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April 30, 2005
Ivory-billed Woodpecker Latest
Hi All,
Here's the "official" scoop from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:
It's True! The Ivory-billed Woodpecker has been found alive in eastern Arkansas. We are excited to make this announcement on behalf of the Big Woods Conservation Partnership, which has launched an unprecedented search effort after credible sight reports emerged from the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge in 2004.
Below is the complete press release, summarizing the news to be published in this week's journal, Science.
Birders interested in visiting the site and searching for the bird are urged to consult www.ivorybill.org for details about opportunities for access into the area. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arkansas Game and Fish and Natural Heritage Commissions, and The Nature Conservancy are working hard to provide managed access for birders and other visitors. If you are planning a visit, please be prepared to cooperate with local authorities and obey all local regulations established to protect the highly endangered Ivory-bill and it's habitat. Absolutely no play back of Ivory-Billed Woodpecker calls or drumming sounds will be allowable. Please observe your highest standards of birding ethics. Also, please be aware that the chances of actually making a sighting of this elusive bird are extremely small -- a massive search effort over the last year has yielded very few detections. And please be prepared to document your sighting with a photo or video!
We will send updates soon about how birders can help in this historic effort to study and conserve the Ivory-billed Woodpecker.
For more information about the search, visit www.ivorybill.org.
Good luck!
* * * *
News Release
April 28, 2005
For Immediate Release Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
Contact:
Cornell University:
Simeon Moss, 607-255-2281, sfm4@cornell.edu
The Nature Conservancy
Karen Foerstel, 703-841-3932, kfoerstel@tnc.org
Long Thought Extinct, Ivory-billed Woodpecker
Rediscovered in Big Woods of Arkansas
Multiple sightings, video footage show bird survives in vast forested areas
BRINKLEY, Ark.--Long believed to be extinct, a magnificent bird--the ivory-billed woodpecker has been rediscovered in the Big Woods of eastern Arkansas. More than 60 years after the last confirmed sighting of the species in the United States, a research team today announced that at least one male ivory-bill still survives in vast areas of bottomland swamp forest.
Published in the journal Science on its Science Express Web site (April 28, 2005), the findings include multiple sightings of the elusive woodpecker and frame-by-frame analyses of brief video footage. The evidence was gathered during an intensive year-long search in the Cache River and White River national wildlife refuges involving more than 50 experts and field biologists working together as part of the Big Woods Conservation Partnership, led by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology at Cornell University and The Nature Conservancy.
"The bird captured on video is clearly an ivory-billed woodpecker," said John Fitzpatrick, the Science article's lead author, and director of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. "Amazingly, America may have another chance to protect the future of this spectacular bird and the awesome forests in which it lives."
"It is a landmark rediscovery," said Scott Simon, director of The Nature Conservancy's Arkansas chapter. "Finding the ivory-bill in Arkansas validates decades of great conservation work and represents an incredible story of hope for the future."
Joining the search team at a press conference in Washington DC, Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton announced a Department of the Interior initiative to identify funds for recovery efforts.
Through its cooperative conservation initiative, the Fish and Wildlife Service has a variety of grant and technical aid programs to support wildlife recovery.
"These programs are the heart and soul of the federal government's commitment to cooperative conservation. They are perfectly tailored to recover this magnificent bird," Secretary Norton said. "Across the Nation, these programs preserve millions of acres of habitat, improve riparian habitat along thousands of miles of streams and develop conservation plans for endangered species and their habitat."
The largest woodpecker in North America, the ivory-billed woodpecker is known through lore as a bird of beauty and indomitable spirit. The species vanished after extensive clearing destroyed millions of acres of virgin forest throughout the South between the 1880s and mid-1940s.
Although the majestic bird has been sought for decades, until now there was no firm evidence that it still existed.
The rediscovery has galvanized efforts to save the Big Woods of Arkansas, 550,000 acres of bayous, bottomland forests and oxbow lakes. According to Simon, The Nature Conservancy has conserved 18,000 acres of critical habitat in the Big Woods, at the request of the partnership, since the search began. "It's a very wild and beautiful place," Simon said.
The Search and the Evidence
While kayaking in the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge on Feb. 11, 2004, Gene Sparling of Hot Springs, Ark., saw an unusually large, red-crested woodpecker fly toward him and land on a nearby tree. He noticed several field marks suggesting the bird was an ivory-billed woodpecker.
A week later, after learning of the sighting, Tim Gallagher, editor of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Living Bird magazine, and Bobby Harrison, associate professor at Oakwood College, Huntsville, Ala., interviewed Sparling. They were so convinced by his report that they traveled to Arkansas and then with Sparling to the bayou where he had seen the bird.
On Feb. 27, as Sparling paddled ahead, a large black-and-white woodpecker flew across the bayou less than 70 feet in front of Gallagher and Harrison, who simultaneously cried out: Ivory-bill! Minutes later, after the bird had disappeared into the forest, Gallagher and Harrison sat down to sketch independently what each had seen. Their field sketches, included in the Science article, show the characteristic patterns of white and black on the wings of the woodpecker.
"When we finished our notes,"Gallagher said, "Bobby sat down on a log, put his face in his hands and began to sob, saying, 'I saw an ivory-bill. I saw an ivory-bill.'"Gallagher said he was too choked with emotion to speak. "Just to think this bird made it into the 21st century gives me chills. It's like a funeral shroud has been pulled back, giving us a glimpse of a living bird, rising Lazarus-like from the grave," he said.
The sightings by Sparling, Gallagher and Harrison led to the formation of a search team, which later became the Big Woods Conservation Partnership. On April 5, 10 and 11, three different searchers sighted an ivory-bill in nearby areas. The views were fleeting, leaving little opportunity to take photographs.
David Luneau, associate professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, said he thought the best chance to film the elusive bird would be to have a camcorder on at all times. On April 25, Luneau captured four seconds of video footage showing an ivory-billed woodpecker taking off from the trunk of a tree.
Frame-by-frame analyses show a bird perched on a tupelo trunk, with a distinctive white pattern on its back. During 1.2 seconds of flight, the video reveals 11 wing beats showing extensive white on the trailing edges of the wings and white on the back. Both of these features distinguish the ivory-billed woodpecker from the superficially similar, and much more common, pileated woodpecker.
On three occasions, members of the search team heard series of loud double-raps, possibly the ivory-billed woodpecker's display drumming. On Feb. 14, 2005, Casey Taylor of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology heard the drumming for 30 minutes, then watched as an ivory-billed woodpecker, being mobbed by crows, flew into view.
In addition, autonomous recording units detected sounds, among thousands of hours of recordings, which resembled double-raps and possible calls of the ivory-bill--reminiscent of the sound of a tin horn. Researchers say ongoing analyses of the recordings have not yet enabled them to rule out other potential sound sources, such as the calls of blue jays, which are notorious mimics.
In all, during more than 7,000 hours of search time, experienced observers reported at least 15 sightings of the ivory-bill, seven of which were described in the Science article. Because only a single bird was observed at a time, researchers say they don't yet know whether more than one inhabits the area.
So far, the search team has focused its efforts in approximately 16 of the 850 square miles in the bottomland forests of Arkansas. Fitzpatrick of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology said that the next step will be to broaden the search to assess whether breeding pairs exist and how many ivory-bills the region may support. To expand the area being monitored and minimize disturbance to the endangered woodpecker, the team will continue to use acoustic monitoring technologies as well as on-the-ground searching. Fitzpatrick said the team will also encourage others to search for the ivory-bill elsewhere in suitable habitats throughout the South.
Simon of The Nature Conservancy said that over the years, state and federal agencies, conservation organizations, hunters and landowners have aggressively worked to conserve and restore the bottomland hardwood and swamp ecosystem. "Now we know we must work even harder to conserve this critical habitat not just for the ivory-billed woodpecker, but for the black bears, waterfowl and many other species of these unique woods," he added.
The partnership's 10-year goal is to restore 200,000 more acres of forest in the Big Woods. The effort will include conserving forest habitat, improving river water quality, and restoring the physical structure of the river channels, focusing in locations with maximum benefit in reconnecting forest patches and protecting river health.
"The ivory-bill tells us that we could actually bring this system back to that primeval forest here in the heartland of North America," said Fitzpatrick, who is also a member of The Nature Conservancy's board of governors. "That's the kind of forest that I hope some generation of Americans and citizens of the world will get to come and visit."
For more information about the search and the efforts to save the ivory-billed woodpecker and the Big Woods, visit www.ivorybill.org.
***
The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology is a nonprofit membership institution with the mission to interpret and conserve the Earth's biological diversity though research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. From its headquarters at the Imogene Powers Johnson Center for Birds and Biodiversity in Ithaca, N.Y., the Lab leads international efforts in bird monitoring and conservation, and fosters the ability of enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels to make a difference.
The Nature Conservancy is a nonprofit organization that preserves plants, animals and natural communities representing the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, the Conservancy has been responsible for protecting more than 15 million acres in the United States and more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Since The Conservancy's Arkansas office opened in 1982, it has worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission as well as private citizens, corporations, and foundations, to bring into conservation management more than 120,000 acres in the Arkansas delta.
The Big Woods Conservation Partnership includes the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, The Nature Conservancy, Oakwood College in Huntsville, Ala., Louisiana State University, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Birdman Productions, LLC, and Civic Enterprises, LLC.
Posted by Surfbirds at 07:38 PM | Comments (0)
April 29, 2005
RSPB turns up the heat on bird of prey killers
The RSPB is today launching a two-pronged attack on those killing hen harriers, one of England’s rarest nesting birds of prey, by preparing to launch a round-the-clock nest protection scheme to protect the bird on one of its nature reserves in northern England.
The Society is also launching a hen harrier hotline appealing for records of hen harrier on English moorlands.
Red Kite, Wales, Powys 21/04/05 © John Robinson - from the Surfbirds Galleries
Last year only ten pairs of hen harrier nested in England, all in the Forest of Bowland, in Lancashire. Regular sightings of several individual harriers around Geltsdale, straddling the Cumbria and Northumberland border, have raised hopes that the birds may nest on the RSPB’s Geltsdale nature reserve. The RSPB will launch the £40,000 scheme, including a 24-hour ‘vigil’, if the birds settle down to nest.
Julian Hughes, RSPB head of species conservation, said: “Because of relentless persecution the hen harrier has become one of England’s rarest birds of prey. Illegal killing is the principal reason why this beautiful bird of prey is absent from almost all areas of suitable moorland across northern England.
“Many of our one million members will be aghast that the RSPB will be forced to spend such a large amount of money protecting birds from persecution on our own land, but without this intense protection recent history tells us the birds, their eggs and chicks are vulnerable to persecution.”
Since 1995, the RSPB has compiled a shocking catalogue of hen harrier persecution incidents in the Geltsdale area. In 1995 at least seven harrier nests failed due to persecution.. In 1997 a male harrier was shot. In 1998 a corpse of a shot harrier was found on the reserve. In 1999: a female harrier was poisoned; In 2000 a female harrier was shot and in 2001 six eggs mysteriously disappeared from a harrier nest. Hen harriers last nested at Geltsdale in 2003, when four young were raised.
For four years nesting hen harriers in England have been monitored by English Nature. Richard Saunders, English Nature’s hen harrier project manager, said: “As a result of persecution hen harriers first disappeared from England's moors around 150 years ago and it is very depressing how little has changed. Over this time managed grouse moors have safeguarded some of our most precious moorland habitats, so it is disappointing that the reputation of shooting is still tarnished by those who continue to persecute one of our rarest and most beautiful birds.”
A UK-wide survey of hen harrier last year showed there has been a 44 per cent increase in hen harrier numbers since 1998. However these increases have occurred largely away from grouse moors, especially Wales, Northern Ireland and western Scotland.
Julian Hughes added: “The outlook for harriers in northern England and southern Scotland is increasingly bleak. Numbers on grouse moors have fallen and illegal persecution is strongly implicated. Police forces recognise that hen harrier persecution is the greatest threat to the bird’s long-term future in Britain. Last year they launched Operation Artemis to crack down on those denying this magnificent bird of prey a future in our uplands.”
The RSPB has today launched a hen harrier hotline, urging anyone seeing these birds of prey on an English moorland to report their sighting, giving exact details of the bird’s location. The Society will use the information to ensure the protection of any nesting hen harriers. Callers can contact the hotline on 01767 680551.
Posted by Surfbirds at 05:16 AM | Comments (0)
April 28, 2005
Ivory-billed Woodpecker still alive in North America
Audubon, BirdLife International, and other conservationists around the globe, joined in celebration at
today's announcement that the Ivory-billed Woodpecker has been found in eastern Arkansas, USA.
The last accepted sightings of Ivory-billed Woodpecker were in Cuba in 1987 and 1988; and the last fully documented US sighting occurred in Louisiana in 1944. While there have been a number of reports of possible Ivory-billed Woodpecker sightings since then, none have been confirmed prior to today's announcement. (1,2,3,4)
A series of sightings between February 2004 and April 2005, in the Big Woods forest of the Mississippi River basin, involved at least one bird, a male. More may be present, since only a fraction of the available habitat has been surveyed. "Potential habitat for a thinly distributed source population is vast at over 220,000 hectares," the Science paper's authors state.
"All of us who share this planet owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the individuals and organizations whose tireless efforts led to the rediscovery of this bird," said John Flicker, President of the National
Audubon Society. "Thanks to their dedication, we all have a second chance to save this magnificent woodpecker from extinction. As it inspires our hopes, this resilient Ivory-billed Woodpecker must also
inspire our commitment to protect the habitat it needs for survival."
"This extraordinary rediscovery provides hope for the 18 species classified as Potentially Extinct, such as Jamaican Petrel, Javan Lapwing and Pink-headed Duck," said Dr Michael Rands, Director and Chief Executive of BirdLife International.
A large, approximately 50 cm bird, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker is dependent on old-growth forests of very large trees, such as cypress, for its habitat. Destruction and fragmentation of virgin bottomland forests throughout the southern US, including floodplain forests along the Mississippi River and its tributaries, led to its decline and eventually to its believed extinction. The Ivory-billed Woodpecker is one of six North American bird species confirmed or suspected to have gone extinct since 1880. (5,6)
"The discovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker will make this site an Important Bird Area of global significance," said Flicker. Launched in 1981 by BirdLife International, the Important Bird Areas (IBA) program is a global effort to identify and protect critical bird habitat. Audubon fosters the protection of more than 1,800 IBAs coast to coast by engaging individuals, communities, organizations and agencies, in the stewardship, restoration and conservation of Important Bird Areas.
"We must work to protect other remaining tracts of mature contiguous forest through the IBA program. Audubon pledges to work with state, local and federal agencies and other conservation organizations involved with this effort to protect this bird and its habitat."
Audubon and BirdLife International are urging members of the public to ensure the safety of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker by respecting its privacy. Stress from human disturbance poses a threat to its survival.
The Science authors assert that strategic additions to the public refuge system, and successful restoration efforts by public and private landowners, are re-establishing the crucial foraging habitat for Ivory-billed Woodpeckers. "Increasing the extent and diversity of genuinely mature bottomland forest with large, very old trees and substantial standing dead and dying timber may allow future generations
to see the awe-inspiring woodpecker again gracing old-growth treetops."
1) Audubon is celebrating its centennial year of protecting birds and
other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. Its national network
of community-based nature centres and chapters, scientific and
educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining
important bird populations, engage millions of people of all ages and
backgrounds in positive conservation experiences.
2) Birdlife International is a global alliance of conservation
organisations working in more than 100 countries who, together, are the
leading authority on the status of birds, their habitats and the issues
and problems affecting bird life. BirdLife is the Red Listing Authority
for birds for the IUCN Red List which includes all species judged to be
threatened with extinction. IUCN Red List categories are: Critically
Endangered (facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild),
Endangered (facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild),
Vulnerable (facing a high risk of extinction in the wild), Near
Threatened (close to qualifying for Vulnerable) and Least Concern
(species not qualifying for the other categories, including widespread
and abundant species). "Potentially Extinct" are species that are, on
the balance of evidence, likely to be extinct, but for which there is a
small chance that they may still be extant and hence they should not be
listed as Extinct until adequate surveys have failed to find the species
and local or unconfirmed reports have been discounted.
4) Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) Persists in
Continental North America, Science online 28/04/2005.
5) A resident subspecies of ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus
principalis bairdii) occupied tall forests throughout Cuba, and a small
population was mapped and photographed in eastern Cuba as late as 1956.
Fleeting observations of at least two individuals in 1986 and 1987 by
several experts are widely accepted as valid, but repeated efforts to
confirm continued existence of that population have failed.
6) The others are Labrador Duck (Camptorhynchus labradorius), Eskimo
Curlew (Numenius borealis), Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis),
Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius), and Bachman's Warbler
(Vermivora bachmanii).
Posted by Surfbirds at 04:01 PM | Comments (0)
April 26, 2005
Britain's birdwatching boom triggers new code
To coincide with the rapidly rising interest in birds and with changes in access to the countryside, a partnership of bird organisations has produced a new code of conduct for all those people interested in watching birds.
With nearly three million people watching birds in Britain, according to the latest market research [note], there’s no doubting that people are increasingly taking an interest in the birds around them.
To coincide with the rapidly rising interest in birds and with changes in access to the countryside, already under way across many parts of Britain, a partnership of bird organisations [note] has produced a new code of conduct for all those people interested in watching birds. At the code’s heart are five golden rules, respecting the needs of birds and people.
Julian Hughes, RSPB head of species conservation and author of the new code, said: “Whether people are enjoying looking at the birds in their garden or local park, or whether they are watching them in the wildest spots in the UK, or even abroad, the same good practice and common sense applies.”
The five golden rules at the heart of the code are:
· Avoid disturbing birds and their habitats – the birds’ interests should always come first;
· Be an ambassador for birdwatching;
· Know the law and the rules for visiting the countryside, and follow them;
· Send your sightings to the County Bird Recorder and www.birdtrack.net;
· Think about the interests of wildlife and local people before passing on news of a rare bird, especially during the breeding season.
The RSPB has identified a number of birds that are especially vulnerable to disturbance. These include: nightjars on heathland across the UK; black grouse in the uplands of England, Wales and Scotland; little tern colonies around the UK’s coastline, stone-curlews in the Brecklands and Wessex; and ground-nesting birds of prey and ring ouzels in upland areas.
To read the full code click here:
Posted by Surfbirds at 09:21 PM | Comments (0)
Study of Rare Birds in Colombian Oak Forests Encouraging
The Eastern Andes of Colombia is a priority area for bird conservation due to its high level of endemism combined with a lack of protected areas and limited knowledge about its biota. Four endangered species Mountain Grackle (Critical), Black Inca (Endangered), Rusty-faced Parrot (Endangered), and Gorgeted Wood-Quail (Critical) have been downgraded to Vulnerable.
Of particular interest are stands of the endemic Humboldt oak, many of which have been logged. ABC, under its William Belton Small Grants Program, provided funding to ProAves Colombia to study the status of four oak forest birds, ranked by IUCN-World Conservation Union as globally Endangered or Critically Endangered.
White-tipped Quetzal, Colombia, Santa Marta May 2004 © Nigel Driver
The four species, Mountain Grackle (Critical), Black Inca (Endangered), Rusty-faced Parrot (Endangered), and Gorgeted Wood-Quail (Critical), depend at least seasonally on oak forests. However, between 66% and 85% of their historic ranges have now been converted to agriculture. Yet despite this dire habitat situation, the investigators turned up some encouraging results. From 151 counting points at five sites in the area, the team observed Black Inca at 27 localities, seven of which were previously unknown; Rusty-faced Parrot was found at 29 localities; Mountain Grackle was found at 22 localities; and Gorgeted Wood-Quail was detected at 20 localities – more than were initially expected.
The study concluded that all four species should be reclassified as Vulnerable. Care is necessary, however, as downgrading a species ranking can impact the attention and funding it receives. The goal of evaluating the status of species is to use the best available information so conservation can be prioritized for the species most in need.
Posted by Surfbirds at 08:11 AM | Comments (0)
April 22, 2005
ABC and the Corps of Engineers: Dredging for Birds
Operations by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are a major force shaping bird habitat along the coastlines and waterways of the United States.
As the federal agency responsible for maintaining navigable waterways and for shoreline protection, the Corps dredges and relocates over 250 million cubic yards of material each year. Coastal dredging and disposal operations have tremendous, and often unrecognized, potential for bird habitat creation and management.
Piping Plover Chicago, Illinois, Montrose Beach 9/27/04 from the Surfbirds Galleries © Robert Hughes
In recognition of the potential benefit to bird populations, ABC and the Corps have initiated a partnership to explore ways of integrating the conservation of priority bird species into the planning and execution of large, coastal, engineering projects. For example, sediments from the routine maintenance dredging of the Atlantic Intra-Coastal Waterway have been used to create productive near-shore and offshore island nesting habitat for many species of terns and for Black Skimmers.
Without the regular placement of sand on dredged material islands, terns and skimmers are forced to nest on mainland beaches where increased disturbance from human recreational activity and predators such as raccoons and cats can significantly reduce nest success. With increasing development along the entire U.S. coastline, there will be a much greater need for the creation and active management of suitable nesting, foraging, and roosting habitats for coastal birds.
In January 2005, ABC and the Corps held the first of four regional workshops on dredging, beach nourishment, and bird conservation at Jekyll Island, Georgia. Emphasis was placed on the importance of maintaining productive, low-energy, inter-tidal habitats around inlets and estuaries for nesting and wintering Piping Plovers and other migratory shorebirds. Best management practices for large dredge disposal sites that can produce highly productive foraging or roosting habitat for migratory birds were also proposed. For example, seasonal management of water levels at seven disposal sites near the Savannah Harbor attracts tens of thousands of migratory shorebirds each year. In total, over 288 bird species have been documented at the site.
ABC will provide expertise to the Corps on the needs of priority birds, in coordination with the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan, the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, and the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture. Proceedings from the Jekyll Island workshop and information about future regional workshops on dredging, beach nourishment, and bird conservation will soon be available online at: Click Here
Posted by Surfbirds at 05:26 AM | Comments (0)
April 19, 2005
International Migratory Bird Day 2005
International Migratory Bird Day, organized by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, will be held on May 14 this year, with the theme of "Bird Collisions."
Organizers will promote awareness of the large-scale avian mortality at buildings, communication towers, and other human-made obstacles during migration. Events and festivals will be held, and education materials made available through IMBD’s Website: www.birdday.org. This year’s IMBD artwork (below) is by noted author and artist David Sibley.
Posted by Surfbirds at 07:50 AM | Comments (0)
April 15, 2005
Peta and Petco Announce Agreement
PETA to End Campaign Against PETCO as Company Ends Sale of Large Birds. San Diego, CA, April 14, 2005 - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc. announced an agreement that will advance animal welfare across the country. PETA will end its campaign against the national pet food and supply retailer and PETCO will end the sale of large birds in its stores. Under terms of the agreement:
* PETCO will end the sale of large birds in the company's stores. Upon completion of the sale of the limited number currently in stock and those previously purchased from suppliers, PETCO will no longer offer large birds. The company will continue to work with its shelter partners to help those groups adopt not only dogs and cats, but to adopt homeless birds of all sizes as part of PETCO's established "Think Adoption First" program. Think Adoption First encourages anyone who is considering adding a companion animal to his or her family to consider adoption first before making a purchase. PETA intends to assist PETCO in enlisting accredited bird rescue groups to work with the company in its in-store adoption program. PETCO will also recommend and promote flight cages for all birds. The company recognizes that birds-like all animals-need exercise, and mental and psychological stimulation to be healthy and happy.
* PETA will end its boycott of PETCO and its protests at the company's stores. In agreeing to end its campaign against PETCO, PETA will take down its "PETCOCruelty" website, remove all references to "PETNO" on all sites affiliated with the organization, and withdraw its support of the use of the "PETNO" logo by other groups.
"We believe that all birds should have the freedom to fly and be with others of their own kind, but large birds are exceptionally hard hit by captivity, and we commend PETCO for deciding to help discourage their lifetime confinement," said Ingrid Newkirk, PETA's President. "We hope other responsible retailers follow PETCO's lead in this regard."
"We welcome the opportunity to work with PETA as we announce ending the sale of large birds as one of several progressive steps we are taking in our industry-leading efforts," said Bruce C. Hall, PETCO President and Chief Operating Officer and President of the non-profit PETCO Foundation. "We recognize that most of our bird customers are what we would call 'beginning hobbyists'. Large birds are not necessarily appropriate for these individuals due to their long lifespan, size and care requirements."
About PETA
PETA, with more than 800,000 members, is the largest animal rights organization in the world. Founded in 1980, PETA is dedicated to establishing and protecting the rights of all animals. PETA operates under the simple principle that animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment. PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: On factory farms, in laboratories, in the fur trade, and in the entertainment industry. It also works on a variety of other issues, including the cruel killing of beavers, birds and other "pests" and the abuse of backyard dogs. PETA works through public education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, special events, celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns. For more information on PETA, visit www.peta.org.
About PETCO
PETCO, established in 1965, is a leading specialty retailer of premium pet food, supplies and services. PETCO's vision is to best promote, through its people, the highest level of well being for companion animals, and to support the human-animal bond. PETCO generated net sales of more than $1.8 billion in fiscal 2004. It operates over 730 stores in 47 states and the District of Columbia, and is a leading destination for on-line pet food and supplies at www.petco.com. Since its inception in 1999, the PETCO Foundation, PETCO's non-profit organization, has raised more than $22 million in support of more than 2,600 non-profit grassroots animal welfare organizations around the nation.
Posted by Surfbirds at 03:55 AM | Comments (0)
April 14, 2005
Seabird Mortality Up in Alaska. Not Just Longlines to Blame
Newly released figures reveal that the numbers of seabirds killed by longline fishing in Alaska took a dramatic rise in 2003. More than 5,000 seabirds were incidentally caught on longline hooks, still down from a decade-long average of over 13,551 birds per year, but up by 40% over 2002.
The 2003 mortality included 179 Laysan and 176 Black-footed Albatrosses. Part of this increase is likely due to a 28% jump in the number of hooks set in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands fishery, where over 90% of the Alaskan longline seabird mortality occurs.
Laysan Albatross by Ashley Banwell from Surfbirds Galleries
Meanwhile, a group of 705 scientists from 83 countries, supported by 230 non-governmental organizations from 54 countries, has petitioned the United Nations to implement a moratorium on all longline fishing in the Pacific Ocean to prevent the extinction of the leatherback sea turtle. While ABC believes that seabird mortality can be mitigated without such measures, a ban would clearly also benefit albatrosses and other seabirds.
Of recent, growing concern to conservationists is the substantial mortality in the Alaskan trawl fishery. The federal government estimates that between 8,000 and 29,000 seabirds were killed in 2003, primarily in collisions with cables behind the boats. This includes 365-432 Laysan Albatrosses. The data indicate that seabird mortality in the Alaskan trawl fishery may exceed that of longlining, and needs to be aggressively addressed and mitigated.
On February 10, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council voted to extend an existing ban on bottom trawling in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea to an additional 370,000 square miles of ocean around Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. Though a major conservation victory, the ban is designed to protect coral beds and other sensitive marine habitat, and will likely not have a significant impact on seabird bycatch, as the bulk of the billion dollar bottom fish harvest occurs further out to sea.
Posted by Surfbirds at 06:49 AM | Comments (0)
April 10, 2005
Swarovski Land Purchase Protects Critically Endangered Hummingbird in Colombia
A grant from Swarovski is enabling ABC and ProAves Colombia to create a new reserve for the Critically Endangered Colorful Puffleg, along with other endangered bird and amphibian species.
The Colorful Puffleg is one of the world’s most threatened hummingbirds. It is an extreme habitat specialist, found only in wet montane forests on the Pacific slope of the west Andes, in southwest Colombia. Already scarce (its population is estimated at only 50-250 individuals), the Colorful Puffleg is further threatened by logging, grazing, and other habitat degradation.
Coppery-bellied Puffleg, Colombia, Bogota May 2004 © Nigel Driver from Surfbirds Galleries
ProAves is in the process of negotiating the purchase of 5,000 acres of land that would protect core populations of the Colorful Puffleg and another critically endangered species, the Munchique Wood-Wren. Surveys at the site have revealed 16 other threatened bird species, two endangered frog species, and high levels of endemism in other flora and fauna. The Alliance for Zero Extinction has declared the property an essential site for conservation.
ProAves Colombia will restore, manage, and protect the site. The Colorful Puffleg population will continue to be studied and monitored, helping to bring this species back from the brink of extinction.
ABC is grateful to Tropical Birding for their assistance in making this grant possible..
Posted by Surfbirds at 12:18 AM | Comments (0)
April 08, 2005
At Least One in Ten English Cormorants Shot Because of Revised Government Policy
Government figures reveal that at least one in ten of all cormorants wintering in England have been licensed to be shot following a revised policy from nature conservation minister Ben Bradshaw on 16 September, 2004.
The government implemented the revised policy after it caved in to the repeated calls from anglers for a cull of the fish-eating birds.
Great Cormorant by Steve Round from Surfbirds Galleries
The latest figures from Defra reveal that licences for the culling of 1800 cormorants had been issued up to the beginning of February. With a week to go before the cull ends for the summer break, on April 15, the RSPB is concerned that this figure will rise substantially. The policy allows for the killing of up to 3000 cormorants a year in England.
Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB’s director of conservation, said: "RSPB scientists believe the science behind the government’s revised cormorant decision is fundamentally flawed, resulting in a potentially serious underestimate of the impact of the cull on the UK’s breeding cormorant population.
"We have asked Defra’s chief scientific advisor to carry out an urgent and thorough review of the science informing the government’s policy.
"A significant reduction in the UK’s cormorant population could contravene European law."
ends
Notes:
1) Cormorants are protected by the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC) and, in England and Wales, by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. On 16 September 2004, Defra announced a new policy on controlling cormorants, under licence, in England.
2) Cormorants are included on the Amber list of Birds of Conservation Concern because the majority breed at fewer than 10 sites in the UK and the UK supports over 20% of the European wintering population.
3) The English wintering population of cormorants, based on corrected Wetland Bird Survey counts, is estimated to be 17,000 birds, from a Great Britain wintering population of 23,000 birds. The Seabird 2000 census recorded 2,896 pairs of cormorants nesting in England (excluding the Isle of Man and Channel Islands), from a UK breeding population of 8,884 pairs (including Northern Ireland, but excluding the Isle of Man and Channel Islands).
4) The recovery of the cormorant population in England has led to claims that the birds are damaging angling interests by eating fish. Research into the impact of cormorants on fisheries, much of it funded by the taxpayer, does not support the case for wide scale control of the birds.
5) Fish refuges are structures that can be positioned in a water body to provide cover for fish, and could be an effective way of protecting small still water fisheries from predation by cormorants. Defra’s own research has shown that these structures may reduce cormorant predation by up to 86 per cent.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Posted by Surfbirds at 08:42 AM | Comments (0)
April 07, 2005
Indian language guides reinforce front line conservation
Field guides to the birds of northern India are now available in a total of three Indian languages published by the Bombay Natural History Society in collaboration with BirdLife International. With funding from the World Bank and the Indian Government, the books are a major contribution to local conservation capacity building.
The local language versions will be made available free to forest guards and others working at the front line of conservation in India. Birds of Northern India was published in 2003 in English, and has subsequently been published in Hindi, Urdu and Gujarati.
The soon-to-be published Birds of Southern India will be available in English, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. The guides are based on A&C Black's Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp (1998).
A&C Black, which includes the Christopher Helm, Pica Press and T&AD Poyser imprints, is the world's largest publisher of serious bird books, including field guides, handbooks, family guides, and 'where to watch' guides.
"The original Birds of the Indian Subcontinent was divided into regional guides for Nepal, Bhutan, Northern and Southern India, using the same plates of illustrations, and with new, regionally-specific text," explained A&C Black's commissioning editor, Nigel Redman. "At the instigation of the authors, we have supported a programme to translate them into regional languages."
A&C Black supports the publication of the local language guides on a non-profit basis. "As we all know, the only way anything is going to be conserved is by local people in the countries concerned," Nigel Redman added. "Local language guides are needed to disseminate knowledge, and helping to publish them is something positive we can do for conservation."
The translations and publication were organised by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). "I am sure local language field guides will greatly help in generating interest in bird conservation, and also in developing a database on Indian avifauna," said Dr Asad Rahmani, Director of BNHS. "Our main aim is that these books should reach the front line staff of the forest department and the local grass-roots people. We are also encouraging our members to sponsor copies of these wonderful books for distribution to schools."
Tony Whitten, a senior biodiversity specialist with the World Bank, campaigned for the Bank to fund the first local language field guides in the early 1990s, and has subsequently seen the number of guides rise to almost 100, covering different kinds of wildlife in Asia, Africa and most recently Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific. "Given the clear role they can have in supporting conservation initiatives, production of field guides should be recognised as an important aspect of in-country capacity building," he said.
"Without these guides, people would lack one of the basic tools for field work and conservation," stressed Richard Grimmett, co-author of the guides and head of BirdLife International's Asia Programme.
Posted by Surfbirds at 10:12 AM | Comments (0)
April 01, 2005
First condor chick hatched in the wild in 80 years is found dead
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. Biologists have located the dead body of the first condor chick hatched in the wild in Arizona in more than 80 years.
On Saturday, March 26, the chick's body was found inside Grand Canyon National Park.
The chick was just under two years old, having hatched on May 3, 2003 in a nest cave near the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. The bird had been doing well since it fledged, or began flying, on November 5, 2003.
© Andrew Birch
Data indicate the chick had been extensively moving around until March 17 or 18, including two trips to the Vermilion Cliffs site where captive condors are released into the wild. The bird was detected in the area between Yavapai Point and Yaki Point in the Grand Canyon on March 18, 19 and 20. Then biologists noted that a transmitter attached to the chick had switched into a mortality mode, meaning the condor's transmitter stopped moving, sometime Sunday evening, March 20. Although biologists hoped the transmitter had simply fallen off, that hope began to fade when the satellite-GPS transmitter indicated no movement over Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of last week.
In cooperation with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, The Peregrine Fund, and National Park Service an investigation and recovery effort was started on Friday, March 25. Recovery efforts on Friday were delayed due to poor weather; however, biologists were able to recover the carcass on Saturday. The carcass was discovered on a slope in the Supai layer (approximately 1,200 feet below the rim) below Yavapai Point. No immediate cause of death was determined. The carcass will be shipped to the Pathology Lab at the San Diego Zoo in San Diego, California, where a necropsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
"As the first wild fledged chick in Arizona, this bird represented a significant step forward in the condor recovery program," stated Chad Olson, Raptor Biologist for Grand Canyon National Park. He added,
"although not critical from a population standpoint over the long-term, this bird was important symbolically to the condor reintroduction effort. I have been personally involved with the study of this bird and am truly saddened by its loss."
"This is a sad occasion for the California condor reintroduction project, but the program will move forward and hopefully see the survival of many future wild-hatched chicks," says Ron Sieg, supervisor of the Arizona Game and Fish Department's Flagstaff regional office.
The two chicks that fledged in the wild in 2004 continue to feed, interact with other condors and explore their natural areas.
California condors are the largest flying land bird in North America. They can weigh up to 26 pounds and have a wingspan of up to 9 1⁄2 feet. The species has been listed as endangered since 1967. Condors are being bred in captivity and are frequently released at the Vermilion Cliffs in Arizona.
The historic Arizona reintroduction is a joint project among The Peregrine Fund, the Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Southern Utah's Coalition of Resources and Economics, and numerous other partners.
Posted by Surfbirds at 06:21 AM | Comments (0)