Atlantic Canada High Elevation Landbird Program

Bird Studies Canada has been conducting the High Elevation Landbird Program (H.E.L.P.) in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia since 2002. The primary goal of this survey is to monitor long-term trends in populations of landbirds breeding at high elevations, with a particular focus on the Bicknell's Thrush, but also Swainson's Thrush, Fox Sparrow, Blackpoll Warbler, Winter Wren and White-throated Sparrow.

The Bicknell's Thrush is among the landbird species of highest conservation concern in North America. It breeds in balsam fir-dominated forests at high elevations from New York and the New England states to southern Québec and the Gaspé Peninsula and also in the highlands of New Brunswick and Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. This species is at risk from a variety of threats to its breeding habitats including recreational development, telecommunication construction, wind power development, acidic precipitation, mercury deposition, and climatic warming. On its Caribbean wintering grounds, where an estimated 90% of the global population is concentrated on Hispaniola, loss of forested habitats has been severe and is ongoing. Recent monitoring of breeding populations indicates consistent, rangewide declines, especially in Canada.

What can you do to HELP?

You can sign up to run a HELP survey route! There are currently about 45 active routes in New Brunswick and 25 in Cape Breton. Each survey route is 1 km in length, and has 5 stops 250m apart; at each stop, surveyors spend 10 minutes listening silently for target species. Each route is monitored once per year during the month of June, starting 1 hour before sunrise or at sunset.

Because of the remoteness of the survey routes, it is often necessary to travel on back roads and camp at your HELP route in order to be there before sunrise. Just in case, be sure have at least a truck or SUV, preferably with 4-wheel drive and carry a spare tire that is in good condition, a jack and other tools to change a tire.

How do I sign up?

If you'd like to survey a route, please contact Greg Campbell at the Atlantic Region office of Bird Studies Canada in Sackville NB to figure out which survey route would be best for you. Once you've signed up, you will receive a volunteer kit in May which contains all the material you will need for your survey, including data sheets, instruction guide, map, and a description of your route. Anyone interested in knowing more about owl monitoring in Atlantic Canada can contact:

Greg Campbell
Bird Studies Canada - Atlantic Region
P.O. Box 6227
Sackville, N.B. E4L 1G6
Phone: (506) 364-5025
Fax: (506) 364-5062
E-mail: gcampbell@birdscanada.org

Links

www.bicknellsthrush.org  Bird Studies Canada is a Canadian partner in the International Bicknell's Thrush Conservation Group.

www.vtecostudies.org/MBW - Vermont Center for Ecostudies, Bicknell's Thrush research in the United States.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bicknells_Thrush/id - Cornell Lab of Ornithology page with Bicknell's Thrush audio and other information.