Calling All Birdwatchers: For the Birds, and for Us

Imagine knowing the abundance, distribution, habitat preferences, breeding ecology, migration pattern, and wintering habitat for 100+ bird species in the State of Connecticut. This is no simple task, but it is one that the University of Connecticut and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, along with many other partner organizations, citizen scientists, and bird lovers alike are willing to take on. The Connecticut Bird Atlas, starting in Spring 2018, will be the second such atlas conducted in the state, with the first Atlas of Breeding Birds in Connecticut published in 1994.

The scarlet tanager, a neotropical migratory species, was identified as a “Forest Health Indicator Species” by the Connecticut Forestlands Council Forest Ecosystem Health Committee for deciduous woodlands.

Unlike the first Connecticut Breeding Bird Atlas which aimed only to identify breeding distributions of Connecticut’s birds, the new study will survey distribution and abundance patterns throughout year, during both the breeding and non-breeding seasons. “The assessment will give us more detailed ecological information in terms of breeding dates, timing of migration, when wintering species arrive to overwintering areas, and how long they stay in overwintering areas,” says Randy Dettmers, senior migratory bird biologist for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service division of Migratory Birds, and contributor to the Connecticut State of the Birds.

The black-throated blue warbler was identified as a “Forest Health Indicator Species” by the Connecticut Forestlands Council Forest Ecosystem Health Committee for northern forest habitat.

The pine warbler was identified as a “Forest Health Indicator Species” by the Connecticut Forestlands Council Forest Ecosystem Health Committee for white pine forest.

Almost three decades since the first Atlas, the habitat for birds in Connecticut has changed significantly. Development and expanding infrastructure have fragmented habitats, a benefit to birds who are habitat generalists but a detrimental change for species that require large areas of undisturbed forest; reforestation of previously developed land has benefited birds that use both mixed hardwood and coniferous forest, but presents challenges for birds that rely on early successional habitats (young forests); loss or conversion of agricultural lands has negatively impacted birds that prefer the old agricultural fields or grasslands but benefit birds who prefer forested habitat; and more variable climate conditions have resulted in birds with a historically “southern” range to now reside in Connecticut year-round. The new Atlas will capture the changes in abundance, distribution, and species composition as a result of these habitat changes, and the data will have implications for creating sound conservation plans, including the Connecticut State Wildlife Action Plan, that will benefit birds and other wildlife.

Zone land cover change in Connecticut from 1985-2010.

Birds are an indicator species for the health of our environment, meaning the presence, abundance, or absence of birds is indicative of a change in the biological health of an ecosystem.

Birds make an excellent proxy for diagnosing the health of an ecosystem which includes birds, other wildlife, and people. They serve as an indicator for how we are adapting or not adapting to the changing landscape and changing climate, making the new Atlas an essential decision-making tool for land managers, municipal planners, developers, state and federal agencies, and conservationists alike.

The cerulean warbler was identified as a “Forest Health Indicator Species” by the Connecticut Forestlands Council Forest Ecosystem Health Committee for deciduous woodlands. Among the rarest Neotropical migrant songbirds, their populations continue to decline due to loss of breeding, migrating, and overwintering habitat.

As often stated, birds do not recognize boundaries, and can be thought of as having dual citizenship. Therefore, the new Atlas will not only provide important implications for the state of Connecticut, but will be used to develop and implement comprehensive, region-wide conservation management strategies. “The updated information from the new Atlas will help us understand how different bird species are shifting their distributions and abundance in southern New England,” says Randy Dettmers. “When comparing the data to information from surrounding states, we will gain a better understanding of how birds are responding to larger environmental changes, including changes in land use, levels of contaminants in the environment, and changes in temperature and precipitation patterns.”

The golden-winged warbler was identified as a “Forest Health Indicator Species” by the Connecticut Forestlands Council Forest Ecosystem Health Committee for shrubland and young forest habitats. Populations are declining due to loss of breeding and wintering habitat.

Without citizen science, scientists would not be able to collect the necessary data to accomplish the task at hand.

The CT Bird Atlas project will be accomplished through the collaborative work of professionals and citizen scientists. Interested in taking advantage of this opportunity to learn about birds and their habitats, gain science skills, and connect with nature while giving back? Check out the CT Bird Atlas website here to see how you can get involved!

 

Neotropical Migratory Birds have Dual Citizenship

Have you ever been outside and had a flash of color fly by? Do you find yourself intrigued to discover what kind of bird you caught a glimpse of? You are not alone in this curiosity, as tens of millions of Americans enjoy bird watching as a favorite pastime.

Chances are, you’ve seen a neotropical migratory bird species, like a Bicknell’s Thrush or Scarlet Tanager, who call multiple countries “home” depending its life cycle stage. Neotropical bird species are unique in that they breed in Canada and the United States during the summer and spend winters in Mexico, Central America and South America, making it critical to conserve habitat across many countries to ensure the longevity of these birds. Despite their incomparable beauty and invaluable ecological functions, populations of many migratory bird species with “dual citizenship” are in decline due to habitat loss and degradation.

Scarlet Tanagers are found in North, Central, and South America. Photo by Les Brooks.

The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) is a federal grant program designed to benefit Americans through helping sustain their continued enjoyment of birds while stimulating economic growth in the birdwatching industry, and through ensuring habitat for migratory birds that help maintain our environmental health. In this year alone, over $3.8 million in grants from NMBCA will support 31 collaborative conservation projects throughout 19 countries including Canada, the United States, Mexico, and other countries in Central and South America.

NMBCA is unique in that it fosters collaborations between partners across many countries and habitats to conserve migratory bird habitat, engages local communities in bird habitat protection, strengthens international relations, and raises awareness of the importance of bird conservation. Migratory bird conservation does not have borders – without collective conservation effort and collaboration across countries, successful conservation of migratory birds is not possible, since these birds are “dual citizens” that call multiple countries home.

Birding at Gachette Reservoir in the Dominican Republic, supported by the NMBCA. Photo by USFWS Headquarters.

“For a lot of our migratory birds that spend a good time of their annual life cycle outside of the U.S., working with partners in other countries is really critical for maintaining stable populations for those species, and protecting habitat on both ends of their migratory routes,” says Randy Dettmers, a landbird biologist for U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Division of Migratory Birds. “The NMBCA is one of few government sponsored funding mechanisms to help promote international and full life cycle conservation actions. It is really critical for a lot of our migratory species to link conservation efforts between breeding, migrating, and wintering areas.”

A Bicknell’s Thrush. Photo by Jeff Nadler.

A particular focus of the NMBCA is protecting habitat for various life stages of the Bicknell’s Thrush, a migratory bird species of highest conservation concern in the U.S.. The majority of the breeding population for Bicknell’s Thrush is in the northeast states, with wintering habitat in the Dominican Republic. “We recognize that loss of wintering habitat in the Dominican Republic is a major threat to Bicknell’s Thrush,” says Randy Dettmers. Randy, along with other members of the USFWS, had the opportunity to go to the Dominican Republic and meet with the Ministry of the Environment and other NGO conservation groups that are interested in protecting habitats for wildlife in general.  “We had a great opportunity to see first hand the issues they are dealing with, and discuss ways to collaborate and share information. We shared what strategies worked well in management areas, and worked on developing better strategic management plans for remaining habitat for Bicknell’s Thrush.”

So why get involved in migratory bird conservation? The 386 neotropical migratory bird species, including songbirds, shorebirds, and birds of prey, provide essential ecological functions including pollinating and dispersing seeds of plants that create habitat for other wildlife, keeping insect and rodent populations in balance, and providing early warnings of environmental contamination. Secondary contributions include generating billions of dollars in economic growth through the purchases of binoculars, bird seed, and travel expenses.

Click here for more information on ways you can invest in conservation.

Learn more about bird watching or click here for more information on NMBCA.

Follow our page more great conservation stories from Hispanic Access Foundation interns!

Growing chocolate for the birds

It’s conservation abroad! Five 30-acre southern Belize farms have begun the conversion to shade-grown cacao.

Our partner, the Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education, tells us the community and farmers were excited to show off the new nursery that they and BFREE have set up. Credit: BFREE

What makes it outside the box? The funding comes from a $3.7 million restoration settlement with companies responsible for contaminating the land and water around an Ashland, Mass., industrial site. The settlement was reached in 1998 for natural resources harmed by mercury and other contaminants at the Nyanza Chemical Superfund site.

An example of a cacao forest, which provides habitat for overwintering birds. Credit: BFREE

How is it going down? Interested farmers will transition from intensive agricultural to sustainable agroforestry for cacao. Cacao, unlike pineapple and banana, can be grown under a mixed forest that provides great feeding and resting habitat for neotropical migratory songbirds and nesting habitat for resident songbirds. Farmers will be trained and receive funds to reforest cleared land and develop shade-grown agriculture, providing significant cost-effective benefits to birds and remaining economically sustainable for the local community!

What birds will benefit? Species likely to benefit include a number of songbirds: red-eyed vireo, yellow warbler, chestnut-sided warbler, yellow-rumped warbler, magnolia warbler, black-and-white warbler, northern waterthrush, gray catbird, least flycatcher, eastern kingbird, wood thrush. Many of these were also impacted from contamination resulting from the Nyanza site.

Black and white warbler. Credit: Jeff Koch

Who’s doing it? The funding was allocated with public input by the government natural resource agencies in Massachusetts (called natural resource trustees), including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the state and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education is overseeing the effort on the ground.

Settlement funds will also go to 10 other projects restoring migratory and coldwater fish habitat; protect land to conserve wildlife habitat; create public access to the river in Ashland and Sudbury; create a nature preserve in Framingham and Ashland; and control invasive aquatic weeds in the Sudbury River to improve recreation and wildlife habitats and diversity.

Here’s an example of a degraded farm/banana growing operation. Farmers will convert from these to sustainable agroforestry for cacao. Credit: Mark Barash/DOI

A photo of the nursery for the cacao plants. Credit: BFREE

A farmer signing a reforestation contract. Credit: BFREE

These natural resource damage settlements fund restoration projects where the contamination occurred or at an alternate location which, when restored, provides a suitable replacement for the injured or lost resources. Sometimes the responsible party donates land to be restored and protected. Restoration can also be in the form of restoring populations of injured resources such as birds or freshwater mussels.

In this situation, funds are going to help birds that visit the Sudbury River watershed but that need conservation in their wintering grounds. With a relatively small investment of restoration dollars, we are already having an impact on restoring habitat for neotropical migrants in Central America.

Read more about the Belize project in the restoration plan.