carries with it many challenges for birds and habitat: development and sprawl ... CONNECT: South Carolina's Audubon Cent
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Bahamas
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Species: Piping Plover Habitat: Bahamas How We Work: Audubon’s International Alliances Program partnered with Audubon North Carolina and the Bahamas National Trust to discover where Piping Plovers that breed on the East Coast of the United States and Canada spend the winter. They found their answer in a Bahamas population census this past February. The count tallied more than 1,000 birds—one-eighth of the highly endangered species’ entire population and the majority of the East Coast breeders. The census also identified two new globally significant Important Bird Areas. As a result of this work, we now know that the Bahamas is second only to Texas in importance to the survival and recovery of this vulnerable species.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY Migration The Atlantic Flyway encompasses some of the hemisphere’s most productive ecosystems, including forests, beaches, and coastal wetlands. From the Arctic south along the entire Atlantic Coast and through the Caribbean to South America, Audubon is working to support this avian superhighway’s 500-plus bird species, including Least Terns (above), and millions of individual birds. Conservation Challenges Forty percent of the Atlantic Flyway’s bird species are species of conservation concern. These include the Wood Thrush, the most widespread of our eastern forest neotropical migratory species, whose population has been reduced by half during the past 40 years. With only one-tenth of the U.S. landmass, this flyway is home to one-third of the nation’s human population. And dense population carries with it many challenges for birds and habitat: development and sprawl, agriculture, logging, overfishing, and climate change.
THE NETWORK: The Buffalo Audubon Society is improving neotropical migratory bird habitat at Joseph Davis State Park in Lewiston, with support from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.
AU D U BON NETWORK : WOO D TH RUSH ● Audubon Chapters: 157
★ Audubon State Offices: 8
● Audubon Centers: 21 ● Globally Significant IBAs: 139
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Audubon Vermont’s Forest Stewardship Program helps landowners manage their woods to benefit forest birds.
PRIORITY BIRD
Wood Thrush
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New York City Audubon’s Project Safe Flight is making the city safer for migrating birds.
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Audubon South Carolina negotiates conservation easements to protect more habitat near Francis Beidler Forest.
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The Atlanta Audubon Society works to identify and conserve key breeding and feeding sites for birds in Georgia.
(Hylocichla mustelina) Range and habitat: Nests in moist deciduous and mixed forests in eastern United States and southeastern Canada. Winters mostly in tropics of southern Mexico and Central America. Status: Research suggests a population decline of almost two percent a year since mid1960s; decreases more pronounced in Canada than in the United States. Threats/Outlook: Habitat loss on both breeding and wintering grounds. Even where nesting habitat remains, fragmentation has increased threat of cowbird parasitism. Not in immediate danger, but large-scale habitat protection is essential.
Points South Audubon and BirdLife International Partner Pronatura protect forest fragments and restore watersheds in Veracruz, Mexico.
Audubon and Belize Audubon work for better management of Central American forests to create wintering habitat for migrating birds.
OTHER PRIORITY SPECIES Canada Warbler, Black Skimmer, Greater Shearwater, Wood Stork, Snail Kite, Seaside Sparrow, American Black Duck
CONNECT: South Carolina’s Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest provides habitat for Prothonotary Warblers and introduces visitors to low-country life. Learn more at http://mag.audubon.org/articles/conservation/enchanted-forest.
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PROTECTING FORESTS FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS Species: Wood Thrush, Canada Warbler, and scores of other migratory species Habitat: Forest nesting grounds Our Work: Audubon enlists landowners and foresters to adopt bird-friendly
Field Notes Name: Amanda Acosta, Executive Director, Belize Audubon Society Range: Belize
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Seven of the protected areas managed by the Belize Audubon Society are prime wintering habitat for many neotropical migratory birds, including the Wood Thrush. By working with Audubon’s International Alliances Program, we’re sharing expertise and experience that builds on our collaboration with many chapters of Audubon since our inception 42 years ago. Originally founded as an offshoot of the Florida Audubon Society, we now manage nine protected areas covering 192,000 acres of Belize. We truly appreciate the strong support we have gotten from Audubon over the years.
forestry practices, and promotes legislation that provides incentives. Conservation Impact: Audubon Vermont has trained 80 percent of the state’s foresters in wildlife-friendly practices. This year the program’s guidelines were adopted as an official reference for management plans used by participants in a state property tax reduction program for landowners who commit to keep their land (more than one million acres to date) in forest. Audubon New York has trained Adirondack landowners and foresters who are responsible for managing nearly 700,000 acres. In partnership with the Belize Audubon Society, Audubon is also supporting wintering habitat for the Wood Thrush (below) and other neotropical migrants through field science training and public outreach efforts to reduce poaching in Important Bird Areas like Cockscomb National Park. Conservation Outlook: Under its new strategic plan, Audubon will be expanding both the reach and scope of this innovative approach to conservation. This includes advancing economic incentives for forest preservation in Latin America as well as in the United States.
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THE NETWORK: Using a North America Wetlands Conservation Act Grant, Audubon Connecticut was able to secure protection of added acres at one of the state’s two globally significant IBAs—habitat for nesting Saltmarsh Sparrows and other birds.
PRIORITY BIRD
Canada Warbler
BIRD-FRIENDLY BACKYARDS, PARKS, AND COMMUNITIES Species: Prothonotary Warbler, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Cedar Waxwing Habitat: Backyards, parks, and community green spaces Our Work: Without healthy, safe places to rest and refuel, even the hardiest Atlantic Flyway migrants cannot complete their journeys each spring and fall. Fortunately, Audubon provides the expertise and resources volunteers need to welcome birds to their backyards and parks. Conservation Impact: Allentown and 11 other “Bird Towns” are enrolled in Audubon Pennsylvania’s new initiative to foster community-wide commitment to conservation. Audubon of Florida and Audubon Connecticut (one of its programs is shown above) are engaging Chapters, garden clubs, and other groups, through the Urban Oases program, to promote landscaping with plants that are beneficial to birds. The Cape Fear Audubon Society in Wilmington, North Carolina, introduces “birdscaping” to local residents. And these are only a few of the ways Audubon At Home helps provide safe passage for millions of birds along the Atlantic Flyway. Conservation Outlook: Audubon will continue to mobilize its network of Centers and Chapters to empower individuals and communities to create more bird-friendly habitat all along the Atlantic Flyway.
(Cardellina canadensis) Range and habitat: Breeds in wide range of deciduous and coniferous forests from boreal Canada and northeastern U.S. through the Allegheny Mountains’ central ridge to Tennessee and Georgia. Winters south to northern South America. Status: Population of this little-studied species is roughly 1.4 million. Current population is half what it was in the mid-1960s. Threats/Outlook: Sensitive to forest fragmentation by humans and degradation by deer feeding on understory vegetation. Loss of suitable habitat from development has reduced historical populations. Species does well where forest patches are regenerating, but that dynamic habitat is less common than it once was.
CONNECT: Project Puffin had another great year, with more than 500 pairs of nesting Atlantic Puffins on Seal Island alone. The program has been restoring breeding puffins in Maine since 1973. Learn more at http://www.projectpuffin.org.
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Field Notes Name: Iván Mota, Intern, Project Puffin Range: Coastal Maine and the Dominican Republic Whenever I think “about Project Puffin, the 20
endangered Black-capped Petrel (Pterodroma hasitata) always comes to mind. It breeds mainly on the island of Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti). I believe the Black-capped Petrel can be a great species to start a similar reintroduction program—as was done with the Atlantic Puffin in Maine—as other petrels have been successfully reintroduced following Project Puffin methods. I hope to start such a project for Black-capped Petrels in Hispaniola.
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PROTECTING THE EVERGLADES Species: Everglade Snail Kite, Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork Habitat: The Everglades and Florida Bay Our Work: By restoring the Everglades (above), Audubon preserves habi-
tats for the birds that are the ecological indicators of the River of Grass. Conservation Impact: Audubon of Florida has long been at the forefront of
Everglades protection and restoration. This year the state program focused attention on the plight of the critically endangered Everglade Snail Kite, securing federal commitments to restrict the use of irrigation water from Lake Okeechobee, a significant threat to the species’ survival. Audubon of Florida was also instrumental in major projects that will restore muchneeded freshwater flow into the Everglades, benefiting Roseate Spoonbills, Wood Storks, and wading bird colonies. In the northern Everglades, Audubon is working to ensure protection of 150,000 acres of ranchland as part of a newly proposed Everglades Headwaters Wildlife Refuge. Conservation Outlook: Audubon’s science underlies and shapes Everglades restoration decisions. Using the recovery of key bird species as a measure, Audubon, with its Chapters and partners, is advancing restoration projects and water management policies that sustain the wildlife that defines a healthy Everglades.
THE NETWORK: Georgia’s Augusta-Aiken Audubon Society, Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, and South Carolina’s Silver Bluff Audubon Center monitor water quality in a stream that provides feeding grounds for endangered Wood Storks.
PRESERVING AND RESTORING LONG ISLAND SOUND Species: Saltmarsh Sparrow, Roseate Tern, Piping Plover (bottom), and other shorebirds Habitat: Long Island Sound Our Work: Roughly 10 percent of the U.S. population lives within 50 miles of Long Island Sound. A vital resource for birds and people alike, this rich estuary faces intense development pressure and recreational and commercial demands. Audubon is leading an ambitious effort to improve water quality, restore vital habitats, and promote biodiversity. Conservation Impact: National Audubon policy staff joined forces with Audubon Connecticut and Audubon New York to rally federal, state, and local lawmakers as well as other stakeholders to endorse Sound Vision, a two-year action plan to protect and restore the Sound. Developed by the Long Island Sound Citizens Advisory Committee, the plan combines new and existing restoration projects with unified legislative efforts. Science plays a key role in Audubon’s work to protect and restore the Sound. This includes an Audubon Connecticut 2011 pilot project to assess breeding success and identify optimal nesting locations that will ultimately benefit American Oystercatchers, Piping Plovers, and other shorebirds. Conservation Outlook: Audubon national and state staff, Chapters, activists, and volunteers will continue working to reduce pollution and protect and restore habitat in this vital ecosystem.
PRIORITY BIRD
Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) Range and habitat: Inhabits freshwater marshes and edges of streams and shallow lakes from peninsular Florida through southern Mexico to Argentina. Range is restricted by specialized food requirements: Its diet is almost exclusively freshwater apple snails. Status: Listed as endangered both federally and in Florida. Threats/Outlook: Primary negative impact is human alteration of natural water cycle, causing loss of foraging habitat. Since early 1900s, 50 percent of its habitat has been lost in southern Florida. Should benefit from Everglades restoration efforts.
CONNECT: Audubon of Florida’s Everglades team of science and policy professionals works tirelessly throughout the year to protect water quality and habitat in the four corners of the Everglades. Learn more at http://fl.audubon.org.
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Argentina
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Species: Bobolink, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, American Golden Plover Habitat: San Javier and Santa Fe, Argentina How We Work: The pampas grasslands of South America are the winter home to several important long-distance migrants from North America, including Bobolinks, which congregate in the town of San Javier in flocks exceeding one million. Audubon’s International Alliances Program works with Aves Argentina and other BirdLife International partners in the Southern Cone Grasslands Alliance to support conservation planning and improved management practices for landowners. The training of local biologists has supported the development of bird-friendly cattle ranching and rice farming practices that increase economic gains for local landowners and ensure safe winter homes for grassland birds.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY Migration Nearly half of North America’s bird species—and about 40 percent of its waterfowl—spend at least part of their lives on the Mississippi Flyway. The flyway, with America’s mightiest river at its heart, connects landscapes from the Canadian Arctic through America’s heartland to the Gulf Coast and south as far as Patagonia. Conservation Challenges The Mississippi River and its vibrant grasslands, forests, and wetlands, which support a wide range of birds (including these White Pelicans), have been under sustained assault, enduring more than a century of abuse and exploitation. Between Minnesota and St. Louis, the river is managed with a series of 29 locks and dams. The lower river is straitjacketed by 1,678 miles of levees. It is confined to 10 percent of its historic floodplain, and at its mouth it can deposit barely any of the sediment needed to sustain its vast delta. As a result, 19 square miles of deltaic wetlands disappear each year. The BP oil disaster was the latest blow to a region already reeling from many other challenges.
THE NETWORK: St. Louis Audubon helped prevent development of a casino that would have threatened an Important Bird Area where 240 species of birds are found. The chapter rallied public opposition, and the proposal was denied.
AUDUBON NETWORK : PROTHONOTARY WARBLER ● Audubon Chapters: 120 ★ Audubon State Offices: 5
● Audubon Centers: 9 ● Globally Significant IBAs: 59 A
Audubon Minnesota works with private landowners in floodplain forest IBAs to improve breeding habitat.
PRIORITY BIRD
Prothonotary Warbler
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Chicago Audubon Society, Audubon Chicago Region, and other partners have advocated for Chicago buildings to dim their lights during migration to prevent window collisions. C
The Audubon Center at Riverlands promotes stewardship of forests used by Prothonotary Warblers on migration and during breeding season. D
Audubon Mississippi, by partnering with the owners of bottomland hardwood forest, promotes bird-friendly forest management in the state.
(Protonotaria citrea) Range and habitat: From bottomland hardwood forests and other forested wetlands of U.S. Southeast to mangrove forests of Central and northern South America. Small breeding population in Canada. Status: Endangered in Canada, where population has dropped by at least 75 percent. Threats/Outlook: Logging and agriculture in U.S. and destruction of mangroves in South America have hurt. Nestbox programs are increasingly common in regional and county parks and can be helpful if wetland forest habitat is maintained.
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Audubon helps to protect vital breeding habitat at the West Pontchartrain-Maurepas Swamp Important Bird Area.
Points South Audubon and Panama Audubon collaborate to protect wintering grounds.
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Baton Rouge Audubon’s Peveto Woods Sanctuary provides a safe haven for resting and refueling.
OTHER PRIORITY SPECIES Wilson’s Plover, Black Skimmer, Cerulean Warbler, Swallow-tailed Kite, Indigo Bunting, Henslow’s Sparrow, Least Tern
CONNECT: Mississippi’s Pascagoula River Audubon Center introduces visitors to one of the last free-flowing river systems in the country, promoting conservation practices they can use at home. Learn more at http://pascagoulariver.audubon.org.
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RESTORING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER Species: Swallow-tailed Kite, Indigo Bunting, Least Tern Habitat: Mississippi River delta and floodplain Our Work: From moving mud to moving Congress, Audubon is leading an
Field Notes Name: Dick Riner, Steward and Leader, Bartel Grassland and Thorn Creek Audubon Society Range: Northern Illinois
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More and more volunteers are showing up to help us with our prairie restoration, and it warms the cockles of my heart. The birds are happy with what we are doing—we see more different species, along with more of the ones we want to see. Just yesterday, I pulled into the grassland to wait for a group of volunteers. There was a ground fog, and the sun was just rising. A Northern Harrier came and circled right above me, as if I was a falconer and it was my bird. I wanted to ask, ‘Where are your parents?’ as I think it may have been raised on the site. That almost never happens in the Chicago area.
array of innovative efforts to restore the delta ecosystem and reestablish the natural, life-giving cycles of the Mississippi River, from headwaters to Gulf. Conservation impact: Audubon’s Mississippi River and Louisiana Coastal Initiatives, in collaboration with public policy teams, have scored many victories in the ongoing fight for river and delta restoration. At the Paul J. Rainey Wildlife Sanctuary (below), a small custom-built dredge is serving as a prototype for wetlands restoration; this year also saw the repair of water control structures and levees that protect 11,000 acres of Rainey’s marsh from saltwater intrusion. During the 2011 Mississippi River flood, Audubon scientists collected fresh data that will inform future restoration and enable policy makers, conservationists, and the region’s residents to shape a new model for ecological and community resilience. Audubon’s policy team and grassroots activists were instrumental in garnering national support for Mississippi River Delta recovery work in the aftermath of the BP oil disaster. This led to the introduction of federal legislation that, if passed, will direct billions of dollars to restoration. Conservation Outlook: Audubon is working to address both immediate and long-term threats to this vital region, from rethinking obsolete approaches to river “management,” to advocating for much-needed funding, to marshaling our network in conservation action up and down America’s river.
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THE NETWORK: Brainerd Lakes, Wild River, Zumbro Valley, and Central Minnesota Audubon chapters organized community-wide “Chimney Swift Sits” in collaboration with Audubon Minnesota to locate and count birds of this declining species.
PRIORITY BIRD
Least Tern
ENLISTING BEACHGOERS TO PROTECT NESTING BIRDS Species: Wilson’s Plover, Black Skimmer, Reddish Egret, Brown Pelican Habitat: Gulf Coast beaches and barrier islands Our Work: Across the northern Gulf Coast, Audubon energizes volunteers
and partner organizations to conserve, restore, protect, and evaluate a network of coastal sites for colonial and beach-nesting birds. Conservation Impact: During the 2011 nesting season, some Gulf Coast birds got a helping hand from Audubon Chapters and volunteers (above) who educated beachgoers about the birds and how to keep them, their eggs, and their chicks safe. Additionally, crowd-scientists collected information about birds and their coastal habitats throughout the year. The Audubon Coastal Bird Survey, with support from the Mississippi Coast Audubon Society, Mobile Bay Audubon Society, and Pascagoula River Audubon Center, enlisted more than 150 volunteers to survey 24 sites in Mississippi and Alabama. These volunteers counted some 65,000 birds representing 160 species. Audubon scientists are linking hands across the Gulf Coast to standardize survey efforts from Texas to Florida, adding to our accuracy and impact. Conservation Outlook: Through innovative outreach and social marketing, we will reduce human disturbance, increase awareness, and broaden public protections for birds that breed, winter, and migrate along the Gulf Coast’s shores. Our scientists will build a long-term, credible inventory for species and habitat sites, ensuring adaptation to changes related to sea-level rise and human pressures.
(Sterna antillarum) Range and habitat: Nests on sandy beaches up the Mississippi and other major river systems as well as along southern U.S. coasts. Large winter range across the marine coastlines of Central and South America. Status: Interior (and California) Least Tern on federal endangered species list. Considered threatened, endangered, or species of concern in many coastal states. Threats/Outlook: Historical declines from feather hunting and egg collecting, pesticide use, and habitat destruction. With increased conservation, species has been recovering since about 1980.
CONNECT: Audubon activists are a powerful force for sound public policy, from the Gulf to the Arctic. Sign up for access to lawmakers on issues affecting birds, other wildlife, and habitats. Learn more at http://policy.audubon.org/take-action.
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Field Note Name: Robin McAlester, Director, Wildcat Glades Audubon Center Range: Western Missouri After the tornado dev“astated Joplin, Missouri,
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support from donors across the country allowed us to offer free summer camps and programs to families in our community. I remember the response from one of our partners, the local Boys & Girls Clubs director: ‘This is just the kind of program our kids—and staff—need, but with limited funding and no more capacity for so many children, we wouldn’t have been able to provide it for them.’
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CONNECTING COMMUNITIES WITH THE RIVER Species: Least Tern, White Pelican, Bald Eagle, various ducks Habitat: Audubon Center at Riverlands (above) Our Work: Through a partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Audubon opened a new conservation and education center near St. Louis, at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Conservation Impact: The center’s location near a diverse urban center and within the Great Rivers Confluence Important Bird Area offers unique opportunities for education, conservation, and connection to nature. The Center is surrounded by 3,700 acres of prairie marsh and forest, which form an important wetland complex for migrating, nesting, and wintering waterbirds. Bald Eagles and King Rails breed within the IBA, and interior Least Terns nest on an artificial island at Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary. Thousands of waterfowl and shorebirds migrate through the IBA each year, along with large numbers of neotropical migratory songbirds, which are found primarily in bottomland forest along the rivers. The Audubon Center at Riverlands joins other Centers in the Mississippi Flyway, including Strawberry Plains Audubon Center in Mississippi and Grange Insurance Audubon Center in Ohio, in connecting local residents with nature and wildlife and in engaging visitors in conservation action, including grasslands restoration and watershed cleanup. Conservation Outlook: The Audubon Center at Riverlands, the newest addition to our Centers network, will play a key role in Audubon’s Mississippi Flyway conservation efforts and will serve the Greater St. Louis area, reconnecting its citizens with nature and America’s greatest river system.
THE NETWORK: The Baton Rouge Audubon Society sponsors “Kids Who Bird,” a bird club for kids up to age 16. Monthly meetings have a theme (like hummingbirds or owls) and include educational activities, field trips, and speakers.
CREATING HEALTHY HABITAT FOR FOREST BIRDS Species: Warblers, including Prothonotary, Swainson’s, and Cerulean (below) Habitat: Forest habitats of the Mississippi Flyway Our Work: Much of the Mississippi Flyway’s forested lands are privately
owned and managed for forest products and recreational use. Audubon is partnering with landowners all along the flyway to promote the adoption of bird-friendly forest management. Our goal is to ensure viable populations of all bottomland hardwood-dependent birds (breeding and migration) along the Mississippi River. Conservation Impact: Audubon completed a pilot project on 12,000 private acres in western Mississippi. Audubon Minnesota launched a pilot to promote best management practices to private landowners in floodplain forests in and adjacent to the IBAs along the Upper Mississippi. Conservation Outlook: As word has spread about Audubon’s collaborative approach to forest management, we have been asked to develop a landowner learning network. We will bring bird-friendly management to 50,000 acres of private forest along the Mississippi River by 2014.
PRIORITY BIRD
Indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea) Range and habitat: Breeds in forest edges from the northern Great Plains eastward to the Atlantic seaboard. Winters from Mexico to northern Panama. Status: Still abundant, though numbers are declining a bit. Threats/Outlook: Common cage bird and sometimes killed for food or sport in its tropical wintering grounds. In eastern North America its numbers decrease with intensive agriculture, forest regrowth, and continued urbanization. Numbers improve with increase of edge habitats.
CONNECT: Most birds migrate at night. Lighted buildings can lure them off course, causing collisions and disorientation. Audubon Minnesota’s Lights Out Program helps to keep these nighttime fliers safe. Learn more at http://mn.audubon.org.
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Mexico
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Species: Swainson’s Hawk, many other migratory birds Habitat: Veracruz, Mexico How We Work: Rampant deforestation threatens critical wintering and stopover habitat for millions of migratory birds that pass through Veracruz each year. Cattle ranching and agriculture have cleared more than 90 percent of central Veracruz’s natural vegetation, leaving little cover, food, or roosting sites for birds. Audubon’s International Alliances Program is working with Pronatura Veracruz to build local stewardship of this globally significant IBA. Landowners are developing plant nurseries and other sustainable livelihoods from the forests instead of cutting them down to clear farmland. More than 3,000 acres of remaining Veracruz forest has been officially protected.
CENTRAL FLYWAY Migration The Central Flyway spans the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, the heartland’s wetlands, and the western Gulf Coast. Many of its migratory species winter in Central and South America, some as far south as Patagonia. In addition, this flyway is home to such iconic western species as the Greater Sage-Grouse and the Lesser Prairie-Chicken. Conservation Challenges Water diversion and other habitat loss from development are taking a toll on the riparian and wetland habitats that many waterfowl, including the critically endangered Whooping Crane (above), rely on to prepare for migration and breeding each spring. Energy exploration and development have ravaged the high plains and sagebrush of the intermountain West, with grim consequences for sage-grouse and other wildlife. And grassland birds and habitat are vanishing. Ninety-eight percent of the Midwest’s native prairie has disappeared, due to conversion to agricultural uses along with suppression of the natural fire cycle required for renewal.
THE NETWORK: Travis Audubon Society in Texas developed a program-based, adaptive land management plan at Baker Sanctuary, a 690-acre preserve for the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler and other native wildlife and plant communities.
AUD U BON NETWORK : SANDH I LL CRANE ● Audubon Chapters: 75 ★ Audubon State Offices: 7
Audubon Wyoming and three chapters—Meadowlark, Red Desert, and Murie—monitor IBAs that provide habitat for migrating and nesting cranes. A
● Audubon Centers: 9 ● Globally Significant IBAs: 65
Audubon Colorado and state chapters build a regional constituency for crane conservation with education, outreach. Black Canyon Audubon protects cranes at Fruitgrowers Reservoir IBA.
Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary is visited each spring by 80% of the world’s Sandhill Cranes. All state chapters support crane work. C
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PRIORITY BIRD
Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) Range and habitat: Nests in various places: across Canada, Siberia, Alaska; in Michigan and Wisconsin; and California to Colorado. Winters in Texas, Oklahoma, northern Mexico. Uses various habitats but always with water. Status: Currently safe. Population is about 450,000 and spreading in northeastern United States. Threats/Outlook: In the past, hunting, pesticides, and habitat loss harmed this species. To consolidate conservation success, needs protection, restoration of habitat—the Platte River in Nebraska and pine forests and savannahs on the Gulf Coast. D
The Lahontan and Red Rock chapters work at three IBAs to protect, improve, and raise awareness about habitat for nesting cranes.
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Audubon New Mexico and area chapters address threats to riparian wintering habitat, including the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, an IBA.
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Audubon Texas’s work to protect wintering habitat on the Gulf Coast benefits both Sandhill and Whooping Cranes.
OTHER PRIORITY SPECIES Whooping Crane, Piping Plover, Redhead, Little Blue Heron, Wilson’s Plover, Greater Sage-Grouse, Lesser Prairie-Chicken, Interior Least Tern
CONNECT: Located amid 800 acres of tallgrass prairie and home to 210 bird species, Nebraska’s Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center preserves one of America’s most threatened habitats. Learn more at http://springcreekprairie.audubon.org.
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BALANCING WILDLIFE AND GREEN ENERGY NEEDS Species: Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat: Sagebrush ecosystem in the intermountain West Our Work: Energy development poses an enormous threat to the sagebrush
Field Notes Name: Wes Martel, Eastern Shoshone Tribe, Board Member, Audubon Wyoming Range: Wyoming plains You know, it wasn’t that “many centuries ago when 30
most everybody believed how the earth and all of the things that the earth provides are important in our daily lives. Unfortunately, in today’s modern world, very few people understand it anymore. All these living things have a spirit just like us, and they are relatives—we are all related. When these male sage-grouse dance, the way they move and their feet are touching the earth . . . when we see that dance, that reverence for the earth, that’s a very important part of how we maintain that connection.
habitat that Greater Sage-Grouse, pronghorn antelope, and other wildlife depend on. The Greater Sage-Grouse (below) is already under consideration for listing as an endangered species as a result of habitat loss in much of its range. That’s why Audubon Wyoming and Audubon Colorado have led the development and adoption of a game-changing strategy that balances wildlife protection with our nation’s need for energy—especially green wind energy. This innovative, science-based approach identifies the best places for wind farms and limits the footprint of oil and gas extraction while protecting core habitat areas for sage-grouse. Conservation Impact: Fifteen million acres of sage-grouse habitat in Wyoming are now protected from too much energy and other types of development, and the Bureau of Land Management has adopted this core strategy in Oregon. Efforts to expand the approach into Colorado, Nevada, Utah, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and the Dakotas are under way. Conservation Outlook: Both energy extraction sites and transmission lines are threats to sagebrush habitat. Audubon is playing a key role in assessing potential impacts on birds and shaping land-use planning and decisions that meet the needs of both energy and wildlife.
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THE NETWORK: Kansas’s Topeka Audubon hosted a “bioblitz” on 300 acres of parks on Shunganunga Creek. The survey included the Warren Nature Area, where Audubon supported the collection of native seeds for grassland restoration.
PRIORITY BIRD
Little Blue Heron REST STOP ON THE MIGRATORY CORRIDOR Species: Whooping and Sandhill Cranes, millions of migratory waterfowl Habitat: Great Plains wetlands, prairies, Platte River Our Work: Audubon Nebraska and its partners, including Big Bend Audu-
bon, have a long history as central players in restoring the Platte River (above), one of the key stops along the Central Flyway. In addition to hands-on work to maintain this vital river channel, Audubon builds community and national commitment by promoting sustainable ecotourism. Outreach also fosters grassland stewardship, including some 800 acres of native (never plowed) tallgrass prairie at the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center near Lincoln, Nebraska. Conservation Impact: Working with partners, the Lillian Annette Rowe Sanctuary is clearing nearly 14,000 acres of invasive Phragmites australis, which will open miles of Platte River channel for birds and other wildlife. Each spring visitors from around the globe witness the spectacle of Sandhill Crane migration at the sanctuary’s Iain Nicolson Audubon Center. Audubon Nebraska also leads Audubon’s opposition to the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, which, besides transporting the dirtiest oil produced, would threaten precious groundwater in Nebraska’s Sandhills. Conservation Outlook: Audubon will continue to improve the management of the open channels and wet meadows of the Platte River and expand the acreage under its protection. We will focus education and outreach efforts to drive conservation results. By expanding our IBA program and strengthening our network, from North Dakota into Central America and beyond, we will shape a healthy future for the flyway’s birds and communities.
(Egretta caerulea) Range and habitat: Widely distributed in marine and freshwater marshes across the southeastern United States and Central and South America. Status: Population has declined more than 50 percent in past 40 years. Current population is roughly 150,000. Threats/Outlook: Although this species didn’t meet the same fate as other egrets back in the 1800s—it doesn’t have the plumage coveted by feather hunters—it faces threats today largely from the loss of feeding habitat. The population is still in decline.
CONNECT: The Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary in Santa Fe—135 acres of spectacular landscapes and abundant wildlife—provides sanctuary for plants, animals, and visitors. Learn more at http://nm.audubon.org.
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Field Note Name: Eleanor Wootten, Board Member, Audubon New Mexico, and Member and Past President of Mesilla Valley Audubon Range: Mesilla Valley, New Mexico
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been coming to “theI have Gila River since I was a child. I’ve camped on it, birded on it, and fished in it. Now there are proposals to alter this wildlife and recreation resource by diverting some of its water. I think it’s more important to keep the water in the river, where it helps cottonwoods, other trees and plants, and hundreds of species of birds thrive. That’s why I am working with Audubon New Mexico to protect the place that is near and dear to my heart.
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WATER FOR BIRDS AND PEOPLE Species: Whooping Crane, Little Blue Heron, many other species Habitat: The Texas Triangle; Arizona Our Work: Water, a critical issue in Texas, Arizona, and other western
states, is one of the challenges staff like Iliana Peña (opposite) of Audubon Texas focus on. Texas’s enormous array of birds depend on diverse habitats throughout the state, while 70 percent of the state’s human population is concentrated in the “Texas Triangle.” Arizona’s rapidly increasing population has potentially troubling consequences for the biologically diverse Sonoran Desert. Conservation Impact: Audubon Centers and Chapters empower people to conserve and safeguard water. Dallas’s Trinity River Audubon Center (top) introduces 45,000 visitors yearly to the Trinity River Watershed, enlisting many in wetlands restoration; this year the opening of the Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center, with leadership from Audubon Dallas, significantly expanded Audubon’s reach. San Antonio’s Mitchell Lake Audubon Center connects the diverse San Antonio community with the importance of water conservation, helping to safeguard water quality all the way down to San Antonio Bay. The Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center in Phoenix engages thousands in stewardship of Arizona’s rivers. And the Tucson Audubon Society mobilizes residents to conserve water in their backyards. Conservation Outlook: Audubon’s Centers and Chapters are an important component in our strategy to promote sound water management policies and practices that support people and wildlife.
THE NETWORK: Arizona’s Sonoran Audubon Society and Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center are partnering with the BLM and local high school interns to survey Yellow-billed Cuckoos at the Agua Fria National Monument.
EXPANDING OUR GREEN ENERGY MODEL Species: Lesser Prairie-Chicken Habitat: Plains and wetlands in Colorado and four adjoining states Our Work: As pressure for much-needed wind energy development mounts
in Colorado and elsewhere, Audubon is working to keep it green for birds and wildlife. Building on our innovative work with sage-grouse in Wyoming, Audubon Colorado is playing a key role in ensuring that siting decisions factor in habitat needs for birds and other wildlife. Conservation Impact: This year Audubon Colorado helped broker consensus with the wind industry in Colorado on best management practices (BMPs) for the siting and operation of wind farms. The resulting guidelines, while voluntary, set a precedent for a reasonable level of protection for many vulnerable birds amid the current regulatory vacuum for wind energy in the interior West. Lesser Prairie-Chickens, Burrowing Owls, Mountain Plovers, and Sharp-tailed Grouse are only some of the species that will benefit from this landmark set of science-based BMPs. Conservation Outlook: Balancing green energy development with wildlife needs will be one of the defining environmental challenges of this decade. That’s why Audubon is expanding our habitat-based model throughout the United States and into Latin America.
PRIORITY BIRD
Lesser Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) Range and habitat: Resident of arid shortgrass or mid-grass plains, especially near scrubby patches of shinnery oak, from southwest Kansas to southeast New Mexico. Status: Population down about 97 percent since the 1800s. Currently probably fewer than 40,000, perhaps as few as 20,000. Threats/Outlook: Mainly habitat loss and degradation. Remaining habitat threatened by fire suppression, inappropriate grazing regimes, and energy installations, including wind, oil, gas, and transmission lines. Future depends on protection and management of remaining habitat.
CONNECT: For 30-plus years Audubon’s Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch in Arizona has protected grasslands and birds by engaging citizens and policy makers in safeguarding native ecosystems. Learn more at http://researchranch.audubon.org.
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HE M IS PHERIC CO NS E RVAT ION
Chile
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Species: Hudsonian Godwit, Whimbrel Habitat: Alaska to Chile How We Work: Audubon and its Chilean partner, Centro de Estudios y Conservación del Patrimonio Natural (CECPAN), work to protect critical wintering IBAs for Hudsonian Godwits (99 percent of the Pacific population winters in Chile) and Whimbrels. Agricultural lands provide essential migratory and winter habitat. The Chilean team is using Audubon California’s Landowner Stewardship Program as a model for developing similar programs. Audubon engages private landowners to reduce pollution and erosion, restore riparian habitats, and protect vital roosting and feeding grounds. By collaborating with groups like CECPAN, this approach can be applied in wintering grounds throughout the hemisphere.
PAC I F I C F LY WAY Migration The birds of the Pacific Flyway depend on a diverse chain of habitats, from Arctic tundra to tropical beaches and mangroves. Audubon’s network of Chapters, volunteers, activists, and members is preserving and restoring the vital links along the way. Conservation Challenges Each year at least a billion birds migrate along the Pacific Flyway, which stretches from the Bering Strait to Central and South America. But these birds are only a fraction of those that used the flyway a century ago. Some species, such as the Spectacled Eider, the Steller’s Eider, and the Yellow-billed Loon (above), are in serious trouble, and even many common birds have become far less common. Habitat loss, water shortages due to diversion for agriculture and development, diminishing food sources, and climate change all threaten the birds of the Pacific Flyway.
THE NETWORK: Five California Chapters—Golden Gate, Santa Clara Valley, Mount Diablo, Ohlone, and Marin—were instrumental in forging an agreement to replace old wind turbines at Altamont Pass with more bird-friendly ones by 2015.
AUD UBON N ETWORK : WESTERN SAN DPIPER ● Audubon Chapters: 1 15 ★ Audubon State Offices: 3
● Audubon Centers: 1 1 ● Globally Significant IBAs: 161
A
Audubon Alaska preserves breeding habitat in western and northern coastal Alaska.
PRIORITY BIRD
Western Sandpiper
B
Audubon Alaska protects watersheds and coastal estuaries in the Tongass National Forest. C
Gray’s Harbor Audubon sponsors an annual Shorebird Festival and has created a 739-acre wetlands. D
Audubon California, Klamath Basin Audubon, and the Audubon Society of Portland preserve key wetlands. E
Audubon California restores wetlands habitat in San Francisco Bay.
(Calidris mauri) Range and Habitat: Nests in western and northern Alaska. Migrates in spring mainly in West, but fairly common on Atlantic Coast in fall. Frequents mudflats. Status: Like many sandpipers, its population has dropped; species was listed as declining on WatchList 2007. Threats/Outlook: Loss of nutrient-rich estuarine mudflats on migration routes due to polluted runoff and other effects of nearby development. Key migration, wintering, and staging areas need to be protected.
F
San Diego Audubon safeguards crucial habitat in Mission Bay.
Points South National Audubon and Panama Audubon protect winter habitat in Panama Bay. OTHER PRIORITY SPECIES Long-billed Curlew, Whimbrel, Spectacled Eider, Kittlitz’s Murrelet, Steller’s Eider, Snowy Plover, Hudsonian Godwit
CONNECT: The Audubon International Alliances Program’s hemispheric partners hail from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Learn more about these partners at http://web4.audubon.org/bird/IAP.
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Field Notes Name: Judy Alles, Volunteer, Pilchuck Audubon, Range: Monroe, Washington Our annual Audubon“sponsored Monroe Swifts 36
Night Out attracts more people each year, from families with toddlers to senior citizens in wheelchairs—all coming together to witness 10,000 Vaux’s Swifts swirl into an old school chimney to roost. But our efforts go beyond saving and celebrating this particular chimney ‘habitat’ in Monroe. We are building a community of people, from British Columbia to Mexico, to monitor and learn about Vaux’s Swifts and to identify their important migratory roost sites, which we call the ‘String of Chimney Pearls.’ The Audubon Center at Debs Park recently identified a Vaux’s Swift roost in downtown Los Angeles. Now they have their own swift celebration!
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WORKING FOR BIRDS ON AGRICULTURAL LANDS Species: Long-billed Curlew, Whimbrel, Black-necked Stilt Habitat: California’s Central Valley Our Work: Audubon California, with its Migratory Bird Conservation Part-
nership and in conjunction with The Nature Conservancy and Point Reyes Bird Observatory (PRBO) Conservation Science, enlists farmers who grow rice, alfalfa, and other crops to manage their farms in bird-friendly ways. Audubon and PRBO Conservation Science have guided major investments in public funds this past year to make agricultural lands more bird-friendly. Conservation Impact: In just three years Audubon California and its partners have laid the groundwork for farm management practices that benefit shorebirds, as in the flooded rice field above. Conservation Outlook: The Natural Resources Conservation Service, a unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has committed $2.68 million to a three-year pilot program for rice farmers interested in increasing their farms’ value to migratory birds. Seventy-four farms have signed up, enrolling more than 28,000 acres in the program. Twenty alfalfa and other forage-crop farmers recently participated in two workshops hosted by Audubon to identify bird-friendly practices on their farms to be tested over the next several years.
THE NETWORK: The number of visitors to Seattle’s Seward Park Environmental & Audubon Center doubled in the past year. Since 2008 student enrollment in the Center’s middle and high school programs has more than quadrupled.
BIRD-FRIENDLY ENERGY DEVELOPMENT Species: Spectacled Eider, Yellow-billed Loon Habitat: North Slope of Alaska Our Work: Audubon Alaska, led by Executive Director Nils Warnock (be-
low), is pursuing permanent wilderness designation for the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as well as protection of important “special areas” in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska (NPRA). Conservation Impact: Audubon Alaska has published a Habitat Conservation Strategy for the NPRA that outlines appropriate protections for identified “special areas,” with emphasis on the importance of the Teshekpuk Lake area as a breeding, molting, and staging ground for various seabirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Conservation Outlook: Audubon is confident energy development can take place in a way that safeguards areas of critical importance to birds and other wildlife. This can mean limiting oil and gas drilling in sensitive or critical habitat areas (e.g., goose molting, caribou calving) and carefully siting needed infrastructure with wildlife habitat requirements in mind.
PRIORITY BIRD
Kittlitz’s Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) Range and habitat: In North America, found only in Alaskan coastal areas in south and west. Winters coastally, mostly near breeding-season foraging areas. One-third of world population found in Siberia. Status: Global population of 24,000; seems to be declining at rapid rate. New studies are under way. Threats/Outlook: Small breeding and wintering ranges, low productivity, and other factors make species vulnerable to climate change, oil spills, gill-netting. Other threats include habitat loss, human disturbance, and retreating glaciers.
CONNECT: A rice farmer in California Audubon’s Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership described his crop rotation as “wild rice, regular rice, and shorebirds.” Learn more at www.audubonmagazine.org/articles/birds/grains-change.
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Field Note Name: Meg Ruby, Volunteer, Audubon of Portland Range: Northwestern Oregon It’s easy to get “overwhelmed by the 38
challenges facing our natural world. Audubon provides a healthy place to face those challenges. It allows me to connect and make a difference. Plus, it’s fun,” says Ruby, who has participated in many activities for Portland Audubon, including bird counts and Marbled Murrelet watches. In her view, Audubon plays an important role in her community. “We can’t forget we’re part of a community—not just a human community but a natural one.
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CONSERVATION ON A GRAND SCALE Species: California Condor, Prairie Falcon, Long-eared Owl, Burrowing Owl, Horned Lark, Golden Eagle Habitat: Tejon Ranch, Southern California Our Work: In 2008 Audubon California and four conservation partners, working with the owners of Tejon Ranch, reached an agreement to protect 240,000 acres from development. More recently, 60,000 acres covered by this agreement were placed on permanent conservation easement. Conservation Impact: Tejon Ranch, one of the West’s most diverse landscapes, encompasses five different ecosystems, including Mojave Desert grasslands and Joshua tree, oak, and riparian woodlands. Critically important to many birds, including the highly endangered California Condor (above), it is also crucial to the San Joaquin kit fox and the blunt-nosed leopard lizard. Conservation Outlook: Late last year the state Wildlife Conservation Board announced a $15.8 million grant to purchase easements on 62,000 Tejon acres. Focusing on landscapes like Tejon’s is crucial to many wildlife species.
THE NETWORK: A two-year, $2.4 million habitat restoration project on Aramburu Island, in Richardson Bay, part of San Francisco Bay, will include seasonal wetlands for Whimbrels and Marbled Godwits and smooth beaches for sandpipers.
NORTH AMERICA’S RAINFOREST Species: Kittlitz’s Murrelet, Marbled Murrelet, Bald Eagle Habitat: Tongass National Forest, southeast Alaska Our Work: The Tongass National Forest (below), nearly 17 million acres,
includes a significant portion of the world’s last remaining temperate rainforest. This varied and spectacular region supports abundant wildlife, including birds, bears, wolves, and salmon. Audubon Alaska, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and with input from dozens of scientists, has analyzed, mapped, and described the Tongass’s coastal forests to identify areas of greatest ecological value. Conservation Impact: To ensure the ecological integrity of the Tongass, Audubon Alaska and TNC have devised a place-based approach to preserve and/or restore the most significant watersheds within the forest. Audubon’s approach protects biodiversity while supporting sustainable economic development. Conservation Outlook: Audubon’s work is being used to identify highpriority conservation areas, such as major salmon-producing watersheds and areas in need of restoration investment while allowing for careful timber harvest that avoids old-growth and roadless areas.
PRIORITY BIRD
Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) Range and habitat: Breeds at limited locations from western Alaska to Hudson Bay. Winters in marshes and coastal mudflats in South America. Status: Population estimated at 50,000 to 70,000, although data is insufficient to reliably determine population trends. Threats/Outlook: Energy development threatens breeding grounds. Human disturbance and growing aquaculture industry— particularly on Chile’s Isla Chiloé—could harm wintering habitats. Species seems stable, though small global population increases its vulnerablility.
CONNECT: Information from the Atlas of the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, produced by Audubon Alaska and Oceana, was used in a USGS report on oil leasing on Alaska’s outer continental shelf. Learn more at http://ak.audubon.org.
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