern California
In May, several captive-raised juvenile California Condors were released into Redwoods National Park, within the lands of the Yurok Tribe, a community leading a large coalition of conservation entities in efforts to return this Endangered species to Northern California. The goal is to release four to six birds per year for the next two decades.
“For countless generations, the Yurok people have upheld a sacred responsibility to maintain balance in the natural world. Condor reintroduction is a reallife manifestation of our cultural commitment to restore and protect the planet for future generations,” said Joseph L. James, the Chairman
of the Yurok Tribe. “On behalf of the Yurok Tribe, I would like to thank all of the individuals, agencies, and organizations that helped us prepare to welcome prey-go-neesh (condor) back to our homeland.”
Learn more: yuroktribe.org/yurokcondor-restoration-program Nearly Half of the World’s Bird Species Are Declining
New analysis estimates that 48 percent of the world’s bird species are in decline. The study, the final version of which should be posted online by October, is being published in the Annual Review of Environment and Resources and compiled by a team of researchers using information on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN’s) Red List database of about 11,000 species.
Florida Corridor Program Gets a Bump
In March, Florida’s legislature approved purchase of almost 17,000 acres of Florida scrub, Everglades wetland, grassland, and Longleaf Pine forest that provide key links in the state’s growing wildlife-corridor network.
A model for other states and countries, the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act was signed into law in July 2021. It aims to protect the state’s impressive biodiversity from ever-expanding development (with 22 million people, Florida is now the third-most-populous state).
Ten million of the corridor’s slated 17.7 million acres are already designated for conservation, including ranches and other sustainably managed working lands.
Florida Scrub-Jay by Ray Hennessy, Shutterstock
See a map at: floridawildlifecorridor.org
Florida Grasshopper Sparrow Milestone
Florida’s resident Grasshopper Sparrow subspecies hovers at the edge of extinction in a few of the state’s remaining prairies. Luckily, this rare population is being boosted by habitat conservation, nest protection, and captive-breeding efforts by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, White Oak Conservation, and other partners.
In June, the 501st captive-raised bird was released into protected habitat where other released birds and their offspring have been detected breeding. The wild population is now estimated at about 125, up from a low of 75 wild individuals in 2018.
Yardbird Yardstick
Just an interesting fact: The American Robin population is estimated at 370 million — one for every person in the United States and Canada. This figure can be used as a “yardstick” to compare populations of other species.
For example, the widespread but declining Chimney Swift’s population is estimated at fewer than 8 million birds, while that of the Kirtland’s Warbler stands at around 4,490 — a small number that is a vast improvement from the species’ all-time low of 334.
American Robin by Owen Deutsch, owendeutsch.com
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