Henslow's Sparrow

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Henslow's Sparrow U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Status Assessment and Conservation Plan for the Henslow’s Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) ©Jean Iron 2009 Status Assessment and Conservation Plan for the Henslow’s Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) Version 1.0 2012 prepared by Tom Cooper U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Migratory Birds 5600 American Blvd. West – Suite 950 Bloomington, MN 55437 [email protected] Recommended Citation Cooper, T.R. (Plan Coordinator). 2012. Status Assessment and Conservation Plan for the Henslow’s Sparrow ( Ammodramus henslowii). Version 1.0. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bloomington, Minnesota. 126 pp. Cover photo courtesy of Jean Iron Acknowledgements I wish to thank the numerous contributors from state conservation agencies, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offices, universities, and private conservation organizations that provided information used in developing this plan and reviewed earlier drafts. I especially thank those who attended the Henslow’s Sparrow Workshop held in Minneapolis in March, 2007 (see list of participants in Appendix A). Parts of the plan, especially the natural history and state status assessment sections, were based largely on the Henslow’s Sparrow Status Assessment completed by Lori Pruitt for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1996. I updated the sections she prepared by including research published after 1996. Completion of the plan would not have been possible without the guidance, support, and input provided by Tom Will, Steve Lewis, Katie Koch, Jessica Piispanen, and Bob Russell (all U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees). Funding for this project was provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Migratory Bird Management through the Survey, Monitoring, and Assessment (SMA) program. —TRC Note Unforeseen circumstances delayed final release of this Conservation Action Plan, with the result that some assessments and analyses are slightly out of date as of 2012. All data presented in the plan were the most current available as of June 2007. Some analyses have been revised since 2007—e.g., predicted losses of CRP have been updated with actual figures—and notations in the text or on figures indicate where that has been the case. Rather than delay publication further by producing a thoroughly updated assessment, we thought that Henslow's Sparrow conservation would be better served by publishing this document as is in the hopes that it would inspire the present generation of grassland bird researchers and conservationists to take the next giant leap forward. Table of Contents I. Executive Summary ............................................................................................................... 1 II. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 2 III. Description of Target Population ........................................................................................ 3 A. Range ................................................................................................................................... 3 B. Habitat .................................................................................................................................. 5 C. Breeding Distribution ........................................................................................................... 8 D. Winter Distribution ............................................................................................................ 12 E. Spatial Extent of Action Plan ............................................................................................. 14 IV. Population Status .............................................................................................................. 15 A. Population Trend ................................................................................................................ 15 B. Legal and Priority Status .................................................................................................... 17 C. Known or Suspected Limiting Factors and Threats ........................................................... 21 V. Natural History ................................................................................................................... 25 A. Migration ............................................................................................................................ 25 B. Reproduction ...................................................................................................................... 25 C. Food Habits ........................................................................................................................ 28 VI. Population Objectives ....................................................................................................... 29 VII. Henslow’s Sparrow Conservation Action Items ............................................................. 31 A. Breeding Range Action Items ............................................................................................ 31 B. Winter Range Action Items ................................................................................................ 38 VIII. Strategic Conservation for Henslow’s Sparrows ........................................................... 42 IX. Conclusions and Next Steps: ............................................................................................ 47 X. State Status Assessment .................................................................................................... 49 XI. Literature Cited ............................................................................................................... 111 Appendix A. Participants attending the Henslow’s Sparrow Workshop .............................. 125 Appendix B. Bibliography of State Wildlife Action Plans .................................................. 126 I. Executive Summary The Henslow’s Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) breeds locally throughout the northeastern United States (U.S.), Midwestern U.S., and into southern Ontario; and it winters in coastal states from Texas east to Florida and north to southern North Carolina. Research indicates that the species requires large patches of grassland, with dense vegetation and a well-developed litter layer for breeding and grassland habitats, often associated with longleaf pine forests during wintering periods. Analyses of available data show range-wide population declines from the late 1960s through the mid-1980s, primarily caused by habitat loss and fragmentation. Stakeholder concern over population declines resulted in the species receiving special conservation status throughout its range at both the state and national level. Since the mid-1980s, the population has stabilized and has shown growth over the past 10-15 years. Although the population is increasing as a whole, regional populations are still declining, and significant habitat threats exist throughout the species range. Because of past and present concerns for the species, a Henslow’s Sparrow Conservation Plan Workshop was held in March 2007 to get stakeholder input for developing a comprehensive Henslow’s Sparrow Conservation Plan that will guide future conservation efforts. At the workshop, participants discussed developing population goals and identifying conservation priorities for both the breeding and wintering range of the species. Participants developed population goals based on the current distribution of the species, population indices derived from the North American Breeding Bird Survey, and goals set by Partners in Flight as part of the North American Landbird Conservation Plan. They also developed conservation actions containing research, education, and management components for the breeding and wintering range. The goals for breeding and wintering ground actions are presented below (see text for more detail). Goals for Breeding Ground Actions identified in the plan are: . Determine the current status and distribution of the Henslow’s Sparrow throughout its breeding range. Improve our understanding of Henslow’s Sparrow population demographics and how they are affected by differing habitat management regimes and landscape changes across the species breeding range. Protect, restore, maintain, and manage grassland habitats that are needed to sustain a stable or increasing Henslow’s Sparrow population. Cooperate with non-traditional partners to create and manage habitat for breeding grassland birds including the Henslow’s Sparrow. Goals for Wintering Ground Actions identified in the plan are: . Assess the current status and distribution of wintering Henslow’s Sparrows, as well as, the distribution of important wintering habitat. Maintain or increase the current use of prescribed fire to manage longleaf pine savanna habitat for wintering Henslow’s Sparrows. Protect, manage, and restore longleaf pine savanna habitat for wintering populations of Henslow’s Sparrows. Henslow’s Sparrow Conservation Plan — Version 1.0 1 . Improve our understanding of the connectivity between breeding and wintering areas. Actions identified in the plan will likely benefit other grassland birds requiring similar habitat conditions and facing similar threats. Therefore, participants at the Henslow’s Sparrow Workshop recommended forming an Eastern Grassland Bird Working Group to foster partnerships benefitting the entire suite of grassland birds found in the eastern United States and Canada. II. Introduction The Henslow’s Sparrow
Recommended publications
  • Grasshopper Sparrow,Ammodramus Savannarum Pratensis
    COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum pratensis pratensis subspecies (Ammodramus savannarum pratensis) in Canada SPECIAL CONCERN 2013 COSEWIC status reports are working documents used in assigning the status of wildlife species suspected of being at risk. This report may be cited as follows: COSEWIC. 2013. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Grasshopper Sparrow pratensis subspecies Ammodramus savannarum pratensis in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. ix + 36 pp. (www.registrelep- sararegistry.gc.ca/default_e.cfm). Production note: COSEWIC acknowledges Carl Savignac for writing the status report on the Grasshopper Sparrow pratensis subspecies, Ammodramus savannarum pratensis in Canada, prepared with the financial support of Environment Canada. This report was overseen and edited by Marty Leonard, Co-chair of the COSEWIC Birds Specialist Subcommittee. For additional copies contact: COSEWIC Secretariat c/o Canadian Wildlife Service Environment Canada Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3 Tel.: 819-953-3215 Fax: 819-994-3684 E-mail: COSEWIC/[email protected] http://www.cosewic.gc.ca Également disponible en français sous le titre Ếvaluation et Rapport de situation du COSEPAC sur le Bruant sauterelle de la sous- espèce de l’Est (Ammodramus savannarum pratensis) au Canada. Cover illustration/photo: Grasshopper Sparrow pratensis subspecies — photo by Jacques Bouvier. Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2014. Catalogue No. CW69-14/681-2014E-PDF ISBN 978-1-100-23548-6 Recycled paper COSEWIC Assessment Summary Assessment Summary – November 2013 Common name Grasshopper Sparrow - pratensis subspecies Scientific name Ammodramus savannarum pratensis Status Special Concern Reason for designation In Canada, this grassland bird is restricted to southern Ontario and southwestern Quebec.
    [Show full text]
  • L O U I S I a N A
    L O U I S I A N A SPARROWS L O U I S I A N A SPARROWS Written by Bill Fontenot and Richard DeMay Photography by Greg Lavaty and Richard DeMay Designed and Illustrated by Diane K. Baker What is a Sparrow? Generally, sparrows are characterized as New World sparrows belong to the bird small, gray or brown-streaked, conical-billed family Emberizidae. Here in North America, birds that live on or near the ground. The sparrows are divided into 13 genera, which also cryptic blend of gray, white, black, and brown includes the towhees (genus Pipilo), longspurs hues which comprise a typical sparrow’s color (genus Calcarius), juncos (genus Junco), and pattern is the result of tens of thousands of Lark Bunting (genus Calamospiza) – all of sparrow generations living in grassland and which are technically sparrows. Emberizidae is brushland habitats. The triangular or cone- a large family, containing well over 300 species shaped bills inherent to most all sparrow species are perfectly adapted for a life of granivory – of crushing and husking seeds. “Of Louisiana’s 33 recorded sparrows, Sparrows possess well-developed claws on their toes, the evolutionary result of so much time spent on the ground, scratching for seeds only seven species breed here...” through leaf litter and other duff. Additionally, worldwide, 50 of which occur in the United most species incorporate a substantial amount States on a regular basis, and 33 of which have of insect, spider, snail, and other invertebrate been recorded for Louisiana. food items into their diets, especially during Of Louisiana’s 33 recorded sparrows, Opposite page: Bachman Sparrow the spring and summer months.
    [Show full text]
  • A Comprehensive Multilocus Assessment of Sparrow (Aves: Passerellidae) Relationships ⇑ John Klicka A, , F
    Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 77 (2014) 177–182 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev Short Communication A comprehensive multilocus assessment of sparrow (Aves: Passerellidae) relationships ⇑ John Klicka a, , F. Keith Barker b,c, Kevin J. Burns d, Scott M. Lanyon b, Irby J. Lovette e, Jaime A. Chaves f,g, Robert W. Bryson Jr. a a Department of Biology and Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Box 353010, Seattle, WA 98195-3010, USA b Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 100 Ecology Building, 1987 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA c Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota, 100 Ecology Building, 1987 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA d Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA e Fuller Evolutionary Biology Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14950, USA f Department of Biology, University of Miami, 1301 Memorial Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA g Universidad San Francisco de Quito, USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, y Extensión Galápagos, Campus Cumbayá, Casilla Postal 17-1200-841, Quito, Ecuador article info abstract Article history: The New World sparrows (Emberizidae) are among the best known of songbird groups and have long- Received 6 November 2013 been recognized as one of the prominent components of the New World nine-primaried oscine assem- Revised 16 April 2014 blage. Despite receiving much attention from taxonomists over the years, and only recently using molec- Accepted 21 April 2014 ular methods, was a ‘‘core’’ sparrow clade established allowing the reconstruction of a phylogenetic Available online 30 April 2014 hypothesis that includes the full sampling of sparrow species diversity.
    [Show full text]
  • Ultimate Bolivia Tour Report 2019
    Titicaca Flightless Grebe. Swimming in what exactly? Not the reed-fringed azure lake, that’s for sure (Eustace Barnes) BOLIVIA 8 – 29 SEPTEMBER / 4 OCTOBER 2019 LEADER: EUSTACE BARNES Bolivia, indeed, THE land of parrots as no other, but Cotingas as well and an astonishing variety of those much-loved subfusc and generally elusive denizens of complex uneven surfaces. Over 700 on this tour now! 1 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Bolivia 2019 www.birdquest-tours.com Blue-throated Macaws hoping we would clear off and leave them alone (Eustace Barnes) Hopefully, now we hear of colourful endemic macaws, raucous prolific birdlife and innumerable elusive endemic denizens of verdant bromeliad festooned cloud-forests, vast expanses of rainforest, endless marshlands and Chaco woodlands, each ringing to the chorus of a diverse endemic avifauna instead of bleak, freezing landscapes occupied by impoverished unhappy peasants. 2 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Bolivia 2019 www.birdquest-tours.com That is the flowery prose, but Bolivia IS that great destination. The tour is no longer a series of endless dusty journeys punctuated with miserable truck-stop hotels where you are presented with greasy deep-fried chicken and a sticky pile of glutinous rice every day. The roads are generally good, the hotels are either good or at least characterful (in a good way) and the food rather better than you might find in the UK. The latter perhaps not saying very much. Palkachupe Cotinga in the early morning light brooding young near Apolo (Eustace Barnes). That said, Bolivia has work to do too, as its association with that hapless loser, Che Guevara, corruption, dust and drug smuggling still leaves the country struggling to sell itself.
    [Show full text]
  • Ammodramus Bairdii): a Technical Conservation Assessment
    Baird’s Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii): A Technical Conservation Assessment Prepared for the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Species Conservation Project June 9, 2006 David A. Wiggins, Ph.D. Strix Ecological Research 1515 Classen Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73106 Peer Review Administered by Society for Conservation Biology Wiggins, D.A. (2006, June 9). Baird’s Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii): a technical conservation assessment. [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/ bairdssparrow.pdf [date of access]. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Brenda Dale, Stephen Davis, Michael Green, and Stephanie Jones provided reprints and unpublished information on Baird’s sparrows – this assessment would not have been possible without their previous research work and helpful assistance. Greg Hayward and Gary Patton gave many useful tips for enhancing the structure and quality of this assessment. I also thank Rick Baydack, Scott Dieni, and Stephanie Jones for providing thorough reviews that greatly improved the quality of the assessment. AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY David Wiggins developed an early interest in ornithology. During his high school years, he worked as a museum assistant under Gary Schnell and George Sutton at the University of Oklahoma. He later earned degrees from the University of Oklahoma (B.Sc. in Zoology), Brock University (M.Sc. - Parental care in Common Terns, under the supervision of Ralph Morris), and Simon Fraser University (Ph.D. - Selection on life history traits in Tree Swallows, under the supervision of Nico Verbeek). This was followed by a National Science Foundation Post-doctoral fellowship at Uppsala University in Sweden, where he studied life history evolution in Collared Flycatchers, and later a Fulbright Fellowship working on the reproductive ecology of tits (Paridae) in Namibia and Zimbabwe.
    [Show full text]
  • 21 Sep 2018 Lists of Victims and Hosts of the Parasitic
    version: 21 Sep 2018 Lists of victims and hosts of the parasitic cowbirds (Molothrus). Peter E. Lowther, Field Museum Brood parasitism is an awkward term to describe an interaction between two species in which, as in predator-prey relationships, one species gains at the expense of the other. Brood parasites "prey" upon parental care. Victimized species usually have reduced breeding success, partly because of the additional cost of caring for alien eggs and young, and partly because of the behavior of brood parasites (both adults and young) which may directly and adversely affect the survival of the victim's own eggs or young. About 1% of all bird species, among 7 families, are brood parasites. The 5 species of brood parasitic “cowbirds” are currently all treated as members of the genus Molothrus. Host selection is an active process. Not all species co-occurring with brood parasites are equally likely to be selected nor are they of equal quality as hosts. Rather, to varying degrees, brood parasites are specialized for certain categories of hosts. Brood parasites may rely on a single host species to rear their young or may distribute their eggs among many species, seemingly without regard to any characteristics of potential hosts. Lists of species are not the best means to describe interactions between a brood parasitic species and its hosts. Such lists do not necessarily reflect the taxonomy used by the brood parasites themselves nor do they accurately reflect the complex interactions within bird communities (see Ortega 1998: 183-184). Host lists do, however, offer some insight into the process of host selection and do emphasize the wide variety of features than can impact on host selection.
    [Show full text]
  • Henslow's Sparrow
    Table of Contents I. Introduction………………………………………………………… 1 II. Species Account……………………………………………………. 1 A. Taxonomy Description…………………………………………. 1 1. Original Description…………………………………….. 1 2. Taxonomic Description…………………………………. 3 B. Historical and Current Distribution……………………………... 3 1. Description of Habitats and Locations of Occurrence….. 3 2. Known Collection Sites………………………………… 5 3. Associated Species and Communities………………...... 5 C. Population Sizes and Abundance………………………………. 7 D. Reproduction…………………………………………………… 8 E. Food and Feeding Requirements……………………………...... 8 F. Other Pertinent Information and Summary…………………...... 9 III. Ownership of Properties…………………………………………… 9 IV. Potential Threats…………………………………………………… 10 V. Protective Laws…………………………………………………...... 12 A. Federal………………………………………………………...... 12 B. State…………………………………………………………...... 12 VI. Recovery………………………………………………………….... 12 A. Objectives………………………………………………………. 12 B. Recovery Criteria……………………………………………..... 12 VII. Narrative Outline…………………………………………………... 13 1. Additional Species Information Needs…………………………. 13 2. Management Activities for Maintaining Species Populations and for Species Recovery………………………………………....... 14 VIII. Costs of Recovery Plan Implementation…………………………… 15 Table 1 Henslow’s sparrow densities for sites of occurrence………………. 18 Figure 1……………………………………………………………………………..... 20 Literature Cited………………………………………………………………………. 21 i Acknowledgements We would like to thank all of the individuals who assisted with or provided information for the completion of this plan. Most
    [Show full text]
  • (AMMODRAMUS NELSONI) SPARROWS by Jennifer Walsh University of New Hampshire, September 2015
    HYBRID ZONE DYNAMICS BETWEEN SALTMARSH (AMMODRAMUS CAUDACUTUS) AND NELSON’S (AMMODRAMUS NELSONI) SPARROWS BY JENNIFER WALSH Baccalaureate Degree (BS), University of New Hampshire, 2007 Master’s Degree (MS), University of New Hampshire, 2009 DISSERTATION Submitted to the University of New Hampshire in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies September, 2015 This dissertation has been examined and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies in the Department of Natural Resources and Earth Systems Science by: Dissertation Director, Adrienne I. Kovach Research Associate Professor of Natural Resources Brian J. Olsen, Assistant Professor, School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine W. Gregory Shriver, Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware Rebecca J. Rowe, Assistant Professor of Natural Resources Kimberly J. Babbitt, Professor of Natural Resources On July 9, 2015 Original approval signatures are on file with the University of New Hampshire Graduate School. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS While pursuing my doctorate, a number of people have helped me along the way, and to each of them I am exceedingly grateful. First and foremost, I am grateful for my advisor, Adrienne Kovach, for her guidance, support, and mentorship. Without her, I would not be where I am, and I will be forever grateful for the invaluable role she has played in my academic development. Her unwavering enthusiasm for the project and dedication to its success has been a source of inspiration and I will never forget our countless road trips and long days out on the marsh.
    [Show full text]
  • Wildland Fire in Ecosystems: Effects of Fire on Fauna
    United States Department of Agriculture Wildland Fire in Forest Service Rocky Mountain Ecosystems Research Station General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-42- volume 1 Effects of Fire on Fauna January 2000 Abstract _____________________________________ Smith, Jane Kapler, ed. 2000. Wildland fire in ecosystems: effects of fire on fauna. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-42-vol. 1. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 83 p. Fires affect animals mainly through effects on their habitat. Fires often cause short-term increases in wildlife foods that contribute to increases in populations of some animals. These increases are moderated by the animals’ ability to thrive in the altered, often simplified, structure of the postfire environment. The extent of fire effects on animal communities generally depends on the extent of change in habitat structure and species composition caused by fire. Stand-replacement fires usually cause greater changes in the faunal communities of forests than in those of grasslands. Within forests, stand- replacement fires usually alter the animal community more dramatically than understory fires. Animal species are adapted to survive the pattern of fire frequency, season, size, severity, and uniformity that characterized their habitat in presettlement times. When fire frequency increases or decreases substantially or fire severity changes from presettlement patterns, habitat for many animal species declines. Keywords: fire effects, fire management, fire regime, habitat, succession, wildlife The volumes in “The Rainbow Series” will be published during the year 2000. To order, check the box or boxes below, fill in the address form, and send to the mailing address listed below.
    [Show full text]
  • An Update of Wallacels Zoogeographic Regions of the World
    REPORTS To examine the temporal profile of ChC produc- specification of a distinct, and probably the last, 3. G. A. Ascoli et al., Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 9, 557 (2008). tion and their correlation to laminar deployment, cohort in this lineage—the ChCs. 4. J. Szentágothai, M. A. Arbib, Neurosci. Res. Program Bull. 12, 305 (1974). we injected a single pulse of BrdU into pregnant A recent study demonstrated that progeni- CreER 5. P. Somogyi, Brain Res. 136, 345 (1977). Nkx2.1 ;Ai9 females at successive days be- tors below the ventral wall of the lateral ventricle 6. L. Sussel, O. Marin, S. Kimura, J. L. Rubenstein, tween E15 and P1 to label mitotic progenitors, (i.e., VGZ) of human infants give rise to a medial Development 126, 3359 (1999). each paired with a pulse of tamoxifen at E17 to migratory stream destined to the ventral mPFC 7. S. J. Butt et al., Neuron 59, 722 (2008). + 18 8. H. Taniguchi et al., Neuron 71, 995 (2011). label NKX2.1 cells (Fig. 3A). We first quanti- ( ). Despite species differences in the develop- 9. L. Madisen et al., Nat. Neurosci. 13, 133 (2010). fied the fraction of L2 ChCs (identified by mor- mental timing of corticogenesis, this study and 10. J. Szabadics et al., Science 311, 233 (2006). + phology) in mPFC that were also BrdU+. Although our findings raise the possibility that the NKX2.1 11. A. Woodruff, Q. Xu, S. A. Anderson, R. Yuste, Front. there was ChC production by E15, consistent progenitors in VGZ and their extended neurogenesis Neural Circuits 3, 15 (2009).
    [Show full text]
  • Species Assessment for Baird's Sparrow (Ammodramus Bairdii) in Wyoming
    SPECIES ASSESSMENT FOR BAIRD ’S SPARROW (AMMODRAMUS BAIRDII ) IN WYOMING prepared by 1 2 ROBERT LUCE AND DOUG KEINATH 1 P.O. Box 2095, Sierra Vista, Arizona 85636, [email protected] 2 Zoology Program Manager, Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave, Dept. 3381, Laramie, Wyoming 82071; 307-766-3013; [email protected] prepared for United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Wyoming State Office Cheyenne, Wyoming December 2003 Luce and Keinath – Ammodramus bairdii December 2003 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 5 NATURAL HISTORY ........................................................................................................................... 6 Morphological Description..................................................................................................... 6 Identification ...................................................................................................................................6 Vocalization ....................................................................................................................................7 Taxonomy and Distribution ................................................................................................... 7 Taxonomy .......................................................................................................................................7 Distribution
    [Show full text]
  • Southeast Brazil: Atlantic Rainforest and Savanna, Oct-Nov 2016
    Tropical Birding Trip Report Southeast Brazil: Atlantic Rainforest and Savanna, Oct-Nov 2016 SOUTHEAST BRAZIL: Atlantic Rainforest and Savanna October 20th – November 8th, 2016 TOUR LEADER: Nick Athanas Report and photos by Nick Athanas Helmeted Woodpecker - one of our most memorable sightings of the tour It had been a couple of years since I last guided this tour, and I had forgotten how much fun it could be. We covered a lot of ground and visited a great series of parks, lodges, and reserves, racking up a respectable group list of 459 bird species seen as well as some nice mammals. There was a lot of rain in the area, but we had to consider ourselves fortunate that the rainiest days seemed to coincide with our long travel days, so it really didn’t cost us too much in the way of birds. My personal trip favorite sighting was our amazing and prolonged encounter with a rare Helmeted Woodpecker! Others of note included extreme close-ups of Spot-winged Wood-Quail, a surprise Sungrebe, multiple White-necked Hawks, Long-trained Nightjar, 31 species of antbirds, scope views of Variegated Antpitta, a point-blank Spotted Bamboowren, tons of colorful hummers and tanagers, TWO Maned Wolves at the same time, and Giant Anteater. This report is a bit light on text and a bit heavy of photos, mainly due to my insane schedule lately where I have hardly had any time at home, but all photos are from the tour. www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Tropical Birding Trip Report Southeast Brazil: Atlantic Rainforest and Savanna, Oct-Nov 2016 The trip started in the city of Curitiba.
    [Show full text]