Division of Bird Habitat Conservation

Birdscapes: News from International Habitat Conservation Partnerships

Furthermore

Wintering in Sinaloa
by Carol Lively, Prairie Pothole Joint Venture and Don Paul, Great Basin Bird Conservation Region

January 31, 2002. The air reverberated with the cries of nesting blue-footed boobies. We stood at the edge of the Isla del Rancho colony, cameras snapping and video tape rolling, as birds with blue feet the color of house paint courted, screeched, and fought off swooping frigate birds. What were we doing here?

We were a wind-blown group of Mexican and U.S. conservationists, meeting in the coastal, western, Mexican state of Sinaloa. This technical meeting was organized by Pronatura Noroeste-Mar de Cortes, the North American Waterfowl Management Plan's (Plan) Prairie Pothole Joint Venture, and the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). It brought together representatives from six of the Plan's U.S. joint ventures and many Mexican and U.S. agencies, organizations, communities, and universities. One of the common threads that linked us was conservation issues involving migratory birds and agriculture. The meeting had two objectives: to better understand wintering-area issues and to devise collaborative actions for protecting migratory bird habitat across the continental landscape.

Wetland habitat throughout the Prairie Pothole Region and Northern Great Plains, the Plan's Intermountain West, Playa Lakes, Rainwater Basin, and Sonoran Joint Ventures, and Mexico's west coast supports many of the same migratory shorebird and waterfowl species. Sinaloa hosts nearly half of Mexico's 1,040 bird species and is a magnet for wintering species such as northern pintails, American avocets, and marbled godwits. Originally covered by tropical-deciduous forest, much of Sinaloa's coastal plain was eventually converted for rice production, which drew tremendous numbers of waterfowl in the 1970s and 80s. Today, 68,000 square kilometers of those rice lands are farmed for export crops, like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. The coast also supports extensive shrimp farming, with 17,000 hectares of coastal estuaries converted for mariculture.

The meeting was packed with opportunities to network with community leaders from around Sinaloa, including the capital, Culiacan; Isla del Rancho in Santa Maria Bay; La Cruz near Ceuta Bay; and the historic Sierra Madre town of Cosalá. Site visits and presentations generated lively discussions with local officials, biologists, duck club managers, and educators, resulting in improved understanding of local conditions affecting migratory birds.

Two new WHSRN sites were dedicated during this meeting: the hemispheric site of Santa Maria Bay, with its 50,000 hectares and 94 islands that provide major wintering habitat to 500,000 shorebirds and the regional site of Playa de Ceuta, where rich coastal wetlands support throngs of American avocets and snowy plovers.

From this meeting, professional contacts and cooperative actions are blossoming, illustrating the value of onsite gatherings in building relationships and trust. Recognition and understanding of the diverse cultures, societies, and issues that exist across the vast landscape from the prairies to Sinaloa is critical to developing successful conservation strategies. These human dimensions are adding cultural layers to the texture of conservation, as friendships form around the common cause of protecting migratory bird habitat in the Americas.

For more information, contact Carol Lively, Prairie Pothole Joint Venture Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 25486, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225, (303) 236-8155, carol_lively@fws.gov, or Don Paul, Great Basin Bird Conservation Region Coordinator, 801 North Woodridge Drive, Layton, Utah 84040, (801) 643-5703, avocet@qwest.net.

Species—A Space-Eye View
by Steven Uriarte, Canadian Wildlife Federation

Students, teachers, astronauts, and "internauts" agree that Space for Species is a conservation education program that is out of this world. This Web-based learning initiative gives young Canadians a panoramic view of migratory species from beyond the planet's atmosphere.

Participants watch over wild wayfarers and their habitats using space technology. They monitor the movements of one of the most magnificent waterfowl in existence, the common eider, as it fights for survival in freezing seas; track the world's largest turtle, the leatherback, from the North Atlantic to the Caribbean Sea; or pursue one of the largest land carnivores on the planet, the polar bear, as it travels vast distances over pack ice. The program also gives students a window on the world of the king eider, peregrine falcon, and barren-ground caribou.

Why watch species from space? "I remember the first time I saw the earth from beyond our atmosphere," says Canadian astronaut Bob Thirst, explaining how he conceived of the Space for Species idea. "I could see first-hand the effects of human development on ecological systems and wildlife habitats and realized how small and fragile our planet really is. I knew that advanced space technologies, such as satellite telemetry and remote sensing, along with astronaut observations, were being used for wildlife conservation. I wanted to educate Canadians, especially youth, about these revolutionary break-throughs and how they could actively support conservation efforts."

Developed by the Canadian Space Agency, Canadian Wildlife Federation, Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, and Canadian Wildlife Service, with assistance from corporate sponsors, Space for Species brings science and technology to life for youngsters. Students use space technology to monitor species' movements and habitats, in addition to creating migration maps and keeping field notes as part of a wildlife-tracking journal.

Participants can also deepen their knowledge of migratory species by conducting scientific inquirers through step-by-step guidelines. They can create recovery plans based on insights gained about each species, its travel routes and habitats, and the threats it faces along the way. They can also learn about careers in the field where space and species meet and share expert knowledge with scientists like Thirst and waterfowl biologist Lynne Dickson.

This is the first year we're tracking common eiders, so we have a lot to learn," says Dickson. "We believe most eiders winter from the Bering Sea pack ice south to the Aleutian Islands. Our study should shed more light on where these birds spend the bitterly cold season." With the help of satellite telemetry, Dickson also hopes to answer questions such as why eider numbers are rapidly declining in the western Arctic. "One discovery we made is that some mated pairs will reunite in wintering areas after 6 months of separation," Dickson says. "We also confirmed that females return to the same areas every summer."

This state-of-the-art learning program is a boon not only for Canadian students but also for their teachers, who have a chance to join a network of like-minded educators, contribute to online teacher's guide, and enjoy access to an array of learning activities.

For more information, contact Lynn Villeneuve, Project Coordinator, Canadian Wildlife Federation, 350 Michael Cowpland Drive, Kanata, Ontario K2M 2W1, (613) 599-9594 or toll free (800) 563-9453, lynnv@cwf-fcf.org, www.spaceforspecies.ca.

Whooping It Up
by Chuck Underwood, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Five endangered whooping cranes, part of an experimental flock of cranes reintroduced to the wild last year by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership, returned to central Wisconsin's Necedah National Wildlife Refuge on April 19, following a 10-day migration of approximately 1,175 miles from Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in Florida.

Biologists Richard Urbanek with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Anne Lacy with the International Crane Foundation tracked the birds beginning on April 9, when the birds started their northern migration from Florida. "The whole trip back was so amazing and frustrating and difficult and joyous all at the same time," said Lacy. "As a scientist, I only had time to think about following the signal and knowing where the cranes are, but then, I would get a moment and think about the hugeness of this project and that these birds were soaring the eastern flyway—by themselves—for the first time."

The whooping cranes left Necedah last October guided by ultralight aircraft piloted by crews from Operation Migration, Inc. The cranes and planes arrived at Chassahowitzka following a 50-day, 1,228-mile migration that took them through seven states. Eight whoopers started the trip south, but one died on the way and bobcats killed two near their winter roosting area. The return north is the cranes' first unassisted migration.

"The strength of the instinct that drove these cranes to make their return flight so directly and in such a short time was amazing," said Darrell Bazzell, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. "They've made it look easy compared to the efforts the partnership put out last summer and fall to raise, train, and lead them to Florida."

That these whooping cranes are migrating independent of human-intervention is in itself a success for this first of many flocks to be reintroduced over the next decade. "It's phenomenal to watch the progress of these birds," said Joe Duff, lead pilot. "On the way south, we struggled for every mile we could get, under some of the worst possible conditions. Then come spring, these cranes show us it was all worth it."

Eggs for this year's study flock were collected, incubated, and hatched at the U.S. Geological Survey's Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland. The project's ultimate goal is to reintroduce enough whooping cranes to the flyway to establish a self-sustaining flock containing at least 25 adult breeding pairs. More than 60 percent of the project's estimated $1.8 million annual budget comes from private sources in the form of grants, private donations, and corporate sponsors.

The whooping cranes were monitored throughout the summer and will be watched as they migrate south in the fall to gain new knowledge of whooping crane behavior and migratory instincts. "It's fascinating to see the roost sites, these little water bodies the cranes have found on their way," said Jim Harris of International Crane Foundation. "Wetlands are critical to their safety and survival. With each day, we discover the birds' next choices—it's so exciting."

For more information, contact Chuck Underwood, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6620 Southpoint Drive South, Suite 310, Jacksonville, Florida 32216, (904) 232-2580 extension 109, chuck_underwood@fws.gov.

Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership Founding Members

International Crane Foundation
International Whooping Crane Recovery Team
Operation Migration Inc.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U. S. Geological Survey's Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
U. S. Geological Survey's Madison Wildlife Health Center
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Plant America's Future
by Beth Clark, National Tree Trust

Hundreds of community organizations around the country are planting trees to enhance public land in both urban and rural settings. To accomplish the task, they are taking advantage of the National Tree Trust (NTT) grant program called Community Tree Planting.

This program provides groups with 1-year-old, regionally appropriate, bareroot tree seedlings in bundles of 100 per species for planting on public property and along roadsides. If an organization wishes to grow the seedlings for a year or more before planting them in a permanent location, plastic containers and a subsidy for soil is provided. The program requires that volunteer labor be used to do the planting and maintain the seedlings.

All sorts of projects have been supported by the program, from planting trees in city parks and right-of-way areas to planting in wetlands, riparian areas, and wildlife refuges. Schools and other educational facilities have planted trees for schoolyard habitat projects and to create living classrooms. Regardless of the project type, the program's goal is the same: Bring people together from within a community to plant trees and help the environment.

Over the past 2 years, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, in Cambridge, Maryland, has received over 60,000 trees in support of their forest-management program. Refuge staff are in the process of reforesting 120 acres of agricultural land. In restoring this area, they will be enhancing habitat for the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel and for forest-interior, neotropical songbirds.

A nonprofit organization in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, PA Clean Ways, has been receiving trees through the program since 1993. It has established a tree-bank program to provide their county chapters with trees for beautification projects on public lands. Members of this organization believe that beautifying the land and increasing stewardship awareness will lead to the elimination of illegal dumping and littering.

Another example of what the program can do is found in Bremerton, Washington. Puget Sound Energy received over 33,000 trees for use in a salmon-restoration project. Some 750 feet of a concrete-lined, 70-year-old, man-made channel has been replaced with a 1,000-foot channel that offers a more natural system. The company sought the help of the Bremerton residents to plant trees along the channel. Salmon and wildlife are the beneficiaries, not to mention the people who prefer the view of a tree-lined waterway rather than one lined in cement.

Projects like these would not be possible without the help of forest-product-industry sponsors, who donate seedling stock to the program. In addition to what the companies donate, the NTT purchases nontimber species from commercial nurseries, allowing the program to provide a diversity of species from which planters can choose.

Grant applications for the next round of projects will be available in January 2003, and trees will be distributed to qualifying organizations in the spring of 2004. This gives you plenty of time to design your project and excite volunteers about the possibilities for keeping America beautiful and wildlife friendly.

For more information, contact Beth Clark, National Tree Trust, 1120 G Street, NW, Suite 770, Washington, D.C. 20005, (800) 846-8733 extension 27, www.nationaltreetrust.org.

National Tree Trust
Weyerhaeuser
International Paper
MeadWestvaco
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation
Simpson Timber Company
Temple-Inland Corporation
US Timberlands

PRISM: Full Spectrum Shorebird Monitoring
by Garry Donaldson, Canadian Wildlife Service and Brad Andres, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Shorebirds, the marathon fliers of the bird world are in trouble. Numbers are declining for many species, some of which have ranges that include the entire Western Hemisphere. Such vast territory, combined with relatively isolated and uncoordinated monitoring efforts, have left an unclear picture of the status of most shorebird populations. The Program for International and Regional Shorebird Monitoring (PRISM) was originally established to meet the monitoring needs of national shorebird plans in Canada and the United States, but it anticipates other nations joining as the program develops. It aims to answer some of the critical questions needed to direct shorebird conservation. How many shorebirds are there? Are their numbers going up or down and how fast? Where exactly do they breed and where do they spend the winter? Although we have some of this information for a few species there are many more that need the efforts of PRISM biologists.

Meeting PRISM's goals means coordinating existing shorebird survey programs and establishing new programs to fill information gaps that exist in current programs. There are four program components:

• Conduct comprehensive surveys in the Arctic and Boreal Regions of North America to determine population tends, distribution, and abundance.
• Conduct surveys of temperate breeding shorebirds in the United States and southern Canada.
• Conduct surveys of migrating birds by building on existing programs, such as the U.S. International Shorebird Survey and the Canadian Maritimes shorebird Survey, to determine shorebird population trends.
• Conduct surveys of shorebirds on their wintering grounds, primarily in countries south of the United States, to gain a better understanding of winter ranges and to survey species that may not be well covered in the other three components.

Thus by using this spectrum of different types at different stages of the shorebird's annual cycle, a more complete understanding of their populations will be gained.

In keeping with the comprehensive approach to conservation promoted by the North American Bird Conservation Initiative, PRISM will use a coordinated approach among bird groups. The Arctic and Boreal breeding component will take an all-bird approach because there is scant information on any bird species in these remote areas. At temperate latitudes, the Breeding Bird Survey for landbird species is useful for shorebird species that occur in habitats monitored by this survey. Because most declining shorebirds breed in the Arctic and travel to South America for the winter, international partnerships developed through PRISM's southern component will be of utmost importance.

The program operates through partnerships among agencies and organizations involved in monitoring shorebird populations in Canada and the United States. The program is currently run by the PRISM Committee, which is co-chaired by the chair of the monitoring sub-committee of the U.S. shorebird Plan Council and the chair of the Canadian Shorebird Science Support Team. This bi-national team will become multinational as other countries become partners in PRISM.

With the implementation of PRISM, conservation decisions throughout the Western Hemisphere will be based on a stronger foundation of knowledge about the status of shorebird populations.

For more information, contact Garry Donaldson, Canadian Shorebird Conservation Plan Coordinator, Canadian Wildlife Service, 351 St. Joseph Boulevard, 3rd Floor, Hull, Quebec K1A 0H3, (819) 953-3166, garry.donaldson@ec.gc.ca, or Brad Andres, U.S. National Shorebird Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 634, Arlington, Virginia 22203, (703) 358-1828, brad_andres@fws.gov.

Raptor-Rich Talamanca
by William Stolzenburg, The Nature Conservancy

Modern ornithologists had never witnessed it, but they'd heard the word from the local people: As autumn arrives in Costa Rica's Talamanca region, it brings with it great numbers of hawks. In October 1999, U.S. ornithologist Charles Duncan and his Costa Rican counterpart, Pablo Porras, climbed the Talamanca slopes overlooking the Caribbean coast to see for themselves.

What they saw was "a jaw-dropper of raptor migration," Duncan, a Nature Conservancy scientist, would later write. "Hawks and vultures passed through in dizzying streams." By the end of the morning—50,000 birds later—he and Porras had seen more raptors than the most popular hawk watch in North America had ever recorded in an entire season. Just over a year later, the first full season of counting at Talamanca would tally 1.3 million raptors, establishing it as one of the most prolific lookouts in the world.

On the tails of this discovery, an official hawk-counting station has emerged. There, residents, volunteers from abroad, and Porras, an ornithologist with the conservation group Asociación ANAI, compile daily computerized tallies of the Talamancan torrent. And word is getting around as fast as a falcon with a strong tail wind. Last fall, local eco-lodges received their first group of raptor watchers—from Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Pennsylvania, the eminent hawk-watching locale in the United States, whose record count of 45,000 hawks in a year is surpassed in seven good hours at Talamanca.

When the last southbound raptor of 2001 drifted overhead, counters had tallied an astounding 2,979,102 birds.

The "discovery" of the Talamanca raptor highway—a natural bottleneck of birds migrating south from North America through the narrowing Central America isthmus—was but another biological windfall in an area conservationists had already deemed among the richest in the hemisphere.

Says Duncan, "It reminds us again of how rich the tropics are, and how much there is yet to discover."

For more information, contact Keith Bildstein, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 1700 Hawk Mountain Road, Kempton, Pennsylvania, (610) 756-6961, bildstein@hawkmountain.org, or Pablo Porras, Asociación ANAI, raptors@anaicr.org.