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Annual Report to Members | 2011 The cover of this report captures a rare moment with a We’re collaborating with teachers, scientists, and Spoon-billed Sandpiper and his chick on the arctic tundra. students internationally as well—through K–12 curricula, Spoon-billed Sandpipers are one of the most distinctive undergraduate and graduate research projects around the shorebirds on the planet—yet most people have never seen or world, and workshops to build conservation capacity in heard of them. Fewer than 200 remain in the world. Their Latin American countries. Our websites reach more than 6 survival depends on conditions on their nesting grounds in million people in 187 countries, providing bird information, Russia, migratory stopover routes in Kamchatka, China, and sounds, and videos from our Macaulay Library, and powerful Korea, and wintering areas in Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, multimedia productions that shed light on pressing wildlife and Bangladesh. conservation issues. Like Spoon-billed Sandpipers, tens of thousands of birds How does this all add up? Please browse the pages of across the world are ambassadors for global conservation. this report to find out how we work with partners to help It takes the will of nations to save them. Yet all too often, threatened species such as Golden-winged Warblers; aid so little is known about them—and so little conveyed to public agencies in prioritizing conservation across habitats the public and policy makers—that the through the State of the Birds report; advise the energy A Message from potential for conservation goes unrealized. industry about how to minimize harm to wildlife; and Recognizing the need for a sea change, galvanize international conservation efforts by bringing the Cornell Lab of Ornithology works at attention to the needs of Spoon-billed Sandpipers and John Fitzpatrick all levels to increase the understanding other birds. Take a behind-the-scenes peek at a soon-to- and protection of birds and other wildlife. We advance be launched citizen-science project called YardMap, and scientific knowledge, work with partners to identify the find out how we’re developing sophisticated techniques most important steps needed to safeguard ecosystems, and combining sound, radar, and observational data to forecast empower people of all ages to learn and conserve. the migrations of birds. Scientists, educators, and students throughout the Cornell As I look to the exciting work ahead, I am reminded Lab of Ornithology are doing this by reaching across the that we couldn’t do any of this without you and our many globe. This year, birders around the world entered data into partners, collaborators, and supporters. Thank you for eBird, lighting up the global map with new sightings every enabling us to continue building the most powerful tools passing hour. Our autonomous recording units returned for science and conservation, advancing knowledge, and Cover: One of the world’s last acoustic data from locations as far-flung as Gabon, Ireland, amplifying conservation across the world. remaining Spoon-billed Sandpipers with his chick, photographed in Alaska, and the Gulf of Mexico—helping us keep the pulse of July 2011 on the coastal tundra of the Russian Far East. Inside cover: endangered forest elephants, whales, and birds by monitoring Sincerely, A male Spoon-billed Sandpiper their sounds. From Australia, the Arctic, and Argentina to just after arriving on the breeding grounds. Above: A Spoon-billed New Guinea and Siberia, our researchers used the latest Sandpiper nest with eggs. As part of an international expedition to technologies, including remote video cams, DNA analyses, conserve this critically endangered John W. Fitzpatrick, Louis Agassiz Fuertes Director species, the Cornell Lab of migration tracking devices, and supercomputing techniques Ornithology’s multimedia producer, to understand nature’s complexity and reveal new clues about Gerrit Vyn, captured these photos and the first high-definition footage how to sustain the diversity of life. 3 of Spoon-billed Sandpipers on their breeding grounds. The Cornell Lab is using scientific expertise, combined with powerful multimedia, to galvanize international conservation efforts. Citizen Science ACROSS THE WORLD This year, we celebrate 25 years One Planet, 10,000 Bird Species Linking Yards Into Landscapes for Birds of Project FeederWatch and In a landmark year for eBird, participants logged the transformative power of more than 1.3 million observation hours in the field, The Cornell Lab is citizen science. Participants now bringing the worldwide total to 9,256 bird species beta-testing YardMap, reported. Data from 107,000 locations in the United a new online citizen- contribute citizen-science data States were the basis science project funded to the Cornell Lab from nearly for the 2011 State by the National of the Birds report, Science Foundation every country, tracking the pulse highlighting the (NSF) to help people conservation value see the impact of of nature through the movements of public lands. and abundance of birds. their actions on Meanwhile, in just habitat for birds. Participants zoom in Baltimore Oriole summer distribution the first year of With leading-edge tools to global data entry, on satellite images to construct maps of their display data in real time, we eBirders are lighting up maps of bird own yard, including features engage hundreds of thousands species distributions such as lawns, native plants, or feeders. Scientists and participants alike can see how yards connect with one of people in the process of across hemispheres through time. another into larger landscapes supporting birds and science and use advanced other wildlife. “YardMap is a collaborative project that combines the power of social networks with citizen computing to investigate “It’s amazing to Winter Distribution in Costa Rica witness how eBirders science,” said Janis Dickinson, the Lab’s director the most challenging are transforming of Citizen Science. “It will help us what it means to go birding,” said project understand how best to use these environmental co-leader Chris Wood. “Even more amazing tools to aid people in enhancing questions. is how the collective efforts of thousands conservation practices and of birders are transforming science and outcomes—at home and conservation.” across the continent.” With worldwide reports, eBird maps now show the seasonal movements of birds across their ranges. Above, reports of Baltimore Orioles (purple dots) during the breeding 4 season in the United States and Canada (top), and during winter in Costa Rica (bottom). This year, citizen-science participants sent us their bird observations from 170 countries. Ambassadors For THE BIRDS After eBird went global last year, we were astonished by the network of volunteers that quickly formed to get eBird off the ground in their own countries. Tommy Pedersen from the United Arab Emirates submitted 22,516 checklists from personal and historical records. He also reviews incoming data. The United Arab Emirates now has one of the most impressive data sets of any country, with complete charts and maps for more than Students in Puerto Rico participate in Celebrate Urban Birds, combining bird 530 species. watching, science, and the arts. Citizen Science, Transcendent “I am especially impressed with Stars, butterflies, frogs, and fossils…citizen- the ease of use science projects have proliferated into hundreds of opportunities around the world for people to connect and presentation with nature and contribute to science. The Cornell of data in eBird. Lab’s Rick Bonney is a founding father of citizen This is truly a new science as it’s practiced today—fostering educational Project outcomes for the participants who gather the data and FeederWatch era for all birders, research results for the scientists who analyze it. data show that cold temperatures as well as an amazing database for With NSF funding, Bonney’s team is helping to in the Northeast have scientists and amateurs alike.” advance the emerging field of citizen science a greater effect on limiting the distributions by establishing best practices, tools, and of birds than lack of food. — Tommy Pedersen, networks for professionals to use and Analyses also suggest that Dubai, United Arab Emirates build upon. Now in the works: a newly distributions are affected by improved Citizen Science Central how well a species adapts website for practitioners—and tools to urbanization, a factor to 5 be considered in studies of to measure the impact of public climate change. participation in science. Research ACROSS THE WORLD Science is at the heart of the What’s behind the intriguing How do human activities affect Cornell Lab of Ornithology. behaviors of birds and their birds and other wildlife? diversity? From curiosity to discovery to Researchers at the Cornell Lab study how environmental insight , scientific study deepens Scientists at the Cornell Lab use DNA analyses, video stressors such as pollution, energy development, and our appreciation of nature and techniques, tracking devices, and ingenuity to reveal other activities affect wildlife and ecosystem health. more than the eye can see. reveals the actions needed ALTERED SONG ALL IN THE FAMILY PCBs are chemicals known to to protect our planet and the Why do Acorn cause neurological damage and diversity of life. Woodpeckers help raise mimic hormones. Graduate young that aren’t their student Sara DeLeon has found own? A new study found preliminary results suggesting it’s not because they that PCBs have affected birds’ ability to sing along a gain parenting skills or contaminated area of New York’s Hudson River. benefits from an extended A TOUGH NUT TO CRACK stay with family. By Graduate student Taza Schaming uses radio tracking helping to raise relatives, to follow Clark’s Nutcrackers in the Greater Yellowstone they perpetuate the Ecosystem. She is documenting how nutcrackers are family genes. affected by declines in whitebark pines. Her goal: to A HISTORY OF WARBLERS identify management Scientists at the Cornell Lab have generated the first actions that will OXFORD AVIAN BIOLOGY SERIES O OXFORD AVIAN BIOLOGY SERIES A new book by improve habitats.