tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-118040772024-03-12T19:56:32.096-04:00American Avian Conservation & Research InstituteOur mission is to promote the art of bird conservation through science and education.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-29885856818749431872014-02-07T20:20:00.002-05:002014-02-07T20:25:32.535-05:00We've Migrated!!! (sorta')<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCdmI600pKf2ostXUj60jnGFaCLbOpVvmQSJ-YwBVhbAoS6iJscFZjIQG_QnkVFAE_YP4jjtKtCxjGvmqF_gtP2zR768X6_vecBmLclfRKqVIfydqxbwJS5T5qOZtEO7pptHg/s1600/IMG_1176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCdmI600pKf2ostXUj60jnGFaCLbOpVvmQSJ-YwBVhbAoS6iJscFZjIQG_QnkVFAE_YP4jjtKtCxjGvmqF_gtP2zR768X6_vecBmLclfRKqVIfydqxbwJS5T5qOZtEO7pptHg/s1600/IMG_1176.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a>As The American Avian Conservation & Research Institute continues to develop and our focus narrows, our need for better tools, resources, and need for virtual presence is also increasing. As a result we've found a new online host that allows us to capitalize on our limited programming skills, and even more limited funds.<br />
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You can find our new website by clicking <a href="http://tuckercasey.wix.com/aacri-birds" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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You'll note above that it says that we've only sorta' migrated to the new site. We may still use this site to post interesting and relevant bird-related news and science information as it is easier to use for that purpose than our new site. Otherwise you'll be able to find almost all other information and resources at our new site.<br />
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So go check it out now!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-39118824035940643712013-07-31T20:17:00.002-04:002013-10-22T19:24:16.290-04:00Ohio Avian Research & Conservation Conference<br />
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<span style="color: black;">On Saturday, October 19th, the </span><a href="http://www.denison.edu/academics/departments/biology/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Denison University Biology Department</span></a><span style="color: black;"> is hosting the Ohio Avian Research & Conservation Conference 2013.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">This conference will bring together professional ornithologists from museums and other academic institutions, high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, government agencies, as well as non-professional researchers and citizen scientists alike from all over Ohio to present and share their research projects with one another and with other interested individuals through oral and poster presentations. The focus of this conference is to highlight Ornithological research by Ohioans within the state and abroad.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Our keynote speaker for this conference is <a href="http://english.owu.edu/burtt.html" target="_blank"><strong>Dr. Edward H. Burtt, Jr.,</strong></a> the Cincinnati Conference Professor of <a href="http://zoology.owu.edu/" target="_blank">Zoology at Ohio Wesleyan University</a>, the 2011 Ohio Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, former President of the <a href="http://www.wilsonsociety.org/" target="_blank">Wilson Ornithological Society</a> and the <a href="http://www.aou.org/" target="_blank">American Ornithologist Union</a>, and co-author of the recently released book titled "<a href="http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674072558&content=bios" target="_blank">Alexander Wilson: The Scot Who Founded American Ornithology</a>."</span><br />
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<a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2013/06/04/scientists-do-outreach-or-your-science-dies/" target="_blank">Why this conference is important for scientists and the public alike.</a><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Registration:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="color: black;">The cost of registration includes a boxed lunch (4 to choose from), a continental breakfast, any conference handouts, free parking on Denison's campus, and attendance to all presentations. <strong>The cost for professionals, academics, and non-students is <u>$25.00 +fee</u></strong>. <strong>Student pricing is <u>$15.00 +fee</u></strong>. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><strong>To Register: </strong></span><a href="http://ohiobirdresearch.eventbrite.com/"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><strong>http://ohiobirdresearch.eventbrite.com/</strong></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">*</span></strong>The Licking County </span><a href="http://ocvn.osu.edu/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">OCVN</span></a><span style="color: black;"> Chapter is offering <u><strong>3 student scholarships</strong></u> for high school & undergraduate students who may need assistance with covering the cost of attendance. Contact Lori Swihart at the Licking Co. OSU Extension Office (740-670-5322) to apply.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">*</span></strong>The Hocking County OCVN Chapter is offering <strong><u>2 student scholarship</u></strong> for high school & undergraduate students who may need assistance with covering the cost of attendance. Contact </span><a href="mailto:rebecca.osburn@yahoo.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Rebecca Osburn</span></a><span style="color: black;">, Hocking Co. OCVN Coordinator via e-mail or phone (740-603-6751) to apply.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>**</strong></span>The Licking County Birding Fun and Nature (FAN) Club is sponsoring a <strong><u>student poster award</u></strong> for an exceptional research poster first authored by a student (high school, undergrad, or grad).</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><strong>Event Sponsors:</strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Endorsement:</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/77893583/OOS%20letter/OOS--OARCC%20Letter.pdf" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm664Wnlvl2Dqcu6an8o17fVWrU0uTpKf2i9RrPODK-sJEZJyabe4hheurRf72FMrsbBXgcT3oh3EA96bKKRYLVJEQsNQE2jod89wwALiZvKJfhQ4Q4jJVJ9ZYtXjlCmd1jNoU/s200/OOS+Logo1.jpg" width="198" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Click the logo to read an endorsement letter from the OOS</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Schedule:</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><u>Saturday, October 19th</u></span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: black;"></span><em><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Live Tweeting of the conference by the OSU Ornithology Club @osubirds)</span></strong></em></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>8:00-9:00 a.m.—Registration/Continental Breakfast/Meet-&-Greet/Hang Posters</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>9:00-9:15 a.m.—Welcome by Lyn Boone, Denison birder & member of East Central Ohio </strong></span><span style="color: black;"><strong>Audubon</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>9:15-9:30 a.m.—Welcome by Conference organizer/Introduction of Presenters</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">9:30-10:00 a.m.—"Population biology of Red-winged Blackbirds on the Lake Erie islands"--Sarah Winnicki, student, Denison University</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">10:00-10:30 a.m.—"Songbird responses to nest predators across a fragmented, urbanizing landscape"--Laura Kearns, School of Environment and Natural Resources, the Ohio State University</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">10:30-11:00 a.m.—"<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Using knowledge networks and data sharing to advance bird conservation and research"--Megan Seymour, USFWS</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">11:00-11:30 a.m.—"Migration, movements, and habitat use of greater Sandhill Cranes (<em>Grus canadensis tabida</em>) in Ohio"--<a href="http://senr.osu.edu/our-people/jason-tucker" target="_blank">Jason Tucker, School of Environment & Natural Resources, Ohio State University</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">11:30-12:00 a.m.—"Processing Nestbox Data for Future Analysis"--Richard M. Tuttle</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.—Lunch/Poster Presentations/Social Hour</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">1:00-1:30 p.m.—"Seasonal difference in water loss and lipid composition in the skin of House Sparrows (<em>Passer domesticus</em>)"--<a href="http://eeob.osu.edu/people/champagne" target="_blank">Alex Champagne, Graduate Student, Dept. of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">1:30-2:00 p.m.—"Demographic response of the Hooded Warbler (<em>Setophaga citrine</em>) in forest stands with different habitat structure."--<a href="http://www.ocees.ohio.edu/ocees%20FELLOW%20Kelly%20Williams-Sieg%2010%2011.htm" target="_blank">Kelly A. Williams, Ohio University</a>
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<span style="color: black;">2:00-2:30 p.m.—"Phylogeography of two Appalachian songbirds"--<a href="http://cmnh.org/site/ResearchandCollections/Ornithology.aspx" target="_blank">Dr. Andy Jones, Cleveland Museum of Natural History</a> &<a href="http://cmnhblog.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/summer-sessions-part-3/#more-77" target="_blank"> Courtney Brennan, Environmental Science, Cleveland State University</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>2:30-3:00 p.m.—Break (Posters/social/Restrooms)</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">3:00-3:30 p.m.—"Making sense of looney tunes: The role acoustic signals play in territory selection and defense by Common Loons (<em>Gavia immer</em>)."--<a href="http://www.onu.edu/node/37167" target="_blank">Dr. Jay Mager, Ohio Northern University</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">3:30-4:00 p.m.—Ohio Winter Bird Atlas: The Country's First and Conservation Implications--<a href="http://www.bsbo.org/research/research_projects.htm" target="_blank">Mark Shieldcastle, Research Director, Black Swamp Bird Observatory</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">4:00-5:00 p.m.—Keynote Presentation-"Alexander Wilson: journeys of a pioneer ornithologist, 1804-1813."--<a href="http://english.owu.edu/burtt.html" target="_blank">Dr. Jed Burtt, Jr., Ohio Wesleyan University</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>5:30-7:30 p.m.—Reception in Upper Floor of Slayter Student Union (*food & adult beverages available for purchase)</strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><u>Sunday, October 20th</u></span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>8:00-10:00 a.m.--Bird Walk at The Dawes Arboretum with local Birding Fun and Nature (FAN) Club</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Where to Stay & Nearby Attractions:</strong></span></div>
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<a href="http://business.granvilleoh.com/list/QuickLinkMembers/lodging-travel-15.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Lodging in </span><span style="color: black;">Granville Area</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.escapetolickingcounty.com/online-visitors-guide/category/sleep" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Lodging in Licking Co</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.escapetolickingcounty.com/online-visitors-guide/category/discover" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Nearby Attractions</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://dawesarb.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Dawes Arboretum</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ohionature.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Ohio Nature Education</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.denison.edu/academics/departments/biology/biological_reserve.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Denison Bio-Reserve</span></a></div>
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________________________________________________________</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: left;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Contact:</span></strong></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black;">For questions, help with registration, or to submit a presentation/poster title and abstract, contact <a href="mailto:tuckercasey@hotmail.com" target="_blank">Casey Tucker</a>.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-17301262850378743782013-07-30T18:41:00.006-04:002013-07-30T18:55:07.301-04:00Autumn Leaves are for the Birds: A Preliminary Study of Red Autumn Foliage & An Insectivorous Migratory Bird Species<h3>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<u><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ABSTRACT<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></h3>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Coevolution
Theory suggests autumn leaf color change in deciduous tree species may be an
adaptive characteristic that functions as a signal to potential plant predators
and parasites that the tree is well defended. Several additional adaptive
plant-predator hypotheses have been proposed, however most do not seem to be
well supported due to a number of different reasons. A potential
better explanation is that leaf color change may be a means to attract
insectivorous birds.I use a combination between citizen science reports of
forest color and bird frequency and digital color analysis of available
satellite imagery to examine the relationship between a bird species and autumn
leaf color change. I found that image analysis illustrated a positive change in
red coloration over the course of the fall, that Ruby-crowned Kinglet frequency
positively increased between September and October, and there was a positive
correlation between the increase of kinglets and red foliage.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></h3>
<h3>
<u><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></h3>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Color change in autumn deciduous
foliage was once considered a non-adaptive characteristic due to leaf
senescence. Archetti (2000), however, proposed the Coevolution Theory
that suggests autumn leaf color change in deciduous tree species may be an
adaptive characteristic that functions as a signal to potential plant predators
and parasites that the tree is well defended. Since then several
additional adaptive plant-predator hypotheses have been proposed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> In addition to plant-predator
hypotheses plant physiologists have proposed that color change in autumn
foliage serves a physiological purpose for the tree. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>•Color
as Signal to Insect Leaf Predators/Parasites<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Several hypotheses have been proposed which suggest that
leaf color may act as a signal to insects (Archetti 2000; Archetti et al. 2009;
Hamilton and Brown 2001) or that insects exhibit preference for leaves that
have undergone color change (Archetti 2007). However these do not seem to be
well supported.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">-Hamilton and Brown (2001) found that tree species that
express stronger autumn coloration had greater diversity of specialist aphid
species.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">-Archetti (2008) illustrates that weak trees also produce
bright colors, which he suggests means that these weak trees can cheat to take
advantage of the color signals.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">-No herbivorous insect has yet to be shown to possess
photoreceptors for the color red (Chittka and Döring 2007).</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">-White (2009) suggests that aphids should prefer green and
yellow leaves, because they have more nutrients available to the insects than
red leaves.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>•Color
as a Signal to Migratory Insectivorous Birds<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span><br />
<strong>
</strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Stiles (1984) proposed the idea that plants may use red
color cues to signal to birds the availability of fruit and the work of Schmidt
and Schaefer (2004) reinforce this idea. They found that Blackcaps showed preference
for the red fruits over other colors of fruit, even though they had never
experienced any colored fruits before.</span></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black;"><strong>
</strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A study by Burns and Dalen (2002) suggests that plants with
dark berries may rely on the change in fall leaf color, or what Stiles refers
to as “foliar fruit flags”, to create a highly visible contrast to attract
birds.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><strong>
</strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anthocyanin pigments, responsible for red coloration in fall
leaves, are actively produced only in autumn, unlike other leaf pigments which
become un-masked with the breakdown of chlorophyll (Chittka and Döring 2007;
Archetti et al. 2009). The production of this pigment requires energy during a
period of time when trees are actively reabsorbing nitrogen and other nutrients
from leaves</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Only about 10% of temperate tree species exhibit red
coloration in autumn, though this varies regionally, and within tree species
there is variation in the production of of different colors in autumn (Archetti
et al. 2009).</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"> I hypothesize that the red coloration in deciduous
tree species is not a signal to aphids or other insect predators and parasites,
but is rather produced as a response to the presence of these insects and
serves as a signal to attract fall migrating insectivorous bird species to
function as a control mechanism for insects.</span> </span></span><br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<u><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">METHODS<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>•Fall
Peak Leaf Coloration<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">I was able to
obtain a complete listing of the 2012 peak fall leaf coloration reports through
contact with an Ohio Division of Forestry forester (Burdick pers. comm., 2012).
Each site was evaluated and scored on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1= “Mostly
Green,” 2= “Changing,” 3= “Near Peak,” 4= “Peak,” 5= “Fading.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The score for each site was assessed once per
week between mid-September and the end of October.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">I evaluated
the number of different sites with each score for each week, and then plotted
this to determine when peak autumn foliage occurred in Ohio (Fig. 1).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></span><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5UY-3tg2OmdCtZHWyptlmaodrX2MMQNgpWO3XRsmhkb0OLDqif-3aD8h3v1DZNQ3Ay6V_OFfU0RG83gJ-AXcFDUvNogKZf86b4h2bK2vXv9O9H6WBIjPve1SQdqA8mvz319a/s1600/Foliage+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5UY-3tg2OmdCtZHWyptlmaodrX2MMQNgpWO3XRsmhkb0OLDqif-3aD8h3v1DZNQ3Ay6V_OFfU0RG83gJ-AXcFDUvNogKZf86b4h2bK2vXv9O9H6WBIjPve1SQdqA8mvz319a/s320/Foliage+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Figure 1: Bar chart illustrating the color status of sites over the course of the 2012 autumn season in Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This figure shows how the number of sites shifted from “Mostly Green” in mid-September to “Peak” in mid-October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peak foliage coloration is determined to have occurred around Oct. 17<sup>th</sup></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">.</span></span><br /></span><br />
<br />
<strong>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">•Evaluating Bird Data<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Bird data was obtained using the online citizen science
website, eBird (2012).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I conducted a
search for bird species reported in Ohio through the “Bar Graphs” feature of
the site.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I refined the search to birds
reported only in 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This produced a
list of 331 species.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I narrowed the list
based on the following criteria: primarily arboreal species, migratory in fall,
insectivorous, foliage-gleaning foraging behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The remaining list was then searched using
the bar graphs of occurrence to find species whose migration coincided with
peak leaf color graphs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The result was
one species; the Ruby-crowned Kinglet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Other species may also meet these criteria, however the Ruby-crowned
Kinglet was chosen as a representative species based on perceived best fit to
the criteria.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> Once the Ruby-crowned Kinglet was chosen as a
representative species a search was conducted to find its frequency within Ohio
between September 1 and November 1, 2012 (Fig. 2). Frequency is defined by
eBird (2012) as the number of checklists reporting a given species out of the
total number of checklists reported.</span><br />
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_-J_t6w6c3I_-PyGMvuF128uUH7vwtEfOR9SvOFGynrWIp_-G20SMNahsLhOmKIWZfbBW0-0mLK39l2P5rMxVUqhfdA4ukNhG0Ea1wK4H6GZajpiyu4IEJtazSigXcfzvNzP/s1600/Untitled-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_-J_t6w6c3I_-PyGMvuF128uUH7vwtEfOR9SvOFGynrWIp_-G20SMNahsLhOmKIWZfbBW0-0mLK39l2P5rMxVUqhfdA4ukNhG0Ea1wK4H6GZajpiyu4IEJtazSigXcfzvNzP/s320/Untitled-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></h3>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Figure 2: Bar graph illustrating the frequency of reports of
Ruby-crowned Kinglets in Ohio for days in September & October 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A polynomial trend line has been added to
illustrate to show peak occurrence of the species during its migration.<o:p></o:p></span></span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>•Foliage
in Ohio<o:p></o:p></strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Color satellite images were obtained from the DigitalGlobe
website.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Images were searched using the
criteria that they were from Ohio and produced between September and October
2011 & September-October 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>DigitalGlobe satellite scans appear as rectangular-like polygon shapes.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> Once the satellite scans were obtained they were then analyzed
for color based on a modification of a protocol established by Murakami et al.
(2005).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their protocol proposes the use
of Scion Image software, which has since been discontinued and re-configured
into a newer software package, ImageJ (Rasband 2012), which was developed by
the National Institutes of Health for biological imaging analysis (Ferreira and
Rasband 2012).</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> Each satellite image was imported into Adobe Photoshop 7.0.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Color saturation was maximized using the
image adjustment feature (fig. 3).</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span> </h3>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwcaqfrsZ8jt2qYkkvRi2DiJ8kHTcwo_ciZ20WaGoQhB6dEOloE8Z9V6I2IBMtIFbrx5NfBM7Uful1gtI3appIj9V845GZLKil8K-XI1SVZF0KR8kVahozbvy3UzCoZFVepJA/s320/Untitled-4.jpg" width="320" /></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Figure 3: Example of a satellite image (e.g. Shawnee State Forest in Ohio) maximized for color saturation in Adobe Photoshop 7.0.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<o:p><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Each saturated satellite image was saved in the JPEG format and then imported into ImageJ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once in ImageJ the image was manipulated by splitting the color channels into individual 8-bit images representing red, green, and blue.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The blue image was discarded since I was interested primarily in the amount of red and green foliage represented in each image. </span><br />
</span><o:p><span style="color: black;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">I then worked with the two remaining images individually to analyze the amount of the target colors present in each image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using the ImageJ software I created a threshold image for the color.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This resulted in a black & white image where the target areas were white and negative space was black (fig. 4).</span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKJd5wvuVSId3CEbv0sF6_lGaB5x549caMUYPuJeDwfSUpzqgrIVA4udjxegzMuoFjzFqHrJ2E7_pI-Ffi5usJchI-8bZFVnlMd4lZ9mVBqo3Qs6hPzzPJtz2DY1YvuE5QfsE/s1600/Untitled-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKJd5wvuVSId3CEbv0sF6_lGaB5x549caMUYPuJeDwfSUpzqgrIVA4udjxegzMuoFjzFqHrJ2E7_pI-Ffi5usJchI-8bZFVnlMd4lZ9mVBqo3Qs6hPzzPJtz2DY1YvuE5QfsE/s320/Untitled-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</o:p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Figure 4: The single channel image (e.g. red) is converted to a
threshold black and white image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Negative space is colored black. Target areas are white.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">In order to analyze the image the threshold image was inverted so that target pixels were colored black and negative space was colored white, and then a particle analysis was conducted on the image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The particle analysis produced a percent of image area value for the color being analyzed.<o:p></o:p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This process was repeated for the green channel image, and each satellite image was treated in the same manner.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> The percent area of red and the percent area of green was recorded for each satellite image, and then a ratio of red:green was calculated for each image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Images with more red foliage would presumably have higher ratios of red:green, and images with more green foliage would have lower ratios of red:green.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ratios were plotted and then compared to the frequency of Ruby-crowned Kinglets observed in Ohio on the days that the satellite images were made.<o:p></o:p></span></span></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>RESULTS<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></u><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">A plot of the red:green values, obtained through image
analysis, showed a positive increasing trend over the course of the two years.
Additionally, a plot of the frequency of occurrence of Ruby-crowned Kinglets in
Ohio in the fall for two years also showed a positive increasing trend (fig.
5), suggesting that the species increased over the course of the season due to
migration, and this increase coincided with the increase in red foliage in Ohio
forests.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">A <u>correlation analysis </u>of the two data
sets<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for both years resulted in <u>r-values
of 0.344423 and 0.520657<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for 2011 &
2012</u> respectively suggesting a positive correlation between the
increase in red foliage and the occurrence of Ruby-crowned Kinglets in Ohio.</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
<o:p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Figure 5: A plot of red:green ratio values from color analysis of satellite images (green line) illustrating a positive increasing trends from September through October for 2011 & 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plot of Ruby-crowned Kinglet frequencies shows an increasing trend from September through October for both years as well.</span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>DISCUSSION<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This study establishes a possible correlation between the presence of red foliage in autumn and a migratory insectivorous bird species, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. This preliminarily may support the idea that trees develop red foliage as a means to attract birds, specifically Ruby-crowned Kinglets, during fall migration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The development of red foliage may be in response to insect parasites/predators, like aphids, though further research is needed to elucidate this influence on leaf color development. If this idea is supported, then it expands Stiles foliar fruit flag hypothesis (1984) beyond the idea that plants attract birds through the use of red foliage to help disperse seeds. Trees may also attract birds to help control insect loads during a time of year when they are most stressed.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While it is possible that the presence and increase of migratory Ruby-crowned Kinglets in Ohio is coincidental as leaves reach peak coloration in the autumn, the positive r values suggests that there is at least some degree of correlation between the two. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The use of satellite imagery to study fall leaf coloration change is a useful tool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However it is a rather crude tool because I was not able to differentiate between forest types or tree species.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally, because I was reliant on available satellite scans temporal and spatial coverage was rather limited.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Citizen science bird data has been utilized extensively for many different kinds of studies, however it is not without its limitations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While eBird allows data to be searched at different temporal and spatial scales researchers are still limited based on where birders have chosen to make & report observations .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means that some areas are not covered and reported, or have limited coverage, if they are not well birded.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><u><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>LITERATURE CITED<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></u><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">Archetti, M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>2000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The origin of autumn colors
by coevolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Journal of Theoretical
Biology. 205:625-630.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Archetti, M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>2007.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Autumn colours and the
nutrient retranslocation hypothesis: A theoretical assessment. Journal of
Theoretical Biology 244:714-721.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Archetti, M. 2008. Decoupling vigour and quality in
the autumn colours game: Weak individuals can signal, cheating can pay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Journal of Theoretical Biology. 256:479-484.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Archetti, M., T.F. Döring, S.B. Hagen, N.M. Hughes,
S.R. Leather, D.W. Lee, S. Lev-Yadun, Y. Manetas, H.J. Ougham, P.G. Schaberg
and H. Thomas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unravelling the evolution of autumn colours: an
interdisciplinary approach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trends in
Ecology and Evolution. 24:166-173.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Burns, K. C. and J. I. Dalen. 2002. Foliage color contrasts
and adaptive fruit color variation in a bird-dispersed plant community. Oikos.
96:463-469.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Chittka, L. and T.F. Döring. 2007.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are autumn foliage colors red signals to
aphids?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>PLoS Biology. 5:1640-1644.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> eBird. 2012. eBird: An online database of bird
distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird, Ithaca, New York.
Available: http://www.ebird.org. (Accessed: Nov. 2012).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ferreira, T. and W.S. Rasband. “ImageJ User Guide — IJ
1.46”, imagej.nih.gov/ij/docs/guide/, 2010–2012<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hamilton, W.D. and S.P. Brown. 2001.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Autumn tree colours as a handicap
signal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Proceedings of the Royal Society
of London B. 268:1489-1493.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Murakami, P.F., M.R. Turner, A.K. van den Berg, P.G.
Schaberg. 2005. An instructional guide for leaf color analysis using digital
imaging software. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-327. Newtown Square, PA: U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rasband WS. ImageJ, U.S. National Institutes of Health,
Bethesda, Maryland, USA, imagej.nih.gov/ij/,1997–2012.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Stiles, E.W. 1984. Fruit for all seasons. Natural History.
8:43-54<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Schmidt, V. and H. M. Schaefer. 2004. Unlearned preference
for red may facilitate<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">recognition of palatable food in young omnivorous birds.
Evolutionary Ecology Research. 6:919-925.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">White, T.C.R.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2009.
Catching a red herring: autumn colors and aphids. Oikos. 118:1610-1612.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-76404153276211857512011-07-05T19:22:00.002-04:002011-07-05T19:25:12.870-04:00Wind Energy Follow-up<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Wx4c5y7KNJ0sGkF6bUbZrMYvjjZqMnfbrO2yL_P58PhsXptub-d3G9xnoHrDZTB11-rn4RJKbdrqg59iQRSwvO8NSQHxaFF7oO5T1GJBFgAh3Iy-wxwHrbxwiJks-jVSRHHy/s1600/IMG_8138.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Wx4c5y7KNJ0sGkF6bUbZrMYvjjZqMnfbrO2yL_P58PhsXptub-d3G9xnoHrDZTB11-rn4RJKbdrqg59iQRSwvO8NSQHxaFF7oO5T1GJBFgAh3Iy-wxwHrbxwiJks-jVSRHHy/s200/IMG_8138.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626012778848426866" /></a><br /><strong>Innovative designs, based on nature, may make wind energy even more environmentall-friendly to wildlife as discussed in this article from <a href="http://news.discovery.com/tech/wind-power-without-the-blades.html">Discovery News</a>.</strong>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-62762714920458002152011-07-01T13:42:00.004-04:002011-07-01T16:17:27.409-04:00Wind Energy May Not Be As Bad for Birds; Bats on the Other Hand...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWwkqdeVqgkfI7xkUpp3sVfg2cjo7KNh-14ZkDb5K4EwXnZfzi-I9kNDMW-Ga9FhAXcBELywt765zc0PAwnfqPyO3isJWS1F6Enwkyfc6Yx_Okbsa5gFKdrjy9RwN4VAOz9gJ/s1600/IMG_3629.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWwkqdeVqgkfI7xkUpp3sVfg2cjo7KNh-14ZkDb5K4EwXnZfzi-I9kNDMW-Ga9FhAXcBELywt765zc0PAwnfqPyO3isJWS1F6Enwkyfc6Yx_Okbsa5gFKdrjy9RwN4VAOz9gJ/s200/IMG_3629.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624441776213454578" /></a><br /><strong><a href="http://www.ydr.com/ci_18377006">State study details turbine bat and bird deaths</a></strong><br /><br />The Associated Press<br />Updated: 06/29/2011 05:27:39 PM EDT<br /><br />PITTSBURGH—Wind turbines in Pennsylvania kill an estimated <strong>10,500 bats</strong> and <strong>1,680 birds each year</strong>, according to a report from the <a href="http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pgc/9106">Pennsylvania Game Commission</a>. <br />That's an average of 25 bats and <strong>four birds </strong>at each of the state's <strong>420 turbines</strong>. <br /><br />The Daily American of Somerset reported that approximately 30 participating developers agreed to conduct one year of pre-construction and two years of post-construction monitoring of birds and bats at each site using Game Commission data-collection and study guidelines. <br /><br />The report found <strong>no eagle deaths </strong>and <strong>three endangered bird deaths</strong>. The birds (all found in September 2009) included two blackpoll warblers and one yellow-bellied flycatcher. All three were considered to be migrants. Two endangered Seminole bats carcasses were also found during the study, and were also believed to be migrating. <br /><br />State wildlife biologists aren't sure how the deaths will impact the long-term health of bat and bird populations. <br /><br />"We don't really have a good population estimate on bats, so 25 bats per turbine per year seems like a lot, and if you do the math with all of the turbines we have—and how many are proposed—it's a huge number," said Tracey Librandi Mumma, a supervisory wildlife biologist for the commission. "But whether that number will impact the population is something we're wrestling with right now." <br /><br />Experts said the impacts could vary greatly by species. <br /><br />With some endangered species the loss of a single bird could be detrimental, while with common species the loss of several hundred birds wouldn't have a major impact, Paul Fischbeck, a professor of engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, said Wednesday. <br /><br />Michael Gannon, a professor of biology at the Pennsylvania State University of Altoona and a recognized bat expert, had reservations about the report. <br /><br />"One of my chief concerns is that they're keeping their (raw) data very secret. Does the data support their conclusions? If you can't review something it's not science," Gannon told the Daily American. <br /><br />The report noted that some wind sites in Pennsylvania were not part of the cooperative study. Florida Light & Power Energy's subsidiary, NextEra Energy Resources, has five active projects and is the largest non-cooperating developer. <br /><br />The report said that 31 of the 86 projects have a high risk of bat mortality, and 15 have a high risk of bird mortality. The Nature Conservancy estimates that between 750 and 2,900 additional wind turbines may be built in Pennsylvania by 2030. <br /><br />Fischbeck added that just focusing on deaths caused by wind turbines doesn't tell the whole story. Another recent scientific study found that cats caused more deaths in a suburban area than any other predator. <br /><br />A U.S. Department of Agriculture report estimated that about 550 million birds are killed each year in collisions with buildings, 130 million in collisions with power lines, 100 million by cats, 80 million by cars, and 67 million by pesticides. Wind turbines kill about 28,500, or far less than 1 percent, the report said.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-52192972528431825602011-07-01T13:41:00.001-04:002011-07-01T13:41:42.635-04:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3x-6EuyFQJ5X64EOGD8zfaKjlPZYs6nIJ3i6mhlrix8Rt8HYGrfg8mSe-KtE_Wi0OFV5FNtn18hY_fVMiUbnQFARqcJK_4X0Se6fiBgSkSS1_WeKQlOoi9KjfkkulNPpL4qf/s1600/IMG_1524.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 134px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621781979657635762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3x-6EuyFQJ5X64EOGD8zfaKjlPZYs6nIJ3i6mhlrix8Rt8HYGrfg8mSe-KtE_Wi0OFV5FNtn18hY_fVMiUbnQFARqcJK_4X0Se6fiBgSkSS1_WeKQlOoi9KjfkkulNPpL4qf/s200/IMG_1524.jpg" /></a><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Scientists look for surviving Eskimo curlew birds<br /></span></strong>By Yereth Rosen ANCHORAGE, Alaska Thu Jun 23, 2011 6:34pm EDT<br /><br />ANCHORAGE, Alaska (<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/23/us-bird-extinct-idUSTRE75M84O20110623?feedType=RSS&feedName=scienceNews&rpc=76">Reuters</a>) - Federal scientists are on the lookout for the <a href="http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/conservation/extinctions/eskimo_curlew">Eskimo curlew</a>, as they work to determine if the elusive shorebird last seen two decades ago still exists.<br /><br />The said it is seeking any information about the Eskimo curlew, a tundra-nesting bird once abundant over the skies of North and South America, which was nearly hunted into oblivion by the mid-20th century.<br /><br />The agency, which made its announcement in the <a href="http://frwebgate1.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/TEXTgate.cgi?WAISdocID=5YuYap/0/1/0&WAISaction=retrieve">Federal Register</a> on Wednesday, will review whether the bird should continue to be classified as endangered or formally designated as extinct.<br /><br />The last sighting confirmed by the Fish and Wildlife Service was in Nebraska in 1987, said Bruce Woods, a spokesman for the agency.<br /><br />An unconfirmed sighting -- of an adult and a chick -- was recorded in 1983 in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Woods said.<br /><br />The Eskimo curlew population once numbered hundreds of thousands, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. It is the smallest of four species of Western Hemisphere curlews, and is known for its long migration route from Arctic tundra breeding grounds to wintering lands in South America.<br /><br />But the birds died off in drastic numbers due to overhunting, the loss of prairie habitat that was converted from grasslands to agriculture and the extinction of a type of grasshopper that made up much of their diet.<br /><br />Most were gone by the beginning of the 20th century, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.<br /><br />Despite its scarcity, the Eskimo curlew is well-known to bird lovers.<br /><br />It was the subject of a classic short novel, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582437351/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0396091865&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=17J2XC7P51DKAFQXBMVK">Last of the Curlews</a>," that chronicled the life of a lonely Eskimo curlew waiting on the tundra for a mate and, finding none, flying solo on the long fall migration. The 1954 book was adapted into a <a href="http://www.ovguide.com/movies_tv/the_last_of_the_curlews.htm">children's movie</a> in 1972.<br /><br />The wildlife inquiry, to be conducted by the service's Alaska scientists, is the first such formal review of the Eskimo curlew under the Endangered Species Act, Woods said. The bird was listed as endangered prior to passage of the act. such reviews are typically completed within 12 months.<br /><br />Brendan Cummings, senior attorney with the nonprofit <a href="http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/">Center for Biological Diversity</a>, said he hopes the bird continues to be listed as endangered and not written off as extinct.<br /><br />Continued listing will cost little and could help protect far-north habitat home to other birds and wildlife, he said.<br /><br />"While I have my doubts, I think it would be premature to close the coffin lid on the species," Cummings said.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">(Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis and Greg McCune)<br /><br />Photo: Eskimo Curlew specimen, Cincinnati Museum of Natural History, photo by Casey Tucker/Wild Auk Photography.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-8164914594627632112011-03-22T00:02:00.007-04:002011-03-22T00:25:09.704-04:00Cats, Birds, & Catbirds...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJil6SisAvGLW9TiRFfnGBcHmZhG-AQpuaZNlfoWSTMSI78GvanPv0l82fFOmXuCjl_8kDhlwKHeEC5uC_qwVnhoy5dsBaZx4kXGe9UwW4SnfIopgZBzzunQOeFGpxKF9rRXc/s1600/IMG_6187.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586754625151690642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJil6SisAvGLW9TiRFfnGBcHmZhG-AQpuaZNlfoWSTMSI78GvanPv0l82fFOmXuCjl_8kDhlwKHeEC5uC_qwVnhoy5dsBaZx4kXGe9UwW4SnfIopgZBzzunQOeFGpxKF9rRXc/s320/IMG_6187.jpg" /></a>It’s sometimes difficult to think of our friends as lethal killers. Nobody expects that their faithful companion—who sits by you in the evenings while you read or watch television, or follows you around the kitchen while you prepare dinner, or comforts you when you’ve had a rough day—harbors a murderous lust that can only be deemed a predatory instinct. Yet a predatory instinct is exactly what friends like Fluffy or Whiskers (pet cats) possess.<br /><br /><div><div></div><div>A new <a href="http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/science_article/pdfs/55.pdf">study</a> by researchers with the <a href="http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/default.cfm">Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center </a>illustrates the impacts that outdoor cats can have on the <a href="http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/science_article/default.cfm?id=55">survival of Gray Catbird young</a>.<br /><br />There is perhaps no topic in bird conservation as contentious and controversial as that of outdoor house cats and birds. This is especially evidenced by an incident that occurred in Texas that drew national media attention, and polarized bird lovers and cat lovers across the U.S.<br /><br />In November of 2006 Jim Stevenson, director of the Galveston Ornithological Society and author of the “Wildlife of Galveston,” was out birding at a favorite spot near the San Luis Pass channel bridge spanning in Galveston in November of 2006. He found a group of federally endangered Piping Plovers roosting among the grassy beach dunes below the bridge. As he watched the birds, a feral cat, from a nearby cat colony, began stalking the plovers. To protect the birds, he attempted to capture the cat and failed. The next day, Stevenson returned with a rifle and shot the cat that had been stalking the plovers the day before (Barcott 2007). It was a shot that set off a powder keg of debate and legal proceedings.<br /><br />A bridge toll operator had been feeding and maintaining the feral cat colony that lived below the bridge. He considered the 15-20 cats to be his pets (Williams 2008). He became outraged when Stevenson killed the cat he had nicknamed Mama Cat (Murphy 2007) and called the police. Stevenson was arrested and charged with animal cruelty, which carried a penalty of up to two years in jail and a $10,000 fine (Barcott 2007, Murphy 2007). The case went to trial and eventually charges against Stevenson were dropped because of a deadlocked jury (Williams 2008).<br /><br />Shortly after his trial, Stevenson had to flee Texas for a period of time because of death threats and a reported attempt on his life (Meyers 2007). Unfortunately, this case illustrates how emotion-fueled this issue is and both sides mean well for the animals that they love.<br /><br /><strong>How Many Cats? How Many Dead Birds?</strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZGHhuPeWF26osaLy7NIyGEcXBVFfVQuLyB5CW8mlJ3DIV-p1NhRHUMx7sSRWrDyLQxOeHgpjcrQx8r6rOvb54INMsI3Cm_qjTMW76M34s4rMA-9Xged96QWtnr1s7QhtIQow/s1600/IMG_9205.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 134px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586754881287955906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZGHhuPeWF26osaLy7NIyGEcXBVFfVQuLyB5CW8mlJ3DIV-p1NhRHUMx7sSRWrDyLQxOeHgpjcrQx8r6rOvb54INMsI3Cm_qjTMW76M34s4rMA-9Xged96QWtnr1s7QhtIQow/s200/IMG_9205.jpg" /></a><br />The introduction of domesticated cats into North America was innocent enough. It’s thought they were brought from Europe in the early 1800’s to help control rodents in eastern seaboard cities (George 1974). However, while their intended targets were rodents cats are opportunistic and will prey upon whatever they can catch. Almost a century after their introduction North America’s cat population had grown substantially as did their impact on non-target species, like birds.<br /><br />In his 1915 book, “Wild Bird Guests,” Ernest Harold Baynes began compiling some early estimates of how many outdoor cats existed in the U.S., and how many birds they killed annually. Baynes reported that Frank Chapman, a prominent ornithologist of the time, calculated that a single cat could kill as many as fifty birds in a single season, and that the estimated 25 million cats of New England could kill 500,000 birds annually. Similarly, Baynes reported that another ornithologist had estimated 70,000 farm cats in Massachusetts were killing 700,000 birds every year in that state (Baynes 1915).<br /><br />In 1972 the American Humane Association estimated 31 million cats existed throughout the U.S. (Ogan and Jurek 1997). By 1990 there were an estimated 60 million cats owned by households in the U.S, according to U.S. Census data (Coleman et al. 1996). These numbers do not include feral or semi-feral cats that are not considered pets. Recent estimates by the American Bird Conservancy put the number of pet cats in the U.S. closer to 90 million. A 1997 report by the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) estimated that 50 million cats lived outdoors, as feral animals, in urban alleys, abandoned buildings, and parks across the U.S. Conservatively, anywhere from 40 to 80 million cats may roam the outdoors and perhaps many more when we consider feral cat colonies.<br /><br />A survey of landowners in southeast Michigan estimated that approximately 15-56% of landowners had outdoor cats and the total number of cats ranged from ~800 to ~3100 and killed between ~16,000 and ~47,000 birds (Lepczyk et al. 2003). Sadly, the researchers suggest this may be an underestimate of both the number of outdoor cats and the number of birds killed in the region. While rural landowners typically had more outdoor cats, urban areas had higher cat densities (cats per hectare (ha)). Additionally, over 20 species of birds were reported as prey items, with sparrows and Blue Jays being the most frequently reported prey items (Lepczyk et al. 2003).<br /><br />A 1996 study from Wisconsin suggests that the 1.4 to 2 million estimated free-ranging outdoor cats in that state may kill anywhere from 8 to 219 millions birds every year. If we assume that other states have approximately the same number of free-ranging outdoor cats that kill the same estimated number of birds, a rough calculation would find that there are approximately 70 to 100 million outdoor cats in the U.S. that kill anywhere from 400 million to 11 billion birds annually. Another estimate suggests there are at least 120 million free-roaming cats that kill an estimated 500 million to 3 billion birds annually (Dauphiné 2008). If either estimate is accurate, then the annual avian mortality caused by outdoor cats is potentially comparable or greater to mortality resulting from collisions. It’s also scary to think that birds make up only an estimated 20% of the prey items of outdoor cats. Small mammals make up an additional 70%, with the remaining 10% being other animals including reptiles and amphibians (Coleman et al. 1996).<br /><br /><strong>Ecological interactions between birds and cats<br /></strong><br />As bird-lovers, we might be concerned that providing bird-feeders in our backyard might increase the number of birds that are preyed upon by cats, especially given that a 1994 study based on Project FeederWatch data suggests that cats account for 29% of the predation of birds at feeders (Dunn and Tessaglia 1994). A survey study in Michigan found that the number and density of bird feeders in a landscape was not correlated with the number of birds killed by outdoor cats (Lepczyk et al 2003). This means that it doesn’t matter if you have one feeder or dozens of feeders in your backyard, cats will potentially kill the same number of birds in your yard.<br /><br />A study in Georgia found that 28 outdoor cats visited a yard over the course of a two year period. 26 of those cats were considered to be feral cats. Two were domesticated cats that were allowed to roam outdoors. The number of cats preying upon birds in the yard was enough to result in a decreased abundance of birds in the yard (Dauphiné and Cooper 2008). As bird lovers we have to be aware that creating habitat for birds in our backyards may expose birds to higher levels of predation from cats, if there are a lot of outdoor cats roaming our neighborhoods. Being aware of this is important because it allows us to take measures to help reduce predation pressures from cats.<br /><br />While direct predation on birds is what we think about when we think about bird-cat ecological interactions, we must remember that cats can affect birds in other ways as well. For example, as an efficient predator, cats are a potential competitor for predatory birds; competing for rodent prey.<br /><br />One study found that six cats were capable of removing 4200 mice from a 35 acre study plot in just eight months (Pearson 1964).<br /><br />The predation behavior of three cats was observed over the course of five years to measure what kind of impact they could make in the potential prey items of raptors in a 20 acre area. Between 1967 and 1971 the three cats caught almost 484 prey items with 42% of those prey items being Prairie Voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Young cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) made up the greatest volume (40%) of prey items (George 1974). Both species are major prey items of a variety of raptor species including Red-tailed Hawks (Preston and Beane 1993), American Kestrel (Smallwood and Bird 2002), and especially the winter diet of Northern Harriers (Macwhirter and Bildstein 1996).<br /><br />Beyond predation or competition outdoor cats may also cause stress on birds that might affect their survivability and their ability to reproduce (Dauphiné 2008).<br /><br /><strong>Trap and Release Programs</strong><br /><br />One of the biggest problems with outdoor cats is that they are capable of being prolific breeders, and because outdoor cats are often subsidized by well-meaning humans who feed them (Patronek 1998), the off-spring of outdoor cats possess a greater likelihood of surviving to adulthood than many natural predators might have. As a result, outdoor cat populations can become disproportionately large and have a greater impact on native wildlife populations. While it may not sound pleasant, unfortunately the most effective solution is trapping and euthanizing outdoor cats (Andersen et al. 2004).<br /><br />Some well-meaning cat-lovers have promoted an alternative remedy to this problem, in lieu of euthanasia, by promoting “Trap, Test, Vaccinate, Neuter, and Release” (TTVNR) programs. The idea behind these programs is that by trapping outdoor cats, testing them for diseases, and neutering them before releasing them back into the outdoors, it reduces the capability of outdoor cats to increase their populations which lessens the number of cats preying on birds and other animals.<br /><br />While the idea sounds good in theory, it is extremely flawed. Outdoor cats, regardless of whether they have been neutered or not, still prey upon birds. Secondly, TTVNR cats often are managed in cat colonies by individuals or groups of volunteers from animal welfare organizations. These cat colonies increase the density of predatory cats in a given area, where they have the potential of having a greater impact on local wildlife populations.<br /><br />In the summer the beaches of Cape May, New Jersey host federally threatened Piping Plovers, a small migratory shorebird related to American Killdeer. The beaches are also home to a TTVNR cat colony very near to the plover nesting beaches (AP 2007). The cats pose a threat to the threatened plovers; preying upon the adult plovers while on their nests, their eggs, and the young plovers that are born flightless. In order to protect the Piping Plovers Cape May’s City Council implemented a plan to move feral cat colonies at least 1000 feet away from beaches that host Piping Plover nest colonies. This was decided only after federal agencies threatened to withhold necessary funds that would enable Cape May to replenish its beaches. The 1000 foot buffer was a compromise between what cat lovers wanted and what US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) officials had a promoted—a one mile buffer (AP 2008). While the 1000 foot buffer may have fulfilled Cape May’s commitment to the USFWS to receive the necessary federal funding for its beaches, it may do little to protect Piping Plover nest sites as cats can easily cover the 1000 foot distance while hunting.<br /><br />Cape May is not alone with regard to conflicts between outdoor cat colonies, their advocates, bird nesting colonies, and the people who watch and protect birds. Feral cat colonies have been established on Long Island’s South Shore beach alongside Piping Plover nest colonies (Kilgannon 2006). Florida in particular has potentially some of the largest feral cat colonies, because cats are regularly abandoned by people who stay in Florida in the winter but travel north in the spring and summer. Florida also has some of the most emotionally charged battles over endangered species and feral cat colonies (Gorman 2003).<br /><br />In some cases feral cat colonies may pose a threat to human health in a different way. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has had to take action to round up feral cats at J.F.K. International Airport due to the potential threat the cats pose to planes on runways. The action to capture the feral cats was mandated by the Federation Aviation Authority, which regulates how wildlife and other animals are managed around airports. The action has met with opposition from the Humane Society and other animal activist groups (Lee 2008).<br /><br />In an attempt to curb TTVNR efforts many groups are stepping forward to make the problems with these programs known. The Association of Wildlife Veterinarians and the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, through written statements, have publicly opposed TTVNR programs (Burton and Doblar 2004). The American Bird Conservancy launched the Cats Indoors! in 1997 in an effort to keep both cats and birds safe by teaching cat and bird lovers alike about the importance of keeping cats indoors. These programs, while important, have yet to be shown to truly effective at reducing the problem of outdoor cat colonies and their impacts on birds.<br /><br /><strong>Safety of Outdoor Cats<br /></strong><br />Beyond the threat that outdoor cats pose to birds and other wildlife they may also be a threat to themselves and to people.<br /><br />Outdoor cats are susceptible to any number of environmental stressors like inclement weather conditions and cold temperatures.<br /><br />Outdoor cats are also vulnerable to larger predators, even in urban settings that might seem relatively sheltered from wildlife. Recent studies by researchers at Ohio State University have found that feral cats composed at least 1% of the diet of urban coyotes in Chicago, but that coyotes in urban settings may also kill outdoor cats as a way of removing potential competitors for prey items (Gehrt 2007). In southern California the presence of coyotes in habitat fragments had a positive influence on bird populations in the fragments. Coyotes preyed upon cats in the fragments, which helped keep cat populations in check. As a result, scrub-breeding birds in habitat fragments with coyotes had greater bird diversity. 21% of coyote scat samples collected during the study contained the remains of cats that had been preyed upon by the coyotes. Additionally, 25% of radio-collared cats in the study were preyed upon (Crooks and Soulé 1999).<br /><br />One important finding of the southern California study found that cat owners around the habitat fragments were surveyed and reported that 42% had lost a cat to coyote predation. Additionally, when coyotes were thought to be present in an area 46% of cat owners restricted their cats’ outdoor activities (Crooks and Soulé 1999).<br /><br />Disease can also be a major source of mortality and injury for outdoor cats, and these diseases pose a threat to people as well.<br /><br />A study of animal bites in El Paso, Texas in 1995 found that a majority of cat bites (89%) resulted from provoking cats, and women and adults in general were more likely to be bitten. The disturbing finding of the study, however, was that 92% of cat bites were from cats that had not been vaccinated against rabies (Patrick and O’Rourke 1998). In 2002, a major advocate of outdoor cat colonies was bitten while feeding the feral cats in the colony on Singer Island in Florida. The cat was rabid, and as a result the cats in the colony were destroyed by the county for public health reasons (Gorman 2003).<br /><br />Feline Leukemia is another disease that outdoor cats are susceptible of contracting. According to the Cornell Feline Health Center (2006) 2-3% of all cats in the U.S. are infected with the Feline Leukemia virus, but that infection rates rise significantly to 13% or greater in cats that are in high risk of infection. Outdoor cats, especially those in feral cat colonies, are especially susceptible to risk of infection because they are exposed to other cats of unknown infection status and because they have a higher risk of being bitten by an infected cat. Feline Leukemia is a common source of cancer in cats, but can also weaken their immune system sufficiently enough to make them susceptible to a variety of other diseases. Fortunately, tests have shown that cats may not be able to pass the disease to humans, however the other diseases that they may be susceptible to, from a weakened immune system, may be transmitted to people.<br /><br />One disease in particular that deserves more attention due to its potential impacts on humans is Toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a parasitic microorganism named <em>Toxoplasma gondii.</em><br /><br />According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) (2008) 60 million American are infected with Toxoplasmosis. Once infected with the microorganism you’re infected for life. Fortunately, most healthy people don’t realize they are infected because <em>T. gondii</em> establishes a balance between itself and the host’s immune system. However, pregnant women, children, the elderly and others with compromised immune systems are more susceptible to the effects of <em>T. gondii</em>.<br /><br />In most healthy individuals, an infection by <em>T. gondii</em> may produce flu-like symptoms until the parasite is established in the immune system of its host (Zimmer 2006). However in pregnant women, the microorganism can result in miscarriage, a stillborn child, and the birth of children with abnormally enlarged or smaller heads (CDC 2008).<br /><br />In some cases <em>T. gondii</em> infection can result in lesions of the eyes, though typically only occurs in <em>T. gondii</em> uses a body’s dendritic cells to quickly travel throughout a body. Dendritic cells are commonly found in the spleen and lymph nodes and help regulate a body’s immune system. When <em>T. gondii</em> infects a body it hijacks dendritic cells and directs these cells to move throughout the body, which enables the microorganism to travel into places it would not normally be able to including our brains (Zimmer 2006).<br /><br />Some scientists suspect there may be a connection between schizophrenia and Toxoplasmosis infection in humans, though this hasn’t been well established yet. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that soldiers diagnosed with schizophrenia were twice as likely to have blood samples exhibiting Toxoplasma infection than soldiers not diagnosed with schizophrenia (Zimmer 2006).<br /><br />Right now you might be asking yourself what does human schizophrenia and Toxoplasmosis have to do with feral cats. Well, cats are a carrier and distributor of the <em>T. gondii</em> microorganism.<br /><br /><em><strong>TO BE CONTINUED…</strong></em><br /><br /><strong>Literature Cited</strong><br /><br />Andersen, M.C., B.J. Martin, and G.W. Roemer. 2004. Use of matrix population models to estimate the efficacy of euthanasia versus trap-neuter-return for management of free-roaming cats. Journal of the American Veterinarian Medical Association. 225:1871-1876.<br /><br />Barcott, B. 2007. Kill the cat that kills the bird? New York Times (12.2.07)<br /><br />Baynes, E.H. 1915. Wild bird guests: how to entertain them. E.P. Dutton & Company. New York.<br /><br />Burton, D.L. and K.A. Doblar. 2004. Morbidity and mortality of urban wildlife in<br />the midwestern United States. Pages 171-181 in Shaw et al., (eds.), Proceedings 4th International Urban Wildlife Symposium.<br /><br />Coleman, J., S. Temple and S. Craven. 1996. A conservation dilemma—The Free-ranging Domestic Cat. The Probe. 127:1-2, 5.<br /><br />Cornell Feline Health Center. 2006. Feline Leukemia Virus. Prepared by the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the Cornell Feline Health Center, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, New York 14853-6401.<br />www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/felv.html<br /><br />Crooks, K.R. and M.E. Soulé. 1999. Mesopredator release and avifaunal extinction in a fragmented system. Nature. 400: 563-566.<br /><br />Dauphiné, N. 2008. Impacts of domestic cats on birds in North America (Abstract). Proceedings of the 4th International Partners in Flight Conference.<br /><br />Dauphiné, N. and R.J. Cooper. 2008. Conservation meets the cat lady: Protecting bird species of continental importance in our own backyards (Abstract). Proceedings of 4th International Partners in Flight Conference.<br /><br />Dunn, E.H., Tessaglia, D.L., 1994. Predation of birds at feeders in winter. Journal of Field Ornithology. 65:8-16.<br /><br />Gehrt, S.D. 2007. Urban Coyote Ecology and Management: The Cook County, Illinois, Coyote Project. Ohio State University Extension Bulletin no. 929.<br /><br />George, W.G. 1974. Domestic cats as predators and factors in winter shortages of raptor prey. Wilson Bulletin. 86: 384-396.<br /><br />Gorman, J. 2003. Bird lovers hope to keep cats on a very short leash. New York Times (03.18.2003)<br /><br />Kilgannon, C. 2006. On Long Island, cats and birds clash, and people take sides. New York Times (03.20.06)<br /><br />Lee, J.S. 2008. Airport cat roundups resume, as do protests. New York Times (06.03.08)<br /><br />Lepczyk, C.A., A.G. Mertig and J. Liu. 2003. Landowners and cat predation across rural-to-urban landscapes. Biological Conservation. 115:191-201.<br /><br />Meyers, R. 2007. Cat shooter Stevenson flies the coop. The Daily News: Galveston County (11.30.07)<br /><br />Murphy, K. 2007. Birder admits killing cat, but was it animal cruelty? New York Times (11.14.07)<br /><br />Patrick, G.R. and K.M. O’Rourke. 1998. Dog and cat bites: epidemiologic analyses suggest different prevention strategies. Public Health Reports. 113:252-257.<br /><br />Patronek, G.J. 1998. Free-roaming and feral cats – their impact on wildlife and human beings. Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association 212:218-226.<br /><br />Pearson, O.P. 1964. Carnivore-mouse predation: an example of its intensity and<br />bioenergetics. Journal of Mammalogy. 45:177-178.<br /><br />Williams, S.E. 2008. Bridge worker gets citation for too many cats. The Daily News: Galveston County (01.08.08)<br /><br />Ogan, C.V.; Jurek, R.M. 1997. Biology and Ecology of feral, free-roaming, and stray cats Pages 87-92 in J.E. Harris, and C.V. Ogan, (eds.), Mesocarnivores of northern California: biology, management, and survey techniques, workshop manual. August 12-15, 1997, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA. The Wildlife Society, California North Coast Chapter, Arcata, CA 127 p.<br /><br />Unknown. 2007. Government may step in to save birds from cats in Cape May. The Associate Press (08.05.07)<br /><br />Unknown. 2008. Cape May's feral cats to be moved to protect birds. The Associate Press in South Jersey News Online (03.05.08)<br /><br />Zimmer, C. 2006. A common parasite reveals its strongest asset: stealth. New York Times (06.20.2006)</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-22943461054753317542011-02-08T21:12:00.002-05:002011-02-08T21:22:21.857-05:00More Evidence that Birds Can Adapt to Urban Noise Conditions<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTfUiJ_8fFUWEtemm2-Mvx-MFbO_9bsEAov9YajhJUfSl_2NlVTGzu_4cYYuLjtClV9yfAPCyfNQ29hg-0CMZ5M17p4uUxl_fRwJvXEGZ3RI7QHMdOt8nk-iJ5gEW6KpxGrny4/s1600/IMG_4902.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571509293189059698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTfUiJ_8fFUWEtemm2-Mvx-MFbO_9bsEAov9YajhJUfSl_2NlVTGzu_4cYYuLjtClV9yfAPCyfNQ29hg-0CMZ5M17p4uUxl_fRwJvXEGZ3RI7QHMdOt8nk-iJ5gEW6KpxGrny4/s200/IMG_4902.jpg" /></a> A new study by researchers from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales shows that House Finches are capable of making short-term adjustments to their vocalizations in urban environments, which typically are louder than more natural environments.<br /><br />The study suggests that some bird species are capable of adapting to urban acoustic environments.<br /><br /><strong>ABSTRACT</strong><br /><br /><a href="http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/7/1/36.abstract">Experimental evidence for real-time song frequency shift in response to urban noise in a passerine bird </a><br /><br />Eira Bermúdez-Cuamatzin, Alejandro A. Ríos-Chelén,Diego Gil and Constantino Macías Garcia<br /><br />doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2010.0437<br />Biol. Lett. 23 February 2011 vol. 7 no. 1 36-38<br /><br />Research has shown that bird songs are modified in different ways to deal with urban noise and promote signal transmission through noisy environments. Urban noise is composed of low frequencies, thus the observation that songs have a higher minimum frequency in noisy places suggests this is a way of avoiding noise masking. Most studies are correlative and there is as yet little experimental evidence that this is a short-term mechanism owing to individual plasticity. Here we experimentally test if house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) can modulate the minimum frequency of their songs in response to different noise levels. We exposed singing males to three continuous treatments: low–high–low noise levels. We found a significant increase in minimum frequency from low to high and a decrement from high to low treatments. We also found that this was mostly achieved by modifying the frequency of the same low-frequency syllable types used in the different treatments. When different low-frequency syllables were used, those sung during the noisy condition were longer than the ones sang during the quiet condition. We conclude that house finches modify their songs in several ways in response to urban noise, thus providing evidence of a short-term acoustic adaptation.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-38279401684352827462011-02-08T16:21:00.004-05:002011-02-08T17:34:00.345-05:00New Animated Bird Movie--This Spring<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wild_auk_photography/5249248824/in/set-72157616385765495/"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571450172796592402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB1_1SENvD7RbTni3XrRdY8DiDAA3U_s4XDab2s8htjFyWRemZ0bxX5zpEv6CaQXFqWRc0fN7Cd9usLTmaLrRRMNxqJntbUOpjZz-lmQaqaM4pCpZ1NJu5BUKyCgGwH3jjbVmM/s320/IMG_2350.jpg" /></a>Coming this April is a new animated movie, titled "<a href="http://www.rio-themovie.com/us/">Rio</a>," by the creators of the "<a href="http://www.iceagemovie.com/">Ice Age</a>" movies.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Like the movie "<a href="http://www2.warnerbros.com/happyfeet/">Happy Feet</a>" this upcoming movie uses characters based on real bird species, catchy music, and vivid animation to tell an interesting story and address conservation issues.<br /><br />The movie focuses on the last two parrots of a species called Blue Macaw in the movie and the need to breed these remaining individuals to save the species from extinction.</div><br /><div></div><div>It also touches upon the impact that animal smuggling and illegal pet trade can have on bird populations.</div><br /><div></div><div>The Blue Macaw characters seem to be based on actual species, like the <a href="http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=1546">Spix Macaw</a> and the <a href="http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=1543">Hyacinth Macaw</a>, which have suffered as a result of illegal pet trade and habitat loss. Fortunately, Hyacinth Macaws have not been decimated to the extremely low levels of the birds in the movie, however Spix Macaws disappeared in the wild in 2000 and around <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/142578/0">120 individuals </a>remain in captivity today. It's hoped that captive breeding coupled with habitat restoration will allow for the reintroduction of the birds back into their native habitat eventually.</div><br /><div>So go see Rio this April and consider supporting organizations that are helping to save parrot species from extintction.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-15737546805646384892010-01-17T19:09:00.000-05:002010-01-17T19:36:36.482-05:00Identifying minimum patch sizes for breeding success in birdsA new study illustrates the importance of understanding the minimum patch size that an at-risk bird needs to reproduce. Jerrod Butcher and fellow researchers from Texas A&M University looked at the effect of habitat patch size on two songbirds in north-central Texas.<br /><br />For the federally endangered <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Golden-cheeked_Warbler/lifehistory" target="_blank">golden-cheeked warbler</a>, they found that birds did not successfully breed in patches smaller than 15-20 hectares indicating that a threshold exists at that size below which the birds do not reproduce. However, the study also found that the warblers established territories in patch sizes as small as 2.9 hectares (the smallest studied) and paired in patches as small as 4.1 hectares.<br /><br />From a conservation perspective, <a href="http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.2193/2008-533" target="_blank">this study</a> shows that research looking at just the presence-absence of the warblers (or even bird pairings) would substantially underestimate the minimum habitat patch size needed to sustain a viable population.<br /><br />The researchers also looked at <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-eyed_Vireo/lifehistory" target="_blank">white-eyed vireos</a>, a habitat generalist, and as predicted found no evidence of a minimum patch size threshold for breeding success - the vireos successfully reproduced in patches as small as 4.1 hectares.<br /><br />One of the benefits of identifying patch size thresholds is that by looking at how different environmental variables change when you cross the threshold, you can get clues on what factors are influencing the bird behavior. In this vein, the researchers looked at two variables along the patch size gradient: 1) <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown-headed_Cowbird/lifehistory" target="_blank">brown-headed cowbird</a> parasitism; and 2) abundance of arthropods - the food source for the birds.<br /><br />However, the researchers found no relationship between either variable and patch size, which means they likely are not explanations for the threshold. So more research is needed to figure out why golden-cheeked warblers do not breed in patches smaller than 15-20 hectares.<br /><br />This study also raises the issue of whether small patches act as ecological traps for the golden-cheeked warblers resulting in population sinks that further threaten the species. This could occur if small patches are attractive to the warblers leading to numerous small territories where the birds are not able to reproduce. However, the study authors warn against jumping to that conclusion. They write,<br /><br />"Patches of habitat less than 20 hectares in area may not be large enough to sustain a viable population of golden-cheeked warbler in the long-term; however, such patches may benefit populations if the patches can sustain breeding pairs in the short term."<br /><br />Nevertheless, they advise that managers across the distribution range of golden-cheeked warbler be cautious about decreasing vegetation patches below 20 hectares. Similar research on minimum patch-size thresholds for breeding success could be important for the conservation of other at-risk birds.<br /><br />--Reviewed by Rob Goldstein--<a href="http://www.conservationmaven.com/frontpage/2010/1/12/identifying-minimum-patch-sizes-for-breeding-success-in-bird.html">Conservation Maven</a><br /><br />Butcher, J., Morrison, M., Ransom, D., Slack, R., & Wilkins, R. (2010). Evidence of a Minimum Patch Size Threshold of Reproductive Success in an Endangered Songbird Journal of Wildlife Management, 74 (1), 133-139 DOI: <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2193/2008-533" rev="review">10.2193/2008-533</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-50806700149769268252010-01-11T20:08:00.000-05:002010-01-11T22:05:26.928-05:00State endangered-species lists are failing to protect species that need help the mostA new analysis of birds on state endangered species lists suggests that some species receive insufficient protection while others are receiving protection unnecessarily.<br /><br />This may be attributable to the fact that state endangered species lists are composed by policy process rather than by scientific process.<br /><br /><a href="http://cs.birdersworld.com/brdcs/blogs/field_of_view/2010/01/05/state-endangered-species-lists-are-failing-to-protect-species-that-need-help-the-most.aspx">Birder's World</a> has a good article highlighting the new analysis.<br /><br />You can also find the analysis, by Jeff Wells of the <a href="http://www.borealbirds.org/">Boreal Songbird Initiative</a>, at <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0008608">PLoS ONE</a>.<br /><br />In Ohio, the following species are listed as <a href="http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Home/resources/mgtplans/endangered/tabid/6005/Default.aspx">endangered</a> (e) or threatened (t) though their listing could be considered questionable based on the new analysis. Many of the species on these lists are based on local rarity and rarity is prioritized, <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090421205234.htm">however rarity may be detrimental to conservation efforts</a>.<br /><br />-Yellow-bellied Sapsucker(e): Primarily migratory(2) through Ohio with a resident population estimate in the state of about 400 birds, while the global population estimate is 9,000,000 individuals (1).<br /><br />-Loggerhead Shrike (e): The global population for this species is estimated at 4,200,000 individuals while Ohio's estimated population is roughly 300 individuals(1). Loggerhead Shrikes invaded Ohio in the mid-1800's as deciduous forests were replaced by agricultural fields and then declined by the 1930's (2).<br /><br />-Lark Sparrow (e): a species that spread into Ohio in the 19th century as land use became primarily agricultural. Their occurrence in the state was sparse and varied from place-to-place until in the 1960's they were restricted to the Oak Openings preserve near Toledo, Ohio (2). Peterjohn suggests that at most Ohio hosted about 12 breeding pairs in the Oak Openings region (2), while the global population estimate is 9,900,000 individuals (1).<br /><br />-Dark-eyed Junco (t): The global population estimate for this species is 260,000,000 whereas(1) the Ohio breeding population is roughly 30-50 individuals(2).<br /><br />Some species should probably be given greater priority given that Ohio hosts a relatively large portion of the global population of these species.<br /><br />-Cerulean Warbler is considered a species of concern in Ohio, however the global population for this species is estimated at 560,000 individuals (1). Ohio hosts an esitimated 70,000 breeding Cerulean Warblers, or ~13% fo the total population(1). Ohio's role in the management of this species is potentially great and proper habitat management may bolster global population numbers.<br /><br />-Henslow's Sparrow, an Ohio species of concern, hosts an estimated population of 6,000 individuals or ~7.5% of the global population of 80,000.<br /><br />While some birders and state naturalists may be inclined to disagree with this new analysis, because it may impact their state lists, the proposal of species listing and management based on a more scientific process should result in more efficient and cost-effective management practices.<br /><br /><br />1 <a href="http://www.rmbo.org/pif_db/laped/about.aspx">Partner in Flight Landbird Population Estimates Database, Version 2004</a><br /><br />2 Peterjohn, B. G. 2001. The Birds Of Ohio. The Wooster Book Company. Wooster, Ohio.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-1682092450025669912010-01-11T17:18:00.000-05:002010-01-11T19:35:19.546-05:00Arctic Terns Longest Migrants....Still<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5192On4A3wjkkcpaFKrMQ4_9Clt39tbBFcVshp7rifDyAzlqdzKdYoZ7XUHik5rmsCN_NCP4z_B1y7nbJZ6jHEzNKNkb2-OzoKLzWRleBcdSbY27TBNgXuaXqkmdcG0NPoHF/s1600-h/9.4+Arctic+Tern+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425619745750865746" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5192On4A3wjkkcpaFKrMQ4_9Clt39tbBFcVshp7rifDyAzlqdzKdYoZ7XUHik5rmsCN_NCP4z_B1y7nbJZ6jHEzNKNkb2-OzoKLzWRleBcdSbY27TBNgXuaXqkmdcG0NPoHF/s200/9.4+Arctic+Tern+2.jpg" border="0" /></a>By HENRY FOUNTAIN<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/science/12obtern.html?partner=rss&emc=rss">NY TIMES</a><br /><br />To reach elite status in many airline frequent-flier programs, you have to log at least 50,000 miles in the air in a year.<br /><br />Somewhere in Greenland there’s an Arctic tern that could qualify.<br /><br />Arctic terns have a reputation as long-distance travelers, migrating to the Southern Ocean from breeding grounds in the Arctic. Researchers have suggested the round-trip distance might be as much as 25,000 miles.<br /><br />But those were only estimates. While location-tracking tags have been used with large birds like albatrosses, Arctic terns, at less than four ounces, were too small to carry them.<br /><br />Now Carsten Egevang of the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources and colleagues have devised a miniature data logger that, at 1/20th of an ounce, is light enough. It records light intensity, using the timing of sunrise, sunset and length of twilight to determine latitude and longitude.<br /><br />In <a title="The journal’s Web site." href="http://www.pnas.org/">The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, the researchers report on the journeys of 11 terns fitted with the devices. The birds, which began their trips in Greenland or Iceland in August, took two routes south, some hugging the African coast and others crossing from West Africa to Brazil to follow the South American coast. They stopped for about three weeks in the mid-Atlantic east of Newfoundland, a rich feeding zone.<br /><br />Once they reached the Southern Ocean, they spent four months flying primarily east and west, again in areas that are rich in food. They returned in May and June having traveled, on average, about 44,000 miles. One tern totaled 50,700 miles, which is the longest animal migration ever recorded electronically.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-3096537271427593332009-12-21T21:16:00.000-05:002009-12-21T21:25:19.243-05:00Can restoration be too small? Negative effects on avian behavior...Many conservation practitioners operate with a common assumption that all ecosystem restoration is good no mater the size of the project area. A new study in the <a href="http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/123190441/abstract" target="_blank">Journal of Applied Ecology</a> contradicts this notion by showing that when it comes to tropical reforestation and the effect on birds, bigger is better and too small may be bad.<br /><br />The work by <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/emilymorrisonwebsite/" target="_blank">Emily Morrison</a> and fellow researchers is groundbreaking not just because it shows the importance of patch size in restoration but because it looks at animal behavior to reach its conclusions. Most studies evaluate restoration success with birds by looking at metrics like species diversity.<br /><br />This study though looked at just four birds - <a href="http://fireflyforest.net/firefly/2006/06/12/cherries-tanagers/" target="_blank">cherrie’s tanagers</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous-capped_Warbler" target="_blank">rufous-capped warbler</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Tody-flycatcher" target="_blank">common tody-flycatcher</a> and <a href="http://www.mangoverde.com/birdsound/spec/spec135-45.html" target="_blank">plain wren</a> - and compared their insect foraging behavior across restored forest patches of different sizes.<br /><br />They found that in the smaller patches the birds attacked insects at a lower rate (i.e fewer attacks per minute) and exerted more effort while foraging (i.e more jumping around). They also found that arthropod density was nearly twice as great in larger reforestations (greater than 3500 square meters) than smaller ones (less than 350 square meters).<br /><br />Together these results indicate that birds in the smaller patches are having a more difficult time foraging for food which may have negative consequences for their fitness. This in turn may impede restoration success given that birds in the tropics play an important role in a number of ecosystem processes such as pollination and seed dispersal. Interestingly, a more conventional assessment looking at just species diversity likely would not have picked up on this problem.<br /><br />These results have practical applicability because conservationists - whether in the tropics or elsewhere - are constantly weighing restoration size against project cost. Obviously, much more research is needed to determine how widely these results translate to other settings. In the case of tropical forests the authors recommend,<br /><br /><em>"Thus, forest restoration efforts using a patch-based planting scheme should consider patch size as an important factor that is likely to affect the quality of the patches as habitat for birds that use woody habitat. We recommend that small patches be avoided and that patches of at least a few thousand square metres be planted when resources are available." </em><br /> <br />--Reviewed by <a href="http://www.conservationmaven.com/frontpage/2009/12/16/can-restoration-be-too-small-negative-effects-on-avian-behav.html">Rob Goldstein</a><br /><br />Morrison, E., Lindell, C., Holl, K., & Zahawi, R. (2009). Patch size effects on avian foraging behaviour: implications for tropical forest restoration design <a href="http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/123190441/abstract">Journal of Applied Ecology</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-15674813246603791792009-11-29T09:04:00.000-05:002009-11-29T09:26:34.218-05:00Birdsongs provide population clues<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHfmrS0VPBoR4qQuy2Loi6OADnR1Es7ZaQk6yY5H2XFEal6vza_7Y2O9AwYHqKu6ppOZVICxBRGJ1e_W9Hb8-L5u6kZrdoFIWUO5GRw7hU7VoCvdx3r3c-lA7kKq7HX7q2FtI/s1600/IMG_1427.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409531332814460114" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHfmrS0VPBoR4qQuy2Loi6OADnR1Es7ZaQk6yY5H2XFEal6vza_7Y2O9AwYHqKu6ppOZVICxBRGJ1e_W9Hb8-L5u6kZrdoFIWUO5GRw7hU7VoCvdx3r3c-lA7kKq7HX7q2FtI/s200/IMG_1427.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong><a href="http://www.nature.com/news/2009/091127/full/news.2009.1112.html">Microphone array improves estimate of Ovenbird density</a></strong>.<br />Emma Marris<br /><div>Published online 27 November 2009 Nature doi:10.1038/news.2009.1112</div><br /><div></div><div>As any birder will tell you, most birds in the forest are easier heard than seen. Now two scientists have figured out a way to estimate bird population densities by recording their songs with an array of microphones.</div><div><br />The method offers an alternative to a common way to estimate population densities: the human ear. Humans listeners are often used in bird studies, but people are far from perfect, says Murray Efford of the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. In particular, "we aren't good at telling how far away sounds are," he says.</div><div><br />Efford and Deanna Dawson of the United States Geological Survey in Laurel, Maryland, have come up with a method that uses multiple microphones scattered through the woods. By recording in several places simultaneously, researchers can estimate each bird's acoustic 'footprint' — the area around it where it can be heard. </div><br /><div>The size of the footprint depends on parameters such as the loudness of the birds and the acoustic properties of the forest. So Efford and Dawson must try different values for such parameters until they find a good match with the data recorded by the microphones. When all is done, the duo can estimate bird density without knowing the birds' locations or the size of the forest. </div><br /><div><strong>Twitter tweet!</strong></div><div><br />They tried out their method on ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla) at the Patuxent Research Refuge near Laurel, Maryland. Only male ovenbirds sing, and the technique estimated their density at around one male bird per every five hectares (<a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/newsvideo/news.2009.1112.mp3">click here</a> to hear the ovenbird's song). The findings matched well with estimates gleaned from catching the little songbirds in nets. What's more, the researchers found that the new technique was more precise than estimates based on netting. The work is published online in the Journal of Applied Ecology<a href="http://www.nature.com/news/2009/091127/full/news.2009.1112.html#B1">1</a>.</div><div><br />The researchers say that the method could be used to estimate densities of other hard-to-spot animals, including whales and dolphins. Len Thomas, a statistical ecologist at the University of St Andrews, UK, for instance, is already using a similar method as part of an effort to monitor Minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) by their sounds. Sightings of these whales in the Pacific can be counted on one hand, but males make a distinctive "boy-yoy-yoing" sound, so hydrophones can measure their song footprints, just like the ovenbirds. </div><br /><div></div><div>However, Thomas says that Efford and Dawson's method only provides part of the picture for Minke populations. The method estimates only the densities of sounds, not of animals, and in the case of the whales, uncertainty about what percentage of males call and how often they do so make it hard to extrapolate to an estimation of the population density. </div><div><br />Efford adds that the new technique will work best with animals that make repetitive sounds at constant loudness. That means it could be especially useful for estimating population densities of other kinds of birds. "A lot of birds are blurting out the same thing over and over again, persistently and monotonously," he says.</div><div><br />The monotony may have gotten to Efford, after listening to ovenbird songs over and over for the study. "It is a particularly irritating and insistent call," he admits. </div><div><br />References<br /><a name="B1"></a>Dawson, D. K. & Efford, M. G. J. Appl. Ecol. 46, 1201-1209 (2009). </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-63037740084005513512009-02-20T14:09:00.000-05:002009-02-20T14:29:40.006-05:00Native Garden Workshop--3.28.09 @ Aullwood Audubon Center & Farm<div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304963195788570674" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 199px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBoXxH3TRsiwGgzRtumoOGDfwQ3hN_RdxQ1k8LAhiuz5eEgghIqEohJDn6zMz3-jyhhsoYRZMYMjtZNJOQpxwlHHx0nlg32rRtpqypguozMNx31GBfHVSAEhvumZzE0-cMttd/s200/triffids6sh.jpg" border="0" />When I was child I watched an old black-and-white horror film called “<em>The Day of the Triffids</em>.” It was about deadly alien plants from outer space, called triffids, which come to earth to kill humans; most of who were blinded by the lights of a meteor shower that brought the triffids to our planet and could not see the approaching threat until it was too late. That movie terrified me back then.<br /><br />Imagine my surprise then when I grew up and learned that there were real invading, killer plants spreading across our world; their spread being blindly aided by humans who helped move the plants from place-to-place and habitat-to-habitat, and in many cases were intentionally planting them.<br /><br />Of course the real invaders are not aliens from a different planet, but from right here on earth, and while these alien invasive plants are not necessarily chasing down and killing humans they are causing the deaths of many plant and animal communities around the globe.<br /><br />Many common invasive plants started out innocently enough as beautiful ornamental plants used for landscaping, or as potential food and medicinal purposes. In many cases, the U.S. Government was responsible for the spread of many of invasive plants in the U.S.<br /><br />When “<em>The Day of the Triffids</em>” was released in 1962 it had been almost thirty years since the severe drought and the resulting great dust storms had spread beyond the Dust Bowl region of the country resulting in the collapse of the U.S. agriculture system and economic hardship for much of the country. The U.S. government stepped in with innovative programs to stabilize both agriculture and the economy. One of those programs was the Soil Erosion Service, which transformed into the Soil Conservation Service, and is known today as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service. The Soil Conservation Service, like its name suggests, was tasked with revising agricultural practices at the time to conserve and prevent the further loss of top soil in Midwestern farm states like Wisconsin. The Service developed a variety of beneficial farming practices to reduce erosion, like terracing and contour cropping. Another practice the Service developed was the creation of wind rows and plantings for wildlife food and cover, which were comprised of fast-growing plants with spreading roots to hold soil in place, and potential food crops, like berries, that might benefit a variety of wildlife. Some of these plants that were promoted included Multiflora Rose (<em>Rosa multiflora</em>), honeysuckles (<em>Lonicera</em> spp.), and privets (<em>Ligustrum</em> spp.).<br /><br />Today, we are paying the price for the decisions of our past, both economically and ecologically. Researchers with Cornell University estimate that $120 billion are spent annually on economic losses and environmental impacts due to all invasive animals, plants, and microorganisms in the U.S.<br /><br />There are an estimated 17,000 native plant species in the U.S., and many many more that are considered introduced. Of the introduced plant species in the U.S. approximately 5,000 have escaped and become invasive in natural habitats. $100 million/yr is spent on controlling these invasive plants in the U.S. In agricultural systems invasive weed plants contribute to nearly $24 billion in crop losses every year, another $1 billion annually on forage losses in pastures, and ranchers spend an estimated $5 billion/yr controlling weeds that may be toxic to cattle in pastures and ranges. In residential areas it’s estimated that $500 million are spent annually by homeowners to control invasive weed species in lawns and landscaping, and $1 billion is spent on weed control management on golf courses.<br /><br />While there has been much research on the impact of invasive plants on native plant communities, we are beginning to gain a better understanding of how invasive plants are impacting animal communities. Birds, which share close relationships with plants, may face the greatest danger posed by invasive plants.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IFEasYRyuOHVsrYoBJPSMM3MEFW0uRgn0xtAWHffgqdq5rICUMyQ7IX2pR5ITW7_-iXzjhlT0jFaa0L0Y3kBCv7PJd1pV0yDlquZwSPAXKHJEAezFCHFPFwQ__TYD3yoSxYp/s1600-h/Garlic+Mustard+2.6--Hoover+Reservoir--5.1.06.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304963665488336162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IFEasYRyuOHVsrYoBJPSMM3MEFW0uRgn0xtAWHffgqdq5rICUMyQ7IX2pR5ITW7_-iXzjhlT0jFaa0L0Y3kBCv7PJd1pV0yDlquZwSPAXKHJEAezFCHFPFwQ__TYD3yoSxYp/s200/Garlic+Mustard+2.6--Hoover+Reservoir--5.1.06.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />To learn why and how you can start using native plants in your landscaping projects consider attending the <strong>Native Gardens Workshop</strong> at <a href="http://aullwood.center.audubon.org/"><strong>Aullwood Audubon Center & Farm</strong></a> on <strong>March 28th, 2009</strong>. You can get more details and register for the workshop by contacting Aullwood directly.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-74201405096264385212009-02-13T15:55:00.000-05:002009-02-13T16:04:41.765-05:00Protecting Habitats While Fighting Climate Change<div>A new statement issued by the <a href="http://www.audubon.org/bird/bacc/index.html">National Audubon Society</a> reports that over the last 40 years 177 bird species have experienced range shifts northward during the winter, potentially as a result of climate change. On average, ranges have shifted by at least 35 miles, however at least 60 species are reported to have experienced range shifts of over 100 miles or more. The study is based on citizen science data collected during the organization’s annual Christmas Bird Count.<br /><br />This report comes only weeks after another report issued by the <a href="http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20090126_climate.html">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) </a>that concluded that climate change will be largely irreversible for at least 1000 years after all carbon emissions are completely halted, based on current emission projections.<br /><br />While many are promoting legislative action to reduce carbon emissions, the question remains whether legislation will be enough to truly make a difference. While there is no doubt that there is need to regulate the reduction of carbon emissions, achieving meaningful permanent regulation will be difficult.<br /><br />Competing interests between environmentalists, agencies, energy producers, and other stakeholders will make it difficult to reach an agreement that is mutually beneficial environmentally and economically. Additionally, as we’ve seen with the <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE4A117D20081103?rpc=64&sp=true">weakening of many important environmental policies</a> in the past several years, legislation is prone to short lifetimes as political administrations come and go.<br /><br />Fortunately, there are possible solutions that may actually help. Preservation and creation of green spaces, like forests and grasslands, may help sequester atmospheric carbon and act as <a href="http://www.borealbirds.org/news_pages/news_detail.php?a_id=1892&host">carbon sinks while also serving as habitat for birds and other wildlife</a>.<br /><br />Likewise, understanding how birds utilize different areas will be important for understanding how to prioritize efforts to protect and restore critical habitats that can also serve as carbon sinks. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsVYpsoORBoBGwOJvD5aoQAKTJrxLUBjOsLwVPyluFTP5uuMyeo5GcDZ1jjDbsLcGVp-jnIUXp0owp1T1X7IQlfb7nbpauLowdCUWjowTxZPqrdo0TmKCRjCVrWrwmXK41wPu/s1600-h/IMG_0317.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302390590822521650" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsVYpsoORBoBGwOJvD5aoQAKTJrxLUBjOsLwVPyluFTP5uuMyeo5GcDZ1jjDbsLcGVp-jnIUXp0owp1T1X7IQlfb7nbpauLowdCUWjowTxZPqrdo0TmKCRjCVrWrwmXK41wPu/s200/IMG_0317.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A report that appeared in <a href="http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2009/212/1">Science</a> this week brings new hope to conservationists about the possibility of understanding bird movements during migration. Researchers with York University have used mini tracking devices have been able to track the movements of Purple Martins and Wood Thrushes throughout their migration. While the sample size was small, what they found was that stopover habitats for some species may be more critical than for others, especially for species experiencing dramatic population declines.<br /><br />Conserving bird habitats and fighting climate change are not mutually exclusive activities, but it’s going to take more than just signing petitions and promoting legislation to make a substantial change. We will need to be more proactive in preserving and restoring habitats through efforts at many levels to protect the bird species that we love in the short term and to reduce the impacts of climate change in the long term.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-45195247468853742452008-12-09T16:49:00.000-05:002008-12-09T17:01:58.937-05:00Holiday Gift Ideas for Bird ConservationistsThe onslaught of the holiday shopping season has begun and you might be wondering what gift is just right for a loved one. Save yourself some time and energy and use the American Avian Conservation Association’s holiday gift guide below to help you choose the perfect gift for the birdwatcher in your life.<br /><div><div><div><br />•Bird-feeders and bags of bird-seed are always appreciated by novice and expert birdwatchers alike. A standard hopper feeder is always a safe bet, but if you're more familiar with feeder types you may want to try platform feeders for ground-feeding birds, like sparrows and dove, or more specialized feeders like those designed specifically for finches. <a href="http://www.drollyankees.com/">Droll Yankee</a> makes quality feeders. For a unique and whimsical gift, a bird-seed wreathe can be a great holiday gift. <a href="http://www.pipestemcreek.com/">Pipestem Creek</a> is one such company that makes some beautiful and functional wreaths that can provide a unique holiday accent to your home and feed the birds at the same time.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFuVqwZKatcPQ_E_vF9Y9nQW7i74lqfzJqjeoAx13_QBOE1TnIHVhG4fiWhOGMO0ozcJCE-HhZTT_SwvDhYKqTEgb66aUXz79tyrqBkQNs_YjEVetaqfkjti1ol3eugMiaxdzd/s1600-h/IMG_1849.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277913295691539330" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFuVqwZKatcPQ_E_vF9Y9nQW7i74lqfzJqjeoAx13_QBOE1TnIHVhG4fiWhOGMO0ozcJCE-HhZTT_SwvDhYKqTEgb66aUXz79tyrqBkQNs_YjEVetaqfkjti1ol3eugMiaxdzd/s200/IMG_1849.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />•<a href="http://www.duncraft.com/Bird-Houses-C38.aspx">Nest boxes</a> can provide opportunities for entertainment and learning for birdwatchers; young and old alike. If your birdwatcher lives in a city or suburb you might try purchasing a wren or chickadee nest box for them. The smaller holes of these boxes make it difficult for non-native House Sparrows, which are often abundant in human habitats, to gain access to them. For more rural homes a bluebird box or even a Screech-owl box can make a wonderful gift. </div><div><br /></div><div>•Books are valuable tools for people looking for tips and techniques on everything from choosing seed and feeder types, to building and installing bird houses, to choosing landscaping plants to attract birds. Look for them in your local bookstore. </div></div><div><div><br /></div><div>•Gift memberships to bird conservation organizations can make a wonderful gift because the recipient can join a local and nationwide network of people who share their passion about the conservation of birds and other wildlife. You also have the satisfaction that your gift is going to support the work that these organizations do to protect birds and their habitats. </div><div><br /> </div><div>•A gift that is both an attractive piece of art and supports conservation is a habitat stamp. The <a href="http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/">Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp</a> (a.k.a. "The Duck Stamp") can make a wonderful gift for the birdwatcher in your life. $0.98 of every dollar spent on a "Duck Stamp" goes into leasing or purchasing land in the National Wildlife Refuge System, which provides critical habitat for many species of birds throughout the country. "Duck Stamps" are so named because they often depict species of waterfowl. Art for the stamps are chosen through a competitive contest. The stamps can be purchased in most post offices and outdoor sporting goods stores. You can get more information about how to purchase a stamp at 1-800-782-6724.</div><div><br /> </div><div>•Gift certificates to native plant nurseries can be a great gift for someone who likes to garden or landscape for birds, butterflies, or other wildlife. Native plants are better for birds for a variety of reasons, including as a more nutritious food source and safer nesting habitat. </div><div><br /> </div><div>•If your birdwatcher enjoys a good cup of coffee in the morning while checking out the birds on their feeders, you might want to consider purchasing some bird-friendly coffee for them. Bird-friendly coffee is grown in a manner that both preserves habitat for migratory and resident birds in central and South America, and does not involve pesticides and fertilizers. As a result the coffee is often certified as being organically grown. You can usually find bird-friendly coffee in the organic section of your local grocery store or your favorite local bird-specialty store. For a great-tasting bird-friendly coffee check out <a href="http://www.coffeetraders.com/content/products.cfm?cat=COFFEES&subcat=Good%20Migrations">Good Migrations</a> coffee. Learn more about bird-friendly coffee for birds by visiting the <a href="http://www.coffeehabitat.com/">Coffee and Conservation</a> web-site. </div><div><br /> </div><div>•For the high-tech birdwatcher an mp3 player with <a href="http://www.imaingo.com/">portable external speakers</a> can be a good way of cataloging and condensing all of those bird song cds into one spot for quick reference. <a href="http://www.birdjam.com/">BirdJam</a> customizes Apple iPod mp3 players with bird song cds and software already loaded and organized for quick and easy playback. These can be a great tool for helping someone learn their bird song identification. </div><div><br /> </div><div>•On those days when the weather is less than cooperative and the birds have sought shelter elsewhere, a good bird DVD might be in order. Popular movies like "Winged Migration," "March of the Penguins," "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill," and “Happy Feet” can provide hours of learning and entertainment. Other movies like the 10-part documentary "The Life of Birds" by David Attenborough can be a great source of information about the ecology and identification of birds. </div><div><br /> </div><div>•For a truly unique and memorable gift for the birdwatcher in your life a bird-watching eco-tour vacation might be in order. Bird-watching eco-tours can be a great way to explore the world, see birds as well as other wildlife, learn about new cultures, and support the protection of natural habitats. <a href="http://www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/">National Geographic</a> offers a wide array of tour destinations with a variety of different purposes.</div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-33610250631740182042008-12-05T16:26:00.000-05:002008-12-08T21:37:55.618-05:00Helping Birds For the HolidaysThis is the the time of year when people send out dozens of holiday cards, but those holiday cards come with a price (literally & figuratively).<br /><br />According to 2005 U.S. Census values, every year U.S. citizens send 1.9 Billion Christmas cards during the Winter holiday season. Much of the paper for those cards comes from trees logged in the boreal forests of Canada. The boreal forests are considered <a href="http://www.borealbirds.org/resources/report-bsi-birdnursery.pdf">North America's bird nursery </a>because so many neotropical birds breed and raise their young there, making it an important habitat for many bird species.<br /><br />To help reduce paper consumption and protect the boreal forest for birds, the American Avian Conservation Association is making free electronic cards (e-cards) available for you to send to your friends and loved ones this holiday season. You can download a pdf card by clicking on an icon below. There are several different bird species to choose from, and two different messages.<br /><br />To learn more about the boreal forest and it's importance for birds, be sure to check out the <a href="http://www.borealbirds.org/">Boreal Songbird Initiative</a> web-site.<br /><br /><a href="http://download353.mediafire.com/tjyjiomytszg/2wnlmzdd0ct/Season+Greetings14.pdf"></a><br /><a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/2wnlmzdd0ct/Season%20Greetings14.pdf"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276430034767240418" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 154px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLGsRlBHQgKjymijZZSgB11_Fi-C_RScNlW7JDixyS1SrSEPMZxPlLpU79O9H7DwDl01GGPN9nN2LBoK5HfXOVM0sJeGTQwwC5J_0ggB6xdAYXR2S7w5pAm8mP7N684Qh7jAX/s200/Chickadee+Card1.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/udunzzi2ygi/Season%20Greetings18.pdf"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276430277175701074" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 154px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_Fk1hXdQjXqLxAvXjjDZD2LS0GB0c4N43pHp0LrovRvq6BK0m0PliP3Boatf0NxjG1rU5b4hh4GlzBdka33A49gZCUSVfATk6i8TXHLKYWLonabfsrCZuk-H48bW56rjVu9j/s200/Horned+Lark+Card1.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/enzjrojv4nw/Season%20Greetings13.pdf"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276430518917703154" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 154px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGCNBAcyj3lvpeQ3J29EiYSJknaw0HTPBAAKJR75H1-QEpafiqv3a-l3lHHTqP37fPrL0FVGVM5Fx9O0ueQYYBFF0w6DN8tgtQf6zn4NRkXFvGK1j7SV_5bL8bvm_HEfDSOC4/s200/Nuthatch+Card+1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?eynjwgvzymv"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276430740309109666" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 154px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQsEUCVE3eFV9nj44e13NKhJyGX-rJcfEsS4vBuuj3NjeluFyOLuaCWssUFRVP6eXcIoMKya-3Hs63c3anpVSrqV3vTVHzHXdrAmDH8gl8N0Ch5HvYWtQAo2Xx51OMo8z7k26/s200/Redpoll+Card.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/y0v2zyyynqd/Season%20Greetings11.pdf"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276430958085845490" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 154px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4_7RBkGcNm23j_KKd9B39m-2hvS78AQT0B0LpieoJDwvz1jqMwg_3vcvdG2Lrg6yJdeTpeaO0cP5TXO9Qfcz1vAJPaMKvIP_MHYTNmOY0No9_rfWQN1kSFBBdl6sShoY4Vp1/s200/WCSparrow+Card.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/1inkix1mwuw/Season%20Greetings12.pdf"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276431221066143026" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 154px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3rA8n88Yzfm02BWhnOuLSR-PQ_9n2UESLJr8UYDT7GhkD2qk2hfv2Un_GEIgCQQxTDGdh2z6KB7bKsUjPmVT0cuGFjx5t23kiS3C_4RodK8_cOPuV48N6SsEYLJVlm6HBtD3/s200/Snowy+Owl+Card1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/yt0dmzzyzyz/Season%20Greetings15.pdf"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276431458618930258" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 154px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1Czl5U_CtAMzUw3TlzXyNlx2hOD5SZRoEG7D4e7dlIFAmdBiCIKZzpKLS_DUY-atpp4fwkmKhlmkeEa-Rhl_JAXdbkCy4iDXViXsA9kvvaWwNuGEbYR4b2jozUs-Q5O_4ptY/s200/Chickadee+Card2.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/y5umzmzjmed/Season%20Greetings19.pdf"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276431708817916898" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 154px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TqI-qAJf-rsI5y6jCCMvHxr2q4FunC9N-VJez7IZUVlM_7FO3V2nVR8l9t3SeBhBrtSptgj0PO_uoD-MY0uLbr8guhJl17gYKip11arN7jEy-xFAe0nHNW6aBQeHpNIFTqdT/s200/Horned+Lark+Card2.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/kdmw0m2252g/Season%20Greetings16.pdf"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276431923912275170" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 154px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0xs7lKddK1nqEr2KnHu_qNml4UgCWSjwsngTdfFKJfhqcHC3PhhHyIlqTgZshZpHtoRzaEzDbT1flTyOrg1dXphsK0Lz0fb4Oq0V1vXRityg4q_dobRkqm02AAeBBFILf9J0/s200/Nuthatch+Card+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/txmz2j2lmon/Season%20Greetings17.pdf"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276432137080791602" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 154px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsiwrl0qNlvoOOjdSBREYrVhuEB9iMB4e5weRbiQMKG0UDyMBeSv_3trTqwxG7YPPrRLN7DHy6VN73DflQeJigs0SzhCVB4-4mz_ttHW7FGuMUA_LTDxAqcakEpft12F01SQO/s200/Snowy+Owl+Card2.jpg" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-5769759919998470892008-11-06T12:20:00.000-05:002008-11-06T12:44:03.158-05:00The Election is Over...Now What?The mud-slinging has ceased and the ballots are counted (mostly). Now it's time to think about what to do with all of the flyers, signs, posters, and other products sent out by the various politicians and their respective political parties.<br /><br />Many of the various paper-based products can be recycled via recylcing bins, but plastic signs may need to be taken to a recycling center. You can find a recycling center near you by visiting the <a href="http://earth911.com/">Earth911 website</a>.<br /><br />You may also want to consider new and creative ways to use the various products. For example could flyers be used for a children's art project?<br /><br />Recycling your political products can prevent more waste accumulating in landfills, and also helps protect forests for birds.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-41799469102617217652008-10-05T20:10:00.000-04:002008-10-05T21:32:52.312-04:00Immediate Impacts of Climate Change on Birds<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGD9AqYeNN1fIvouhNV0vZABjFTczifVbP0Nbim5yge8Dr7xWU2-bFFkFoJjV4QhjTC-Mkm798YgpLi3FVHS087lNYfAvEFHxAXV2WYfB5j96Q8HSMmimUXrDXum21ZrstQmBL/s1600-h/IMG_3933.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253847492966198370" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGD9AqYeNN1fIvouhNV0vZABjFTczifVbP0Nbim5yge8Dr7xWU2-bFFkFoJjV4QhjTC-Mkm798YgpLi3FVHS087lNYfAvEFHxAXV2WYfB5j96Q8HSMmimUXrDXum21ZrstQmBL/s200/IMG_3933.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (<a href="http://www.ipcc.ch/">IPCC</a>) the average number of category 4 and 5 hurricanes has increased over the last 30 years due to a changing climate. Additionally, as our climate changes further these storms may become more intense with greater wind speeds and more intense precipitation.</div><br /><div>What will this mean for birds? The recent absence of migratory birds along the Texas Gulf Coast following the habitat destruction caused by Hurricane Ike might be foreshadowing of what's in store for the future. Further loss of migratory stopover habitats due to more frequent and intense tropical hurricane events may mean the loss of many of our neotropical migrant bird species.</div><br /><div></div><div>You can read more about the devastation of High Island following Hurricane Ike <a href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h5PvTD-PIO_MlCwIntVKa_bwU5xQD93J9HB00">here</a>.</div><br /><div></div><div>There are some basic things you can do immediately to start countering climate change:</div><br /><div></div><div>1.) Calculate and reduce your <a href="http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator/">Carbon Footprint</a></div><br /><div></div><div>2.) Conduct an <a href="http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/energy_audits/index.cfm/mytopic=11160">energy audit</a> of your home and work to improve its energy efficiency<br /></div><div></div><div>3.) Replace incandescent light bulbs with <a href="http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls">compact flourescent bulbs</a></div><br /><div></div><div>4.) Use <a href="http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/water/">water</a> wisely around the home and office </div><br /><div></div><div>5.) Drive <a href="http://www.greenercars.org/drivingtips.htm">Greener & Smarter</a></div><br /><div></div><div>6.) Shop Locally by supporting <a href="http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml">community supported agriculture </a>(CSA's)</div><div> </div><div>7.) Green up your <a href="http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/greenscapes/index.htm">lawn</a></div><br /><div></div><div>8.) <a href="http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/rrr/index.htm">Reduce, Re-Use, & Recycle</a> </div><br /><div></div><div>9.) Plant Trees--urban trees can sequester 772 million tons of carbon annually.</div><br /><div></div><div>10.) Protect Native Forests--Global forests are predicted to sequester 1-3 Gigatons of carbon annually. Native forest habitats are also important as stopover and breeding habitat for many neotropical migratory bird species.</div><div> </div><div>11.) Protect and Restore Habitats--Restoring degraded habitats can potentially increase the amount of habitat available for migratory and breeding birds.</div><br /><div></div><div>12.) Help monitor birds through Citizen Science <a href="http://ebird.org/content/ebird/">projects</a>.</div><br /><div></div><div>13.) Consider voluntourism for your next vacation--rather than taking a typical carbon-intensive birding trip, consider volunteering somewhere to help restore bird habitats. It could be your favorite local birding sites or a favorite birding destination, like locations along the <a href="http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/wildlife_trails/coastal/">Texas Coastal Birding Trail</a>.</div><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-69385378998784128422008-08-18T16:59:00.000-04:002008-08-18T17:08:41.691-04:00Department of Interior Proposes Changes to Endangered Species Act<em><strong>Proposed Changes Potentially Weakens ESA<br /></strong></em><br />In an effort to cripple attempts by environmentalists to use the Endangered Species Act as a tool for regulating gases responsible for climate change Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne, proposed changes to the ESA that would minimize the necessity for federal agencies to seek US Fish and Wildlife Service consultation about the impact of proposed projects on endangered species.<br /><br />Kempthorne’s proposal was precipitated by the recent listing of Polar Bears as an endangered species that resulted from a lawsuit by environmentalist groups.<br /><br />A press release from the Office of the Department of Interior states, “These changes are designed to reduce the number of unnecessary consultations under the ESA so that more time and resources can be devoted to the protection of the most vulnerable species. Under the proposed rule, agency actions that could cause an adverse impact to listed species are still subject to the consultation requirement.”<br /><br />“The proposed rule is consistent with the FWS current understanding that it is not possible to draw a direct causal link between greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and distant observations of impacts affecting species. As a result, it is inappropriate to consult on a remote agency action involving the contribution of emissions to global warming because it is not possible to link the emissions to impacts on specific listed species such as polar bears.”<br /><br />Beyond greenhouse gas regulation the proposed ruling may also impact decision-making related to a variety of development projects including oil and gas drilling, road construction projects, and actions on private lands, which could impact a variety of species through disturbance and habitat loss.<br /><br />The National Wildlife Federation summarizes the proposed changes as follows:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQPT_6n6KmUbqrwpM7L0IMzhAAgkrmDTR1kXmYjPQE5-iCnjNOcclPVfF_IJV4cBDgO-FfOOrdcjo63T86JnmQWt14p4pIs9cmLc2jilLRrZD4fNMdhYd7h3S24ln8tB6yo3Z/s1600-h/Thick-billed+Parrot2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235967159515037346" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQPT_6n6KmUbqrwpM7L0IMzhAAgkrmDTR1kXmYjPQE5-iCnjNOcclPVfF_IJV4cBDgO-FfOOrdcjo63T86JnmQWt14p4pIs9cmLc2jilLRrZD4fNMdhYd7h3S24ln8tB6yo3Z/s200/Thick-billed+Parrot2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />•Eliminate informal consultations. Currently, federal agencies seeking to carry out, fund or permit an action must enter into either formal or informal consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service if the action is found to have any affect whatsoever on a listed species. The Bush Administration wants to significantly reduce informal consultations by allowing proponents of federal projects to decide unilaterally whether projects have adverse effects on listed species. This would eliminate the ability of the Service to review projects and employ its expert scientific judgment about what is needed to protect species and habitats unless an agency requests an informal consultation.</div><div><br />•Reduce the number of formal consultations. These are the in-depth reviews that lead to the preparation of a biological opinion, in which the Service determines whether a project will jeopardize listed species or adversely modify its critical habitat and, if so, how the project must be modified to avoid harm. The proposed changes eliminate the requirement for formal consultation any time that an agency unilaterally determines that a project will have no adverse effect on listed species.</div><div><br />•Avoid or minimize consultations based on "Lack of Causation" arguments. Under this rule, agencies could avoid consultation if they determine their action will have only a “marginal” impact on a listed species, ignoring the fact that the cumulative effect of “marginal” piecemeal destruction of habitat quantity and quality is one of the main causes of species decline and extinction.</div><div><br />•Impose an arbitrary deadline on the consultation process. Perhaps most outrageously, the Administration proposes to impose a 60-day deadline on the Service to respond to an agency’s request for consultation and, if this deadline is not met, to allow the project to go forward regardless of the impacts of the project on listed species. </div><div><br />While these rules will be formally presented in the coming weeks, which will be accompanied by a 60-day comment period, the Associated Press was able to obtain a draft copy of the proposed changes. You can also download a pdf draft copy of the proposed changes <a href="http://www.nwf.org/news/clickThru.cfm?path=/nwfwebadmin/binaryVault/ProposedESAChanges1.pdf">here</a>.<br /><br />To read more about the proposed changes check out the <a href="http://www.nwf.org/news/story.cfm?pageId=B37BC419-15C5-5FE8-B007DAC35C60F339">National Wildlife Federation’s</a> web-site or read the <a href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hXBV9U9SBb_hysHw0UpNdHvcmx4gD92G9BLG2">Associated Press</a> article.<br /><br />The National Wildlife Federation has established an e-action statement to enable people to voice their opinion. Click <a href="https://online.nwf.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=603&JServSessionIdr011=qschlionn1.app46b">here</a> to make your voice heard.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-76140384448855891522008-08-08T09:27:00.000-04:002008-08-08T09:44:07.108-04:00Keeping Birds Safe While Fighting Mosquitoes<div>It’s mosquito season once again and health departments are spraying insecticides in neighborhoods in an attempt to control adult mosquitoes in an attempt to prevent the spread of diseases like West Nile Virus.<br /><br />Unfortunately, these spraying programs pose some potential problems. First, they only knock down adult mosquitoes and does little to impact larval mosquitoes which means there are more mosquitoes capable of emerging after the insecticide has dispersed from the air. Secondly, many of the insecticides that are used, like permethrin, are non-specific insecticides and can kill beneficial insects, like bees needed for pollination or other insects that are food for birds.<br /><br />There are some simple, bird-friendly actions everyone can take to help reduce their own exposure to mosquitoes that may potentially carry West Nile, as well as help reduce <a href="http://www.mosquitozone.com/">mosquito</a> populations around homes and in communities which reduces the potential number of mosquitoes that can bite birds and pass along the disease to humans.<br /><br /><strong>Preventing Individual Exposure:</strong><br /><br />1.) Wear <a href="http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/chemicals/deet.htm">DEET</a>, or another effective mosquito repellent, when working outside.<br /><br />-many people do not like wearing DEET because they do not like the greasy feel or the fact that it’s a plasticizer (it dissolves plastic), or that it’s synthetic. DEET however has been around for long time and was designed to be used on human skin. Though the body does absorb DEET through the skin, the repellent is entirely flushed out of the body in about 12 hours. (DEET is a repellent, not an insecticide (it discourages insects, but doesn’t kill them the way an insecticide does).<br /><br />-the higher the amount of DEET the longer it lasts, however effectiveness drops off around 40% (i.e. a solution containing 40% DEET is just as effective and lasts just as long as 100% DEET).<br /><br />-Two new chemicals that the CDC began recommending in 2005 are <a href="http://www.epa.gov/opprd001/factsheets/picaridin.pdf">Picaridin</a>, which is effective at high concentrations (but not available in high concentrations in the US) and <a href="http://www.epa.gov/oppbppd1/biopesticides/ingredients/factsheets/factsheet_011550.htm">oil of lemon eucalyptus</a>.<br /><br />2.) If you do not like using chemicals on your skin you can wear clothing that covers up your skin. Even more effective is new clothing called Insect Shield.<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.exofficio.com/splash.aspx?page=LIST&categorybuzzoff=Insect%20Shield%20Clothing&canned_results_trigger=&category_id=buzzoff">Insect Shield</a> clothing incorporates insect repellent into the fabric of the clothing itself. So in addition to the protection afforded by the clothing itself, you have an additional layer of protection with the repellent.<br /><br /><strong>Reducing Mosquito Populations Around your Home:</strong><br /><br />1.) Eliminate Standing Water—This can be done in a number of different manners.<br /><br />-Obviously old tires, flower pots, children’s toys etc. can be over turned or covered to prevent pooling of stagnant water.<br /><br />-Adding a bubbler aeration device (like those found in fish tanks), fountain, or even a drip device can potentially be enough to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in bird baths. The added benefit to this is that it provides a clean source of water for birds during the heat of summer where they won’t be exposed to mosquitoes, and birds are attracted to the sound of moving water.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOe-yJiMic1zCRA1VZI38LQB9Ei0N5qOFiWbCFyNMIktt86pegW_gEfv7y2e-hUbnugSkJD6W2g-o813SCisFe6pQwDvmCRfvXYh6KC-ksqJ32Gx2J02PSQPZnNo5RZepA6BN0/s1600-h/IMG_0164.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5232141907469754178" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOe-yJiMic1zCRA1VZI38LQB9Ei0N5qOFiWbCFyNMIktt86pegW_gEfv7y2e-hUbnugSkJD6W2g-o813SCisFe6pQwDvmCRfvXYh6KC-ksqJ32Gx2J02PSQPZnNo5RZepA6BN0/s200/IMG_0164.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />2.) In areas that you are unable to cover or dump (like a man-made backyard pond) try adding Bt (<a href="http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/mosquitoes/larvicides4mosquitoes.htm#microbial">Bacillus thuringiensis</a>) dunks to the water. This will help reduce mosquito larvae.<br /><br />-It’s important to not add Bt dunks to natural ponds, wetlands, or ephemeral woodland wetlands. While these may be breeding sites for mosquitoes, the mosquito larvae are a source of food for other species like tadpoles, salamanders, small fish, and even other insects.<br /><br /><br />3.) Attract more birds to your yard<br /><br />-Try reducing mosquitoes by attracting more insectivorous birds, like swallows to your yard. If you have a backyard pond try attracting <a href="http://www.purplemartin.org/">Purple Martins</a>. If you live near a field you may want to attract <a href="http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/">Eastern Bluebirds</a> and/or <a href="http://www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov/features/HelpAHabitat/tree-swallow.html">Tree Swallows</a>. You can also attract other species like <a href="http://www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov/features/HelpAHabitat/housewren.html">wrens</a>, <a href="http://www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov/features/HelpAHabitat/robin.html">thrushes and flycatchers</a>. To attract these birds try providing nesting structures for them. Birds need more protein during the breeding season for themselves, and for their young. Mosquitoes and other insects can be an important source of protein for young birds and their parents because mosquitoes have a tendency to be abundant and therefore easier to find and catch.<br /><br />These few simple things can be an easy and effective way of reducing your exposure to mosquitoes and easily benefiting birds and other wildlife visiting your yard or community.For more information about West Nile Virus or controlling mosquitoes around your home check out the following links:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.beyondpesticides.org/infoservices/pesticidesandyou/Summer%2002/backyard_mosquito_management.pdf">Beyond Pesticides: Backyard Mosquito Management</a> (pdf download)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm">Center for Disease Control:Fight The Bite!</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11804077.post-77789980003744336702008-07-14T23:44:00.000-04:002008-12-09T21:43:31.784-05:00AACA working to protect bird habitats from threat of urban sprawlThe American Avian Conservation Association, through outreach efforts, is working to promote urban re-development in Columbus, Ohio to protect natural and agricultural habitats in central Ohio from being developed, thereby protecting critical habitats for birds.<br /><br />A Columbus based investment company has proposed to re-develop <a href="http://www.ballparkdigest.com/visits/cooper.htm">Cooper Stadium</a>, a local baseball stadium, into a a motor raceway. Unfortunately, this has brought criticisms and challenges from local community members and groups, who are mainly concerned about potential noise from the proposed raceway.<br /><br />The site is also near several urban birding sites. Not surprisingly, several organizations and community groups have raised concerns about how noise may impact birds in these urban habitats and have threatened to block re-development efforts.<br /><br />In a letter to the editor of a local newspaper, called "The Other Paper", the American Avian Conservation Association (AACA) addressed several concerns about potential noise impacts to urban birds. A number of studies have shown that bird species residing in urban habitats have the capability to adapt to loud noises, common in urban habitats, by varying the frequency, volume, and timing of their songs.<br /><br />Interestingly, this is not the first time noise concerns have been used in an attempt to <a href="http://clippersbaseball.com/clippers/history/">block</a><a href="http://clippersbaseball.com/clippers/history/"> construction </a>at the site. When the stadium was initially set to begin construction in 1931 local community groups raised concerns about noise impacts and filed petitions with the Columbus City Council. In spite of these concerns and petitions construction of the stadium proceeded, it opened in 1932, and is regarded today as a local landmark.<br /><br />The AACA also corrected several omisssions and incorrect statements that had been published in the original story regarding the re-development project, including the fact that other well-known birding sites around the country can also be found near noise-intense development projects including an airport in Philadelphia and the Indianapolis motor raceway in Indiana.<br /><br />People who support bird conservation should work to advocate for urban re-development as a means of protecting critical bird habitats. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttihFz0EWgG1ExhZGbdQGVQIUU9bjK8xWjr_Bl-DG92rCXCNnqfvqM6bEEsFb6GN2gn7QuCdqXqtyYx_BeDwtcR3lLP3nQB9QVMRIP5IrPTBBAS_ZQ63ZASIO_r8ibbgUcHkz/s1600-h/developed+land+in+ohio.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223100618543659106" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" height="106" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttihFz0EWgG1ExhZGbdQGVQIUU9bjK8xWjr_Bl-DG92rCXCNnqfvqM6bEEsFb6GN2gn7QuCdqXqtyYx_BeDwtcR3lLP3nQB9QVMRIP5IrPTBBAS_ZQ63ZASIO_r8ibbgUcHkz/s200/developed+land+in+ohio.jpg" width="168" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Re-development of land in urban areas is important for reducing the spread of urban sprawl and the continued loss of bird habitats in Ohio. Developed land in Ohio accounts for anywhere from 12.9-14.6% of land use in the state, and developed lands in Ohio have increased 38.5% in just 20 years.<br /><br />A number of bird species in Ohio may face population declines as a result of urban sprawl and the loss of habitats including grassland species like <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMeuW09JTXIpNYO_iowS8qO5OaMEHVpYl_DBayeGOWOccXjWTTvy0K7dS2VGYS49Ubwha_HLZFyyLF2p1aaXh5cknkoB0y0PeWcfKOfZGPpj0XnOVSV6HJhG8Zvn-nTk-h1MYM/s1600-h/Ohio+impervious+surface.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223100937465277266" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 121px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 68px" height="130" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMeuW09JTXIpNYO_iowS8qO5OaMEHVpYl_DBayeGOWOccXjWTTvy0K7dS2VGYS49Ubwha_HLZFyyLF2p1aaXh5cknkoB0y0PeWcfKOfZGPpj0XnOVSV6HJhG8Zvn-nTk-h1MYM/s200/Ohio+impervious+surface.jpg" width="178" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48eQ0zwDwAai4tTLwpHVnbco67Be6HKO8-Bq4EEZhRSTTerMGXh6oxHDEsKlIj4RLDfWtqkSoUJf7oiTMhVsXqM1pPKtH70ujTy9YVK1cdNlmJEptxckTukjRfGArbJ3hRAwJ/s1600-h/IMG_1314.jpg">Gra</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48eQ0zwDwAai4tTLwpHVnbco67Be6HKO8-Bq4EEZhRSTTerMGXh6oxHDEsKlIj4RLDfWtqkSoUJf7oiTMhVsXqM1pPKtH70ujTy9YVK1cdNlmJEptxckTukjRfGArbJ3hRAwJ/s1600-h/IMG_1314.jpg">sshopper </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48eQ0zwDwAai4tTLwpHVnbco67Be6HKO8-Bq4EEZhRSTTerMGXh6oxHDEsKlIj4RLDfWtqkSoUJf7oiTMhVsXqM1pPKtH70ujTy9YVK1cdNlmJEptxckTukjRfGArbJ3hRAwJ/s1600-h/IMG_1314.jpg">Sparrows </a>and Oak-Hickory-Savannah species like <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9khhAX-D890dnM3m2xQWttSwljE6N1CaDcfcJbanUj8QyvBN_kRijf5foEK2TzuDFbPO8QI6Csh4KhSJs8pHI46ooQMhnafuZnTUYBoZyK409IEEfdM76c_uqYV6bfmQU0xIh/s1600-h/IMG_3155.jpg">Red-he</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9khhAX-D890dnM3m2xQWttSwljE6N1CaDcfcJbanUj8QyvBN_kRijf5foEK2TzuDFbPO8QI6Csh4KhSJs8pHI46ooQMhnafuZnTUYBoZyK409IEEfdM76c_uqYV6bfmQU0xIh/s1600-h/IMG_3155.jpg">aded </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9khhAX-D890dnM3m2xQWttSwljE6N1CaDcfcJbanUj8QyvBN_kRijf5foEK2TzuDFbPO8QI6Csh4KhSJs8pHI46ooQMhnafuZnTUYBoZyK409IEEfdM76c_uqYV6bfmQU0xIh/s1600-h/IMG_3155.jpg">Woodpe</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9khhAX-D890dnM3m2xQWttSwljE6N1CaDcfcJbanUj8QyvBN_kRijf5foEK2TzuDFbPO8QI6Csh4KhSJs8pHI46ooQMhnafuZnTUYBoZyK409IEEfdM76c_uqYV6bfmQU0xIh/s1600-h/IMG_3155.jpg">ckers</a>.<br /><br />Contact the AACA to join or support our conservation efforts (see e-mail address on the right-hand side of this page).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com