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20 November 2009 
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BSC Survey Data Featured in Marine Ornithology

18 November 2009 – Two collaborative papers based on data collected by BC Beached Bird Survey volunteers have been published in the latest issue of the international journal of seabird science and conservation, Marine Ornithology. One paper investigates the issue of gillnet fisheries by-catch of waterbirds, using data collected in Washington State and British Columbia. The other paper explores the outcomes and benefits of the Canadian National Aerial Surveillance Programme. Environment Canada’s Patrick O’Hara and Doug Bertram, and the University of Washington’s Nathalie Hamel, led the teams of authors, which included BSC’s BC Program Manager, Pete Davidson.
   This special issue of Marine Ornithology is the result of a Pacific Seabird Group 2008 Conference Symposium on the Salish Sea. A series of studies of waterbird populations of the Strait of Georgia and Puget Sound are published, offering program and policy direction for regulators to support marine bird conservation. BSC’s Rob Butler authored the issue’s foreword.
   Evidence that populations of many waterbird species in the Salish Sea Ecosystem have been declining since the 1970s is presented. The combination of threats and how they interact to impact on bird populations presents a major research challenge. Several authors draw attention to the increasing importance of citizen science waterbird monitoring programs such as the BC Coastal Waterbird Survey and the BC Beached Bird Survey.

Second Breeding Season for Some Migratory Songbirds

26 October 2009 – Researchers studying migratory songbirds on stopover in the lowland thorn forests of coastal western Mexico in three consecutive summers (2005-2007) have documented a second breeding season during these birds’ annual cycle. This discovery – a first for New World migrants on southward migration – was observed in five species: the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Orchard Oriole, Hooded Oriole, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Cassin’s Vireo. There was evidence that the birds had already bred earlier in the year at their known breeding territories farther north in Canada and the U.S., before breeding again in Mexico on their way to their southern wintering grounds in Central and South America.
   The paper “Migratory Double Breeding in Neotropical Migrant Birds” was co-authored by the University of Washington’s Sievert Rohwer and Vanya Rohwer, and Keith Hobson of Environment Canada (and Chair of Bird Studies Canada’s National Science Advisory Council). The article provides evidence of dual breeding ranges for these birds, and considers implications for the conservation of these species.
   For more information, view the abstract on the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences website, or read a more detailed release about the article on the ScienceDaily website.

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BSC Seeks Communications Intern

20 November 2009 – Bird Studies Canada is seeking a Communications Intern for a nine-month contract through YMCA’s Youth Eco Internship Program (YEIP). Because the position is grant-funded, candidates must be 30 years of age or younger; see the YEIP website for full eligibility requirements. The intern will assist with a variety of communications, media, and public relations functions, and will help update selected pages of our website. Applicants should possess a degree or diploma in communications or public relations (or equivalent), excellent communications skills, and experience with editing and writing. Experience with HTML will be considered an asset. The position will be located at BSC’s National Headquarters in Port Rowan, Ontario. Visit the Job Opportunities section of our website for details of the position and the application process.

Janet Moore Completes M.Sc.

28 October 2009 – Bird Studies Canada’s IBA Technical Coordinator Janet Moore has successfully completed her M.Sc. at Saint Mary’s University (SMU), Department of Biology. Research was funded by Dr. Colleen Barber and SMU; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Birds and Habitat Program, Pacific Region, Portland, OR; and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midway Atoll and Honolulu, HI.
   Research was conducted on Midway Atoll, where Janet investigated the accuracy and precision of different methods to estimate the population size of a colonial and burrow-nesting seabird, the Bonin Petrel. Methods included stratified random sampling of burrow density and occupancy, alongside a capture-recapture study and closed-capture modelling (Program MARK). Results from modelling were promising, thus providing a less costly – and less harmful – alternative to traditional ground-count methods. Ground-count censusing methods, however, permitted quantification of nesting patterns to land-cover. Results will guide the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in controlling a particularly invasive non-native plant, Verbesina encelioides, which is likely limiting available nesting habitat not only to Bonin Petrels, but to Laysan and Black-footed albatrosses too.

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Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario Available at 35% Discount

16 November 2009 – Just in time for holiday gift giving, the Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario is on sale at the special discounted price of just $60 (plus GST; includes shipping in Canada). With more than 900 maps and 400 stunning photographs, and information on each species’ biology, abundance, distribution, and conservation trends, the atlas remains the most up-to-date, authoritative, and attractive resource on the state of Ontario’s bird populations.
   Bird Studies Canada is a partner in the atlas with Environment Canada, Ontario Field Ornithologists, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and Ontario Nature. This book is the definitive reference for serious and beginner birdwatchers alike, for anyone interested in the state of Ontario’s environment, and for biologists, researchers, and conservation professionals.
   Now is the perfect time to purchase a copy of the atlas – for yourself, and your favourite nature enthusiasts. Orders can be made any time, but to ensure Christmas delivery, please place requests by December 4, 2009. To order, call Ontario Nature (1-800-440-2366 or 416-444-8419) or visit the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas website.

Maritimes Students to Learn about Owls

16 November 2009 – Bird Studies Canada Atlantic staff Greg Campbell and Kevin Kelly are gearing up to make presentations about owls to 15 schools in communities from Moncton, New Brunswick to Oxford, Nova Scotia. Owls are very charismatic and intriguing, and thus they attract young people. Through the presentation, which is geared to the Grade Six level, students will learn about owls as uniquely-evolved predators and key components of the forest ecosystem. The distinctive habitat requirements of owls and their response to human disturbance also make owls an effective tool for teaching about habitat conservation, and the economic and social importance of sustainable forest management.
   BSC Atlantic has prepared a bilingual “Owls of the Maritimes” poster to distribute to every participating child. Teachers will also receive a copy of the presentation on CD, and a “Conserving Canada’s Owls” poster for their classroom. Funding for this unique educational opportunity has been provided by the Shell Environmental Fund and the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (Dieppe and Northern Nova Scotia chapters).
   For more information, please contact Greg Campbell at gcampbell@birdscanada.org or 506-364-5025.

Des écoles dans les Maritimes vont apprendre davantage sur les hiboux

le 16 novembre 2009 – Greg Campbell et Kevin Kelly, employés d’ÉOC Atlantique, se préparent à donner des présentations à environ 15 écoles dans plusieurs communautés entre Moncton, Nouveau-Brunswick, et Oxford, en Nouvelle-Écosse. Les hiboux sont très charismatiques et fascinant, et donc ils attirent l’attention des jeunes. Les élèves de la 6^ième année apprendront que les hiboux sont des prédateurs uniquement adaptés à leur environnement nocturne et qu’ils sont une des composantes clés de l’écosystème forestier. Les exigences en termes d’habitats des hiboux, et leurs réponses aux perturbations humaines font d’eux un outil efficace pour informer sur la conservation de l’habitat et de l’importance économique et social de la gestion durable des forêts.
   ÉOC atlantique a préparé un affiche bilingue, « Les hiboux des Maritimes », pour distribuer à chaque élève. Les enseignants recevront aussi une copie de la présentation sur disque compact. Ce projet est financé par le Fonds de l’environnement de Shell et La fondation des amis de l’environnement de TD (Dieppe et Nord de la Nouvelle-Écosse).
   Pour plus d’information, contactez Greg Campbell, gcampbell@oiseauxcanada.org, 506-364-5025.

Québec – Neuf espèces d’oiseaux ajoutées à la liste des espèces menacées ou vulnérables

le 29 octobre 2009 – Le ministre délégué aux Ressources naturelles et à la Faune, M. Serge Simard, a officialisé la situation précaire de neuf autres espèces d’oiseaux en annonçant leur ajout à la liste des espèces fauniques menacées ou vulnérables au Québec.
   À la suite des modifications apportées au Règlement sur les espèces fauniques menacées ou vulnérables et leurs habitats, la Sterne caspienne et la Sterne de Dougall, ainsi que la Paruline azurée, le Râle jaune et le Pic à tête rouge joignent le Grèbe esclavon, la Pie-grièche migratrice et le Pluvier siffleur en tant qu’espèces menacées. Alors que, l’Arlequin plongeur, le Garrot d’Islande, le Petit Blongios et la Grive de Bicknell joignent trois espèces de rapace, l’Aigle royal, le Faucon pèlerin (sous espèces anatum) et le Pygargue à tête blanche, en tant qu’espèces vulnérables. Grâce à cette modification réglementaire, une protection accrue sera accordée à ces oiseaux et à leurs habitats.
    En ce moment, cinq espèces additionnelles se trouvent sur la liste des espèces susceptibles d’être désignées menacées ou vulnérables : le Bruant de Nelson, le Bruant sauterelle, le Hibou des marais, la Paruline à ailées dorées et le Troglodyte à bec court. Pour plus d’information et pour la liste complète des espèces menacées ou vulnérables au Québec, consultez le site Internet du ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune.

Nine Birds Added to Québec List of Threatened and Vulnerable Species

Least Bittern Photo: Jim Flynn

29 October 2009 – Serge Simard, Québec’s Minister for Natural Resources and Wildlife, has announced the addition of a further nine bird species to the province’s list of threatened and vulnerable species.
   Following modifications made to the Règlement sur les espèces fauniques menacées ou vulnérables et leurs habitats, the Caspian Tern and the Roseate Tern, together with the Cerulean Warbler, Yellow Rail, and Red-headed Woodpecker, join the Horned Grebe, Loggerhead Shrike, and Piping Plover as threatened species. The Harlequin Duck, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Least Bittern, and Bicknell’s Thrush join three raptors – the Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle, and Peregrine Falcon (subspecies anatum) – as vulnerable species. These modifications to the regulations will result in enhanced protection for these birds and their habitats.
   At the moment, five additional birds are on the list of species susceptible to be designated as provincially threatened or vulnerable: the Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Short-eared Owl, Golden-winged Warbler, and Sedge Wren. For further information, and for the complete list of threatened and vulnerable species in Québec, visit the website of the ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune.

 

Give the Gift of Bird Conservation with Bird Studies Canada If you’re shopping for unique nature-themed presents this holiday season, the Bird Studies Canada store has the perfect gift for you! We offer a wide range of high-quality products, and the proceeds support our bird research and conservation programs. This week’s featured item is the 2010 Bird Studies Canada Wall Calendar. Yours for only $15.00, this exclusive new calendar features spectacular bird images from some of BirdWatch Canada’s finest photographers, and includes key dates for Bird Studies Canada’s volunteer-based programs. Browse our gift store and order online or call us toll-free at 1-888-448-2473. Please order by December 11 to guarantee holiday delivery. If you wish to support the Long Point Bird Observatory, a Project Recovery certificate makes a wonderful gift, and your ‘adoption fee’ funds LPBO’s migration monitoring operations. The frameable certificate includes a full-colour photograph, details about when a real bird (of a species of your choice) was banded at LPBO, and information about the species’ range and habits. Adopt a wild bird through Project Recovery on the BSC website. For only $35, you can give someone special a Bird Studies Canada gift membership. Benefits include a subscription to our magazine BirdWatch Canada (four times a year) and free participation in programs such as Project FeederWatch, the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey, and the Christmas Bird Count. And you will receive a charitable tax receipt for the full amount! Order online or call Rosie toll-free at 1-888-448-2473 ext. 141. Thank you for buying a bird-friendly gift this holiday season!

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