ESC America's Top 10

Nominating Organizations Please Use this Column to Provide the Requested General Information Information Organization & web address National Audubon Society, http://www.audubon.org/ Contact name (for species info) Geoffrey S. LeBaron, Director of Christmas Count, Audubon Science Address National Audubon Society, 225 Varick Street, New York NY 10014 Email & phone [email protected]; 413 268-9372 Communications staff contact name Agatha Szczepaniak Email & phone [email protected]; 212.979.3197 General Species Information Common name, genus, and species Evening , Coccothraustes vespertinus North America; mountains of the western United States and ; boreal forest of Geographic range Canada and northern edge of the United States east to Nova Scotia; disappearing in eastern portions of its range. Conservation status Least Concern 3.8 million--very rough estimate, especially challenging to study as it is a highly irruptive Remaining population size species, and secretive and seldom studied on the breeding grounds. Report Questions Do you have high resolution photos that can be used in the report? No Will you want printed reports? If so how many? No, pdf preferred If your species is selected, will you use the report as a tool to organize around the species and/or There is no current plan, but it could help inform decisions of future conservation action publicize its plight? efforts. Public Engagement Questions (Please explain why the species is interesting, why it matters, why decision-makers + the public should care.) The Evening Grosbeak is a charismatic favorite of winter birders. Homeowners who may not be actual "birders" revel in the presence of large flocks of this lovely winter . It is Interesting facts about the species a highly irruptive species, secretive on the breeding grounds but an enigmatic wanderer in the winter season, often (now mostly formerly) descending in large flocks at backyard feeders. ESC America's Top 10

The Evening Grosbeak was formerly a bird of western North America, but in the early 1900s with the re-growth of coniferous forests and an outbreak of spruce budworms (a Additional background information to complete the primary food source in the breeding season) across the northern forests colonized species profile in the report eastern North America in huge numbers. Populations began declining in the late 1900s, and especially in the East, have plummeted in recent decades.

What are the most important messages that should Even abundant and widespread species, ones that appear to coexist well with human be communicated about this species' decline? activities, are at risk of major decline. Is your NGO working to save the species? If yes, how? Not currently.

For people who feed , keep feeders well stocked and clean. If sick birds appear, cease all feeding for up to two weeks and thoroughly clean feeders. To help with How can individuals help? Please be as specific as monitoring and assist ornithologists understand the population dynamics of the Evening possible. Grosbeak and other species, consider participating in citizen science projects such as the Christmas Bird Count, Great Backyard Bird Count, Breeding Bird Survey, and eBird. All these programs help quantify and track both trend and distributional data for birds.

Widespread use of pesticides has been primarily banned in North America, thus reducing one potential threat to Evening . NGOs are working with logging entities to develop forest harvest criteria that will mimic natural transitions in forests, and thus be Is there anything else that governments or others of benefit to all forest dwelling species. Acid rain greatly negatively affects the northern could/should/are doing to save the species? forests; legislation should continue to reduce emissions from industry and powerplants. Criteria-Specific Questions Describe the specific threat(s) to the species. Detail Threats and causes of decline are not well understood, but population has declined by the current and projected decline of the species. 91% since 1967, with estimated numbers dropping from 17 million 40 years ago to less Give historic population numbers. Cite any than 4 million currently. See species report at Audubon's Common Birds in Decline report substantiating scientific studies. http://birds.audubon.org/species/evegro

Indicate if there is an associated political threat. For No apparent political threat, though widespread and ill-planned logging could negatively instance, is this species being actively attacked by an impact available breeding areas. industry group or member of Congress? ESC America's Top 10

Outline and describe the extent of the threat. For Breeding Bird Survey data for the Evening Grosbeak from 1966 to 2012 show an annual instance, is it threatening the only habitat of a small continental decline of over 6%, a significant negative trend. Effort-weighted data from the remaining population? Is it a current, eminent, or Christmas Bird Count data continent-wide show a 90% decline in the number of Evening future threat? Cite any substantiating scientific Grosbeaks per party hour reported over the past 50 years. Declines seem most significant studies. in the East.

Judge's score for severity and extent of threat. Economic value of Evening Grosbeaks may best be measured as by enhancing the human appreciation of birds, and especially feeding birds. Bird watchers spend over $3 Provide information on the benefits the species Billion on bird seed annually, and nearly another $1 Billion on bird feeders. Trickle-down provides, such as economic, medicinal, or ecosystem economic value includes sales of birding equipment such as binoculars and cameras. The services. Evening Grosbeak is a major species that "hooks" people on birds and birding. For ecosystem services, see below. Detail the ecological and scientific importance of the While the Evening Grosbeak is often thought of as a seed consumer, this species during the breeding season is a major consumer of forest insect pests, including spruce species. Note if it is a keystone species and describe budworms. In 1984 Takekawa and Garton, in the Journal of Forestry (Vol. 82 No. 7: 426- the extent of its role in the biodiversity of its 428) estimate the economic value of bird predation on forest land pests at over $45,000 environment. Cite any substantiating scientific per square kilometer of forest lands, and that Evening Grosbeaks are responsible for studies. between 43% and 70% of avian predation on forest insect pests.

Could the species be considered an "ambassador" This species is a front-runner for the plight of common birds in decline; while its numbers which can be used to communicate the threats that are still substantial, they have dropped by an order of mangnitude over the past 40 years are occurring broadly to a group of species or an and it may soon in fact be at risk for survival. It is an ambassador for the health of the ecosystem? (An example would be a frog that boreal and other coniferous forests of the continent, and its fate could well be intertwined represents the decline of amphibians. Or a FL species with other widespread species such as Boreal Chickadee, White-throated Sparrow, Purple that represents the decline of the Florida Keys.) If Finch, and Rusty Blackbird. yes, please detail how it is an ambassador and name the other species being represented . Judge’s score for importance of species. Final Judge's Score 0

Please submit to Nancy Welch at [email protected] by April 4th. Thank you for participating in the 2014 Top Ten Report.