The Second Atlas of the
Breeding Birds of Québec
18 December
2009 – Just over 25 years after the start of fieldwork for
the first Québec atlas, Bird Studies Canada, Regroupement QuébecOiseaux,
and Environment Canada have joined forces to work on the second Atlas
of the Breeding Birds of Québec. While the first atlas was largely
limited to the southern part of Québec, this time every effort will be
made to cover the whole of the province, making this one of the largest
avian research projects ever undertaken in the province.
Fieldwork for the atlas will
begin in spring 2010, and will be conducted over a period of at least
five years. Once completed, the second atlas will provide up-to-date
information about the distribution and abundance of bird species nesting
in Québec, and a measure of the changes that have occurred over the past
two decades. This powerful tool for the conservation of bird populations
in Québec will also identify hotspots of avian biodiversity, and help
determine whether populations of species at risk are declining or
increasing.
If you’re interested in
participating in the atlas, making a donation, or obtaining further
information, please visit the
Québec breeding bird atlas
website, which will be regularly updated.
Le deuxième Atlas des oiseaux nicheurs du
Québec
le 18 décembre
2009 – Un peu plus de 25 ans après le début des travaux du
premier atlas, Études d’Oiseaux Canada, le Regroupement QuébecOiseaux et
Environnement Canada ont uni leurs forces afin de réaliser un deuxième
Atlas des oiseaux nicheurs du Québec. Tandis que le premier atlas
couvrait seulement la portion méridionale du territoire québécois, les
responsables du projet mettront tout en œuvre pour tenter de couvrir
l’ensemble du Québec. Si c’est le cas, le deuxième atlas pourrait bien
devenir l’un des plus grands projets dans l’histoire de l’ornithologie
au Québec.
La campagne de terrain débutera
au printemps de 2010 et s’étendra sur au moins cinq ans. La réalisation
du deuxième atlas permettra de mettre à jour nos connaissances sur les
oiseaux du Québec et d’étudier les changements survenus au cours des
deux dernières décennies. Cet outil, indispensable pour la conservation
des populations d’oiseaux, permettra aussi de déterminer des points
chauds de la biodiversité aviaire du Québec et de mesurer le déclin ou
la croissance de certaines espèces en péril à l’échelle de la province.
Si vous souhaitez participer à
l’Atlas des oiseaux nicheurs du Québec, faire un don en appui à ce
projet ou trouver plus d’information concernant le projet, nous vous
invitons à visiter le site
Web. Ce dernier sera mis à jour régulièrement.
Provisional Adjunct
Status for Christian Artuso
2 December 2009
– Bird Studies Canada’s Manitoba Program Manager, Dr. Christian Artuso,
has been granted provisional adjunct status at the University of
Manitoba, Department of Biological Sciences. Christian is currently
making arrangements to co-supervise one or two students in that
department, whose projects will follow the sampling framework of the
Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas and contribute distribution (and possibly
abundance) data directly to the atlas project. BSC’s Manitoba Program
office is exploring research-based funding opportunities to facilitate
this innovative approach to ensuring greater atlas coverage.
Shell Gives $10,000 to Survey
Coastal NS
23 November
2009 – The landscape and bird communities of Nova Scotia’s
extensive coastline are unique. Hard rock ledges and cliffs provide
nesting sites for Black Guillemots and Black-legged Kittiwakes, while
other seabirds like terns and eiders nest in grassy areas on coastal
islands. Puffins and petrels nest in underground burrows.
These coastal areas present a
unique challenge for surveyors seeking breeding birds. Volunteers for
the Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas
have spent the past four summers recording breeding bird species, in an
effort to determine their distribution, abundance, and status. While
most of the region can be surveyed by car or on foot, Nova Scotia’s
rugged coastline and adjacent islands are only accessible by boat. Few
atlas volunteers have the equipment, boating expertise, and/or finances
to access these areas, so much of Nova Scotia’s coast remains unsurveyed.
Next summer marks the final year
of surveys for the Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas. The Shell
Environmental Fund has provided $10,000 to support surveys along the NS
coast. The data gathered from these coastal surveys will be used to
identify important seabird nesting areas, and to prioritize sites for
future conservation.
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