Priorities for Research and Monitoring, Management

Proceedings of the Fourth International Partners in Flight Conference: Tundra to Tropics 599–604

PRIORITIES FOR RESEARCH AND MONITORING, MANAGEMENT, AND OUTREACH AS DETERMINED BY THE SWALLOW-TAILED KITE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE—A PARTNERSHIP TO ADVANCE CONSERVATION OF A VULNERABLE SPECIES

GINA ZIMMERMAN 1

Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation Alliance, Avian Research and Conservation Institute, 6020 SW 27th Terrace, Gainesville, Florida 32608, USA

Abstract. The Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation Alliance began in 1998 (as the Swallow-tailed Kite Working Group) in response to a growing concern regarding populations of Swallow-tailed Kites (Elanoides forfi catus forfi catus) that breed in the U.S. Conservation partners from across the U.S. breeding range participate in the Alliance, which includes state and federal wildlife agencies, non-profi t organizations, academia, and the timber industry. The Alliance is dedicated to protecting the U.S. population of Swallow-tailed Kites throughout their annual cycle. Operating within and alongside existing conservation partnerships, the Alliance works to prioritize, initiate, and coordinate actions that improve scientifi c understanding, promote habitat and landscape sustainability, implement management actions, and foster public awareness and social responsibility in support of kite conservation. The Alliance identifi ed several priorities to guide the conservation of Swallow-tailed Kites through research and monitoring, management, and outreach.

Key Words: Elanoides forﬁ catus, management, outreach, research and monitoring, Swallow-tailed Kite, Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation Alliance.

LAS PRIORIDADES DE INVESTIGACIÓN Y MONITOREO, GESTIÓN Y DIVULGACIÓN, DETERMINADAS POR LA ALIANZA PARA LA CONSERVACIÓN DEL MILANO TIJERETA—UNA ASOCIACIÓN PARA AVANZAR EN LA CONSERVACIÓN DE UNA ESPECIE VULNERABLE Resumen. La Alianza para la Conservación del Milano Tijereta surgió en 1998 (como Grupo de Trabajo Milano Tijereta), en respuesta a una creciente preocupación por poblaciones de esta especie (Elanoides forfi catus forfi catus), que se reproducen en los Estados Unidos. Participan en la Alianza socios con- servacionistas de todas las zonas de cría de los EE.UU., incluyendo a organismos estatales y federales de vida salvaje, organizaciones no lucrativas, instituciones académicas y la industria maderera. La Alianza se dedica a proteger la población del Milano Tijereta estadounidense durante su ciclo anual. Operando dentro de y junto a asociaciones de conservación ya existentes, la Alianza trabaja para pri- orizar, iniciar y coordinar acciones que mejoren el entendimiento científi co, promuevan la sostenibi- lidad del hábitat y el paisaje, implementen medidas de gestión y fomenten la concienciación pública y la responsabilidad social como vías de apoyo a la conservación del Milano Tijereta. Mediante la investigación y el monitoreo, la gestión y la divulgación, la Alianza identifi có varias prioridades para encausar la conservación del Milano Tijereta.

INTRODUCTION range (and presumably population size) from 1880–1940. Although the causes have not been The northern subspecies of the Swallow- confi rmed, the loss of wetland forests for tim- tailed Kite (Elanoides forfi catus forfi catus) is of con- ber production and to agricultural uses, plus tinental conservation concern in North America egg collecting, and shooting have all been impli- because fewer than 10 000 individuals (~2500 cated (Meyer 1995). The breeding range formerly breeding pairs) are believed to exist, and threats included parts of at least 17 southern and mid- to remaining habitats continue. This subspecies, western states, but is now restricted to portions which breeds exclusively in the United States, of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, experienced a dramatic reduction in breeding Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas.

1 E-mail: [email protected] 600 Proceedings of the Fourth International Partners in Flight Conference

The Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation actions that may be more appropriately or Alliance (Alliance) is a voluntary partnership more effectively addressed by other groups, dedicated to conserving and protecting popu- or that may already be receiving attention in lations of Elanoides forfi catus forfi catus through- some form. Thus, greater emphasis is given to out their annual cycle. The Alliance includes needed actions that would best benefi t from the over 30 partners representing state and federal Alliance’s collective attention, and that are not wildlife agencies, non-profi t organizations, aca- yet otherwise receiving attention. demia, and the private industry. The mission of the Alliance is to operate within and alongside PRIORITIES existing conservation partnerships to prioritize, initiate, and coordinate actions that improve The Alliance has divided priorities for scientifi c understanding, promote habitat and Swallow-tailed Kite conservation action into landscape sustainability, and foster public three main categories: Research and monitor- awareness and social responsibility to conserve ing, management, and outreach. The original the northern subspecies (i.e., the United States organizational priorities were developed with population) of the Swallow-tailed Kite. consideration for temporal needs (i.e., long vs. Federal listing of the Swallow-tailed Kite shorter-term) as well as relative importance (i.e., under the Endangered Species Act (7 U. S. C. higher versus lower). For clarifi cation, these § 136, U. S. C. § 1531 et seq.) may be warranted categories have been assigned action ranks of based on current population estimates, habi- “Immediate”, “Mid-range”, and “Long-range”. tat loss and degradation in the United States, A fourth heading of “Other needs” describes and continued, if not increasing, threats on the issues not discussed or not yet ranked. Note that migration and winter ranges. not all four of the action ranks are represented However, the Alliance believes that a listing in each of the three organizational categories. petition is not appropriate at this time due to the need for more robust population and trend RESEARCH AND MONITORING PRIORITIES estimates, and because of existing partnerships with corporate and non-industrial private land- The following list details the Alliance’s priori- owners who voluntarily support kite conser- ties for Swallow-tailed Kite research and popula- vation. Increasing the extent and intensity of tion monitoring. In all cases, these priorities focus proactive management may facilitate popula- on obtaining information essential for designing tion recovery and eliminate the need for Federal management and conservation action that will listing or other regulatory protections. increase, or at least stabilize, the present United States population of Swallow-tailed Kites. APPROACH Immediate Priority The Alliance is developing a strategic plan to identify initial priorities for research, moni- Obtain a robust estimate of Swallow-tailed toring, management, and outreach that were Kite population size: This requires a broad- largely derived from a workshop hosted by the scale inventory, which could be based on range- Alliance in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, October wide counts at pre-migration communal roosts, 2007. The strategic plan is a work in progress. where over half the U. S. population might be Many of these priorities represent complex counted simultaneously. This also requires a needs that will require close collaboration and multi-state coordination of synchronized, sys- cooperation among Alliance participants and tematic roost surveys. other experts to be successfully addressed. Determine relative importance of potential However, other priorities could be achieved limiting factors: Further research is needed as individual “projects” undertaken by small in the U.S. on prey availability, general ecol- groups of partners or even individual partners. ogy, and causes of nest failure. There is also Several priority categories are offered to help an urgent need to understand anthropogenic discriminate among priorities based on relative mortality on the winter range. We need to col- degree of importance and/or whether the prior- lect vital rate data, such as survival and age of ity is an immediate or long-term consideration. fi rst breeding, to support a population viability We recognize that certain efforts and needs analysis and corresponding sensitivity analysis. are more essential or urgent to advancing the conservation of kites, therefore warrant more Mid-range Priority attention. Items categorized as “mid-range” or “long-range “ priorities are obviously still Standardize boat survey methodology: important to kite conservation, but represent These can be used to assess the need for action Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation Alliance—Gina Zimmerman 601 at watershed level. Multi-state coordination and Protect winter roost sites in South America: planning will be required. It may be possible These roosts have been identifi ed by a to relate these numbers to population changes combination of VHF and satellite telemetry. identifi ed from communal roost counts and to Changing land uses on family-owned provide distribution estimates for local breed- ranchlands, where all of the known large ing population. roosts occur, requires further investigation Centralize the Citizen-Science on-line data- and coordinated action. Possibilities include base: Sighting reports from the public are used to landowner cooperation, incentives, easements, help describe current distribution and conserva- and ecotourism. tion needs. This will require multi-state coordination of methods and a leader for distributing Mid-range Priority and collecting information in each state. Assess the proportion of nesting that occurs Long-range Priority on protected lands: Create a GIS map showing protection status, nest sites, roost sites, occu- Determine the landscape components needed pied range, and citizen-science sightings. This for sustained and increased breeding effort: Build will help to prioritize land protection on the a predictive model to guide land-use and conser- breeding range. vation policy. Assess the feasibility and success Review State Wildlife Action plans to of fostering nestlings to increase productivity. assess the Swallow-tailed Kite’s present status: Develop a productivity index based on observa- Produce a printed review for public distribu- tions at large communal roosts. tion. Elevate the Swallow-tailed Kite’s status within State Wildlife Action plans (this would MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES become a long-term goal requiring active participation of state “leads” in the Alliance. The Alliance’s priorities for Swallow-tailed Kite management target the most immediate Long-range Priority threats to these birds throughout their year- round range. The goal, at a minimum, is to Management of disturbance at pre-migra- sustain the present breeding population by a) tory roost sites in Florida. securing adequate suitable habitat (in perpetuity Periodic evaluation of State and Federal list- on public lands and, more commonly, sequen- ing status. tially on sustainably-managed timberlands); and Increase cooperation on private lands and b) preserving suffi cient wintering habitat free increase proportion of nesting on protected from negative impacts caused by widespread lands by applying management recommenda- land conversion over the larger, surrounding tions derived from research on timberlands landscape. Our ultimate goal is to expand (geo- (e.g., thinning practices, heterogeneous stand graphically into parts of the pre-decline range) structure, minimum patch sizes, minimum har- the breeding distribution and increase abun- vest rotations, prescribed fi re regimes). dance in the United States while simultaneously ensuring the availability of adequate, safe wintering habitat for this population. Other Needs

Immediate Priority • Promote re-establishment of former breeding range. Develop written documents containing spe- • Develop predictive models to help guide ciﬁ c management recommendations for tim- future land use policy. berlands, including Best Management Practices • Identify applications of kite protection for (BMPs) for kites: Efforts already underway in regulatory processes. FL and GA may serve as a model for outreach • Establish international partnerships. and management implications across the breed- • Consider predation management. ing range. These guidelines will primarily be applied to industrial timber lands. OUTREACH PRIORITIES Establish population targets by watershed: Review Hunter’s (1999) delineations of key Following is a list of the Alliance’s priori- watersheds and their respective targets. Within ties for educational outreach that will directly each target area, there should be a well-planned improve our success at funding and implement- effort to increase the proportion of nesting tering the research, monitoring, and management ritories on public conservation lands. activities outlined above. 602 Proceedings of the Fourth International Partners in Flight Conference

Immediate Priority TABLE 1. RECENT ATTENDEES (1998–2008) AT MEETINGS OF THE SWALLOW-TAILED KITE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE. Training for fi eld crews, loggers, foresters, and land managers: Individual presentations Attendees will be made across the breeding range, start- Alabama Dept. of Conservation & Nat. Resources: ing in Florida to serve as a model for other Eric Soehren, [email protected] states. This may be accomplished with work- Arkansas Game and Fish Commission: shops and fi eld trips and by the production of Karen Rowe, [email protected] a DVD that will be widely distributed or avail- Arkansas State University: a able on-line. Jim Bednarz, [email protected] A citizen-science database as an outreach Audubon South Carolina: Jeff Mollenhauer, [email protected] tool: This model is underway in South Carolina. Avian Research & Conservation Institute: It requires funding, planning, and multi-state Ken Meyer, [email protected] a coordination. Additional information will be Gina Zimmerman, [email protected] provided to all contributors to promote the use Audrey Washburn, [email protected] of kite-friendly land practices. Andy Day, [email protected] Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission: Other Needs Karl Miller, [email protected] Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources: • Produce hunter education programs. Brad Winn, [email protected] Hawk Mountain Sanctuary: • Understand fl oodplain dynamics. Keith Bildstein, [email protected] • Develop international education pro- Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries: grams for the general public, schools, Michael Seymour, [email protected] a local and international NGOs. Donald Locascio, [email protected] • Interact with Hawk Watch International Mississippi Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks: and other raptor migration organizations Kathy Shelton, [email protected] to expand our audience and link to con- Mississippi Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks, servation efforts for other raptors facing Museum of Natural Science: similar threats on their common migra- Nick Winstead, [email protected] Mississippi State University: tion and winter ranges. Mark S. Woodrey, [email protected] • Promote Swallow-tailed Kite issues with Orleans Audubon Society: coastal decision makers and recommend Jennifer Coulson (committee co-chair), management action and policy changes. [email protected] a • Submit articles to newsletters and maga- Plum Creek Timber Company: zines (state, federal, timber industry, *Steve Lowrimore, [email protected] NGO). South Carolina Dept. of Natural Resources: Felicia Sanders, [email protected] CONCLUSION John Cely, (retired), [email protected] Laurel Moore Barnhill, [email protected] Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept.: For most of the highest, near-term priori- Clifford Shackelford, Clifford.Shackelford@tpwd. ties identifi ed above, we have determined who state.tx.us within the Alliance is best positioned to col- The Center for Birds of Prey: laborate and work with other partners to make James D. Elliott, [email protected] progress. Our next step is for Alliance partners The Nature Conservancy: to develop plans of action, seek funding, and Maria Whitehead (committee co-chair), a initiate work as warranted by each priority. [email protected] Alliance members will work with partners U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Dean Demarest, [email protected] a and experts throughout the bird conserva- Tera Baird, [email protected] tion community in developing these plans and Chuck Hunter, [email protected] determining how to proceed. The Alliance will Brian Millsap, [email protected] regularly revisit its list of objectives, expanding Diana Swan, [email protected] and reprioritizing them based on updated infor- Emily Jo Williams, [email protected] mation, emerging threats, and the continuing USFWS, Atlantic Coast Joint Venture: input from partners. The Alliance is dedicated Craig Watson, [email protected] to protecting Swallow-tailed Kites throughout USFWS, Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge: their annual cycle, and these actions will help Marshall Sasser, [email protected] a improve understanding and support habitat Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation Alliance Steering Committee member. protection and management by promoting conservation action. Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation Alliance—Gina Zimmerman 603

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ROBERTSON, W., JR. 1988. American Swallow- ZIMMERMAN, G. M., AND K. D. MEYER. 2004. tailed Kite, pp. 109–131. In R. S. Palmer [ed.], Migration ecology of Florida’s Swallow- Handbook of North American birds, Volume tailed Kites in Cuba, Mexico, and Belize. 4. Yale Univ. Press, New Haven, CT. Final Report, Florida Fish and Wildlife WASHBURN, A. W. 2007. Phylogeography of the Conservation Commission, Tallahassee, FL. Swallow-tailed Kite. M.S. thesis. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.