BIMONTHLY BULLETIN of the CAYMAN ISLANDS DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENT TERRESTRIAL RESOURCES UNIT Flamingoes visit Cayman from the Yucatan On Sunday October 26th, 5 American flamingoes (Phoenicopterus ruber) were reported dead in North Side of Grand Cayman. Conservaon Officers Ronnie Dougall and Maggie Baldino found the birds piled up on the side of the road on Sunday aernoon. However, later that day a report came in from a concerned resident who had seen the dead flamingoes on the road spread approximately 40 yards (36-37 meters) apart while he was driving at around 6:30 am. A weather system passed Grand Cayman that weekend and a detailed report from the Naonal Weather Service shows shiing winds from Friday’s south to southwest (10 to 15 knots) to Sunday’s east to northeast winds (10 to 15 knots). The probable cause of death is thought to be collision with power cables as they were coming in to land at Malportas Pond in the dark. EDITOR: Jane Haakonsson All carcasses were inspected by the Dean of St. Mahew’s School of Veterinary EMAIL: Medicine (SMU), Dr. Karen Rosenthal, and jane.haakonsson@ delivered to pathologist Dr. Veronica Boling gov.ky (SMU) for necropsy to determine the cause Department of of death. The necropsies were performed to Environment determine whether the birds were PO BOX 10202, electrocuted or died from impact with the 580 North Sound ground. 4 had broken necks and minor leg Rd. and wing injuries. The 5 dead flamingoes were brought to the DoE for inial inspecFon before GRAND CAYMAN KY1-1102 they were necropsied. TEL: (345) 949-8469 www.DoE.ky Flicker Bulletin # 17 - DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014-15 Dr. Veronica Boling writes on her findings: With the help of ChrisDne Rose-Smyth we “We necropsied 5 flamingos and one Great traced the bird to be one of 500 individuals Blue heron [which had died in a similar that were tagged on Sept 7th, 2014 in the fashion in South Sound during the storm]. Angostura Island, in the Rio Lagartos Based on the history and gross lesions, all Biological Reserve, Yucatán, México! This birds had what is consistent with acute was idenDfied by Dr. Leonardo Guerrero trauma (collision fractures from interacDon who work for the very successful with power lines). Most fractures involved Group for the Conservaon of the the cervical vertebrae (broken necks). A few Caribbean Flamingo. had broken legs. They all had extensive bleeding (due to the fractures) as well as 9 flamingoes sDll reside in Malportas pond internal hemorrhage. There was no gross and at least 1 has been seen on Cayman evidence to support electrocuDon. All birds Brac in the shallow seas offshore the were in excellent body condiDon (healthy Southwest coast. The flamingoes are finding weights). Many of the trees in the area are suitable food seeing as they are regaining at the same level of the power lines. If their characterisDc pink colouraon, display these birds were aempng to land feeding behaviour and remain in good (especially at night), it is possible they did condiDon. How long they decide to stay is not see the power lines and crashed into unknown but we have more than enjoyed them, or were possibly blown into the their stay! power lines due to the winds. Regardless, the result was fatal.” Individual Where When It seemed highly unlikely that an enDre 1 pale juvenile Malportas Oct 8 2011 flock of flamingoes would be unlucky to (became pink) Pond to May 26 2012 collide with the power lines so Conservaon Officers Ronnie Dougall and Maggie Baldino 1 moderately Malportas Nov 13 to went to Malportas Pond that Sunday pink Pond Nov 17 aernoon where 12 remaining flamingoes 2013 were seen. One of the birds carried two tags: the right leg a yellow PVC band with 1 very pink Barkers Sep 1 to the black inscripDon “DDVV” and the leK Sep 2 2012 leg a small metal band. Lec: Flamingo on the Brac –by Isabelle Brown. Top right: Record of past flamingoes in Cayman. Boeom right: Flamingo in Malportas wearing two visual ID tags; right leg carries a yellow ID and the lec a smaller metal band –by Denny Swaby. Flicker Bulletin # 17 - DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014-15 Power cables and bird fatalities Within the last month, the TRU has received reports of injuries and mortaliDes caused by collision with power cables. The same weekend the flamingoes came to Cayman, a great blue heron (Andea herodias) was also found dead on the road in South Sound. On November 5th 2014 a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) was called in and found to have high voltage wounds on the leK wing and back. Electrocuon from overhead medium voltage electricity transmission lines is a common cause of death to large and medium migrang birds and raptors, even birds of starling size can be affected by badly designed power cables. Small distances between the lines as well as short upright insulators with short circuits pose great risk to raptors when perching or roosDng. Collision with aerial wire (including for example telephone lines) can affect birds of any size. Studies in Europe have recorded casualDes in excess of 500 per kilometer of power line per year (Birdlife Internaonal, 2007). This is especially the case when cables are neutral and hard to see which affect, in parDcular, migrang birds flying at 20m to 50m alDtude (65-164K). Aerial wires across routes of migraon or, for example, in between mountains cause higher rates of mortality due to collision. Overhead power lines pose a third main risk to bird life; habitat loss. Arcc-breeding geese, for example, have been seen to avoid wintering areas with power lines nearby. While further research is sll required, it is obvious that there is a great need for integrang current electric grids (as well as planned ones) with conservaon Top: Raptors being electrocuted from perching on measures to reduce bird fataliDes. power lines (D. Haas & M. Nipkow 2002). Boom: Peregrine falcon at Island Vets where it was x- rayed and very well looked acer before handed over to TRU’s conFnued care. Flicker Bulletin # 17 - DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014-15 Pung power lines underground is References: naturally the safest opDon for resident and Bird Life Internaonal (2007) PosiDon migrang birdlife, however, it is far from a Statement on Birds and Power Lines. cost-efficient opDon, especially considering h[p://www.birdwatchireland.ie/ maintenance. LinkClick.aspx?fileDcket=zW0SnCk%2FRnI %3D&tabid=254 However, aerial wires can be greatly improved in terms of design, spacing and D. Haas & M. Nipkow (2002). CauDon insulaon. Transforming wires from high ElectrocuDon – Suggested PracDces for Bird risk power poles to poles with lower risk is ProtecDon on Power Lines. NABU, Birdlife something that is best achieved by Partner Germany (Ed.), Bonn. legislave acon. Technical design guidelines for protecDng birds this way exist both in the Bonn Convenon 2002 as well as in the Bern Convenon 2004. In the mean Dme, cooperaon with the local electric uDlity company could be established to discuss potenDal changes as well as funding for such projects. Changes could include suspended insulators, insulated wires and insulated cross-arms, see below from Renewables Grid IniDave. Technical designs reducing mortalies caused by power lines. Flicker Bulletin # 17 - DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014-15 Known but not Shown -by Wallace Plas Botanists have catalogued most of the wild The present arcle is an aempt to plants in this country. The definiDve works catalogue these ‘missings’. Several have are Dr. George Proctor’s Flora of the already been reported, collected for the Cayman Islands, second ediDon, and F.J. Naonal Herbarium, and noted for future Burton’s Threatened Plants of the Cayman ediDons. But all the ones we know will be Islands: The Red List. For the complete published here and now. More will be citaon of both books you may check the found as we explore. ’field guides’ secon of my nature blog. We have omi[ed some decorave plants But a book is no sooner published than it is that may have been brought by people, out of date. It’s not a complaint, it’s a unless they have become completely ‘thank you’ because the books make it naturalized. easier for amateur and professional plant sleuths to develop their knowledge. In the Herewith, the incomplete list of plants that process they may find gaps or errors. are ‘Known But Not Shown’ – nave plants that are known to exist in the wild on One such gap is the lisDngs for Cayman Cayman Brac, are credited to other Cayman Brac. Many plants that live here in the wild Islands in the reference books but are not are credited in the references for Grand credited to Cayman Brac in the Flora of the Cayman, Li[le Cayman or both but not for Cayman Islands. Please click here for the Cayman Brac. These plants have been here list of 39 plants with locaon: all along but have been missed. And no wonder — this island has few resident h[p://www.naturenotes19n79w.ky/wp- scienDsts, is difficult for scienDsts to get to content/uploads/Known%20But%20Not and expensive for them to stay. %20Shown%20(J%20Wallace%20Plas).pdf Jacquinia keyensis, also known as Washwood, is a small tree growing in coastal scrublands and thickets. Flicker Bulletin # 17 - DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014-15 This list will never be complete. Other nave plants not in the book will be idenDfied on Cayman Brac. Also, please note that some decorave plants (Star-of- Bethlehem, for example) listed in Dr. Proctor’s Flora have not been included here (he lists it for Grand Cayman but not for the Brac where planDng has made it common).