Bird Calls OCTOBER 2012 L Vol

The Newsletter of American Bird Conservancy Bird Calls OCTOBER 2012 l Vol. 16, No. 3

“KittyCam” Records What Outdoor Cats Get Up To

recent study of house cats that roam outdoors for The study was conducted by scientists from the University 5-6 hours every day found that nearly one-third of Georgia and the National Geographic Society’s killed birds and other wild animals. The cats, “Crittercam” program. Small video cameras (dubbed Kitty whoseA outdoor movements were recorded on small video Cams) were attached to 60 outdoor house cats in the city cameras attached to their collars, killed an average of 2.1 of Athens, Georgia. The cameras recorded the outdoor ac- animals for every 35-hour “week” they were outside. Bird tivities of the cats throughout the year. kills constituted about 13% of the total wildlife kills. “The results were certainly surprising, if not startling,” said Based on these results, ABC and The Wildlife Society es- Kerrie Anne Loyd of the University of Georgia, the lead timate that house cats kill far more than the previous esti- author of the study. “We found that about 30% of the mate of a billion birds and other animals each year. sampled cats were successful in capturing and killing prey, and that those cats averaged about one kill for every 17 “If we extrapolate the results of this study across the hours outdoors or 2.1 kills per week. It was also surprising country and include feral cats, its likely that cats are kill- to learn that cats only brought 23% of their kills back to a ing more than four billion animals per year, including at residence.” Lloyd said the researchers found that house cats least 500 million birds,” said Steve Holmer, Senior Policy killed a wide variety of animals, including lizards, voles, Advisor at ABC. “Cat predation is one of the reasons why chipmunks, birds, frogs, and small snakes. one in three American bird species is in decline.” The estimate that four billion animals are killed each year “I think it will be impossible to deny the ongoing slaugh- by outdoor cats could be low, according to ABC. That’s ter of wildlife by outdoor cats given the video documenta- because the 60-120 million feral cats in this country are tion and the scientific credibility that this study brings,” outdoors every day for 24 hours a day, and not just five or said Laura Beis, Director of Government of The Wildlife six hours, like the housecats with the Kitty Cams. Society. A University of Nebraska study released last year found that feral cats were at least partly if not fully responsible for the extinction of 33 species of birds worldwide, that even well-fed cats in “managed” cat colonies will kill, and that feral cats prey more on native wildlife than on non- native wildlife. The study also found that most feral cats (between 62% and 80%) tested positive for toxoplasmosis, a disease with serious health implications for pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.

Top of page photo: Wikimedia Commons A cat’s-eye view of one of its victims, an injured phoebe chick. Photo: University of Georgia.

Page Page Page New Bolivian Reserve Conservation Groups Golden-wings and Protects Critical Nesting Flag Flaws in Spotted Long-bills — Lifecycle 7 Area for Rare Parrot 11 Owl Plan 23 Conservation at ABC 2 l Bird Calls

New Study: Seabird Ingestion of Plastic in North Pacific On the Rise

new study by U.S. and Canadian scientists has found that seabirds may be eating much more plastic trash than they have in the past, and that Aseabirds off the coast of Washington State and British Columbia are ingesting plastic at rates that are “among the highest” in the world. The study, by Stephanie Avery-Gomm of the University of British Columbia and five other researchers, was carried out in 2009-2010 and involved the analysis of 67 Northern Fulmars that washed up dead on the shores between Long Beach, Washington, and Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Northern Fulmars, gull-like petrels related to albatrosses and shearwaters, are particularly suitable to studies investi- gating trends in plastic pollution because they forage almost exclusively at sea, have vast ranges, and will snatch almost anything from the surface of the water. The study seems to show that plastic pollution has increased in the North Pacific over the past forty years, approaching the levels previously documented only in the North Sea. Northern Fulmar: Wikimedia Commons “The science on this issue is still being refined; there is much we don’t know about the impacts of plastic ingestion on birds in general and Northern Fulmars in particular,” The researchers found that the dead birds had ingested an said Avery-Gomm. “We do know that plastic in the stom- average of 0.385 grams of plastic in the 2009-2010 study, ach displaces space for food, and can lacerate the stomach compared to 0.12 grams in a 1987 study and 0.04 grams in lining. Some of the birds we looked at had gizzards com- a 1969-1977 study. The incidence of plastic ingestion also pletely full of plastic. We also know that plastic in the sea seems to be increasing, according to other studies. In 1968- absorbs an as- 1977, 57.9% of the fulmars in these studies had ingested tounding level of plastic, compared to 84.2%, in 1988-1989 and 92.5% in contaminants in 2009-2010. a very short time “We have known about this problem for 40 years and we and that these have we failed to do anything about it,” said Dr. George contaminants Wallace, Vice President for Oceans and Islands at ABC. may leach out “This problem will continue to worsen if we do not attend into a bird that to it by developing ways to slow or stop the flow of plastics swallows it.” into the oceans.” Over 95% of the ingested plastic consisted of twine, rope, fishing line, Styrofoam, hard pieces of discarded plastic (e.g., bottle caps), fiber sponge, and sheet plastic.

Remains of a young Laysan Albatross killed by ingesting plastic. Photo: Claire Fackler, NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries/Marine Photobank OPINION OCTOBER 2012 l 3 No-Kill Movement Means Death for Birds

Guest editorial by Travis Longcore, Ph.D. n recent years it has become seemingly obligatory for local politicians to commit to taking a “no-kill” approach Bird conservationists need to start paying attention to animal control in their jurisdictions. That news might to animal sheltering legislation or risk not being notI raise the concerns of the typical bird conservationist, who may think that this simply means that unfortunate stray ani- able to remove stray and feral cats from places mals would be held in shelters long enough to find homes. But where they threaten birds, whether they be back the no-kill movement is not innocuous – its mission is to stop euthanasia of any healthy cat or dog, no matter whether that yards or nature reserves. animal has no prospects for a home, is feral, or is dangerously aggressive. 500 million birds a year, that figure still does not tell me any- A fundamental element of a no-kill approach is to implement thing. I also need to know how many birds in total die annu- a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program for unowned cats, which ally, and how many get born.” Scientists have documented that stops stray and feral cats from being taken to shelters and in- high predation levels can affect wildlife populations, but the stead promotes the unrestricted feeding and maintenance of more troubling issue is that feral cat advocates appear unable cat colonies outdoors by “caregivers.” Bird conservationists to feel compassion for the unnecessary suffering of hundreds therefore need to start paying attention to animal sheltering of millions of individual birds and other animals, even while legislation or risk not being able to remove stray and feral cats they insist that euthanasia of a single feral cat is immoral and from places where they threaten birds, whether they be back reprehensible. yards or nature reserves. Bird conservationists must be honest about the options. There This no-kill approach for stray and feral cats results in increas- are many methods of promoting responsible pet ownership to ing numbers of free-ranging cats, maintained in groups con- reduce the number of stray animals, including roaming ordi- centrated around feeding stations. Some of these cats are even nances, low-cost and mandatory spay/neuter practices, per- redeemed from shelters by so-called rescuers and intentionally household pet limits, and cat licensing laws. Effective control placed outside into new or existing colonies. TNR policies are of free-roaming cats requires aggressive efforts that almost al- generally coupled with an abandonment by local jurisdictions ways will include euthanasia. And like any nuisance animal of traditional animal control functions for stray and feral cats. control program, the efforts must be sustained. Sanctuaries are Once a TNR program is in place, rules are changed so that it not economically viable, cannot possibly address the magni- becomes illegal or extremely difficult to trap and take a feral tude of the problem, and all too often end up as hoarding situ- cat to an animal shelter. Cats that have been neutered and are ations. Given the harm done by feral cats directly to wildlife, being fed outdoors are marked by cutting off the tip of one and the risks they pose to both human and wildlife health, ear, and shelters receiving such cats will return them to the permanent removal must remain as an option for any strategy person feeding them or to any “rescue” group. In jurisdictions to protect the places birds live and breed. implementing TNR, it can become a crime to interfere with Bird conservationists must also continue to articulate the im- cat feeders, even if the cats number in the dozens and become portance of birds in our lives by educating the public about the a nuisance in parks, alleys, and residential neighborhoods. This nuances of the lives of birds – their intelligence, their docu- situation can occur almost overnight, because most states do mented communication and problem-solving skills, and their not require that local jurisdictions control unowned cats, only beauty – to help others understand why we care, and why the unowned dogs. casual dismissal of hundreds of millions of annual deaths is a The no-kill movement represents a radical agenda that priori- callous affront. tizes unowned cats and the rights of cat feeders over the wel- Dr. Longcore is Science Director of The Urban fare of birds and other wildlife and the rights of people who Wildlands Group, which, along with co-plaintiffs enjoy and care about them. When confronted with the stag- including ABC, successfully sued to halt implemen- gering number of individual mammals, reptiles, amphibians, tation of a TNR program in the City of Los Angeles and birds killed by free-roaming cats, the response by no-kill until environmental review of the consequences of the advocates is often that this does not matter, unless wildlife program is undertaken. populations as a whole are affected. To quote one such advocate from a social networking site: “Even if it were true that cats kill 4 l Bird Calls

First-ever Report Shows Dramatic Changes in Canada’s Bird Populations

he first national report on the healthy bird populations, and it shows state of Canada’s birds finds that some species have profited from that since 1970, the country’s conservation efforts. The report says Tbird population has dropped by 12%, the ban on pesticides such as DDT with some groups of birds decreasing in the 1970s helped several species of The report is considered significant by 90%. raptor, including the Peregrine Falcon, since the state of bird populations is Osprey, and Bald Eagle, to recover. widely seen as an indicator of broader The State of Canada’s Birds examined “Effective” management of wetlands ecosystem health; ecosystems that pro- 40 years of data and summarized the and hunting helped boost populations vide us with food, clean air, and water. status of Canada’s bird populations of waterfowl. for eight regions, including the boreal The State of Canada’s Birds is a collab- forest, prairies, Arctic, and oceans. It Canada is home to 451 regularly oc- orative effort of the North American found that overall, more species are curring, native species of bird that Bird Conservation Initiative in Canada decreasing (44% ) than increasing either raise their young or spend non- (NABCI-Canada), whose members (33%). The groups that declined most breeding seasons there. Nationally, a include federal, territorial, and provin- severely include grassland birds, migra- total of 66 birds are currently classi- cial governments, non-governmental tory shorebirds, and aerial insectivores fied as Endangered, Threatened, or organizations, and private groups. A (birds that catch insects in flight, such of Special Concern. Many of these similar U.S. report, State of the Birds, is as swallows). species also occur in the United States, produced annually by the U.S. Fish and while others pass through the U.S. Wildlife Service, with input from ABC The report includes a list of steps while migrating. and over 20 other organizations. Canadians can take to maintain

Common Cat Parasite a Threat to Pregnant Women Feral and free-ranging cats kill birds and other wildlife expectant mothers to “avoid exposures to cat feces” relentlessly, according to a range of studies (see page 1). in order to protect against transmission. The potential But they pose other threats as well — cats are also the impacts of exposure to this parasite are said to primary host of a protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. include “premature birth, low birth weight, fever, jaundice, abnormal This parasite, only shed in cat feces, has been implicated head size, convulsions, and in the deaths of 16% of the southern sea otters off the brain calcification.” coast of Santa Barbara, California. Apparently the otters contracted the disease from kitty litter flushed out to The exceptional amount of sea. The parasite has also been linked to complications amount of fecal deposition in human pregnancies, including some that can be fatal. found by these researchers has been linked in part to a The new study underlines the threat posed by this para- sharp increase in the feral cat site and the cats that carry it. It found that in Cayucos, population. That in turn has Los Osos, and Morro Bay, California, feral and free been blamed on cat owners roaming cats deposit huge amounts of fecal material — who dump unwanted pets, and 76 tons — into the environment every year. When it’s ineffective efforts to control on the ground, this material releases the parasites into the feral cat population by the air where they can be ingested by other mammals, instituting “trap, neuter, and infecting muscles and organs, including brains. release” programs. Reports that this disease can spread to women have prompted the American Pregnancy Association to warn stock.xchng OCTOBER 2012 l 5

“Little Devil” Bird May Warrant Federal Protection as Endangered Species

he U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has begun an in-depth review of the Black-capped Petrel to determine whether this elusive bird warrants federal Tprotection as a threatened or endangered species. The Black-capped Petrel – known locally as “Diablotin,” meaning Little Devil – acquired its nickname as a result of its nocturnal habits, its unusual, eerie calls, and its tendency to produce a haunting, flutelike sound during nocturnal flights, apparently created by wind passing over its wings. The petrel has an estimated world population of approximately 5,000 individuals. Its nesting sites remained a mys- tery until 1963, when 11 nests were located in southeastern Haiti. The bird nests in burrows or crevices in cliffs and steep slopes in montane forests at an elevation of 5,000- 7,500 feet, Nesting birds commute from their breeding sites in the mountains to foraging sites at sea, where they feed on squid and other invertebrates.

The Black-capped Petrel has an estimated world population of only around 5,000 individuals “This bird is in trouble and needs special birds, and urgently needs immediate conservation attention. Photo: Alfred Yan conservation attention that could result from a finding of ‘Endangered’ or ‘Threatened’.” ‘Threatened’,” said Dr. George Wallace, Vice President for Oceans and Islands at ABC. “While recently discovered George Wallace nesting sites in national parks in Haiti and the Dominican Vice President for Oceans and Islands, ABC Republic are protected on paper, charcoal production and logging in the immediate vicinity are cause for serious con- The Black-capped Petrel is threatened by predation from cern about their long-term conservation.” introduced mammals, deforestation, and human encroach- When the new review is finished, FWS will make one of ment in nesting areas. Urbanization and associated increases three possible determinations: in artificial lights likely increase risks of collision with trees, wires, communications towers, and buildings. At sea, (1) Listing is not warranted, in which case no further offshore energy development and oil spills may pose addi- government action will be taken. tional hazards. (2) Listing as Threatened or Endangered is warranted. In While Black-capped Petrels are known to range up the this case, the Service will publish a proposal to list, solicit U.S. East Coast as far as New England, their only known independent scientific peer review of the proposal, seek breeding sites are in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. input from the public, and consider the input before a final Researchers suspect, that they may also be breeding on decision about listing the species is made. Cuba, Jamaica, and on Dominica, where they have been (3) Listing is warranted but precluded by other, higher seen both off the coast and inland. priority activities. In that case the petrel would be placed “This bird is in trouble and needs special conservation at- on the “candidate waiting list,” a waiting period of indeter- tention that could result from a finding of ‘Endangered’ or minate length for Threatened or Endangered status. Some species have been on that list for decades. 6 l Bird Calls

New Reserve Protects One of the World’s Rarest and Smallest Birds

ne of the world’s rarest and near the village of Ayampe. At the smallest hummingbirds, the time, this formerly sleepy village was tiny Esmeraldas Woodstar, becoming a magnet for beach-loving Owill be protected by a new reserve in tourists. As a result, much of the Ecuador, thanks to a cooperative effort woodland in the area had already been J o s involving Fundación Jocotoco, World destroyed for resorts. e I la Land Trust-US, ABC, and other n The new 38-acre reserve, which e donors. s contains significant areas of semi- This striking violet, green, white, and deciduous to evergreen moist forests, copper-colored hummingbird mea- includes the most significant breed- Fundación Jocotoco and ABC are sures barely 2½” long: local people ing spots for the tiny hummingbird. actively seeking to purchase more call it “Estrellita” (Little Star). It is The species spends the non-breeding properties to protect the Esmeraldas thought that there are only 500- season (April-November) at higher Woodstar and other endemics, with a 1,000 of these hummingbirds left elevations of the coastal mountains. long-term goal of protecting roughly in existence. The main causes of the Fortunately, some of that habitat is 600-700 acres. species’ decline are habitat loss from already protected by the Machalilla logging, development, cattle grazing, National Park. Other endangered bird species in and agriculture. These activities have the area that may benefit from the “It is extremely gratifying to see the eliminated all but five percent of the new reserve include the Grey-backed community so engaged in creating forests once found in lowland western Hawk, the Ochre-bellied Dove, the this protected area: from the children’s Ecuador. Blackish-headed Spinetail, and the Niños del Mar club collecting trash Slaty Becard. In addition to birds, the Little was known about the and recyclables with a Peace Corps region is known for its high diversity Esmeraldas Woodstar until a few years volunteer to the guide-training work- of rare and endemic plants, and is one ago, when researchers discovered its shops that Jocotoco has conducted,” of the most important areas for en- primary nesting areas along some said Benjamin Skolnik, ABC’s demic butterflies in Ecuador. streams on Ecuador’s Pacific Coast, Conservation Project Specialist.

New Species of Cinclodes Found in Brazil

new species of bird, the Cipó flanks, lower body mass, shorter tarsus unique fauna and flora that is threat- Cinclodes (Cinclodes espin- length, lower frequency of vocaliza- ened by rapid growth of tourism, land hacensis), has been described tions, and longer duration of calls. conversion, mining activity, burning Ain the southern Brazilian state of Based on DNA data, it is estimated for livestock grazing and other activi- Minas Gerais. The discovery was de- that the divergence time between ties. The area, extent and quality of scribed in the scientific journal Ibis. this new species and the Long-tailed habitat for the new species are expect- Cinclodes occurred approximately 220 ed to continue declining if the habitat The new species is closely related to 000 years ago. is not protected. The scientists who the Long-tailed Cinclodes, which is authored the description of the new endemic to Serra Geral in southern The Cipó Cinclodes is known to exist species suggest it meets the criteria for Brazil. The description presents mor- at only a small number of locations global Endangered status. phological, genetic and vocal informa- over a range of less than 200 square tion that readily distinguishes the new miles in the southern portion of the species from the previously described Espinhaço mountain range in the east- species by its darker back, chest and ern part of the county, a region with OCTOBER 2012 l 7

New Bolivian Reserve Protects Critical Nesting Area for Rare Parrot

he rare Tucuman Parrot will benefit from protections af- forded by a new reserve in TSanta Cruz, Bolivia, established by ABC’s partner Asociación Armonia. The 44-acre Tucuman Parrot Reserve protects the largest Podocarpus conifer trees in the area; these trees provide critical nesting sites for the parrot, and cones that are essential food sources for the parrot nestlings. The new reserve is adjacent to the Quirusillas Municipal Reserve, extend- ing the area under protection. “This victory is the end result of an eight-month negotiation process and years of outreach with the local community. This action was a vital step because logging is advancing towards Tucuman Parrots occur only in cloud forests on the east slope of the Andes in southeastern Bolivia and northwestern Argentina. the forest surrounding the now pro- Populations are declining rapidly due to habitat loss and capture for the pet trade. Photo: Raul Rojas tected reserve,” said German Mercado, Administrative Director of Armonía. attract tourists to this reserve. Bringing The creation of the reserve was made Armonía has been working with the tourism dollars would provide a stron- possible with funding from World Quirusillas community since 2010 ger incentive for the community to Land Trust-U.S., and with the help to raise awareness of the plight of the continue to implement environmental of the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory’s Tucuman Parrot and provide alterna- protection measures.” Tropical Forest Forever Fund, the tives to logging that will help sustain Conservation Leadership Programme, The Tucuman Parrot is listed as and restore local ecosystems. New edu- The Whitley Awards Foundation, Vulnerable to extinction by the IUCN - cational programs have been launched and Rufford Small Grants for Nature World Conservation Union. The main in local schools, honey production Conservation. The work of Paula threats to the species are logging and initiatives have been unveiled, and lo- Montenegro and Raul Rojas was the illegal pet trade. The cloud forest cal women have been encouraged to also instrumental in making this new that is the parrot’s natural habitat has develop handicrafts to sell and increase reserve possible. been degraded by selective logging, their participation in community which removes the large trees that the decision-making. parrots use for nesting. Other trees have “Establishing this reserve is one of been cut down to make way for cattle several strategies we are using to pre- ranches and farms. Currently, a local vent the extinction of the Tucuman sawmill is attempting to gain logging Parrot in this region,” said Bennett rights to areas in the vicinity of the new Hennessey, Executive Director of reserve. If they succeed, this reserve Armonía. “We also plan to erect arti- will almost certainly become the last ficial nest boxes to increase breeding breeding location in the region for this opportunities for the species and to threatened bird.

BACKGROUND PHOTO: Part of the newly-established Tucuman Parrot Reserve: Bennett Hennessey 8 l Bird Calls

Famous New York City Hawk Chicks Poisoned

wo Red-tailed Hawk chicks, has promised to stop using poisons to Spectrum Group, maker of Hot Shot offspring of New York City’s control rats in Central Park, Riverside products, and Uphatech Inc., maker of celebrity hawks, Pale Male and Park, and Theodore Roosevelt Park. Generation, Maki and Rozol) declined Zena,T are recovering from ingesting Pale Male’s former mate, Lima, died to conform to new restrictions rat poison. The birds were removed this past February, also from ingesting imposed by the from their nests in July and have been rat poison. agency. The under the care of Wildlife in Need of manufacturers ABC is campaigning to have certain Rescue and Rehabilitation. Because of are fighting the rat poisons removed from sale to the continued use of rat poison in the cancellations, and a the general public, and to restrict area, there are no immediate plans to protracted legal battle the packaging of other products to return the birds to the wild. is expected. You can tell avoid continued danger to birds, the manufacturers how A third chick produced by Pale Male wildlife, pets and humans. ABC is you feel about their actions and Zena is believed to have died after supporting the U.S. Environmental through ABC’s action site: ingesting rat poison. There have been Protection Agency in its proceedings www.abcbirds.org/action. repeated incidents of hawks being to cancel brodifacoum and other poisoned in New York, and as a result, rodenticides after three manufacturers the New York City Parks Department (Reckitt-Benckiser, maker of D-con; Michael Stubblefield

Largest Snake Recorded in Florida Captured

pregnant Burmese python most competitive predators in South of special concern” by the Florida measuring a state record 17- Florida. Population estimates range Fish and Wildlife Conservation feet 7-inches has been cap- from the thousands to the hundreds Commission. Scientists have also Atured in Everglades National Park by of thousands. A USGS study pub- found the remains of a federally- researchers with the U.S. Geological lished in January 2012 revealed drastic endangered Wood Stork in one of the Survey (USGS). The snake was car- declines in the number of mid-sized gigantic snakes. rying 87 eggs, which is also a state mammals in the Everglades that may record for the python. be associated with the rise in the inva- “This new record snake demonstrates sive snake population. The most severe dramatically how well these animals The 165-pound animal was declines, including a nearly complete have adapted to the Everglades and the brought to the Florida Museum of disappearance of raccoons, rabbits, danger they pose to birds and other Natural History, which is working and opossums, have occurred in the native wildlife,” said George Wallace, with the U.S. Department of the remote southernmost regions of the Vice President of ABC. Interior, Everglades National Park, park, where pythons have been estab- and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Florida has the world’s worst invasive lished the longest. Conservation Commission to find reptile and amphibian problem. A ways to manage Florida’s invasive Burmese pythons are also known to 20-year study published in September Burmese python population. prey on at least 25 species of native 2011 in the journal Zootaxa showed birds, ranging from the five-inch-long 137 non-native species were intro- Native to Southeast Asia, House Wren to the four-foot-long duced to Florida between 1863 and the Burmese Great Blue Heron. Four of the bird 2010. The Burmese python was one of python is species eaten by the pythons –Snowy 56 non-native species determined to one of the Egret, Little Blue Heron, White Ibis, be reproducing and established in the deadliest and and Limpkin – are listed as “species state.

Burmese Python: Roy Wood, USGS OCTOBER 2012 l 9

Reintroduced Western Bluebirds Fledge on Vancouver Island, British Columbia

estern Bluebirds have pro- Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, to birds on Vancouver Island,” said Bob duced four fledglings on The Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Altman, ABC’s Pacific Northwest Vancouver Island, British Cowichan Preserve on Vancouver Coordinator. “It increases the likeli- ColumbiaW after nesting there for the Island. After 1-2 weeks in an aviary, hood of recovery of bluebird popula- first time in more than 15 years. Once the birds were released. Three of the tions throughout formerly occupied common on southeastern Vancouver four pairs were subsequently seen in areas in the Pacific Northwest, and re- Island, these birds disappeared due to the area, including the pair with fledg- inforces the benefit of reintroductions loss and degradation of their preferred lings that renested and successfully to address bird extirpations.” oak habitats, especially natural nesting fledged four young birds from a nest- cavities in old oak trees, and competi- box on the preserve. tion for nest cavities from the aggres- Several years ago, in a cooperative effort sive, non-native European Starling. led by ABC, Western Bluebirds were The birds were restored to the island successfully reintroduced to San Juan earlier this year by The Garry Oak Island, Washington. Researchers say the Ecosystem Recovery Team of British species has a better chance of surviving Columbia and Ecostudies Institute. now that it has been restored to islands The process began when four pairs of at both ends of its former range. birds, including two pairs with nest- “We were very excited to hear about lings, were translocated from Joint this successful nesting of reintroduced

Western Bluebird fledgling: Kathleen Ballard Trumpeter Swans Reintroduced to Montana’s Madison Valley

ive Trumpeter Swan cygnets the swan’s historic range in Montana, Kootenai Tribes have released 228 from the Wyoming Wetlands Wyoming, and Idaho. swans in the Flathead Valley since Society facility in Jackson have 2002, and 45 nests have produced The release took place on restored wet- beenF released on the Granger Ranch 151 wild-bred young since that time. lands recently protected by an FWP along O’Dell Creek south of Ennis, Another 100 swans have been released conservation easement. The protection Montana. The August 15 event was in the Blackfoot Valley, and two pairs and restoration of the ranch, as well as the first of five annual releases planned bred successfully there in 2011. These the swan release, were engineered by a by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks efforts are designed to help swan broad coalition of private, corporate, (FWP) to increase nesting popula- populations move into suitable habi- non-profit, state, and federal partners. tions in suitable habitats – particularly tats throughout the region. Marked The 70-day-old swans were placed in a birds have been found throughout large fenced wetland enclosure, along northwestern Montana, and in British with a flightless adult female, in order Columbia and Alberta, Canada. to imprint on the site. Once the young The newly-released Madison Valley are flying, the adult will be returned to birds will supplement the existing the Jackson facility. populations of the Greater Yellowstone This project is the third successful re- Ecosystem, including those in the introduction to take place in Montana Centennial Valley (six nesting pairs) recently. The Confederated Salish and and in Yellowstone National Park (two nesting pairs).

Glen Tepke 10 l Bird Calls

Drought and Water Conflict Affecting Bird Populations in Klamath National Wildlife Refuge

ater brings life, and in the Because this year has been a dry one, officials need to come up with a plan Klamath Basin of Oregon the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation that divides the water more equitably,” and Washington, that (BOR) stopped allowing river water said George Fenwick, President of meansW millions of migratory birds. to enter the refuge in December. BOR ABC. But today, the region harbors only a parcels out water in the Klamath Basin The 53,600-acre Lower Klamath fraction of the historic numbers of for a variety of users. Their first prior- Refuge is a key part of the Pacific birds that passed through it in the ity for water that would otherwise go Flyway for migrating birds. Established past, thanks to water diversions that to the refuge is for endangered fish in 1908 along the Oregon-California have drained three-quarters of the found in or near the Klamath River. border, it was the nation’s first wa- basin’s wetlands. After that, BOR must deal with vari- terfowl refuge. It is a varied mix of ous tribal requests for water, and then Earlier this spring, officials from the shallow freshwater marshes, open with the needs of farmers. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service esti- water, grassy uplands, and croplands mated that over 10,000 migrating birds That process left nothing for the that are managed to provide feeding, had died because of reduced water refuge until March and April 2012, resting, nesting, and brood-rearing flow to the Lower Klamath National when Upper Klamath lake was full habitat for waterfowl and other water Wildlife Refuge, which only received and flows down the Klamath River birds. Significant species of birds that enough water to cover half its 30,000 were sufficient to enable the BOR to use the reserve include the American acres of wetland marshes. That reduced provide 90,000 acre feet of water to White Pelican, White-faced Ibis, flow forced the two million birds that replenish the marshes. But commercial Peregrine Falcon, Northern Pintail, migrate over the area to congregate in farms still have big water guarantees Gadwall, Canvasback, Western and much smaller spaces, creating condi- that could interrupt the flow into the Eared Grebes, Black Tern, Tricolored tions much more favorable to fast- Refuge. Conservation groups say that Blackbird, and Snow, Ross’, and spreading diseases such avian cholera. means future shortages are likely. White-fronted Geese. Snow Geese and To reduce the spread of this disease, Northern Pintails seem to be the hard- “The consequences of shutting off volunteers picked up carcasses of the est hit from the disease this year. water to the Lower Klamath Refuge dead birds and had them incinerated. are enormous. Federal, state, and local

BACKGROUND: Klamath NWR: USFWS Left to right: Western Grebes: Alan Wilson; American White Pelicans: Greg Lavaty; Northern Pintail: Alan Wilson OCTOBER 2012 l 11

Conservation Groups Flag Flaws in Spotted Owl Plan

has raised concerns It echoes a similar letter of Spring ABC about the proposed 2012, supporting the reserve system Critical Habitat designation for the endorsed by 229 scientists. threatened Northern Spotted Owl, Several reports by the U.S. Forest charging that the draft plan fails to Service confirm that the current provide adequate habitat protections Northwest Forest Plan is preserving needed by the owl, and that it en- old-growth forests that provide courages controversial and unproven essential habitat for threatened logging practices in owl habitat. ABC species, including Pacific salmon, the prepared an extensive comment letter threatened Marbled Murrelet, and pointing out the plan’s shortcomings. the Northern Spotted Owl. A 15-year The letter included suggested changes Old-growth forest, Pacific Northwest: Steve Holmer, ABC study of the plan’s effect on watersheds that could help ensure that the final in northern California, Oregon, and plan protects the endangered owl. “The Northwest Forest Plan was a Washington State that were previously ABC’s concerns are shared by research- major conservation achievement heavily damaged due to overcutting ers with The Wildlife Society and the that ended decades of overcutting and unsustainable forest management Society for Conservation Biology. and the destruction of magnificent practices, concluded that the Plan is After reviewing the draft plan for working to restore water quality. the owl the groups concluded that old-growth forests.” “The Northwest Forest Plan was a proposed logging levels in the owl’s Steve Holmer major conservation achievement that habitat are not supported by the “best Senior Policy Advisor, ABC ended decades of overcutting and the available science,” and that the plan destruction of magnificent old-growth needs to be changed to ensure that forests,” said Steve Holmer, Senior more owl habitat is protected. The Policy Advisor at ABC. “The plan is organizations charged that a previous working, and President Obama needs review of the Northern Spotted Owl to ensure its protections are main- Recovery Plan had been ignored and tained to give the Northern Spotted that the same flaws were now being in- Owl and Marbled Murrelet a chance cluded in the Critical Habitat Plan. to rebound.” The potentially harmful draft rule The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is and other pending plans to weaken under a court order to produce a final owl habitat protection have prompted version of the new Critical Habitat national and regional conservation plan by November 15, 2012. organizations to call on President Barack Obama to do more to conserve ABC’s comment letter is available at the mature and old-growth forests in www.abcbirds.org/pdfs/comment_ the Pacific Northwest. In a letter sent letter_July_5_with_photos.pdf. in July, ABC, Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, Cornell Northern Spotted Owl: Greg Lavaty Lab of Ornithology, and over fifty other organizations sought to remind the The letter calls on the Administration President that “These magnificent for- to continue both the late-successional ests provide clean drinking water for and riparian reserves created by the millions of Americans, a world-class Northwest Forest Plan as fundamental tourism destination, sustainable forest- to natural resource conservation ry, and habitat essential to the survival and sound climate change response. of hundreds of species of wildlife.” 12 l Bird Calls Savannah Sparrow: Gore Lamar, FWS

Crop Insurance Leading to Conversion of Bird Habitat for Agriculture

recent study by the federal insurance program that reim- Environmental Working burses farmers for modest losses in otherwise not be profitable, such as Group and Defenders of crops. The Federal Agriculture Reform lands prone to erosion or flooding. WildlifeA concluded that farmers con- and Risk management Act (H.R. Conservation groups say crops insur- verted more than 23 million acres of 6083), which was passed out of the ance removes financial risks for farm- grasslands, wetlands, and shrublands House Agriculture Committee and has ers by insuring that they will make to cropland between 2008 and 2011 yet to be taken up by the full House, money by planting crops on lands as a result of high commodity prices eliminates direct payments as well, but where crop failure is virtually certain. and large government subsidies. The replaces them with crop insurance and To take advantage of high prices be- study also found that the areas with other subsidy programs for peanut cot- ing paid right now for corn, wheat, the largest conversions were areas that ton and rice farmers. soybeans and other crops, farmers received the largest crop insurance The U.S. Department of Agriculture have already planted crops on millions subsidies from the government. currently subsidizes approximately of acres of land used by a wide range Every five years, Congress passes legisla- 62% of crop insurance premiums, and of birds, including ducks and other tion – commonly known as the Farm cost projections show that this will waterfowl. Bill – that sets national agriculture, cost the government about $90 billion The greatest wildlife habitat losses have nutrition, conservation, and forestry over the next decade. The rationale taken place in the states of the Upper policy. This year’s Farm Bill (S. 3240), for the switch from direct payments Midwest and the Great Plains, with as passed by the United States Senate to crop insurances was that payments millions of acres of Mountain Plover, in June, 2012, ends a direct payment would go to people who are actually Lesser Prairie Chicken, and sage- system that pays owners of farmland a farming. However, under the new grouse habitat lost. set amount regardless of whether they system, farmers would be encouraged have planted crops; but it expands the to plant on marginal lands that would

Initiative Seeks Federal Funding for Drought-Proof Pastures “There is ample research showing that native warm-season forage grasses require little or no fertilizer, which consortium of 30 conservation of NBCI, which authored a the letter reduces nutrient run-off and fertilizer groups led by the National to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. costs, and that there are many other Bobwhite Conservation “We’re asking that USDA start revers- economic and nutritional benefits AInitiative (NBCI) has asked the U.S. ing that trend for the long-term bene- for the agricultural community,” said Department of Agriculture (USDA) to fit of wildlife and livestock producers.” McKenzie. “Subsidizing drought- start encouraging subsidized ranchers The letter asks USDA to require that susceptible forages simply continues to to plant more drought-proof grasses when ranchers use public funds to re- set producers up for failure and harms when they re-establish pasturelands establish pasturelands, they be required the public’s wildlife resources.” affected by drought. to replant 20-33% of the affected Signatories to the letter include “Most grazing land in the eastern acreage with drought-tolerant, native, NBCI’s partner quail organizations, United States, close to 120 million warm-season grasses. The letter also songbird conservation alliances acres, has been converted to aggres- requests that participating ranchers be such as Partners in Flight, the Bird sive, exotic, forage grasses, which compensated for their loss of livestock Conservation Network and Central are not only highly susceptible to income during the two years that it Hardwoods Joint Venture. drought conditions, but also provide takes to establish the native grasses. poor habitat for wildlife and pollina- To read the coalition’s letter, go to tors,” said Don McKenzie, director http://bringbackbobwhites.org. OCTOBER 2012 l 13

Fed Action to Limit Albatross Deaths From Longline Fishing Not Enough

or the first time, the federal and Wildlife Service (FWS) appeared authorize take in such excessive num- Migratory Bird Treaty Act to change their minds in 2011, when bers, nor does the permit require any (MBTA) has been used to set NMFS decided to apply for a take offset or compensation from NMFS limitsF on the number of seabirds that permit to the Hawaiian swordfish for avoidable take.” can be killed or injured by commercial fleet and FWS agreed to accept the One practice that could have been fishing vessels. The limits are established application. halted by the take permit, but will be in a so-called “take” permit that applies Wallace said he’d hoped that the new allowed to continue for now, involves to Hawaiian swordfish vessels, which permit would force fishing fleets to dragging baited hooks on the surface have been shown to kill and injure find ways to actually take fewer Laysan of the water behind the fishing vessel Black-footed and Laysan Albatrosses. and Black-footed Albatrosses. It has while other lines are retrieved. This Conservation groups, including ABC, been known for years that all of these increases the exposure of seabirds to had a mixed reaction to the news. birds are attracted to and dive on bait- baited hooks, and leads to a higher On the one hand, they applauded the ed hooks, becoming ensnared in lines chance of them being injured. decision to start using the MBTA to or impaled by the hooks and dragged “A remedy for this problem does not limit seabird kills by commercial fish- under the surface to be drowned. require data analysis and multiple ing fleets, but on the other, they ar- “NMFS and FWS both know about three-year permit terms to develop and gued that the take limits set in the new certain casual practices that unneces- implement. FWS has missed an oppor- permit were too high to adequately sarily expose seabirds to increased tunity to eliminate this unnecessary risk protect seabirds. risk of being hooked or entangled,” to albatrosses now,” said Wallace. “ABC generally supports the issu- said Wallace. “There is no incentive ance of permits for the Hawaiian to reduce these practices if permits swordfish and other U.S. fisheries as a mechanism to reduce seabird bycatch, but the conditions of this precedent- Short-tailed Albatrosses Breed Successfully Again at Midway setting take permit are disappointing,” pair of endangered Short-tailed Albatrosses has once again nested said George Wallace, Vice President successfully at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge within the for Oceans and Islands at ABC. A Papah'naumoku'kea Marine National Monument and World Heri- “While the government seeks to re- tage Site. The single chick was last seen on June, 10, 2012 near its nest site, duce seabird mortality in this fishery, where it was exercising its wings prior to fledging. that is not the likely outcome with these ineffective permits.” This is only the second time in recorded history that Short-tailed Albatrosses have nested successfully outside of Japan. The chick was the product of the Until now, only the Endangered same pair that successfully fledged the first albatross chick on Midway in Species Act has been used to limit 2011 — a nine year-old female and 25-year-old male whose courtship began seabird deaths caused by commercial on Midway four years ago. longline fishing, and then only in rela- The chick was banded by refuge staff. It may be three to seven years before tion to the endangered Short-tailed it returns to Midway to breed, provided it can navigate the Albatross. The MBTA was not applied threats faced by the species on the open ocean, which to this fishery because the National include being caught by longline fishing hooks, in- Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) – gesting plastics, and being tangled in marine debris. the federal agency that oversees the U.S. fishing fleet – asserted that the The Short-tailed Albatross is listed as Endangered areas where it operates, federal waters under the Endangered Species Act and numbers and on the high seas, lie outside the fewer than 2,500 birds. Thought to be extinct until jurisdiction of the act. However, its rediscovery in 1951, the species population has rebounded following persecution for the feather trade officials at NMFS and the U.S. Fish in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Short-tailed Albatross and chick: FWS 14 l Bird Calls Secure the future for birds

ne of the great natural events on Join ABC’s Legacy Circle with a bequest the planet, the annual Western through your will, trust, retirement, or Hemisphere bird migration, is insurance plan, and you will help protect Ocontinuing to diminish, with the precipitous threatened species throughout their life cycle, decline of most populations of neotropical reversing declines, and preventing extinctions. migratory birds over the last 40 years. But Your bequest will make enduring bird we have the ability to reverse this trend and conservation possible, and your legacy will be make the next 40 years positive for our birds. protecting the birds of the Americas for future You can help American Bird Conservancy generations. protect birds on their wintering, stopover, For more information on ABC’s Legacy and breeding grounds for years to come by Circle, please contact Jack Morrison at including ABC in your estate plans. 540-253-5780 or [email protected]

American Avocets: Greg Lavaty, texastargetbirds.com OCTOBER 2012 l 15

Desecheo National Wildlife Refuge Rat Eradication Completed

or the first time in a century, Unfortunately, Desecheo has been no black rats can be found decimated by exotic species virtually on the Caribbean island of from the time the island appeared in Desecheo,F according to U.S. Fish and historical records. Goats were noted Wildlife Service (FWS) and Island as early as 1788. An eradication cam- One of Desecheo's lizard species. Photo: Island Conservation Conservation (IC). The island, also paign began in 1998 and the goats designated as the Desecheo National were gone by 2010. Feral cats were birds, both eggs and chicks, and they Wildlife Refuge, is an arid 360-acre noted as early as 1966 and were re- take a heavy toll on small reptiles and piece of land lying 14 miles off the moved by 1987. arthropods. They are also voracious west coast of Puerto Rico. It was seed eaters, which means their impact Also in 1966, 56 Rhesus macaques added to the National Wildlife Refuge on the island’s plants was devastating. were introduced to Desecheo as part System in 1976 and is noted for the of a research program by the National presence of three endemic lizard spe- It was believed that rats would prevent Institutes for Health. The monkeys cies, two endemic spiders, an endemic the recovery of the seabird popula- had a drastic impact on the nesting whip scorpion, and the endangered tions, and so for that reason, starting seabirds, sending populations plum- Higo Chumbo cactus. in March, 2012, FWS and IC car- meting. In 2009 there were no breed- ried out the first aerial application of In the early 1900s, Desecheo was one ing seabirds on Desecheo. rodent bait from Desecheo and its of the most important seabird breed- surrounding islets. This was followed FWS and IC worked for years to re- ing colonies in the Caribbean region. by intensive monitoring to assess the move the macaques, finally succeeding Eight breeding species made their effectiveness of the operations. Two in 2009. homes on the island, including up to years of additional monitoring will 15,000 Brown Boobies, 2,000 Red- That left the black rats, which were re- take place before the island can be footed Boobies, and 1,500 Bridled corded on the island as early as 1912, officially declared free of destructive, Terns. The Brown Booby colony was when they were considered abundant. invasive rats. likely among the largest of that species Black rats are well-known predators of in the world.

Desecheo Island (above) is an important site for breeding colonies of Bridled Terns (above right), and for several endemic lizard and cactus species (right). All photos courtesy of Island Conservation. 16 l Bird Calls

INTERPOL Bird Trade Crackdown

aw enforcement officers from Unfortunately, there is a global net- Experts on environmental crimes all over the world turned their work that ignores these rules, and at INTERPOL say organized crime attention to the booming black traps birds such as parrots in the wild gangs have become more involved in Lmarket for Latin American birds last and then smuggles them abroad. the illegal wildlife trade in recent years. spring. With the help of INTERPOL According to the IUCN-World They say information gleaned from the they launched a three-month global Conservation Union, roughly 100 of arrests and seizures made in connec- crackdown known as Operation Cage, the world’s 350 parrot species are now tion with Operation Cage will be used arresting nearly 4,000 buyers and sell- threatened with extinction by illegal to help with future crackdowns. ers and seizing more than 8,700 birds seizure for trade and habitat loss. “Operation Cage once again clearly and other animals. “Threatened birds are targeted because demonstrates the global scale of the Raids and arrests took place at ports, their rarity yields higher demand and problem of the illegal trade in birds airports, open-air markets, pet stores, higher black market prices for trappers and other wildlife, which is not border stops, and taxidermy shops. and traders,” said George Fenwick, only an organized crime problem Along with the birds and other ani- President of ABC. “In addition to the but a biosecurity risk,” said David mals authorities found traps, guns, impact on wild populations, the ille- Higgins manager of INTERPOL’s and ammunition. gal trade causes tremendous suffering Environmental Crimes Program. to individual birds, with many dying Higgins added that the caged birds In many countries, it is illegal to sell during transportation.” sold on the black market often carry caged birds as pets unless it can be diseases that can pose a threat not only proven that the birds in question were to other birds, but also to people. raised from eggs laid in captivity.

Six South American Bird Species Now Protected Under ESA

he U.S. Fish and Wildlife become highly-fragmented as a result Service (FWS) has classified of deforestation for agriculture, graz- six South American bird spe- ing, and fuel wood extraction. Tcies as Endangered under the U.S. The Junín Grebe and Junín Rail are Endangered Species Act (ESA). All six waterbirds that are endemic to a single species – the Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant, lake (Lake Junín). Mining activity has Junín Grebe, Junín Rail, Peruvian polluted a major river flowing into Plantcutter, Royal Cinclodes, and the lake at its northwestern end and White-browed Tit-Spinetail – are the Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant: Fabrice Schmitt has caused grebes to abandon this focus of intensive conservation efforts area for parts of the lake where pollu- by ABC and partners. Two species, tion is lower. Other problems include population sizes, which compromises the Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant and Royal ongoing manipulations in water levels their ability to survive unexpected Cinclodes, are native to Peru and for hydropower generation, min- natural events. Bolivia, while the remaining four ing, and threats from disease caused occur only in Peru. Over the last ten years, ABC has by contamination of the lake water. launched many programs designed to The primary factor leading to the list- The Junín Rail is also vulnerable to increase protections for these species, ing of these species is habitat destruc- increased predation when water levels including collaborations with Asociación tion. The Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant, are low. Ecosistemas Andinos (ECOAN) in Peru, Peruvian Plantcutter, Royal Cinclodes, All of the listed species are further and Asociación Armonía and Instituto and White-browed Tit-Spinetail are at risk due to their extremely small de Ecología in Bolivia. forest species, whose ranges have OCTOBER 2012 l 17

Blue Vipers, Endangered Frogs, and Threatened Birds Protected by New Guatemalan Reserve

onservationists are hailing conservation efforts,” said ABC the creation of the 6,000- President George Fenwick. acre Sierra Caral Amphibian The forests in the new reserve are CReserve in Guatemala, which will pro- especially diverse due to the conver- tect some of the country’s most endan- gence of floras and faunas from both gered wildlife. The reserve is home to a North and South America. The region A stream in Sierra Caral. Photo: Robin Moore dozen globally threatened amphibians, is a critical component of the “Jaguar including five found nowhere else in Corridor” that will permit jaguars, the world; three species of threatened in the Sierra Caral were raised by a mountain lions, migratory birds, and birds; and the recently discovered group of fifteen international conser- other wildlife to continue moving Merendon Palm-pit viper, an arboreal, vation groups, led by Global Wildlife between the continents as they have blue-toned snake. Conservation and FUNDAECO. done for millennia. Tucked away in the eastern corner of Marco Cerezo, CEO of FUNDAECO, This unique area was almost lost to Guatemala near the Caribbean Sea, said, “This land purchase lifts the last deforestation during the past decade. and running along the Honduran hurdle for the Guatemalan government Massive clear-cutting and rapid border, the Sierra Caral is an isolated to declare the area a National Wildlife mountain range that has yielded several new discoveries of beetles, salamanders, frogs, and snakes over the The creation of the 6,000-acre Sierra past two decades. Caral Amphibian Reserve in Guatemala The new reserve will offer protections will protect some of the country’s most for many birds, including threatened species such as the Highland Guan, endangered wildlife, including globally Great Curassow, and Keel-billed threatened frogs and salamanders. Motmot. The site is also known as a haven for migratory birds including Critically endangered red-eyed stream frog: Robin Moore Canada, Kentucky, and Worm-eating Warblers, Wood Thrush, Painted Bunting, and Louisiana Waterthrush. conversion of the mountain slopes Sanctuary, something that local com- into cattle pasture degraded rivers munities and conservationists have “The new Sierra Caral Reserve safe- that originate in these mountains and been desperately awaiting since 2000.” guards key stopover habitat for per- provide freshwater for thousands of Critical support was received from haps millions of migrating U.S. birds, local people. Consequently, the risk the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, making it an invaluable addition to of devastating landslides has risen World Land Trust-US, International Central America’s roster of protected sharply. areas and a real benefit to U.S. bird Conservation Fund of Canada, ABC, At one point, local communities per- Conservation International, and suaded the Guatemalan Congress to others. declare the area a nationally protected “This is a real triumph for the planet, site; however, budgetary restrictions conservationists across North and prevented the government from pur- Central America banded together to chasing the private lands. save the last stand of this unique rain- But this year, funds needed to pur- forest,” said Paul Salaman, CEO of chase the last stand of primary forest World Land Trust-US.

Juvenile Merendon Palm-pitviper: Don Church 18 l Bird Calls

Good News and Bad News for the California Condor

alifornia Condors, the largest The study, by a team of environmental flying birds found over North toxicologists at UCSC, was published America, reached a milestone in the Proceedings of the National Cthis spring, when the condor popula- Academy of Sciences. It concluded not tion passed the 400 mark. Twenty five only that California Condors are con- years ago, there were only 22 condors tinually exposed to lead ammunition, left, and all of them were living in but that this exposure is a threat to the captivity. As of August, 2012, there recovery of the species. are 414 condors, with more than half once again living in the wild. Unfortunately, the environmental Controversial captive breeding pro- problem that pushed free-flying California Condor and chick in nest cave: Joseph Brandt, grams saved this species from extinc- USFWS condors to the brink of extinction tion after the last free-flying condors were captured in the late 1980s. The in the 1980s is still present in the The study found that if one-half of species was returned to the wild in wild today. one percent of the carcasses of animals 1992, when two birds born and reared shot by hunters have lead in them for in zoos were released in the mountains ten more years, it is likely that all wild of south-central California. Two de- “We will never have a self-sustaining California Condors will eventually be cades later, 233 of the giant birds soar wild condor population if we don’t exposed. One exposure to the carcass free over parts of California, Arizona, solve this problem,” said toxicologist of an animal killed by lead ammuni- Utah, and Baja California, Mexico. Myra Finklestein of UCSC. “Currently, tion can be fatal for a condor. Most of the “rewilded” condors were California Condors are tagged and In 2008, the use of traditional lead born in captive breeding centers op- monitored, trapped twice a year for ammunition was banned in the con- erated by the Los Angeles Zoo, the blood tests, and when necessary, treated dor’s Southern California rangelands. San Diego Wild Animal Park, and for lead poisoning in veterinary hospi- But condors can travel hundreds of The World Center for Birds of Prey tals—and they still die from lead poi- miles a day, which can take them past in Boise, Idaho. But 45 chicks have soning on a regular basis.” the reach of the lead ban. Arizona has fledged in the wild since 2001, and as adopted a voluntary non-lead ammu- many as 18 could fledge this year. nition program in the northern part of the state and many hunters are report- Unfortunately, the environmental edly participating. A similar program problem that pushed free-flying con- is also now in effect in Utah. dors to the brink of extinction in the 1980s is still present in the wild today. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, at least 40 condors have died of lead poisoning since 1992, and according to a new study from the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) the source of that mortality is the lead ammunition used by hunters in parts of the condor’s range.

Juvenile California Condor: Greg Homel, Natural Elements Productions OCTOBER 2012 l 19

Ranchers Sign up to Improve Grasslands in Key Mexican Wintering Areas for Migrating Birds

attle ranchers and to participate in the program, saying conservation groups have they saw the importance and benefits started teaming up to improve of implementing improved cattle man- Cdesert grassland habitat for local agement practices and improving the and migratory grassland birds in the quality and condition of over 182,000 Valles Centrales Grassland Priority acres of grassland habitat. Conservation Area of Chihuahua, The project partners are now working Mexico. Landowners from three key to obtain extra funds from government properties have signed agreements and private sources to offset the costs to work with the consortium of of the management practices, such Pronatura Noreste, ABC, and Rocky as fencing in new cattle paddocks, Mountain Bird Observatory to providing water tanks for cattle and improve their cattle management improvements to the water distribution techniques and improve habitat system. The initial properties will for priority grassland bird species, serve as pilot efforts that the partners including the Baird’s Sparrow, Baird’s Sparrow (above) and Sprague’s Pipit (below) are priority grassland birds that should benefit from recent hope will attract more landowners to Sprague’s Pipit, and Chestnut- habitat restoration programs. Photos: Greg Lavaty, participate in grassland conservation collared Longspur. The program is www.texastargetbirds.com programs. The science behind this also designed to improve grassland program was developed by the Rocky conditions for cattle grazing, which Mountain Bird Observatory. provides incentive for ranchers to join. The predominant wintering bird Since 2006, grazing and intensive species in this area are Chestnut- agriculture have destroyed habitat collared Longspur, Sprague’s Pipit, and displaced an estimated 1 million and Baird’s Sparrow, but surveys have grassland birds in Valles Centrales, one also found 29 priority species of high of the richest areas of wintering habi- regional or continental conservation tat for grassland species breeding in interest, including Lark Bunting, western North America. The owners of Vesper Sparrow, Brewer’s Sparrow, and these ranches signed initial agreements Aplomado Falcon.

Mexican grassland habitat: Pronatura Noreste 20 l Bird Calls

Florida Grasshopper Sparrow Struggles to Survive

cientists and state and federal George Wallace, ABC Vice President. allow the new Everglades Headwaters agency officials are struggling to “One wonders whether the sparrow National Wildlife Refuge and understand why populations of could become the United States’ next Conservation Area to secure some of Sthe endangered Florida Grasshopper bird extinction, following the Po’o-uli these properties through direct pur- Sparrow are apparently crashing in its in Hawai’i in 2004 and the Dusky chase or bring them under manage- last three population strongholds on Seaside Sparrow in Florida in 1987.” ment through conservation easements. public lands. Three main tracts of public land are In the meantime, there are calls for This darker-backed Florida subspecies said to be critical to the future of this increased efforts to identify the causes of Grasshopper Sparrow depends on species. Unfortunately, all have seen of the sparrow’s decline. Among the dry prairie, a habitat now down to less their Grasshopper Sparrow popula- possible culprits are diseases and inva- than 15% of its original extent due tions plummet in recent years. The sive, introduced fire ants, which can to conversion to non-native grasses surveys on U.S. Air Force’s Avon Park prey on nestlings. for cattle grazing. The subspecies was Bombing Range counted 130 sing- Another problem has been a lack listed under the Endangered Species ing males in 1999 but only one sing- of public funding for land manage- Act in 1986, and there have been ex- ing male in 2012, and at Kissimmee ment and research. The U.S. Fish and tensive efforts to manage its remaining Prairie Preserve the number of singing Wildlife Service has tried to address habitat. To maintain the appropriate males declined from 150 ten years this problem by assigning a biolo- structure and prevent shrubs from en- ago to 14 in 2012. The count of 60 gist to work full-time on the species. croaching, prairie is burned every two singing males at Three Lakes Wildlife Audubon of Florida will post two staff years in late spring. Management Area in 2012 was also a at Kissimmee Prairie in 2013, and is record low. “Although extensive tracts of the spe- calling on the Florida Park Service cies’ grassland habitat in south-central There are apparently two Grasshopper and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Florida appear to be in good condi- Sparrow populations on private lands Conservation Commission to match tion, the birds are disappearing,” said of unknown size. One proposal would their commitment.

Second Mongoose Trapped on Kaua'i

oncerns are mounting that caught as credible sightings of mon- on native Hawaiian birds, especially the small Indian mongoose, goose have popped up from Moloa'a ground-nesting waterbirds and sea- a voracious bird predator, is in the northeast corner of the island birds, many of which are endangered. Cbecoming established on the Hawaiian all the way to Koke'e State Park in the Absent mongooses, Kaua'i has been an island of Kaua'i, following the cap- uplands of west Kaua'i. The first mon- important stronghold of endangered ture of a second animal at Nawiliwili goose – an adult – was captured in the waterbirds such as Hawaiian Coot, Harbor in Lihue on June 29, 2012. vicinity of Lihue on May 23, 2012. Hawaiian Stilt, and Nēnē (Hawiian This second animal, a juvenile, was The mongoose is native to Asia and Goose). In fact Nēnē have been do- was introduced to Hawai'i Island in ing so well that they have become an 1883 in an effort to control rats in aircraft strike hazard at Kaua'i’s main cane fields. Subsequently it was intro- airport, and the state’s Division of duced to Maui, Moloka'i, and O'ahu, Forestry and Wildlife has been mov- but it was never deliberately intro- ing Nēnē to Maui and Hawai'i Island duced to Kaua'i. While the mongoose to boost populations there. This situ- did not live up to its intended role as a ation could change dramatically if rat predator, it has taken a terrible toll mongoose do indeed take a foothold on Kaua’i. Small Indian mongoose: Bill Hubick OCTOBER 2012 l 21

Prosecutions in Illegal Transport of Exotic Game Animals in Hawai'i Palila: Michael Walther homas Hauptman, a Maui community service and a helicopter pilot has pleaded $1,000 fine for having sheep guilty to charges stemming in his possession without a Tfrom his role in moving four exotic axis permit. deer from Maui to Hawai‘i Island, and Domestic sheep were intro- bringing at least 11 exotic mouflon/ duced to Hawai'i Island in sheep hybrids from Hawai'i Island to 1793, and mouflon were Maui in 2009. Hauptman admitted to introduced in 1957 to in- moving one male and two female axis crease the quality of feral deer. A fourth deer died en route. sheep on Mauna Kea through On September 13, the pilot was sen- interbreeding. tenced to one year probation and must The state Division of Forestry provide 500 hours of helicopter time and Wildlife confirmed the “It is vitally important to show that the and cover fuel, maintenance costs, and presence of destructive axis pilot wages for flights provided to the laws have teeth and will be used to protect deer on Hawai'i in May 2011, Big Island Invasive Species Committee, when they reported that there Hawai'i’s precious natural resources.” the group leading efforts to eradicate may be as many as 100 deer axis deer introduced to Hawai'i Island. George Wallace spread over large areas of the Vice President for Oceans and Islands, ABC The restitution is expected to costs island. Axis deer were first Hauptman more than $300,000. introduced to Moloka'i and farmers $1 million over the last two Since the focus of law enforcement in- O'ahu in 1868, Lana'i in 1920, and years. Conservationists see millions vestigations was originally on the move- Maui in 1959. They were not intro- of dollars of investment in protect- ment of axis deer to Hawai'i Island, duced to the island of Hawai'i. If they ing sensitive natural areas on Hawai'i news of the reciprocal importation of were to take hold there, the conse- Island at risk. This includes decades of mouflon/sheep hybrids to Maui was quences could be disastrous for farm- work to fence and exclude ungulates unexpected. While the mouflon have ers, ranchers, watersheds, and native from Hawai'i Volcanos National park, apparently been kept penned, the risk Hawaiian bird species. efforts that are currently underway of escape is always present. On Hawai'i Island, ranchers fear that to fence in critical habitat for the The ranch owner receiving the mou- axis deer will compete for forage with Endangered Palila on Mauna Kea, and flon on Maui, Jeffrey Grundhauser, their cattle, while farmers fear the kind work to eradicate sheep and goats to pleaded guilty to a federal misde- of crop damage that has cost Maui enable the recovery of the forests criti- meanor for taking an unlicensed cal to the Palila’s survival. hunter to shoot game animals in a case “ABC commends the work of the stemming from the broader investiga- law enforcement agents and the U.S. tion into the interisland smuggling of Attorney in Hawai'i that has led to harmful invasive species for hunting. these prosecutions,” said George He was sentenced to a $15,000 fine Wallace, ABC’s Vice President for and 100 hours of community service, Oceans and Islands. “It is vitally im- which he will serve with the Maui portant to show that the laws have Invasive Species Committee. teeth and will be used to protect Daniel Rocha of Hawai'i Island re- Hawai'i’s precious native bird species ceived the three axis deer from Maui and natural resources.” and released them on a private ranch.

He was sentenced to 100 hours of Axis deer: Wikipedia.com 22 l Bird Calls

ABC Sues Department of the Interior To Get the Truth on Bird Kills at Wind Power Plants

oes the public have a right to know how many birds “It’s frustrating that Americans ABC’s FOIA requests and agreed to produce all documents by September and animals proposed wind have to sue to find out what their projectsD are likely to kill? The wind 15, 2012. ABC began receiving more industry says no. They say studies list- government is saying to wind of the FOIAd documents shortly after ing numbers and varieties of birds that companies about threats to birds.” the suit was filed, and Fuller says the might be killed at potential wind sites documents received so far show that are confidential business documents Kelly Fuller the lawsuit was worthwhile. For ex- Wind Campaign Coordinator, ABC that shouldn’t been seen by the public. ample, one of the documents released after the lawsuit revealed that at the But ABC says that, rather than being After waiting several months, ABC prospective Goodhue Wind project a trade secret, our birds are a national took the issue to court. In a lawsuit site in Minnesota, the government’s treasure whose future is entrusted to filed in June, ABC sued the U.S. Environmental Assessment for the the American people, and that there is Department of the Interior in order project’s eagle take permit is being no better way to encourage the wind to obtain the unreleased information. drafted by consultants hired by the industry to build low-impact wind ABC was represented in the suit by wind project’s developer, and not by developments than by making wind the Washington, D.C. public-interest FWS biologists. kills public. law firm of Meyer Glitzenstein & and Crystal. “ABC now knows to be alert for ABC began to push for public access signs of bias in the Environmental to these documents more than 17 “It’s frustrating that Americans have Assessment when we review it during months ago, when it submitted a to sue in order to find out what their the permit’s public comment period, y at av Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) government is saying to wind com- L expected later this year,” said Fuller. g re requests for U.S. Fish and Wildlife panies about the threat to birds,” : G “We look forward to receiving the rest ew url ed C Service (FWS) documents related said Kelly Fuller, Wind Campaign of the FOIAd documents with great Long-bill to bird and bat mortality at wind Coordinator for ABC. “ABC is con- anticipation.” developments in Kennedy County, cerned that many of these projects Texas, where coastal wind projects have the potential to take a toll on have been located in a major bird songbirds, majestic eagles, and threat- migration corridor. ened and endangered species.” Six months later, ABC submitted In response to the lawsuit, the federal FOIA requests for other prospective government admitted that it had not and existing wind developments in met the deadlines for responding to multiple U.S. states. The documents requested ranged from unreleased studies of bird mortality at proposed wind power sites to mortality data from existing facilities, as well as let- ters and records of meetings between FWS officials and representatives of the wind power industry. FWS offices in some states responded by releasing the documents within 90 days, as is required by FOIA, but several FWS offices in other states failed to release any documents at all.

Wind turbines: stock.xchng OCTOBER 2012 l 23

Golden-wings and Long-bills – Lifecycle Bird Conservation at ABC

in association with a In Pennsylvania, private landowners are such as the Wood Thrush and ABC, multitude of partners, already getting involved with conserva- Tennessee Warbler. Along with refor- has launched a “full life-cycle” conser- tion efforts organized with the help of esting riparian areas and areas around vation project for two migratory bird Indiana University of Pennsylvania. existing forests, ABC is encouraging species of conservation concern, the Some are also signing up for conserva- farmers to add shade trees to their cof- Golden-winged Warbler and Long- tion programs that will benefit their fee plantations and to convert their billed Curlew. The new projects are properties. These habitat management sun varieties to shade coffee. actions, primarily involving the creation ABC is also part of a consortium that of young forests, will also benefit spe- is working on annual life cycle conser- cies such as the American Woodcock vation programs for the Long-billed and Ruffed Grouse. Curlew. That group is developing In Tennessee, ABC is working with new management recommendations the University of Tennessee to improve for Long-billed Curlews in both sage Golden-winged Warbler breeding hab- and grassland habitats in the Inter- itat by chemically treating and burn- mountain West. ABC and others ing pastures and other marginal lands. hope to have these practices adopted Similar efforts are being developed and implemented by both public and by ABC and partners for Minnesota, private landowners across the curlew’s West Virginia, Virginia, and North breeding range. Carolina.

y at On the curlew’s wintering grounds, av L g ABC and Mexican partner Pronatura re : G ew The new projects are designed to url Noreste are working together to cre- led C Long-bil conserve breeding, stopover, and ate a community reserve. The creation of this reserve will help secure the designed to conserve breeding, stop- wintering resources for the warbler full protection of one of the largest over, and wintering resources for the remaining grassland areas in Mexico warbler and the curlew, and to insure and the curlew, and to insure safe — a critical wintering area for the safe passage of the birds between these passage of the birds between these Long-billed Curlew. areas during migration. areas during migration. A Golden-winged Warbler Status Assessment and Conservation Action In Central America, where the Plan that sets specific goals for the new Golden-winged Warbler overwinters, program will soon be published by ABC is working to create a cor- the Golden-Winged Warbler Working ridor of protected lands connect- Group. That document will lay out ing the El Jaguar Reserve and the broad conservation targets for the Cerros de Yali Protected Area in warbler across its breeding range of Nicaragua. Efforts continue to en- the Great Lakes and the Appalachian gage additional private landowners Mountains. in this area, which has been identi- In North American ABC is helping fied as an important wintering area the Wisconsin Department of Natural for Golden-wings.

G Resources set up a series of conserva- o ld Shade coffee plantations have also en tion “demonstration sites” on private -w ing been identified as helpful to Golden- ed W lands. arbler ckson wings and other migrant songbirds : Laura Eri 24 l Bird Calls

Colombia Mega Dam Could Destroy Habitat for Threatened Macaw and Newly Discovered Wren

elebrations over the discovery scattered, sparse populations through- Detailed environmental impact stud- of a new species of wren in out Central and South America, in- ies should explore these possibilities Colombia ended abruptly cluding one colony 15 miles upstream as well as other measures to conserve Cwhen it was revealed that much of its from the dam—well within area tar- remaining habitat. habitat – also the habitat for a threat- geted for flooding. “Bird conservation efforts have a his- ened species of macaw – is in danger “This region of Colombia is a world- tory of giving back to local communi- of being flooded by a new hydro- class birding tourism destination, and ties for the long haul in a fashion that electric dam project. the government understands how has been a win-win for all concerned,” The discovery of the Antioquia Wren valuable birds are to the economy. So said Lina Daza Rojas, Executive (Thryophilus sernai) in the Central this may be a factor in mitigation ef- Director of Fundación ProAves, ABC’s Andes of Colombia was announced forts and may help in the survival of Colombian partner. “The conserva- in the July edition of The Auk. Shortly the newly discovered wren and the tion programs are helping to not only afterwards, it was confirmed that the macaw,” said Benjamin Skolnik, protect and rehabilitate the land and wren’s habitat could be flooded when ABC Conservation Specialist. forests, but they also provide improved what has been called the largest power habitat for birds and other wildlife One such mitigation action that could station in the country is finished in that ultimately bring in tourism dol- be taken by the government would be about seven years. The nearly $5.5 lars. And we’ve demonstrated a variety the protection of non-flooded habitat billion, 738 ft. tall Pescadero-Ituango of conservation and farming tech- upstream of the dam. If enough suit- hydroelectric dam will flood 15 square niques that benefit wildlife, while at able habitat could be conserved there, miles of habitat, drowning all six loca- the same time offering equal or even it might be possible to safeguard viable tions where the newly identified bird higher farming returns.” populations of the macaw and wren has been confirmed so far. populations against losses due to log- Of equal concern is the likely flood- ging, cattle grazing and agriculture. ing by the dam of habitat for the last colony in the region of the threatened Military Macaw. This spectacular green, red, and turquoise parrot has

The newly discovered Antioquia Wren (far left) and the Military Macaw (left) could lose key habitat if the Pescadero-Ituango hydroelectric dam is built in Co- lombia's Cauca Valley (pictured in background)

Background photo by Carols Esteban Lara Carols Greg Homel, Natural Elements Productsions Elements Natural Homel, Greg Carlos Estaban Lara, 2012 OCTOBER 2012 l 25

Second Millerbird Translocation a Success

n ambitious, historic effort to self-sustaining population on Laysan. save one of the United States’ “Certainly, there is much more to be rarest bird species from extinc- done,” said George Wallace, ABC Vice tionA reached another milestone recent- President for Oceans and Islands. “But ly when 26 Millerbirds were captured so far, the results are even better than on the northwestern Hawaiian island we had hoped.” of Nihoa and released by biologists on Two biologists will remain on Laysan Laysan Island, some 650 miles away. through the end of October, and This second such translocation took one will remain through the win- place in August and was carried out by ter to monitor the newly released a team of biologists from the US Fish Millerbirds, the young produced in and Wildlife Service (FWS), ABC, and 2012, and the adults translocated in other organizations as part of a multi- 2011. Close observation of the first year effort to restore Millerbirds to group of translocated Millerbirds Laysan Island. over the past 11 months has yielded significant new scientific information Millerbirds disappeared from Laysan about the species, such as details of nearly 100 years ago, after introduced their breeding, the fact that pairs can Banded Millerbirds explore their new home on Laysan. rabbits and other animals devoured produce more than one brood in a Photo: Cameron Rutt their habitat. The introduced animals season, and a still-emerging picture of were removed from Laysan in the how young birds mature and enter the early 20th Century, and FWS has been breeding population. working to restore Laysan’s native veg- etation for more than two decades. The newly translocated birds are already setting up breeding territories, Last year, in the first phase of this and one of the new arrivals has paired translocation effort, 24 Millerbirds with a bird that hatched out on Laysan were successfully moved from Nihoa this spring. to Laysan. Since their September 10, 2011 release, this group of birds has A self-sustaining Millerbird popula- thrived, producing 17 young. With tion on Laysan will ensure that the the 26 Millerbirds brought to Laysan species can’t be wiped out by a single Millerbird nest with egg, Laysan. Photo: Cameron Rutt this year, the team has now translo- catastrophic event on Nihoa – for cated 50 “founder” Millerbirds—the example, a hurricane – or by the acci- initial target number set by the conser- dental introduction of an alien preda- vation team for giving the species the tor or disease. best possible chance of establishing a

The MV Searcher, anchored off Laysan Island, transported both cohorts of Millerbirds from Nihoa to Laysan in 2011 and 2012. Photo: Cameron Rutt, 2012 26 l Bird Calls

building, spaced in way that is that coffee and chocolate plantations BIRDS IN BRIEF designed to signal ‘no fly zone’ to that leave some of the native forest birds. The new visitor center will be trees standing provide four times more Rusty-faced Parrots Use monitored for collisions over its first bird diversity than open farmland. Nest Box for First Time, year to evaluate this risk and the gen- ABC and its international partners Fledge Chick eral success of the glass. have produced and planted more than For the first time ever, a pair of glob- ABC Adds Three Reserves to 950,000 native trees and coffee bushes ally vulnerable Rusty-faced Parrots in agroforestry and silvipasture systems has successfully raised a chick in a ConservationBirding.org in Nicaragua, Colombia, and Peru in nest box. The pair laid a single egg in ABC has added two new destina- an effort to provide more habitat for a box at the Colibri del Sol Reserve tions and updated four others on its tropical birds. in Antioquia, Columbia on April 11. ConservationBirding.org website, a The chick fledged from the box on unique resource that helps conser- ABC Documentary on July 13. vation-minded birders plan trips to Endangered Hawaiian Birds Fundacion ProAves, ABC’s partner in see some of the rarest birds in Latin Now Available America while contributing to their Colombia, placed 41 nest boxes in ABC’s new 30-minute film, titled conservation. The sites are in Peru and the reserve in 2003, because mature Endangered Hawai'i, narrated by Bolivia and are home to such rarities trees and palms that provide the natu- actor Richard Chamberlain, is now as the Long-whiskered Owlet and ral cavities that the threatened parrots available for purchase on DVD. The Marvelous Spatuletail (Peru) and Red- use were being cut down for timber film, which features stunning color fronted Macaw (Bolivia). Come visit! and firewood. It is hoped that more footage of Hawai'i’s birds, explores parrot pairs will use the nest boxes in Study Shows Growing the extinction crisis that has caused the next breeding season. Shade Coffee and Cacao Hawai'i to become known as “The Bird Extinction Capital of the World.” Helps Birds ABC produced the film with funding While natural forests provide the best from the National Fish and Wildlife habitat for tropical forest birds, wood- Foundation. DVDs are available for ed “shade” plantations are also quite $9.95 plus shipping at www.abcbirds. useful. That’s the gist of a study from org/abcprograms/oceansandislands/ the University of Utah, which found hawaii/endangered_hawaii.html Rusty-faced Parrot in nest box: Björn Welander Björn in nest box: Parrot Rusty-faced New Visitor Center in Brooklyn Reflects Bird- Friendly Design Botanical gardens often consist of glass buildings set in landscaped areas, a combination that poses an especially dangerous collision threat for birds. In May, however, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens opened a Visitor Center that has been hailed as proof that bird- friendly architecture can be a part of good design. Architects Marion Weiss and Michael Manfred have added ceramic dots called “frit” in verti- cal lines to the windows of the new Shade-grown coffee: Mike Parr Mike coffee: Shade-grown JUNE 2012 l 27

Maui Parrotbill Getting The Drachenfels Plateau is located Help on the Ground and in the Siebengebirge, or Seven From the Air Mountains National Park in Germany. The plateau is part of a protected area Hawaiian Airlines wants to help covered by environmental regulations conserve the Maui Parrotbill, a criti- protecting the land and its wildlife. cally endangered Hawaiian honey- When the local district approved creeper. The airline recently added the plans to develop a restaurant for Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project the 450,000 tourists who visit the (MFBRP) to their “Give Wings to Drachenfels and opened a competition Great Causes” flyer miles donation to design the facility, Friends of the program for 2012. Earth Germany (BUND) advised that Patrons of Hawaiian Airlines can designs should take into account the now donate frequent flyer miles to potential of glass collisions by bird The conservation of Hawaiian birds MFBRP, allowing people working species of concern resident in the is a top priority for ABC, which is for the project to travel within the area, including Peregrine Falcons, Cirl working with state, federal, and non- Hawaiian Islands free of charge for Buntings, Rock Buntings, and Eagle government partners to implement inter-island scientific, training, and Owls. on-the-ground projects designed to conference events. The program can protect a variety of threatened species. A design for the restaurant was ap- also be used to bring scientists from proved, including use of a type of Bay-breasted Cuckoo the U.S. mainland to Maui. glass, Ornilux, which appears trans- Festival Spreads Currently, the remaining 450 parent to humans but incorporates Conservation Message parrotbills are restricted to a a UV pattern visible to birds. After 15-square mile area of the wind- the approval, BUND sued, on the The first-ever Bay Breasted Cuckoo ward side of east Maui. grounds that other glass more effective Festival was recently held on the north at preventing collisions was available, side of the Sierra de Bahoruco in the although patterns on that glass would Dominican Republic. The festival, be visible to humans. In a recent deci- which coincided with annual patron sion, the court ruled in BUND’s favor. saint festivals, was designed to help The restaurant remains covered by local people better understand the tarps pending appeal. biology, ecology, and conservation needs of the endangered Bay-breasted Cuckoo, known locally as the “Cua”. ABC and the Sociedad Ornithologica de la Hispaniola have been working If you have questions or want more informa-

with the Ministry of Natural Resources Walther Michael Parrotbill: Maui tion on our articles, contact Bob Johns at 202-234-7181, x210, and local communities around the or e-mail [email protected] Loma Charco Azul Biological Reserve German Restaurant Bird Calls is the newsletter of American Bird and Bahorcuo National Park to reduce Modified Following Bird Conservancy and is produced for members threats to delicate dry forest habitat Collision Lawsuit of ABC and the Bird Conservation Alliance. used by the cuckoo. Editors: George Fenwick, Steve Holmer, In what may prove to be a landmark Bob Johns, Jack Morrison, Merrie Morrison, case involving the issue of bird colli- John Nielson, Mike Parr, Gemma Radko, sions with glass, a restaurant on the Gavin Shire, George Wallace. Drachenfels Plateau, a popular tour- AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY 1731 Connecticut Ave, NW, 3rd Floor ist destination in Germany, has been Washington, DC 20009 covered over with a tarp following 202-234-7181/fax 202-234-7182 a ruling that the builders of the re- [email protected]/www.abcbirds.org Bird Conservation Alliance cently completed structure did not do www.birdconservationalliance.org enough to reduce bird collisions. Bay-breasted Cuckoo: Cesar Abrill Cuckoo: Bay-breasted 28 l Bird Calls

Help Protect Birds and the Environment!

the Environmental Protection Agency still uses birds as “canaries in the coal mine” to determine whether the more than 200,000 pesticides registered for use in the United States cause unintended harm to wildlife and the environment; the environment we all share? Scientists have long known that birds provide an excellent measure of whether ecosystems are intact and healthy, and that bird conservation is an integral part of all biodiversity conservation. Whether viewed through the larger lens of climate change or the smaller lens of community- based reserves, birds are seen prominently. Invariably, conservation actions for birds benefit all of us. Will you help ABC demonstrate the strength of our commitment to birds and the environment with a much- needed extra donation this fall? Your support will help ABC: U.S. Department of Labor 4 Work with the Environmental Protection Agency to 4 Continue to design and test glass treatments that will help cancel or restrict ten dangerous rodenticides that prevent millions of birds from colliding with windows. pose unnecessary risk to children, raptors, and other wildlife. 4 Protect seabirds, including Waved Albatrosses in Ecuador, by working with commercial and artisanal 4 Protect birds and other pollinators from the devastating fisheries to reduce bycatch; and Newell’s Shearwaters effects of neonicotinoids, a new class of deadly in Hawai'i by working with partners to build fencing pesticides. and remove invasive predators. 4 Oppose poorly sited wind power developments and continue to advocate for mandatory guidelines for the Donate today using the enclosed envelope or online wind industry to protect migratory birds and iconic at abcbirds.org. As an ABC member you are part of a species such as Bald and Golden Eagles. tremendous constituency that protects birds and the environment—thank you for your generous support.