Bird Calls March 2005

Vol. 9, No. 1 BBBIRDIRDIRD CCCALLSALLSALLS March 2005 Red Knot May Be Candidate for ESA Listing Despite Horseshoe Crab Harvest Restrictions Po’ouli Dies in Captivity As was reported by ABC in its A coalition of environmental groups, November press release, what was including New Jersey Audubon, ABC, likely the last individual Po’ouli died Defenders of Wildlife, and National in captivity in Hawaii on November Audubon Society has begun 28, 2004. To view the full text see: proceedings to have the rufa subspecies www.abcbirds.org. of the Red Knot protected under the Endangered Species Act. Red Knot Top Stories in This Issue populations have declined globally in recent decades, but the rufa subspecies American Vet Association has fallen as much as 60% since the Revises its Stance on Feral The recent victory in regulating horseshoe late-1980s. This population winters in Cats. A new position statement by Tierra del Fuego and other parts of crab harvest has not yet been able to reverse declines in Red Knot populations. Photo: T. the AVMA states that free-roaming South America, migrating some 9,000 D. Rodda. cats represent a significant factor miles to its Arctic breeding grounds in in wildlife mortality. See story continue. Canada. Along the way, the birds page 4. concentrate in vast numbers at staging ABC and National Audubon Society have led efforts to protect areas, making them particularly Battles Over Alaska horseshoe crabs, and the knots and vulnerable. The Delaware Bay is the Wilderness Oil and Gas Drilling other shorebirds that rely on their eggs. most important of these stop-off Continue. The Federal points, where the knots feed on the These efforts appear to be paying off, Government continues to push eggs of horseshoe crabs to sustain as the 2004 take of crabs reached its for oil exploration in Alaskan them on their long journey north. lowest levels in more than a decade. In Overharvest of crabs for use 2004, crab landings in Delaware Bay, refuges and wilderness areas. as bait in conch and eel pots has been a critical place for both crabs and See story page 9. linked to the declines in Red Knots. The shorebirds, fell by 53% from 2003 knot has evolved a relatively long levels. Coast-wide landings dropped to lifespan and a commensurately low just 630,000 crabs. FWS will initiate a reproductive rate. Conservationists public comment period if they decide have predicted that although the to proceed with the listing process. Contact: Eric Stiles, New Jersey population still numbers in the tens of Photo: FWS thousands, it could be in peril if declines Audubon, (908) 766-5787. Swarovski Land Purchase Protects Critically Endangered Hummingbird in Colombia West Coast Purple Martins A grant from Swarovski is enabling ABC and ProAves Colombia to create a new Flying High. The species status reserve for the Critically Endangered Colorful Puffleg, along with other has improved thanks to endangered bird and amphibian species. conservation efforts, but more The Colorful Puffleg is one of the world’s most threatened work is needed. See story page 11. hummingbirds. It is an extreme habitat specialist, found only in wet montane forests on the Pacific slope of the west Andes, in southwest Colombia. Already For complete list of stories see page 2. Continued on page 7 BIRD CALLS MARCH 2005 ABC and the Corps Without the regular placement of sand workshops on dredging, beach on dredged material islands, terns and nourishment, and bird conservation at of Engineers: skimmers are forced to nest on Jekyll Island, Georgia. Emphasis was mainland beaches where increased placed on the importance of maintaining Dredging for Birds productive, low-energy, inter-tidal habitats around inlets and estuaries for Operations by the U.S. Army Corps of nesting and wintering Piping Plovers Engineers are a major force shaping and other migratory shorebirds. Best bird habitat along the coastlines and management practices for large dredge waterways of the United States. As the disposal sites that can produce highly federal agency responsible for productive foraging or roosting habitat maintaining navigable waterways and for migratory birds were also proposed. for shoreline protection, the Corps For example, seasonal management of dredges and relocates over 250 million water levels at seven disposal sites near cubic yards of material each year. the Savannah Harbor attracts tens of Coastal dredging and disposal thousands of migratory shorebirds each operations have tremendous, and often year. In total, over 288 bird species unrecognized, potential for bird habitat Shorebirds such as the Western Sandpiper have been documented at the site. creation and management. benefit from dredge-deposit habitat. Photo: ABC will provide expertise to In recognition of the potential FWS. the Corps on the needs of priority birds, benefit to bird populations, ABC and the in coordination with the North Corps have initiated a partnership to American Waterbird Conservation Plan, explore ways of integrating the disturbance from human recreational the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, conservation of priority bird species activity and predators such as raccoons and the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture. into the planning and execution of large, and cats can significantly reduce nest Proceedings from the Jekyll Island coastal, engineering projects. For success. With increasing development workshop and information about future example, sediments from the routine along the entire U.S. coastline, there will regional workshops on dredging, beach maintenance dredging of the Atlantic be a much greater need for the creation nourishment, and bird conservation will Intra-Coastal Waterway have been and active management of suitable soon be available online at: http:// used to create productive near-shore nesting, foraging, and roosting habitats el.erdc.usace.army.mil/training.cfm? and offshore island nesting habitat for for coastal birds. Topic=Workshop&List=05feb-dots. many species of terns and for Black In January 2005, ABC and the Contact: Casey Lott, ABC, Skimmers. Corps held the first of four regional <[email protected]>. Study of Rare Birds birds, ranked by IUCN-World previously unknown; Rusty-faced Conservation Union as globally Parrot was found at 29 localities; in Colombian Oak Endangered or Critically Endangered. Mountain Grackle was found at 22 The four species, Mountain localities; and Gorgeted Wood-Quail Forests Encouraging Grackle (Critical), Black Inca was detected at 20 localities – more than (Endangered), Rusty-faced Parrot were initially expected. The Eastern Andes of Colombia is a (Endangered), and Gorgeted Wood- The study concluded that all priority area for bird conservation due Quail (Critical), depend at least four species should be reclassified as to its high level of endemism combined seasonally on oak forests. However, Vulnerable. Care is necessary, however, with a lack of protected areas and between 66% and 85% of their historic as downgrading a species ranking can limited knowledge about its biota. Of ranges have now been converted to impact the attention and funding it particular interest are stands of the agriculture. Yet despite this dire habitat receives. The goal of evaluating the endemic Humboldt oak, many of which situation, the investigators turned up status of species is to use the best have been logged. ABC, under its some encouraging results. From 151 available information so conservation William Belton Small Grants Program, counting points at five sites in the area, can be prioritized for the species most provided funding to ProAves Colombia the team observed Black Inca at 27 in need. Contact: Robert Chipley, ABC, to study the status of four oak forest localities, seven of which were <[email protected]>. 3 BIRD CALLS MARCH 2005 World’s Largest Caspian Tern ABC, Defenders of Wildlife, National Audubon Society, and Seattle Audubon Society. The groups contend that the terns Colony to be Decimated have only a minute impact on salmon returns and are being unfairly scapegoated, while the real causes of salmon declines Plans to devastate the world’s largest colony of Caspian – dams, habitat loss, over-harvest, and fish hatcheries – go Terns look set to go ahead under a final Environmental largely uncontested. Impact Statement (EIS), completed by FWS and the National The plan, estimated to cost $2.4 million in its first Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The plan calls for the year, calls for new tern habitat to be established elsewhere elimination of up to 74% of the tern colony on East Sand in Washington, Oregon, and California. However, some of Island in the Columbia River on the Washington-Oregon these sites are up to 800 miles from the present colony, and border. All but 1-1.5 acres of the 6 acres of sandy habitat all would expose terns to greater threats from predators on the island would be destroyed and birds relocated, and environmental toxins, as well as increased competition reducing tern numbers over several years from 9,500 current from other birds. Until suitable, predator-free habitat is breeding pairs to as few as 2,500 pairs. The colony currently established elsewhere, and terns have colonized and bred holds 70% of the Pacific Coast population, due mostly to successfully there, conservationists do not support moving the loss of suitable alternate nesting habitat (such as the terns off East Sand. deliberate destruction of habitat at neighboring Rice Island Long-term ownership of East Sand Island, by federal agencies – Bird Calls V. 6, No. 3). currently in Army Corps of Engineers hands, is not addressed While Pacific salmon in Alaska remain in plentiful by the EIS. The Corps and conservationists have urged its supply, salmon numbers in the Columbia River have declined addition to the National Wildlife Refuge system. An ABC- precipitously in recent years. NMFS has long blamed the designated globally Important Bird Area, the island also has terns for inhibiting salmon recovery by their consumption over 6,700 roosting endangered “California” Brown Pelicans, of juvenile salmonids – a conclusion disputed by scientists.

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