BIRDCONSERVATION The Magazine of American Bird Conservancy SPRING 2020 BIRD’S EYE VIEW Appreciating the Constancy ABC is dedicated to conserving birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. With an emphasis on of Migratory Birds achieving results and working in partnership, we take on the greatest problems facing birds today, innovating wanted to extend my very best wishes to you and ABC has had a strong start to 2020. For example, we are and building on rapid advancements your family for ongoing health and safety as we all working successfully with the Commonwealth of Virginia in science to halt extinctions, protect adjust to these challenging circumstances during the to provide alternative habitat for the large waterbird I habitats, eliminate threats, and build coronavirus outbreak. colony at Hampton Roads’ South Island that will be dis- Spring 2020 capacity for bird conservation. placed by the bridge-tunnel expansion. ABC also worked As we continue to adapt, some constants and familiar with Peruvian partner ECOAN to gain government recog- abcbirds.org comforts are sure to lift our spirits. Birds are among these nition of a new protected area harboring endemic birds, BIRDCONSERVATION constants, and I hope you are getting a chance to enjoy including the Critically Endangered Royal Cinclodes, A copy of the current financial statement and some birding and bird song as they begin their northward and expanding the Vilcanota Reserve Network to 21,285 registration filed by the organization may be obtained by contacting: ABC, P.O. Box 249, movements and spring migration picks up. acres. For more examples of bird conservation in action, The Plains, VA 20198. 540-253-5780, or by New Looks at a please see our most recent Conservation Impact Scorecard contacting the following state agencies: 16 At the time of this writing, most of our staff were working (abcbirds.org/scorecard). Florida: Division of Consumer Services, remotely in the interest of their well-being, but we’re also toll-free number within the state: Phantom Warbler 800-435-7352. planning for the long-term. As soon as the present crisis The most important thing for us right now is to let you is over, we will need to redouble our efforts to tackle the Maryland: For the cost of copies and postage: know we care about you and appreciate your support, Office of the Secretary of State, Statehouse, task at hand: recovering declining bird populations. In Annapolis, MD 21401. and that you can count on ABC to continue our work to the meantime, we are keeping in touch with bird groups New Jersey: Attorney General, State 26 ABC Birding: Sleepy Creek save native birds and their habitats into the future. of New Jersey: 201-504-6259. we work with in the U.S., and with our international New York: Office of the Attorney General, partners to share experiences and identify ways to work We will be keeping in touch with everyone by e-mail and Department of Law, Charities Bureau, Wildlife Management Area 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271. together effectively and safely during the next few weeks. on social media, so please consider following us on Face- Pennsylvania: Department of State, book, Twitter, and Instagram for updates and posts on all toll-free number within the state: Thanks to wonderful supporters like you, ABC is in a great things bird to lift the spirits as we advance through the 800-732-0999. 30 The Bid to Save Venezuela’s position to carry out our mission: to save native birds and Virginia: State Division of Consumer Affairs, next few weeks. Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services, their habitats. I’m not going to pretend this isn’t going to P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23209. Thank you again for your support. Cardenalito be a challenge, but I believe that ABC is as prepared as we West Virginia: Secretary of State, State Capitol, can be — and birds still need our support. We very much Charleston, WV 25305. hope that you will join us in helping birds this year, de- Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by any state. A Note From Senior Editor Howard Youth: DEPARTMENTS spite the challenges we are all facing. Bird Conservation is the magazine of ABC and is published three times yearly for members. Dear Bird Conservation readers: 2 Bird’s Eye View Senior Editor: Howard Youth In this spring issue, we introduce several new VP of Communications: Clare Nielsen elements inspired by your feedback to our Michael J. Parr, President Graphic Design: Gemma Radko recent magazine reader survey. 4 Perspectives Contributors: Andrés Anchondo, Erin Chen, Thank you for your input, and for helping us to David Ewert, Bennett Hennessey, Steve Holmer, fine-tune the magazine. Our aim is to have you Brad Keitt, Daniel J. Lebbin, Conor Marshall, 6 On the Wire smile each time you discover its arrival in the Joel Merriman, Merrie Morrison, Michael J. Parr, Andrew Rothman, Christine Sheppard, Amy mailbox! Upgren, George E. Wallace, EJ Williams, 14 Birds in Brief We hope you will like the new additions. Wendy Willis, David Younkman Let us know what you think at: For more information contact: [email protected] 36 Flying Lessons American Bird Conservancy 4249 Loudoun Avenue, P.O. Box 249 Best wishes from all of us at Bird Conservation. The Plains, VA 20198 38 Bird Hero 540-253-5780 • [email protected] Find us on social! TOP: Baltimore Oriole in native serviceberry by Brian Lasenby, Shutterstock OPPOSITE: Common Loons by Brian Lasenby, Shutterstock COVER: Kentucky Warbler by Alan Murphy, AlanMurphyPhotography.com BIRD CONSERVATION | SPRING 2020 3 PERSPECTIVES To prevent extinctions and another pandemic, it’s time to END THE GLOBAL WILD BIRD TRADE he tragic emergence of the COVID-19 global While the trade in wild animals is a global phenomenon, Hornbill has also been decimated by trade in its casque died from H5N1, a flu strain that had previously killed pandemic has once again exposed the nexus the massive scale of the trade in wild birds across Asia (the large decorated parts of the bird’s upper mandible). dozens of people in Asia. China has placed temporary Tbetween human health and wildlife conservation is hard to fathom. Millions of birds from hundreds of These are carved like elephant ivory into complex bans on certain wildlife trade in the past, and has done so issues. Wild bird markets where birds, other wildlife, and species are sold in markets there every year — displayed designs for sale to wealthy collectors. West Africa has a again in a limited manner in response to COVID-19, but domesticated animals are often confined in crowded for sale in tiny crowded cages often close to other similar but less extensive internal trade in vulture parts bans enacted after SARS in 2003 were later abandoned. unsanitary conditions are potential breeding grounds wild animals such as monkeys, bats, wild cats, and for misguided medicinal use, and African and South This time it needs to be different and not restricted for novel viral and other disease pathogens. The vast domesticated animals such as chickens. One study found American birds are also sold widely in Asia. solely to China or to certain wildlife species. While these trade in wild birds also threatens many species around that 19,000 birds from more than 200 species were traded problems have been especially acute in Asia thus far, this the world. Despite attempts at regulation, this trade still over a period of just three days in the main bird markets Watching the humanitarian crisis from the spread of trade is worldwide in nature and should be addressed at a results in the trapping of millions of birds for food, pets, in Jakarta, Indonesia. COVID-19, it is clear that these unsanitary bird mar- global scale. and other human uses each year. Asia’s wild bird markets kets could harbor more disease time bombs waiting to The demand for pet songbirds in Asia has led to a detonate (to be clear, wild birds do not The trade in wild birds is not in particular are helping to drive an overwhelming loss Red Siskins of birds from the region’s forests, but this is a global vacuum effect in which wild birds are being “sucked out” represent a disease threat to people un- sustainable in its current form. To feed problem with significant trade in Africa and the Americas of forests by bird trappers in unimaginable numbers — der normal circumstances). The new coro- from northern South it, many birds will vanish, never to that also impacts bird populations. This trade should be pushing many populations and indeed some full species navirus pandemic — following on from be replaced — and it clearly has the stopped now for the good of wild birds, other wildlife, such as the Black-winged Myna, Javan Hawk-eagle, and SARS, MERS, and non-coronaviruses such America have also potential to endanger thousands or and human health. Straw-headed Bulbul toward extinction. The Helmeted as Ebola, monkey pox, and Zika, among millions of people if another novel many others (all diseases that made the been pushed to the pathogen emerges from just from one transition from animals to people) — of these markets that are potential brink of extinction for surely indicates that it is time to close the “petri dishes” of new diseases. primary origin of these diseases, the global the bird trade. trade in wildlife, including exotic bird mar- We must now take steps to halt this kets flourishing in Asia and elsewhere. The human cost of trade to allow wild birds to recover only one disease outbreak is just too great, as evidenced from what has been decades of unsustainable trapping by the currently unfolding global shutdown.