DOCSLIB.ORG

Northern Wallkill Biodiversity Plan

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Northern Wallkill Biodiversity Plan Balancing Development and Environmental Stewardship in the Hudson River Estuary Watershed Metropolitan Conservation Alliance a program of the MCA Technical Paper Series: No. 13 Northern Wallkill Biodiversity Plan Balancing Development and Environmental Stewardship in the Hudson River Estuary Watershed by Danielle T. LaBruna, M.A. and Michael W. Klemens, Ph.D. Metropolitan Conservation Alliance Wildlife Conservation Society Bronx, New York Front cover photograph: Farm, New Paltz, New York ©WCS/James W. Vellozzi Back cover photograph: Black Creek, Lloyd, New York ©WCS/Kevin J. Ryan Suggested citation: LaBruna, D. T. and M. W. Klemens. 2007. Northern Wallkill Biodiversity Plan: Balancing Development and Environmental Stewardship in the Hudson River Estuary Watershed. MCA Technical Paper No. 13, Metropolitan Conservation Alliance, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York. Additional copies of this document can be obtained from: www.wcs.org/mca ISBN 978-0-9792418-3-3 ISSN 1542-8133 ii Acknowledgements This project would not have been possible without the collaboration and support of our key partners: the staff and volunteers of the Town of Lloyd, the Town of New Paltz, and the Village of New Paltz; the private landowners of New Paltz and Lloyd; and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary Program, which also provided generous financial and technical support. We extend our appreciation and thanks for their contributions to this project. The field data collected by WCS/MCA staff was augmented by spatial datasets provided by Dongming Tang of the GIS team at Ulster County Information Services, John Thompson of Mohonk Preserve, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Natural Heritage Program and Amphibian and Reptile Atlas Project, Cornell University’s Geospatial Information Repository, the New York State GIS Clearinghouse, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s National Wetlands Inventory. We thank them for their contributions. Thanks also to Tim Bean of WCS’s Landscape Ecology and Geographic Analysis Program for his assistance in preparing geographic data for analysis. We would also like to thank the dedicated WCS/MCA staff members who have contributed to this project over the last several years, including: Julian Avery, Brian Houser, Nick Miller, Brandon Ruhe, Jennifer Schmitz, Karen Schneller-McDonald, Kevin Ryan, Chris Valligny, and James Vellozzi. In addition to conducting fieldwork, Julian Avery and Kevin Ryan both contributed to the analysis of this report, and for that we offer special thanks. Portions of this report draw heavily on a previous WCS/MCA report by Miller, et al. (2005), which focused on the headwaters of the Wallkill River. We acknowledge those authors’ efforts which provided a template for the current report. iii iv Table of Contents Introduction Project Background 1 Northern Wallkill Region Overview 1 Concepts and Issues Biodiversity in the Northern Wallkill Region 3 Importance of Biodiversity to the Northern Wallkill Region 4 Biodiversity and Local Land Use Planning 5 Project Premises and Goals 6 Land Use Changes and Biodiversity 7 Changing Patterns of Land Use 7 Landscape Configuration: Planning at the Landscape Level 8 Agriculture and Biodiversity 9 Methods Site Selection and Access 11 Field Data Collection 11 The Focal Species Approach 12 Data Management 13 Data Analysis 13 Results & Discussion Overview 16 Biodiversity Areas 16 Opportunities in Gardiner 22 Recommendations for Implementation Important Considerations and Caveats 24 Recommendations for Future Development and Economic Growth 24 Recommendations for Land Preservation 25 Recommendations for Local Land Use Planning 26 Complementary Partnerships 32 Literature Cited 33 Appendix A: Northern Wallkill Biodiversity Areas Map 35 Appendix B: Focal Species of the Northern Wallkill Region 36 Appendix C: Glossary of Terms 41 Appendix D: WCS/MCA Technical Paper Series 42 v vi Introduction Project Background The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Metropolitan Conservation Alliance (WCS/MCA) initiated the Northern Wallkill Biodiversity Plan (NWBP) project with the goal of establishing a regional approach to land use planning to promote conservation of wildlife and wildlife habitat. The region at the northern stretches of the Wallkill River was chosen due to the richness of wildlife and unfragmented habitat found there, characteristics that are increasingly rare in more southern portions of New York State due to sprawling development. A project with a regional scope such as this necessitates the participation of multiple municipalities. To this end, WCS/MCA formed a partnership with the Town of Lloyd, the Town of New Paltz, and the Village of New Paltz to guide and facilitate this project, including biodiversity field surveys, data analysis, report production, and implementation of recommendations. This report, the Northern Wallkill Biodiversity Plan, contains the summarized results and analysis of biodiversity field surveys and provides recommendations on how to best conserve these biodiverse areas through both land preservation and biodiversity-friendly land use planning. This project builds upon a regional, inter-municipal conservation model created by MCA in other regions and states; this report is the fifth such intermunicipal biodiversity strategy published by MCA. This project began as a four-municipality initiative which included the Town of Esopus. However, the Esopus Town Board was unable to commit to assist in requesting site access for biodiversity surveys. MCA was, therefore, not able to survey sufficient land area to warrant the inclusion of Esopus in this report. Due to Esopus’ rich biological resources, future cooperation with Esopus would enhance the Northern Wallkill Biodiversity Plan and should remain an option. The NWBP project commenced in 2002 when MCA began to conduct biodiversity field surveys. In early 2003, as field studies continued, MCA attended meetings and conducted workshops with town staff and citizens to communicate the purpose of the project and engender support. In early 2004, MCA met with Lloyd and New Paltz representatives to assess progress and chose to put biodiversity surveys on hold until 2005 due to staff capacity issues. In 2005, field surveys resumed and were completed. In 2006, MCA again met with Lloyd and New Paltz representatives to discuss progress and form a timetable for report publication. Northern Wallkill Region Overview The portion of the Northern Wallkill region included in this biodiversity plan includes the Town of Lloyd, the Town of New Paltz, and the Village of New Paltz in Ulster County. It lies between the Shawangunk Mountains to the west and the Hudson River to the east. The Wallkill River is the largest of several water bodies that run through these two towns; from east to west are the Kleine Kill, Wallkill River, Swarte Kill (the dividing line between New Paltz and Lloyd), Black Creek, and Twaalfskill Creek. These water bodies are part of a hydrologic system that provides habitat in the form of streams, rivers, ponds (including beaver ponds), lakes, vernal pools and freshwater 1 wetlands (both marsh and swamp). The region’s diverse topography further contributes to the array of habitat types which also include mixed secondary forest (both young and mature), shrubland, rocky outcrops, rocky ridgelines, and surrogate grasslands in the form of agricultural fields. This region, once containing a pastoral mix of forest, agriculture, hamlets, and villages, is experiencing rapid change. A wave of sprawl is pulsing through the region, altering historic landscapes and putting its natural resources at risk. But vibrant habitats and diverse assemblages of wildlife are still found in the region. There is still time to minimize and contain the effects of sprawl, but this can only be achieved by finding alternative development patterns that can strike a better balance between economic growth and environmental integrity. This balance is necessary, not only to maintain biodiversity, but to retain the diverse and scenic landscapes that are at the very core of the “sense of place” characterizing each town. 2 Concepts and Issues Biodiversity in the Northern Wallkill Region The rich tapestry of genes, species, ecosystems, and their interactions are collectively referred to as “biological diversity,” often shortened to “biodiversity.” Northern Wallkill towns are home to significant habitats and rich assemblages of wildlife due to a unique convergence of factors: 1. The diverse geological variation within these towns serves as a foundation for a wide variety of habitats. Features such as limestone outcroppings, glacial till, and granite escarpments all give rise to distinctive habitat types, which in turn support many unique and rare species. 2. The geographic position of the Northern Wallkill region is at an ecological crossroads, which contributes to the diversity of plants and animals found here. At the close of the Wisconsin glaciation (ca. 15,000 years ago) plants and animals moved into and repopulated southern New York from a variety of routes, including the Wallkill Valley, the Atlantic Coastal Plain, and from the Midwest via the Mohawk Valley. These routes converged in southeastern New York’s lower Hudson Valley. 3. The historic development pattern of small rural villages with intervening open space has fostered both the scenic and biodiversity values of the area. This type of development – intensive but
Recommended publications
  • Hermit Thrush (<Em>Catharus Guttatus</Em>) and Veery (<Em>C

    Hermit Thrush (<Em>Catharus Guttatus</Em>) and Veery (<Em>C

    East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 5-2010 Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) and Veery (C. fuscescens) Breeding Habitat Associations in Southern Appalachian High-Elevation Forests. Andrew J. Laughlin East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons Recommended Citation Laughlin, Andrew J., "Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) and Veery (C. fuscescens) Breeding Habitat Associations in Southern Appalachian High-Elevation Forests." (2010). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1695. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1695 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) and Veery (C. fuscescens) Breeding Habitat Associations in Southern Appalachian High-Elevation Forests __________________ A thesis presented to the faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences East Tennessee State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree Masters of Science in Biological Sciences _________________ by Andrew J. Laughlin May 2010 __________________ Dr. Fred J. Alsop III, Chair Dr. Istvan Karsai Dr. Thomas F. Laughlin Keywords: Birds, Habitat Partitioning, Principal Components Analysis ABSTRACT Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) and Veery (C. fuscescens) Breeding Habitat Associations in Southern Appalachian High-Elevation Forests by Andrew J. Laughlin The Hermit Thrush is a new breeding bird in the Southern Appalachian high-elevation mountains, having expanded its range southward over the last few decades.
  • Klamath Network Featured Creature November 2013 Green Heron (Butorides Virescens)

    Klamath Network Featured Creature November 2013 Green Heron (Butorides Virescens)

    National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Klamath Network Featured Creature November 2013 Green Heron (Butorides virescens) fish, insects, spiders, Atlantic coast into South crustaceans, snails, amphibians, Carolina. Green Herons are reptiles and rodents. widely dispersed and common, the largest threat to these birds Behavior: is habitat loss through the Green herons stalk prey by destruction and development of standing still or walking slowly wetlands. in shallow water with thick Interesting Fact: Pierre Howard vegetation. When prey The green heron is known to approaches the heron will dart use objects such as twigs, General Description: Found in and grasp or spear prey with feathers, or insects to lure small stalking sheltered edges of its sharp and heavy bill. Herons fish to the surface. This freshwater bodies, the green hunt at all times of day or night, behavior makes the green heron heron may first appear to be a in shallow brackish water, one of the few bird species that non-descript little bird. Seen in generally avoiding habitat uses tools! the light however, they have frequented by longer-legged deep green to blue-grey back herons. Where to Find in the Klamath and wings, a dark crested head, Network Parks: with a rich chestnut breast and Butorides virescens can be found in neck, and yellow to orange legs. Redwood National and State Juveniles are understated, with Parks, Whiskeytown National brown and cream streaks and Recreation Area, Lava Beds spots. The green heron is more National Monument, and is compact than other herons. probably present in Lassen They have shorter legs, broad Volcanic National Park.
  • Scientific Support for Successful Implementation of the Natura 2000 Network

    Scientific Support for Successful Implementation of the Natura 2000 Network

    Scientific support for successful implementation of the Natura 2000 network Focus Area B Guidance on the application of existing scientific approaches, methods, tools and knowledge for a better implementation of the Birds and Habitat Directives Environment FOCUS AREA B SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT FOR SUCCESSFUL i IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATURA 2000 NETWORK Imprint Disclaimer This document has been prepared for the European Commis- sion. The information and views set out in the handbook are Citation those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the Van der Sluis, T. & Schmidt, A.M. (2021). E-BIND Handbook (Part B): Scientific support for successful official opinion of the Commission. The Commission does not implementation of the Natura 2000 network. Wageningen Environmental Research/ Ecologic Institute /Milieu guarantee the accuracy of the data included. The Commission Ltd. Wageningen, The Netherlands. or any person acting on the Commission’s behalf cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information Authors contained therein. Lead authors: This handbook has been prepared under a contract with the Anne Schmidt, Chris van Swaay (Monitoring of species and habitats within and beyond Natura 2000 sites) European Commission, in cooperation with relevant stakehold- Sander Mücher, Gerard Hazeu (Remote sensing techniques for the monitoring of Natura 2000 sites) ers. (EU Service contract Nr. 07.027740/2018/783031/ENV.D.3 Anne Schmidt, Chris van Swaay, Rene Henkens, Peter Verweij (Access to data and information) for evidence-based improvements in the Birds and Habitat Kris Decleer, Rienk-Jan Bijlsma (Guidance and tools for effective restoration measures for species and habitats) directives (BHD) implementation: systematic review and meta- Theo van der Sluis, Rob Jongman (Green Infrastructure and network coherence) analysis).
  • ORNITOLOGIA NEOTROPICAL ______Volume 25 2014 No

    ORNITOLOGIA NEOTROPICAL ______Volume 25 2014 No

    ORNITOLOGIA NEOTROPICAL _________________________________________________________________________ Volume 25 2014 No. 3 _________________________________________________________________________ ORNITOLOGIA NEOTROPICAL 25: 247–260, 2014 © The Neotropical Ornithological Society ACTIVIDADES DIARIAS Y USO DE HÁBITAT DE LA REINITA AMARILLA (SETOPHAGA PETECHIA) Y LA PIRANGA ROJA (PIRANGA RUBRA) EN UN ÁREA VERDE URBANA DE CALI, COLOMBIA Adriana del Pilar Caicedo-Argüelles & Lorena Cruz-Bernate Universidad del Valle, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Departamento de Biología, Apartado Aéreo 25360 Cali, Colombia. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract. – Daily activities and habitat use of Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) and Red Tana- ger (Piranga rubra) in a green urban area in Cali, Colombia. – Migratory birds are a group with com- plex ecology because they are affected by a variety of biotic and abiotic factors throughout their annual cycle. Although a lot of research has been conducted, further information on basic aspects such as feed- ing ecology is needed. From September 2011 to April 2012, a study was done on habitat use by Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) and Red Tanager (Piranga rubra) on the campus of Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia. The recorded data included species, activity and its duration, foraging method, tree spe- cies, substrate, and height. “Foraging” was the activity with the largest proportion of time spent by birds; “Gleaning” was the most common foraging method used by the Yellow Warbler, while the Red Tanager used “Hovering” and “Sallying.” Of 50 plant species used, Samanea saman, Pithecellobium dulce, Gua- zuma ulmifolia, Leucaena leucocephala, Clitoria fairchildiana, and Jacaranda caucana were preferred. The most used height interval was 4–6 m, and substrates where birds were observed most frequently were “Twig,” “Leaves, flowers and fruits,” and “Secondary branch.” The present study demonstrates that an area with abundant trees can provide habitat for migratory birds, despite being located in an urban environment.
  • Wildlife of the North Hills: Birds, Animals, Butterflies

    Wildlife of the North Hills: Birds, Animals, Butterflies

    Wildlife of the North Hills: Birds, Animals, Butterflies Oakland, California 2005 About this Booklet The idea for this booklet grew out of a suggestion from Anne Seasons, President of the North Hills Phoenix Association, that I compile pictures of local birds in a form that could be made available to residents of the north hills. I expanded on that idea to include other local wildlife. For purposes of this booklet, the “North Hills” is defined as that area on the Berkeley/Oakland border bounded by Claremont Avenue on the north, Tunnel Road on the south, Grizzly Peak Blvd. on the east, and Domingo Avenue on the west. The species shown here are observed, heard or tracked with some regularity in this area. The lists are not a complete record of species found: more than 50 additional bird species have been observed here, smaller rodents were included without visual verification, and the compiler lacks the training to identify reptiles, bats or additional butterflies. We would like to include additional species: advice from local experts is welcome and will speed the process. A few of the species listed fall into the category of pests; but most - whether resident or visitor - are desirable additions to the neighborhood. We hope you will enjoy using this booklet to identify the wildlife you see around you. Kay Loughman November 2005 2 Contents Birds Turkey Vulture Bewick’s Wren Red-tailed Hawk Wrentit American Kestrel Ruby-crowned Kinglet California Quail American Robin Mourning Dove Hermit thrush Rock Pigeon Northern Mockingbird Band-tailed
  • Catharus Fuscescens the Veery, Like Most Woodland Thrushes, Is More

    Catharus Fuscescens the Veery, Like Most Woodland Thrushes, Is More

    Veery Catharus fuscescens The Veery, like most woodland thrushes, is more frequently heard than seen. Most bird­ ers are familiar with its veer alarm call. Its melodious song, a series of downward­ spiraling notes, rivals that of the Hermit Thrush. Veeries breed throughout Vermont; their range of accepted habitats overlaps that of all other thrushes except the Gray­ cheeked. Although accepting a nearly ubiq­ uitous array of breeding areas, in Connecti­ cut Veeries preferred moist sites (Berlin 1977) and, indeed, few swamps or moist son's thrushes in overlapping territories woodlands in the Northeast are unoccupied (D. P. Kibbe, pers. observ.). by Veeries. However, Vermont's greatest re­ The Veery's bulky nest is built on a thick corded breeding densities for the Veery-64 foundation of dead leaves, usually among to 91 pairs per 100 ha (26 to 37 pairs per saplings or in shrubbery on or near the lOa a)-have been found in habitat com­ ground. Three to 5 pale blue eggs are laid; posed of mixed forest and old fields in cen­ they are incubated for II to 12 days. Twenty­ tral Vermont (Nicholson 1973, 1975, 1978). three Vermont egg dates range from May 26 Dilger (195 6a) found that Veeries preferred to July 23, with a peak in early June. Nest­ disturbed (cutover) forests, presumably lings grow rapidly, and they may leave the because of dense undergrowth there. The nest in as few as 10 days. Nestlings have Veery's acceptance of varied habitat is not been found as early as June 10 and as late surprising in light of its geographic distri­ as July 6.
  • Deciduous Forest Interior Birds Guild

    Deciduous Forest Interior Birds Guild

    Supplemental Volume: Species of Conservation Concern SC SWAP 2015 Deciduous Forest Interior Birds Guild Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula Hooded Warbler Setophaga americana Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia Northern Parula Setophaga americana Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea Black-throated Blue Warbler Setophaga caerulescens Summer Tanager Piranga rubra Black-throated Green Warbler (nominate race) Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina Setophaga virens Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorus Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platyperus Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus Cerulean Warbler Setophaga cerulea Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifroms Eastern Wood-pewee Contopus virens Yellow-throated Warbler Setophaga dominica NOTE: The Black-throated Green Warbler (nominate and Wayne’s) is covered in more detail in its own species account. Contributor (2005): Anna Huckabee Smith (SCDNR) Reviewed and Edited (2012): John Gerwin (NC Museum of Natural Sciences); (2013) Mary Catherine Martin (SCDNR) DESCRIPTION Taxonomy and Basic Description The species described in this report are in the perching bird order, Passeriformes, and represent 8 families: Icteridae (blackbirds), Cuculidae (cuckoos), Parulidae (wood warblers), Thraupidae (tanagers), Turdidae (thrushes), Vireonidae (vireos), Tyrannidae (pewees), and Accipitridae (hawks, kites, eagles). Currently accepted names for the Wood Thrush, Worm-eating Warbler, and Scarlet Tanager are from Gmelin (1789), while the Eastern Wood-pewee was first described by Linnaeus in 1766. The Baltimore Oriole was first described by Mark Catesby in 1731, and Linnaeus named it in 1758 (Rising and Flood 1998). Alexander Wilson first described the Black- billed Cuckoo in 1811, and the Yellow-billed Cuckoo was described by Linnaeus in 1758. The Black-and-White Warbler was first named by Linnaeus in 1766.
  • Birds of the East Texas Baptist University Campus with Birds Observed Off-Campus During BIOL3400 Field Course

    Birds of the East Texas Baptist University Campus with Birds Observed Off-Campus During BIOL3400 Field Course

    Birds of the East Texas Baptist University Campus with birds observed off-campus during BIOL3400 Field course Photo Credit: Talton Cooper Species Descriptions and Photos by students of BIOL3400 Edited by Troy A. Ladine Photo Credit: Kenneth Anding Links to Tables, Figures, and Species accounts for birds observed during May-term course or winter bird counts. Figure 1. Location of Environmental Studies Area Table. 1. Number of species and number of days observing birds during the field course from 2005 to 2016 and annual statistics. Table 2. Compilation of species observed during May 2005 - 2016 on campus and off-campus. Table 3. Number of days, by year, species have been observed on the campus of ETBU. Table 4. Number of days, by year, species have been observed during the off-campus trips. Table 5. Number of days, by year, species have been observed during a winter count of birds on the Environmental Studies Area of ETBU. Table 6. Species observed from 1 September to 1 October 2009 on the Environmental Studies Area of ETBU. Alphabetical Listing of Birds with authors of accounts and photographers . A Acadian Flycatcher B Anhinga B Belted Kingfisher Alder Flycatcher Bald Eagle Travis W. Sammons American Bittern Shane Kelehan Bewick's Wren Lynlea Hansen Rusty Collier Black Phoebe American Coot Leslie Fletcher Black-throated Blue Warbler Jordan Bartlett Jovana Nieto Jacob Stone American Crow Baltimore Oriole Black Vulture Zane Gruznina Pete Fitzsimmons Jeremy Alexander Darius Roberts George Plumlee Blair Brown Rachel Hastie Janae Wineland Brent Lewis American Goldfinch Barn Swallow Keely Schlabs Kathleen Santanello Katy Gifford Black-and-white Warbler Matthew Armendarez Jordan Brewer Sheridan A.

  • Comparative Osteology and Evolution of the Lungless Salamanders, Family Plethodontidae David B

    COMPARATIVE OSTEOLOGY AND EVOLUTION OF THE LUNGLESS SALAMANDERS, FAMILY PLETHODONTIDAE DAVID B. WAKE1 ABSTRACT: Lungless salamanders of the family Plethodontidae comprise the largest and most diverse group of tailed amphibians. An evolutionary morphological approach has been employed to elucidate evolutionary rela­ tionships, patterns and trends within the family. Comparative osteology has been emphasized and skeletons of all twenty-three genera and three-fourths of the one hundred eighty-three species have been studied. A detailed osteological analysis includes consideration of the evolution of each element as well as the functional unit of which it is a part. Functional and developmental aspects are stressed. A new classification is suggested, based on osteological and other char­ acters. The subfamily Desmognathinae includes the genera Desmognathus, Leurognathus, and Phaeognathus. Members of the subfamily Plethodontinae are placed in three tribes. The tribe Hemidactyliini includes the genera Gyri­ nophilus, Pseudotriton, Stereochilus, Eurycea, Typhlomolge, and Hemidac­ tylium. The genera Plethodon, Aneides, and Ensatina comprise the tribe Pleth­ odontini. The highly diversified tribe Bolitoglossini includes three super­ genera. The supergenera Hydromantes and Batrachoseps include the nominal genera only. The supergenus Bolitoglossa includes Bolitoglossa, Oedipina, Pseudoeurycea, Chiropterotriton, Parvimolge, Lineatriton, and Thorius. Manculus is considered to be congeneric with Eurycea, and Magnadig­ ita is congeneric with Bolitoglossa. Two species are assigned to Typhlomolge, which is recognized as a genus distinct from Eurycea. No. new information is available concerning Haptoglossa. Recognition of a family Desmognathidae is rejected. All genera are defined and suprageneric groupings are defined and char­ acterized. Range maps are presented for all genera. Relationships of all genera are discussed.
  • Periodic and Transient Motions of Large Woodpeckers Michael D

    Periodic and Transient Motions of Large Woodpeckers Michael D

    www.nature.com/scientificreports Correction: Publisher Correction OPEN Periodic and transient motions of large woodpeckers Michael D. Collins Two types of periodic and transient motions of large woodpeckers are considered. A drumming Received: 3 July 2017 woodpecker may be modeled as a harmonic oscillator with a periodic forcing function. The transient Accepted: 12 September 2017 behavior that occurs after the forcing is turned of suggests that the double knocks of Campephilus Published: xx xx xxxx woodpeckers may be modeled in terms of a harmonic oscillator with an impulsive forcing, and this hypothesis is consistent with audio and video recordings. Wingbeats are another type of periodic and transient motion of large woodpeckers. A model for the fap rate in cruising fight is applied to the Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) and the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis). During a brief transient just after taking of, the wing motion and fap rate of a large woodpecker may not be the same as in cruising fight. These concepts are relevant to videos that contain evidence for the persistence of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Drumming and wingbeats are two types of periodic motion of large woodpeckers. Tis paper discusses these behaviors and related transient motions that occur in evidence for the persistence of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis)1–3. Most woodpeckers signal by drumming, which consists of a rapid series of blows with the bill. Audio S1 contains four drumming events by nearby and distant Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus). Some members of the Campephilus genus do not engage in this type of drumming but instead signal with double knocks.
  • Predation on Vertebrates by Neotropical Passerine Birds Leonardo E

    Predation on Vertebrates by Neotropical Passerine Birds Leonardo E

    Lundiana 6(1):57-66, 2005 © 2005 Instituto de Ciências Biológicas - UFMG ISSN 1676-6180 Predation on vertebrates by Neotropical passerine birds Leonardo E. Lopes1,2, Alexandre M. Fernandes1,3 & Miguel Â. Marini1,4 1 Depto. de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-910, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. 2 Current address: Lab. de Ornitologia, Depto. de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, 31270-910, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected]. 3 Current address: Coleções Zoológicas, Aves, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Avenida André Araújo, 2936, INPA II, 69083-000, Manaus, AM, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected]. 4 Current address: Lab. de Ornitologia, Depto. de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade de Brasília, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract We investigated if passerine birds act as important predators of small vertebrates within the Neotropics. We surveyed published studies on bird diets, and information on labels of museum specimens, compiling data on the contents of 5,221 stomachs. Eighteen samples (0.3%) presented evidence of predation on vertebrates. Our bibliographic survey also provided records of 203 passerine species preying upon vertebrates, mainly frogs and lizards. Our data suggest that vertebrate predation by passerines is relatively uncommon in the Neotropics and not characteristic of any family. On the other hand, although rare, the ability to prey on vertebrates seems to be widely distributed among Neotropical passerines, which may respond opportunistically to the stimulus of a potential food item.
  • 1 Southeastern Us Coastal Plain

    1 Southeastern Us Coastal Plain

    1 In Press: 2000. Chapter XX. Pages __-__ in Richard C. Bruce, Robert J. Jaeger, and Lynn D. Houck, editors. The Biology of the Plethodontidae. Plenum Publishing Corp., New York, N. Y. SOUTHEASTERN U. S. COASTAL PLAIN HABITATS OF THE PLETHODONTIDAE: THE IMPORTANCE OF RELIEF, RAVINES, AND SEEPAGE D. BRUCE MEANS Coastal Plains Institute and Land Conservancy, 1313 N. Duval Street, Tallahassee, FL 32303, USA 1. INTRODUCTION Because the Coastal Plain is geologically and biologically a very distinct region of the southeastern United States -- the southern portion having a nearly subtropical climate -- the life cycles, ecology, and evolutionary relationships of its plethodontid salamanders may be significantly different from plethodontids in the Appalachians and Piedmont. Little attention has been paid, however, to Coastal Plain plethodontids. For instance, of the 133 scientific papers and posters presented at the four plethodontid salamander conferences held in Highlands, North Carolina, since 1972, only three (2%) dealt with Coastal Plain plethodontids. And yet, while it possesses fewer total species than the Appalachians and Piedmont, the Coastal Plain boasts of slightly more plethodontid diversity at the generic level. The genera Phaeognathus, Haideotriton, and Stereochilus are Coastal Plain endemics, whereas in the Appalachians and Piedmont Gyrinophilus is the only endemic genus unless one accepts Leurognathus apart from Desmognathus. In addition, Aneides is found in the Appalachians and not the Coastal Plain, but the genus also occurs in the western U. S. All the rest of the plethodontid genera east of the Mississippi River are shared by the Coastal Plain with the Appalachians and Piedmont. Geographically, the Coastal Plain includes Long Island in New York, and stretches south from the New Jersey Pine Barrens to include all of Florida, then west to Texas (Fig.