OFONEWS Newsletter of the Ontario Field Ornithologists Volume 12, Number 3 October 1994 UsingdatafromChristmas BirdCounts, BreedingBirdSurveys population had declined to 32% of its 1961 population. The and migration count statistics, researcher John Hagan (1993) steepest declines were in the 1970s. David Hussell (pers. reported in The Auk 11 0(4):863-874 a "precipitous" decline of camm.) reports thatfrom 1988 to thepresent "thereis no sign the Rufous-sided of a return to earlier levels". Helen and Spencer Inch in The r---------------~ Towhee over a Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario (1987) found the Towhees Tumble twenty-five year Rufous-sidedTowheeto beless abundant than was expected. by Jean Iron period in the east­ Suitablehabitat in Ontario for Rufous-sided Towhees L...-- ---J ern United States. has undoubtably shrunkoverthepast30years (MikeCadman The highest rate of pers comm. and David Hussell pers. comm.) due to changes declineis in New England where in 1989the towheepopulation in land use. Intensified agriculture in the southwest has left was only 13% of what it was in 1966. only a few scattered small woodlots and streamsides. Aban­ TheRufous-sided Towheeis not a long distance migrant doned farmland inother areas is growinginto matureforests. so is not affected by the destruction of the tropical forests. It What can we do? We probably can't do much. The winters primarily inthesouthern United States where wintering towhee was a winner when the forests were cleared during the habitat is reported to be still in good supply. So, why is there a last century and it may now be a victim ofchanging land use decline? Haganbelievesthatthesunny scrublands,thetowhee's practices and plant succession. It is unlikely to become threat­ preferred nesting habitat once commonplace in the Northeast, enedorendangered. There are still manyareas in Ontario where are overgrowing and changing to shady mature forests. While birders can observe towhees in good numbers. LPBO continues the eastern subspecies of the Rufous-sided Towhee is in sharp to monitor the population changesofthe Rufous-sided Towhee. decline, the western populations (several different subspecies) I would like to thank Peter Burke, Mike CadInan, David are thriving. Hussell, Jon McCracken and Ron Pittaway for their invaluable A similar decline inRufous-sided Towhees is occurring assistance in the preparation ofthis article. in Ontario. Long Point Bird Observatory (LPBO) data from 1961-1988 (David Hussell pers. camm.) indicate an overall decline rate of 4.1 % per year. In 1988, the Ontario towhee Ontario's Bird Itis a little known fact that Ontario now has a provincial bird. The Legislature passed Bill 147 on 23 June 1994 ~ designating the Common Loon as our , :' Towhees'tumble 0' province's official bird. Ontad6's'Bird " '" " . ' , OPO's Lqg~ , , ", ,'" Pag~2 , , Favourite BirdingHotspots,. Algonquin ,Park's "East Side" Page 3 Profile of an Artist OFO's Logo Bird Teasers Notes from the OBRC Page 4 ,Bird Pio~ectionLaws The OFO Executive adopted two designs of Page6 Unfamiliar Sounds from Familiar Birds the Pileated Woodpecker. A black and white 'Answers. to Biro Teasers Pileated in flight sets off OFO's new station­ , Page 7' OF:O C0ge of Ethics ery, and a Pileated head in red, black and Page 8 Turkeys inthe Straw white is featured on the envelope for Ontario OFOtrips. Presqti'ile Birds and on promotional items such as OFO OPO.Position Ayailable pins and tee shirts. Special thanks to Peter C~rti.f1cate ()~ ~ppr~iation Burke for his superb drawings. Favourite Birding Hotspots Algonquin Park's "East Side" by Ron Tozer General Description. Algonquin Park's "East Side" presents howling for Timber Wolves. excellent birding in habitats of White Birch, poplar, Black The extensive stands ofJack Pine from Ian 65 to 70 are Spruce bogs, and extensive stands ofRed, White and Jack Pine. excellent for Spruce Grouse. At dawn they may be picking up Consult the recently revised Park Checklist for frequency and grit right on the road. You should walk through the area time ofoccurrence ofbirds (Tozer 1994), and Runtz (1993) for searching and playing tapes since males become active in more information on the area's fascinating flora and fauna. response to female calls. Other species here include American Access to this part of Algonquin Park is via the Sand Kestrel, HermitThrush, Gray Jay, Lincoln'sSparrow and Dark­ Lake Gate (see map): tumsouthoffthe Highway 17 bypass onto eyed Junco. After dark, Common Nighthawks and Whip-poor­ Renfrew County Road 26 (3.5 km west ofForest LeaRoad, and wills are numerous, especially at Ian 66. about 9 km west of Pembroke); travel about 300 m, then tum Park well offthe road at km 69.4, and walk in 1.5 km on right (west) onto the Achray Road (Renfrew County Road 28), a road leading north to the oldPembrokeLumberCompany mill and drive 26 km to Sand Lake Gate. From southern Ontario it site on Lake Travers, watching for Spruce Grouse all the way. is shorter to follow Highway 62 through Alice, then tum left Check the marshon your left soon after you reach the open field (north) onto Renfrew County Road 26, and proceed to the area for grebes and ducks. The field usually produces Merlin, Achray Road. Itis easy to miss the tumoffHighway 62justafter EasternBluebird, BrownThrasher, Bobolink, SavannahSparrow you pass a tall communications tower. Since there are no gas or and Vesper Sparrow. Follow the road to a point overlooking food services inside the Park, fill up at the gas station on the Lake Travers, and scan for unusual waterbirds. The Park's comer or at the Algonquin Portage Store on the Achray Road, only sightings of Great Black-backed Gull and Forster's Tern 21 km before Sand Lake Gate. were made here on the same day! The Achray Road is paved for the first 9 km. Starting Check the pond on the left (south) side at km 72 for Ring­ where the pavement ends, every kilometre is marked with a necked Duck and Hooded Merganser. The Poplar Rapids Bridge black and white sign. I will describe the location ofgood birding over the Petawawa River just beyond Ian 72 marks the limit of sites using these kilometre markers. public vehicular travel. Now you can tum around and head back Time of Year. The "East Side" can be good for finding most the 54 km to Sand Lake Gate, looking for anything you missed of Algonquin's resident "northern" birds at all seasons. earlierand enthusingoverall the great birds you have seen, I hope! Highlights ofspring and summer include 20 species ofbreeding References warblers. In winter, the expected "finches" are regular, and Runtz, M.W.P. 1993. The Explorer's Guide to Algonquin Park. Bald and Golden eagles, Great Gray Owl and Northern Hawk Stoddard Publishing Co. Ltd., Toronto. Owl have been seen. Tozer, R. 1994. ChecklistandSeasonalStatus oftbeBirds ofAlgonquin Good Birding Sites. Stop at Sand Lake Gate (km 17.5) to buy Provincial Park. The Friends of Algonquin Park, Whitney, Ontario. and display on your dash a permit for Park use. ....-----------------~-::--~---------------, Look for Red Crossbills around the gate, and watch all along the road for both crossbill species, Evening Grosbeak, Pine Siskin and Purple Finch picking up grit. The 1.5 km long Barron Canyon Trail at km 28.9 goes along the top ofa spectacular gorge bordering the Barron River. Listen fOf Yellow­ bellied Flycatcher, Northern Waterthrush and Common Yellowthroat singing from the talus slopes in the canyon. Bam Swallows and Eastern Phoebes nest "naturally" on rock faces far below the trail. Turn left (south) at km 37.8 and go 4.8 km to Achray Campground on Grand Lake which may have interesting waterfowl, gulls and shorebirds. Check the campground for Pine Warblers and Red Crossbills. Stop at Pretty Lake (km 54.5) if you still haven't found Gray Jay or Black-backed Woodpecker. Listen here after dark for Great N L..-_-J...I__-'--_-----'1 11 Homed and Northern Saw-whet owls, and try 10 20 30km l OFONEWS 2 Profile of an Artist Peter Burke by Jennifer Burke This edition. ofOFO NEWS is illustrated by Peter Burke Evening Grosbeaks _: Note.s::frorri thEf OBRC . ~"======Bird Teasers II a quiz by George Bryant 1. Whatbird with an annual abundance of 2-3 million in Canada has not been recorded nesting in Canada? 2. What happens to young Brown­ headed Cowbirds raised by House Finches? 3. What green-plumaged bird has occurred in Ontario? 4. What bird has the greatest proportion of its nesting range in Ontario? 5. What two bird families directly produce food to feed their young? ~ t============================:j ~ Answers Page 6 3 OFONEWS Bird Protection Laws by Ron Pittaway I have often heard birders say that birds are protected by law. Royal OntarioMuseum anduniversities. Hunters may possess Which laws protect birds? What is prohibited? Who enforces or have their migratory gamebirds mounted by a taxidermist bird laws? What are the penalties? In Canada, jurisdiction under the authority oftheir Migratory Bird Hunting Permit. over birds is divided between the federal and provincial Taxidermists must havea permitfrom theCWS for migratory governments. In what follows, I discuss the federal and birds. provincial laws which protect and regulate the use ofbirds in TheMBCA regulates thehuntingofducks, geese, rails, Ontario. American Coot, Common Moorhen, American Woodcock and Common Snipe in Ontario. Regulations governing open Migratory Birds Convention Act (Federal) seasons and possession limits ofmigratory gamebirds are set This is the most important law protecting birds in Canada. each year. Currentlythere are nohunting seasonsforHarlequin Mostbirds inOntario areprotected bythis Act. TheMigratory Duck and King Rail in Ontario. The decision to close the Birds Convention Act (MBCA) was completely updated for seasons on these species was based on a recommendation by the first time in June 1994.