transmittersinThe Peregrine Whistling-DuckAlert Ftmd'sHarpy Eagle program, TheWest Indian Whistling- wasbeing tracked by biologists Duck has been targeted for viasatellites and computers. conservationefforts by the TheHarpy Eagle is vulnera- RARECenter for tropical con- blebecause of its low repro- servation. The rarest antid in ductionrate, which includes North America was once com- oneof the longest rearing peri- monthroughout the Bahamas odsof any raptor. After the andGreater Antilles. Today it productionof a chick,a Harpy is reducedto small,scattered, maynot attempt to renest for relictpopulations. Efforts at upto threeyears while raising establishingprotection itsyoung. Two-year-old throughoutitsdozen-nation Harpies,such as the one killed, rangeare underway. The West arestill dependent upon adults IndianWhisding-Duck isthe for food. largestof thewodd's eight whistling-duckspecies. DivingDucks' Delight Therapid and extensive spreadof Zebra Mussels in the GreatLakes region could affect thedistribution of diving ducks,according to a studyon HarpyEagle Shot elanNational Guard troops Lake Erie in Ontario. The A rareHarpy Eagle, equipped discoveredthe bird being invasionof theEuropean mol- witha transmitteraspart of a skinnedby individuals who lusk,presumably brought to projectto research habitat use nowface charges under a new NorthAmerica in shipballast of thepowerful raptor species, environmental law in that water,has caught the eye of was shot in the mountains of country.The eagle, one of five worriedbiologists concerned Venezuelarecendy. Venezu- bandedand equipped with aboutwater quality. Westindian •iffiing-Du•k ButAlan Wormington andJ.H. Leach report in Canadian Field-Naturalist thatlarger numbers of diving BuildingRefuges duckshave been noted during Threenational wildlife refuges fallmigration at PointPelee. in the United States will Observationoffeeding behav- expand,thanks to the ior and examination of the approvedpurchase of2333 gizzardsofeight ducks caught acresby the Migratory Bird in fishingnets indicate that ConservationCommission, thebirds are dining on the chairedby Secretary of the Zebra Mussels. Interior Bruce Babbitt. The Severaldiving ducks have additions indude 796 acresat shown new maximum one- BombayHook National daycounts since the mussel WildlifeRefuge in Delaware; wasfirst noticed in 1988, 36 acresat BackBay N.W.R. indudingGreater Scaup and in Virginia;and 1501 acres at Black and Surfscoters. But the Roanoke River N.W.R. in themost significant increase North Carolina. hasoccurred in LesserScaup, The commission also whichexpanded from 20 birds approvedmore than $5.3 mil- in 1987 to 13,500 in 1989. lionin grantsfor 14 wedand Thestudy indicates that conservationprojects in theducks may take advantage Canadaand Mexico, according of the new foodsource, and to theOrnithological Newslet- could be a factor in efforts to ter.Eight of the Canadian controlthe mollusk naturally. grantswill assist projects in Butthe paper also notes that easternprovinces, and four in thereis likely to be litde effect theprairie pothole region. HarpyF.agle ondiving duck populations. Twogrants are earmarked for 10:•' American Birds, Winter 1993 projectsin Mexico,in the Hunters will instead use steel agedunder an inappropriate statesof Yucatan and Sonora. .o shot.This is the first province- multiple-usephilosophy." Thegrants are provided wideban on lead shot, though under the North American some areasin B.C., Manitoba, Wetlands Conservation Act. and Ontario have taken the WORLDBRIEFS whichincludes funding for stepindependently. Mexicoand Canada in recog- Mexico nitionof importantbreeding A highlandhardwood forest in andwintering habitat for mi- GoodNews thestate of Guanajuatoisthe gratorybirds in thosecoun- Incompatibleuses at national subjectof preservationeffbrts tries.The grants will be match- wildliferefuges will cease bythe Fundaci6n Ecologica de edby nearly $8.8 million in under a settlement reached Guanajuato.Fundaci6n work- funds and servicesfrom both between the United States ersand volunteers have begun Departmentof Interiorand censusingthebird population publicand private partners. PeregrineFalcon environmentalgroups, indud- in the 80,000 hectareforest tundrius,had nearly disap- ingthe National Audubon near Santa Rosa four times a MuseumMusings pearedby the 1970s, victims Society.Activities such as cat- year.The habitat is critical for Staffreductions and a signifi- of pesticidescontaining DDT. tiegrazing, power boating, and both resident birds and cantchange in missionat the Populationshave since off-road vehicle use will be neotropicalmigrants, includ- Canadian Museum of Nature rebounded,and the United haltedat the eight refuges cited ingTownsend's, Hermit, and in Ottawawill effectively end StatesFish and Wildlife in the suit, unlessthe United Black-throatedGray warblers. researchin ornithology and six Servicehas proposed delisting. StatesFish and Wildlife A surveyin October1993 otherdisciplines. Technical ThePeregrine migrates long Servicecan demonstrate that found70 species.The preserve supportfor four collections has distancesfrom its Arctic breed- theseuses are compatible with is one of the few intact forests beeneliminated, aswell as sup- inggrounds, and restrictions wildlifeprotection. in an area that has suffered dis- portfor bird specimen prepa- onpesticides in the United At a ninthrefuge, Cabeza turbance and deforestationfor ration. Collections will be re- Statesand Canada beyond its Prietain Arizona,the Interior over400 years, when Spanish gionalizedand classified by breedingrange are in part Departmentwill evaluate its colonialMsbegan mining silver "levelsof importance,"and responsibleforthe success of legaloptions for halting low- in theregion. somespeculate that collection the bird. Two other racesof flyingmilitary missions. reviewswill result in the dis- thefalcon (pealei and anatum) Interior will alsoevaluate all posalof"surplus" specimens. remainon the Endangered so-calledsecondary uses at its NewGuinea Taxon-oriented researchwill Specieslist. 491wildlife refuges. These CraterMountain in Papua, bereplaced by interdisciplinary indudefishing, boating, hunt- New Guinea, hasbeen "solution-orientedresearch," ing,farming, and other recre- declareda wildlife manage- accordingto the new mandate RaptorsinMalta ationalpursuits. ment area,a movethat will setforth by the director of the Migratingbirds of prey con- "With our wetlands and protecthundreds ofbird museumand the boardoftmstees. tinuedto betargeted by forestsbeing destroyed all speciesin a pristineand bio- A network of staff, environ- sportsmenonthe island of aroundus, America needs a logicallydiverse habitat. The mentalorganizations, museum Malta in the Mediterranean nationalwildlife refuge system 1000square mile reserve was professionals,andconcerned (SeeAmerican Birds Vol. 47, citizensare calling for a haltto No. 1). On November10, therestructuring. Comments 1993, a flock of 50 Short-toed can be sent to Canadian Prime Eagleswas spotted over Malta, MinisterJean Chretien in a record count. In lessthan 24 ,i Ottawa. Coordinators True hours,all 50 had beenshot. Friends of Nature would like Themassacre was covered by copiesof letters at: 1 Nicholas the Maltesemedia, but no St., Suite 620, Ottawa, ON legalaction was taken. Such KIN 7B7 Canada. shootingsare illegal in Malta. Takethe LeadOut? British Columbia has banned Peregfine'sProgress lead shot for waterfowl hunt- TheArctic subspecies of the ing,beginning in 1995. Indigenousdansman inNew Guinea PeregrineFalcon (Falco peregri- Examinationofgizzards from nustundrius) will bedown- dead birds collected in the wherewildlife takes prece- madepossible by the donation listedunder the Endangered southernpart of the province dence,"said John Echeverria, of landsby members of twenty SpeciesAct. Peregrines in east- showedthat significant num- Audubon chief counsel. "Too indigenousdans, according to ernNorth America, including berswere poisoned by lead. manyrefuges have been man- NYZS/The Wildlife Volume 47, Number 5' 1039 ConservationSociety. Leon,and includes a majority betweenstudying it on the The local clansdid not of Mexico's birds from both fence in front of me or a Fer- want to seetheir land tropicaland subtropical ruginousHawk that appear- destroyedthrough deforesta- IBiRi)ERed at the same moment over- regions.Birds are arranged by tionand development, ashas habitat,adaptions, and various head.As a lifer,the longspur happenedelsewhere. won out. themes(such as nesting). The OFNOTE Economic incentives were exhibitsare in Spanish. alsoused to gain the people's The museum has a research Favoritebirding spot? Cape May, cooperation;a research and area,and an interpretive center NewJersey, spring and fall. RichardHeman visitorcenter will encourage will educate children on the tourismand employ local resi- Mostinteresting birding spot? In nation'srich natural heritage. dents,and researchers working theUnited States, Big Bend National Park;abroad, Eilat, withinthe preserve will pay fees.Agricultural assistance AUDUBONREPORT Israel,at thetip of theGulf willalso be provided. ofAqaba. LuringLusty Laysans The National Audubon Whatis your favorite North SaudiArabia Americanspecies? The North- Societyishoping to lure The National Commission for ern Saw-whet Owl. It's a LaysanAlbatrosses to an unin- Wildlife Conservation and habited island off the coastof challengeto find, but Developmentofthe Kingdom Oahu,Hawaii, following the rewardsthe birder by staying of Saudi Arabia has included model used to reestablish to be