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18 May 2007 
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New Hummingbird Discovered in Colombia

Photo: © Alex Cortes/Birdlife International

14 May 2007, BirdLife International – A new species of hummingbird has been discovered in the isolated and mountainous Serrania del Pinche region of southwest Colombia. The brightly-coloured Gorgeted Puffleg Eriocnemis isabellae is named for its white tufts above the legs – characteristic of ‘Puffleg’ hummingbirds – and the distinctive throat patch present in the male. Colombian conservation organizations The Hummingbird Conservancy and Fundación Ecohabitat are seeking protection for the forests of the Serrania del Pinche region, which is currently unprotected, and threatened by expanding agriculture.
   The scientific description of the Gorgeted Puffleg has been published in Ornitologia Neotropical; more information is available on the BirdLife International website.

Scientists Support Boreal Conservation

14 May 2007 – As part of the International Boreal Conservation Campaign, researchers from Bird Studies Canada have signed a letter in support of increased protection for Canada’s Boreal Forest ecoregion. Over 1500 scientists from more than 50 countries have signed the letter, which was formally released and delivered to Canadian government leaders in Ottawa last Monday. The letter recommends preserving at least half of the 1.4 billion acre Canadian Boreal Forest in protected areas. Currently only 10% is protected – far less than what is necessary to sustain the ecosystem over time – and pressure is increasing from corporate logging, mining, and oil and gas operations. Select this link for more information and a list of signatories.

Partners in Flight Team Places 6th at the World Series of Birding

14 May 2007 – The Redstarts, the team sponsored by Partners in Flight, had a very successful day at the World Series of Birding. The May 12 event was organized by the New Jersey Audubon Society for International Migratory Bird Day. BSC senior scientist Denis Lepage was part of this international team along with Marshall Ilif, John Stierling, and Todd Easterla (USA) and Carlos Bethancourt (Panama). The team total of 212 species placed them in a respectable 6th position close behind other more experienced teams, and only 18 species behind the winning team who had 230 species during this intense 24-hour event. The team also had a group of National Geographic photographers following them throughout the entire event, capturing each moment. One of the biggest highlights of the day was a beautiful Curlew Sandpiper in breeding plumage.
   The team helped raised money for Cerulean Conservation, and Denis also conducted his own Birdathon on the same day. You can still support Denis’ Birdathon, and help provide funding for conservation activities led by BSC and other conservation organizations in Canada, by following this link.

33-Year-Old Northern Harrier Sets Remarkable Longevity Record

8 May 2007 – Bird Studies Canada has learned of a truly exceptional recovery. The eighth-oldest bird recorded in North America was a Northern Harrier banded at the Hawk Cliff migration site near Port Stanley, Ontario. The Hawk Cliff Banding Station has been notified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that this bird, banded as a hatch-year female at Hawk Cliff by Bob Hubert on October 9, 1972, was recovered in Ohio on December 31, 2005. A man who was waiting for help after his car ran out of gas near Troy, Ohio, noticed a dead bird by the side of the road. He sent what remained of the harrier, including the band, to the U.S. Geological Survey.
   The previous longevity record for a Northern Harrier was 16 years, 5 months. This individual lived for 33 years and 2 months, making it the oldest Northern Harrier on record. Visit the U.S. Geological Survey website to view a list of the ten longest-surviving species in the Bird Banding Laboratory database.

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        NATIONAL

 

U.S. Government Provides Matching Grant in Support of the CMMN-RCSM

16 May 2007 – Bird Studies Canada recently received the good news that we have been awarded a one-year US$84,000 grant under the U.S. Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) grant program to strengthen the scientific capacity of the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network-Réseau canadien de surveillance des migrations (CMMN-RCSM). The project, which is entitled Population Trends of Neotropical Migrants in Boreal Canada based upon Migration Counts, is also receiving major collaborative support from the 19 CMMN-RCSM member stations across Canada, the Canadian Wildlife Service, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and Bird Studies Canada. The NMBCA matching grant program was established by the United States government to promote the conservation of Neotropical migratory birds in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. This is the first year that NMBCA funds have been available for projects in Canada and the CMMN-RCSM grant was one of only four grants awarded for work in Canada.
   Data collected by the CMMN-RCSM stations are used to track population trends for over 30 species of migratory landbirds breeding in Canada’s vast northern forests and wintering in the Neotropics. This grant will be used to produce a report on the status of these species and enhance access to population trend information. A major component of this year’s work program is a network-wide project to collect and analyze feather samples from birds captured at migration monitoring stations. The stable isotope ratio in these feathers will provide information on the location of the breeding grounds of the birds passing through a migration station. The isotope data, in combination with known band recovery information, will be used to determine the “catchment area” of various boreal forest birds being sampled by each migration monitoring station. An improved understanding of the geographic origins of the bird populations being tracked at CMMN-RCSM stations will greatly increase the conservation value of migration monitoring data.
  Select this link for the NMBCA news release.  More information on the CMMN-RCSM can be found on the BSC website.

Society of Canadian Ornithologists to Offer Jamie Smith Award

16 May 2007 – In recognition of Jamie Smith’s contribution to fostering ornithological research, the Society of Canadian Ornithologists has created The Jamie Smith Memorial Award for Mentoring in Ornithology. This award honours established ornithologists – either in academia, industry, non-government, or government agencies – nominated by students, colleagues, and/or peers to have displayed excellence in mentoring a new generation of professional or amateur biologists.
  The award will be presented to the recipient at the Society’s annual meeting. Details concerning nominations can be found online by selecting this link.  A cover letter (maximum 1000 words) outlining why the nominee should receive the distinction should accompany the nomination, and should be supported by three nominators. The deadline for submission of nominations is August 1, 2007.
  Nominations should be sent to: Ken Otter, Chair, Jamie Smith Memorial Mentoring Award Committee, Ecosystem Science & Management Program, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC, V2N 4Z9, or via email to otterk@unbc.ca.

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BC Field Ornithologists Annual Conference

18 May 2007 – The 17th Annual BC Field Ornithologists Conference will be held at the Lillooet Friendship Centre, Lillooet, on the weekend of May 25-27. The conference includes presentations on the implications of wind farms for birds by Ian Robertson, Northern Spotted Owl ecology by Jared Hobbs, Burrowing Owl reintroduction by Mike Mackintosh, and Screech Owl vocalizations by Doris Hausleitner. Dick Cannings will be speaking about his latest book, An Enchantment of Birds, and there will be a series of field trips to the major local habitat types.

New Paper on South African Waterfowl Available Online

14 May 2007 – An article examining waterfowl abundance and diversity in relation to season, wetland characteristics, and land use in a semi-arid agricultural region of South Africa has been published in African Zoology. Ashley Raeside (Honours Student, University of Western Ontario), Dr. Scott Petrie (Research Director, Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund), and Dr. Tom Nudds (Professor, University of Guelph) undertook the study to determine how waterfowl respond to various wetland characteristics, particularly those of permanent agricultural ponds. Because only a few species associated with artificial waterbodies, the authors concluded that natural wetlands should be conserved to protect waterfowl diversity in semi-arid South Africa. Select this link to download a PDF version of the paper.

New Coordinator for Maritimes Breeding Bird Survey

8 May 2007 – Dan Busby has retired after 11 years of service as the Maritimes Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) coordinator. Volunteers for the Maritimes BBS gather extremely valuable information that informs important conservation decisions. Bird Studies Canada’s Atlantic Program Manager Becky Whittam is the new BBS coordinator for the Maritimes, and can be contacted at bwhittam@bsc-eoc.org or by telephone at (506) 364-5047.

LPWWRF Launches Young Wildlife Biologist Program

7 May 2007 – The Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund (LPWWRF) is initiating a Young Wildlife Biologist Program starting this August. LPWWRF considers youth mentorship and education very important to the appreciation of our outdoor heritage and the future development of wildlife biologists. Through coordination of the Young Wildlife Biologist Workshop, LPWWRF desires to instill in youth a keen interest in wildlife ecology and resource conservation/management, as well as outdoor activities. Although the first workshop is only offered to 14- to 16-year-old students from the Norfolk County region, the goal is to expand the program (geographically as well as by offering a diverse array of workshops) substantially over the next few years if enough interest and resources can be generated. Select this link to download a PDF document with more details about the program.

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