Surfbirds News

March 19, 2010

BirdLife Partners call to save the Wadden Sea

The Wadden Sea is one of the last true wilderness areas in Northwest Europe. Characterised by vast mudflats, it stretches over three countries: Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands and is a complex of Important Bird Areas (IBAs) which are threatened by human activities. In response, three BirdLife Partners - DOF, NABU and Vogelbescherming Nederland (BirdLife Partners in Denmark, Germany and The Netherlands respectively) - have joined forces to fight for the conservation of this area and have published an ambitious report entitled the: ‘Wadden Sea Vision - A vision for the conservation of a Natural Heritage'.

The Wadden Sea is important for millions of birds. Species such as Red Knot Calidris canutus and Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica stop in the Wadden Sea to rest and refuel on their migrations between the Arctic and West Africa. The site is also important for species like Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis, Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia and Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta which breed on the salt marshes, beaches and islands found around the Wadden Sea.

Red Knot © Steve Round, from the surfbirds galleries.

Unfortunately the Wadden Sea is threatened by human activities. Industrial developments, large scale fisheries, growing mass tourism, military activities, intensive farming, and the effects of climate change are damaging this dynamic ecosystem.

The numbers of some bird species for which the Wadden Sea is of international importance have dropped significantly since 1987. Regular monitoring shows that Common Eider Somateria mollissima, Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus and Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus have declined significantly. These birds are highly specialised species which depend on the healthy functioning of the Wadden Sea’s uniquely varied ecosystem of intertidal mudflats, salt marshes and sand banks. Their plight is a reliable indicator of the declining condition of the Wadden Sea.

DOF, NABU and Vogelbescherming Nederland have now joined forces to fight for the conservation of this area and have presented a new Wadden Sea vision at the 11th trilateral Wadden Sea conference in Germany, setting up their aspirations and ambitious conservation goals.

The BirdLife Wadden Sea vision calls for the implementation of seven conservation measures, to ensure a biologically rich Wadden Sea, where birds and people can prosper together. These measures also include protecting biodiversity by restoring a strong food web based on healthy biogenic structures like shellfish banks and eel grass fields, restoring the unique natural landscape along the coast, letting natural processes have free reign again and guaranteeing undisturbed breeding places and high tide refuges for birds.

“Because of its strategic location on such a busy crossroad for migratory birds, focused conservation work by the three countries has a truly global impact for the conservation”, said Boris Barov – BirdLife’s European Conservation Manager.

“With 2010 being the International Year of Biodiversity, it makes even more sense to emphasise again how crucial the Wadden Sea is in saving countless species, including migratory birds” said Fred Wouters - Director of Vogelbescherming Nederland. “Furthermore, some of these measures would allow the area to adapt to sea level rise and other threats posed by climate change”.

“We are alarmed by the threats the Wadden Sea is facing”, said Leif Miller - Executive Director of NABU. “We recently decided to reinforce our long-term activities for the protection of the Wadden Sea”. NABU started applied research on threatened wader species in the Wadden Sea in order to develop adequate management measures.

“Over recent years DOF has strongly lobbied the European Commission and its national Government to increase the protection of the Wadden Sea and its species in accordance with the EU Birds Directive”, said Christain Hjorth - Chairman of DOF. “Both local and national groups are mobilising the press to raise awareness for this crucial area”.

During the last 15 years, Vogelbescherming Nederland has successfully managed to minimise the damaging effects of shellfish fisheries and a new agreement with the Dutch Government, nature organisations and the mussels sector is now in place, which includes a management plan to restore the Wadden Sea ecosystem.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:43 AM | Comments (0)

March 13, 2010

The World's Rarest Birds through the lens

A new international photo competition covering the world's 623 most threatened birds has just been launched. This is a follow-up to the photo competitions that led to the production of the highly acclaimed Rare Birds Yearbooks 2008 and 2009.

The photos submitted for the new competition will feature in a landmark publication – The World's Rarest Birds – which will be produced by the not-for-profit publisher WILDGuides next year. The proceeds will be donated to BirdLife International's Preventing Extinctions Programme, as was the case with the Rare Birds Yearbooks.

Orange-bellied Parrot, one of the world's rarest birds © Pete Morris/Birdquest,
from the surfbirds galleries.

The World's Rarest Birds will be a lavishly illustrated hardback book, covering the 362 species categorised as Endangered and 65 that are Data Deficient, as well as the 192 Critically Endangered species and the four species that are Extinct in the Wild and only now exist in captivity. It will be a comprehensive directory of the world's most threatened bird species and include specially written feature articles on the key bird conservation issues in each of the world’s regions.

"Over the past two years we have received a lot of constructive feedback from our readers about how they would like to see Rare Birds Yearbook develop", said editor Erik Hirschfeld. "The World's Rarest Birds incorporates the best of these enhancements while still supporting conservation. Our prime concern continues to be helping to prevent the extinction of the most threatened birds in the world by raising funds and promoting awareness."

All photographs submitted for The World's Rarest Birds photo competition will be entered into a prestigious international photographic competition, with some excellent prizes generously provided by the key sponsors Minox and Lynx Edicions. Anyone who has photos of any of the 623 species on the list is encouraged to enter the competition at www.theworldsrarest.com. The closing date is 31 August 2010.

"We are delighted to be involved in working with Erik Hirschfeld and BirdLife in producing The World's Rarest Birds", said Andy Swash, Managing Director of WILDGuides. "Although it will be a beautiful book, its key message is poignant – one in eight of the world's bird species being threatened with extinction. This is a great concern to many and I just hope that the production of The World's Rarest Birds will help to raise awareness and make some contribution to their conservation."

Ade Long, BirdLife's Head of Communications said, "It seems very fitting that The World’s Rarest initiative has been launched in 2010 – the year proclaimed by The United Nations as the International Year of Biodiversity. The Rare Birds Yearbook was a fantastic success and I have no doubt that The World’s Rarest Birds will build on it and be even more influential. Who better to take up this photo challenge than the BirdLife Partnership and our millions of supporters?

For more information on The World's Rarest Birds, the photo competition, and lists of the species that are Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered and Data Deficient, visit: www.theworldsrarest.com

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:25 AM | Comments (0)

Intentional oil spill in the Po Delta

Hundreds of thousands of litres of oil are floating on the water of the Po river and are starting to enter the Po Delta, one of the most important European wetlands. The Po delta is classified as an Important Bird Area (IBA), as it is a key site for wintering waterbirds and for colony-breeding waterbirds. Important Bird Areas (IBAs) form a worldwide network of sites for the conservation of birds.

When complete, this global network is likely to comprise around 15,000 IBAs covering some 10 million km2 (c.7% of the world’s land surface) identified on the basis of about 40% of the world’s bird species. The effective conservation of these sites will contribute substantially to the protection of the world's biological diversity.

Garganey © Craig Shaw, from the surfbirds galleries.

LIPU (BirdLife in Italy) is seriously concerned that this spill could affect the wintering species which are still in the area, such as Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, Mallard Anas platyrhynchos and Arctic Loon Gavia arctica. Other migratory birds such as Garganey Anas querquedula also use the delta.

"The risks are very high for the species who spend most of the time in water, such as ducks, cormorants, gulls and loons, or for the ones who are nesting, like herons”, explains Marco Gustin, Conservation Officer at LIPU.

LIPU has activated a task force and is coordinating the work of several recovery centres in the affected area, with the support of LPO (BirdLife in France). Nine cormorants have already died despite the treatment received in one of the recovery centres and more oiled birds are expected in the coming days.

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:21 AM | Comments (0)

Saving rockhopper penguins

Rockhopper penguin populations are in serious decline worldwide, and the causes have been largely unknown. BirdLife is launching a new report which identifies the key threats, and outlines the steps which must be taken to help save rockhopper penguins. "At last, in this new report we have an international action plan to address the catastrophic declines of rockhopper penguins", said Professor John Croxall - Chairman of BirdLife's Global Seabird Programme.

Rockhopper penguins live in the Indian, South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. There are two distinct species: Northern Rockhopper Penguin Eudyptes moseleyi (Endangered) and Southern Rockhopper Penguin Eudyptes chrysocome (Vulnerable). Both these species have been disappearing from the southern oceans.

Rockhopper Penguin © Brian R. Field, from the surfbirds galleries.

In the past 37 years alone, Northern Rockhopper Penguin has decline by 57% and Southern Rockhopper Penguin by 34%.

"With a catastrophic 95% loss of Northern Rockhopper Penguin since the 1950s, the new BirdLife report comes just in time to give hope that the downward trend in numbers of this charismatic bird might be reversed", announced Professor Croxall.

Experts from across the globe met in Edinburgh (Scotland) to discuss the declines and to outline the research and conservation actions which are urgently needed. The results are presented in the new publication which provides all the latest scientific information in a comprehensive review which highlights potential causes of the declines such as climate change, pollution, changes in the marine food web, disease and fishery interactions.

Importantly, the report sets out the steps which must be taken to help save them. "Gaps in knowledge on many aspects to the rockhopper penguin's life cycle have to be resolved for effective conservation steps to be taken in order to reverse its population decline", added Prof. Croxall. "These need tackling as a matter of urgency."

International action is called for so that the actual and potential impacts of these factors can be properly researched and addressed. Regional priorities for action are outlined for Tristan da Cunha, the Patagonian and Pacific Ocean regions and Chile. These include population counts, research on survival, breeding, and diet and potential interaction with priority threats in the marine environment such as pollution, fisheries, shifts in nature and location of resources.

The authors outline that the recommendations cannot be implemented unless adequate funding is provided. "Implementation of this report will require long term funding, particularly for demographic research and international collaboration", concluded Professor Croxall.

Governments, institutions, scientists and all individuals concerned about penguins need to read this report and help undertake its recommendations, ideally by supporting an international programme to safeguard the future of these very special penguins.

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:17 AM | Comments (0)

Black-faced Spoonbill numbers up again as Action Plans are launched

BirdLife International has compiled International Action Plans for three globally Endangered and Critically Endangered migratory waterbirds in Asia, under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species.

The action plans for Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus and Chinese Crested Tern Sterna bernsteini were launched recently at the fourth meeting of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP). On 5th March, the action plan for Endangered Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor was launched at the International Symposium on Ecology, Migratory and Conservation of the Black-faced Spoonbill.

Black-faced Spoonbill © Pete Morris/Birdquest, from the surfbirds galleries.

“A key objective of the EAAFP is to develop, especially for priority species and habitats, flyway-wide approaches to enhance the conservation status of migratory waterbirds”, said Roger Jaensch, Chief Executive of the East Asian Australasian Flyway Partnership. “As partners of EAAFP, BirdLife International and the Convention on Migratory Species have made good progress on meeting this objective by producing the latest species action plans. Now the challenge for us all is to work with governments, industries, NGOs and the wider community in making these plans deliver real conservation outcomes.”

The Black-faced Spoonbill symposium was co-organised by Kyushu University with support from BirdLife Asia Division, and included representatives from most Black-faced Spoonbill range countries.

The result of the international joint census of the Black-faced Spoonbill was also announced at the symposium. A new high of 2,346 birds was recorded between the 8th and 10th January 2010, a more than 10% increase on 2009’s census. The census has been coordinated by the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (BirdLife Partner) since 2003, and has shown a steady increase in numbers, and a real recovery of this once Critically Endangered species.

The dire situation of the Black-faced Spoonbill was raised in the early 1990s by the Chinese Wild Bird Federation (BirdLife Partner), which coordinated drafting of the first International Action Plan in 1995. With support from all BirdLife Partners and programme offices, together with other NGOs in the region, significant progress was made within the first few years, and the Black-faced Spoonbill, largely unknown to the public in the 1980s, had become everyone’s favourite by the late 1990s. Some of the most important sites have also been protected.

“However, this species is still far from being saved from extinction,” said Simba Chan, Senior Conservation Officer at BirdLife’s Asia Division. “It is dependent on tidal flat habitats throughout its life cycle, and tidal flats are being reclaimed at an alarming rate throughout eastern Asia.”

The tendency of Black-faced Spoonbills to be concentrated at a few sites has also raised concerns about disease and natural disasters. An outbreak of botulism killed 73 Black-faced Spoonbills in Tainan, almost 10% of the global population, in the winter of 2002.

Protection of more sites along the Black-faced Spoonbill’s flyway is regarded as one of the most important actions in the CMS action plan.

“Black-faced Spoonbill has become an important flagship species in eastern Asia,” Simba Chan added. “It is a symbol for the conservation of the tidal wetlands in eastern Asia, and it should also play an important role in promotion of international cooperation in migratory bird conservation.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:11 AM | Comments (0)

Caribbean's first Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve designated

The Cabo Rojo Salt Flats – within Puerto Rico's Suroeste Important Bird Area – have been designated as the Caribbean's first site of regional importance for shorebirds by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN, an international shorebird conservation strategy). The nomination was submitted by Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña (SOPI, BirdLife in Puerto Rico) and supported by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), North Carolina State University and the BirdLife Caribbean Program.

"This designation represents a significant step for the conservation of shorebirds in the Caribbean as it helps demonstrate the importance of wetlands on islands throughout the region for the conservation of both migratory and resident shorebirds", said Xicoténcatl Vega, subdirector of the WHSRN and Shorebird Recovery Program, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.

Lesser Yellowlegs © Christopher Upson, from the surfbirds galleries.

The Cabo Rojo Salt Flats is a 500 ha National Wildlife Refuge managed by the USFWS, and it supports over 5% of Caribbean breeding population of 'Snowy' Plover Charadrius alexandrinus tenuirostris and 2.5% of the Caribbean's Wilson Plovers C. wilsonia. Over 20,000 shorebirds representing 28 species congregate at this special site. This includes large numbers of Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla, Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes, Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus, and Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres.

"Shorebird conservation at these salt flats is a priority for the Service and this habitat is managed to protect and conserve populations of important shorebird species", said Oscar Díaz, Refuge Manager, USFWS.

The Suroeste IBA is also important for globally threatened and island-endemic species such as the Endangered Yellow-shouldered Blackbird Agelaius xanthomus (with almost 80% of the known population occurring in the IBA) and the Critically Endangered Puerto Rican Nightjar Caprimulgus noctitherus, and also as a nesting site for the Least Tern Sternula antillarum.

"Simply put, the designation of the Cabo Rojo Salt Flats, an important component of Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge, as a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve provides a foundation for the promotion of shorebird conservation locally and regionally", Jaime A. Collazo, Professor and Assistant Unit Leader, North Carolina State University.

The nomination of Cabo Rojo Salt Flats as a WHSRN site, submitted by SOPI, was an outcome of the BirdLife International project Saving the treasures of the Caribbean: sustainable livelihoods, management and restoration for the Suroeste IBA, Puerto Rico – funded by the Aage V Jensen Charity Foundation. SOPI established a collaborative Cabo Rojo stakeholders' network including the Site Support Group Comité Caborrojeños Pro Salud y Ambiente (CCPSA), Empresas Padilla, Inc., the USFWS and professors and students of the University of Puerto Rico (Mayagüez and Aguadilla campuses).

"Good government–NGO collaboration has enabled us to achieve some important conservation and sustainable development outcomes for this unique site that provides essential ecological services to both shorebirds and people", said Gabriel Lugo, President of SOPI.

Other conservation actions implemented by the network as part of this catalytic project include the construction of a (shorebird-friendly) brine shrimp farm, administered by CCPSA, to generate income in support of research, education, sustainable development and management of the IBA.

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:05 AM | Comments (0)

February 27, 2010

Radar station in Madeira threatens Zino's Petrel

After many years of uncertainty and inaction, the Portuguese Government has finally started building a military radar on top of Pico do Areeiro, one of Madeira’s most popular tourist destinations and the only home of Zino’s Petrel Pterodroma madeira, a rare endemic seabird.

The Pico do Areeiro lies within a Natura 2000 site designated as a Special Protection Area, and therefore has the highest level of protection under European Union law. “It is the only known breeding site in the world of Zino's Petrel, a globally Endangered species whose total population of 65-80 pairs makes it the rarest seabird in Europe and one of the rarest birds in the world”, said Dr Ian Burfield – European Research and Database Manager at BirdLife International.

Since as long ago as 2000, SPEA (BirdLife in Portugal) and BirdLife International have opposed the construction of this radar station at Pico do Areeiro, which is an area of extreme importance for rare high-altitude flora, as well as Zino’s Petrel. Concerned that its construction and operation could have a detrimental impact on Zino's Petrel, as well as the unique landscape, SPEA and BirdLife have repeatedly requested the plans to be shelved and EU nature legislation respected.

“Unfortunately, none of the valid arguments presented proved sufficient to convince the Madeiran and Portuguese authorities, who have now gone ahead, arguing that building the radar is a matter of national security”, added Dr Burfield.

Construction began in November 2009. The summit hostel, which used to serve as a must-stop tourist destination where people could admire the incredible mountain range that protects Zino’s Petrel, has already been removed to make way for the radar. “However, the project must follow all of the mitigation and compensation measures indicated in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), such as avoiding any construction work during the breeding season of Zino’s Petrel between March and October”, warned Dr Burfield.

Bulwer's Petrel, Madeira © Ian Merrill, from the surfbirds galleries.

“SPEA is following progress very closely, and verifying that every precaution mentioned in the EIA is adhered to”, said Iván Ramirez – BirdLife’s European Marine Coordinator. “SPEA-Madeira staff are visiting the site regularly and will immediately report any anomalies to the Ministry of Defence and the University of Aveiro, which produced the EIA and is responsible for the follow-up and monitoring of the project”. Through SPEA, BirdLife is also keeping a very close eye on the situation, as any negative impacts on the species could rapidly move it closer to extinction.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:15 PM | Comments (0)

February 14, 2010

Birdfair continues to Prevent Extinction

In its third and final year as Global Sponsor of the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme, the British Birdwatching Fair has delivered yet another huge boost to species conservation with the presentation of a cheque for £263,000 (US$411,500), the proceeds from the 2009 fair. This takes the total raised by the Fair in its three year support for the Preventing Extinctions Programme to £754,000 (US$1.18 million)

Birdfair organisers Martin Davies and Tim Appleton presented a cheque to Dr Leon Bennun – BirdLife's Director of Science, Policy and Information - at a ceremony that took place at The Lodge, the headquarters of the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) on 9th February 2010.

"The Birdfair's amazing contribution over the last three years has enabled BirdLife to establish a global network of Species Guardians, delivering targeted conservation action to the species most in need of it", said Dr Bennun. "Thirty eight of the world's rarest birds are already benefitting from Birdfair’s generosity and vision and this number will increase to 65 with 2009 proceeds."

Balearic Shearwater © Martin Gillingham, from the surfbirds galleries.

Martin Davies said, "Birdfair has been proud to be Global Sponsor of the Preventing Extinctions Programme and we are excited to see positive results already. Birdfair funds are already improving the fortunes and prospects for critically threatened birds across the globe, including species as diverse as the Djibouti Francolin and Taita Thrush in Africa, White-shouldered Ibis and Chinese Crested Tern in Asia, Puerto Rican Nightjar and Belding's Yellowthroat in the Americas, Balearic Shearwater and Azores Bullfinch in Europe and Polynesian Ground-dove in the Pacific. Last year marked the rediscovery of Fiji Petrel, one of the suite of 'lost species’ being searched for with help from the Preventing Extinctions Programme"

Tim Appleton, of the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, said: "During the British Birdwatching Fair's 21-year history, we are delighted to have raised nearly £2.5 million (US$ 3.9 million) for conservation of the world's most threatened birds and places, from albatrosses in the Southern Ocean to rainforest birds in the Andes and Sumatra ."

Twenty-two thousand birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts visited the 2009 Birdfair, the world's largest of its kind, which is a three-day event held at Rutland Water each August, and which is jointly promoted by the RSPB and the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.

In response to the threat to so many bird species, BirdLife launched the Preventing Extinctions Programme in August 2007. This is spearheading greater conservation action, awareness and funding support for all of the world’s most threatened birds, starting with the 192 species classified as Critically Endangered, the highest level of threat.

The Cebu Flowerpecker was featured on the posters and other publicity for the 2009 Fair. This rare and highly threatened bird is confined to just a few forest fragments on the island of Cebu in the Philippines. The Philippines Ministry of Tourism, who joined as Associate Sponsors of the 2009 Fair, has agreed to become Species Champion for this bird, making a commitment to fund conservation efforts to help it over the next three years. The Philippines Ambassador, His Excellency Antonio M Lagdameo, attended the Birdfair last August and the reception at RSPB's offices this week.

At the Birdfair event this week it was announced that Viking Optical Ltd , who are joint main sponsors of the Birdfair, were also stepping forward as Species Champion for Seychelles Paradise-flycatcher, funding vital work for this spectacular Indian Ocean species. Tim Strivens, Sales manager for Viking optical commented, "We are delighted to be able to support the Preventing Extinctions Programme and over the coming years we hope that many other Species Champions will be found, to give all these threatened birds a more secure future."

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:47 AM | Comments (0)

New website for Canadian Important Bird Areas programme

BirdLife International's Canadian co-partners Bird Studies Canada and Nature Canada have launched a new website for the Canadian Important Bird Areas (IBA) Programme.

The main goals of the IBA Canada website (www.ibacanada.ca) are to raise awareness of the IBA Programme, to share information about Canada’s IBAs, and to empower more Canadians to reconnect with nature as volunteers for the IBA Caretaker Network. The website offers refined mapping features and data management and analysis functions, including a search engine that enables users to identify bird populations, habitat types, and land use activities at Important Bird Areas across Canada.

Piping Plover © Glen Tepke, from the surfbirds galleries.

"Bird Studies Canada is proud to be a partner in the IBA Programme, an important science-based tool for identifying conservation priorities, and fostering greater success in the conservation of bird populations", said Bird Studies Canada President Dr George Finney. "The new IBA Canada website will be an invaluable tool not only for researchers, but also for planners, environmental regulators, and anyone interested in protecting biodiversity."

The new tools featured on the IBA Canada website will help IBA partners and volunteers monitor birds and assess conditions at key sites, and evaluate the effectiveness of conservation activities at IBAs.

These tools will make the website particularly useful for members of the Canadian IBA Caretaker Network, a nationwide volunteer network of Citizen Scientists who watch over and protect IBAs in their communities. An IBA Caretaker is a person or group responsible for ensuring that changes within their local IBA, or threats to its ecological integrity, are properly documented – and, ideally, resolved. Caretaker activities can include collecting bird data; conducting site assessments; restoring habitat; raising awareness; and advocacy efforts.

"Caretakers are on the front lines of bird habitat protection, and their volunteerism at Important Bird Areas ensures that local conservation ideas are put into action", said Ian Davidson, Executive Director of Nature Canada. "I believe the IBA Canada website will be a valuable tool for Caretakers in the effort to safeguard Canadian IBAs."

The new IBA Canada website features many helpful tools to support IBA Caretakers, including the new Caretakers Online Community, a portal where Caretakers can connect with one another and access resources like manuals and outreach materials.

The IBA Canada website is available in both English and French.

BirdLife International's IBA Programme is an international conservation initiative that aims to identify, conserve, and monitor a worldwide network of sites that provide essential habitats for bird populations. IBAs are internationally agreed-upon sites that support threatened birds, large groups of birds, and birds restricted by range or habitat.

The Canadian IBA Programme is led jointly by Bird Studies Canada and Nature Canada, with critical support from a suite of regional organisations (including BC Nature, Federation of Alberta Naturalists, Nature Saskatchewan, and Nature Québec), and hundreds of volunteers nationwide. There are nearly 600 Canadian IBAs, many of which are not legally protected.

Funding for the new IBA Canada website was provided in part by a U.S. Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act grant, and TransCanada Corporation (which has committed C$ 1 million over five years as a national sponsor of the Canadian IBA Caretaker Network).

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:41 AM | Comments (0)

January 21, 2010

'World's least known bird' found breeding in Afghanistan

The breeding site of one of the world's least known birds, Large-billed Reed-warbler Acrocephalus orinus, has been discovered in the remote and rugged Wakhan Corridor of the Pamir Mountains of north-eastern Afghanistan.

Using a combination of field observations, museum specimens, DNA sequencing, and the first known audio recording of the species, researchers verified the discovery by capturing and releasing almost 20 birds earlier this year, the largest number ever recorded.

The discovery of Large-billed Reed-warblers in Afghanistan represents a watershed moment in the study of this bird. The first specimen was discovered in India in 1867, with more than a century elapsing before a second discovery of a single bird in Thailand in 2006 which was first reported by BirdLife International.

A preliminary paper on the finding appears in the most recent edition of BirdingASIA, the magazine of the Oriental Bird Club.

"Almost nothing was known about this species and it was consequently listed as Data deficient by BirdLife on the IUCN Red List, so the discovery of a breeding population marks a major step forward", said Dr Stuart Butchart, BirdLife’s Global Research and Indicators Coordinator.

The find serves as a case study in detective work. The story began in 2008, when Rob Timmins from WCS was conducting a survey of bird communities along the Wakhan and Pamir Rivers. He immediately heard a distinctive song coming from a small, olive-brown bird with a long bill. Timmins taped the bird's song. He later heard and observed more birds of the same species.

Initially, Timmins assumed these birds to be Blyth's Reed-warblers Acrocephalus dumetorum, but a visit to the Natural History Museum at Tring in the UK to examine bird skins resulted in a surprise: the observed birds were another species.

In summer 2009, WCS researchers returned to the site of Timmins' first survey, this time with mist nets used to catch birds for examination. The research team broadcast the recording of the song, a technique used to bring curious birds of the same species into view for observation and examination. The recording brought in Large-billed Reed-warblers from all directions, allowing the team to catch almost 20 of them for examination and to collect feathers for DNA. Later lab work comparing museum specimens with measurements, field images, and DNA confirmed the exciting finding: the first-known breeding population of Large-billed Reed-warblers.

"This is great news from a little-known species from a remote part of the world and suggests that there may be more discoveries to be made here", said Mike Evans, BirdLife's compiler of the Important Bird Areas of the Middle East.

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:34 PM | Comments (0)

International action to stop illegal hunting in Malta

BirdLife Malta (BirdLife Partner) and the BirdLife International Partners in Europe and Africa have launched an international campaign aimed at Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi demanding the proper enforcement of the EU Birds Directive, which has been largely ignored since EU membership. Significant part of this campaign is an international petition, which can be signed here.

BirdLife Partners are demanding an end to the illegal killing of migratory protected birds that are regularly shot over Malta. BirdLife also demands that the Maltese Government ensures that a spring hunting and trapping season for European Turtle-dove Streptopelia turtur and Common Quail Coturnix coturnix is never re-opened on the island.

“Illegal hunting in Malta is a serious concern for the BirdLife International Partnership because of the scale of the illegal activity and lack of efficient governmental action against it”, commented Angelo Caserta - Regional Director of BirdLife International European Division in Brussels.

Marsh Harrier © Sean Nixon, from the surfbirds galleries.

“BirdLife is not against legal hunting and we do not endorse any sort of tourism boycott against Malta as wrongly claimed by the hunting lobby. It is not those who are calling for an end to illegal hunting that are giving Malta a bad name but rather the poachers who are shooting down the same birds other countries are investing millions of euros to protect. The authorities insist on downplaying the true scale of poaching and refrain from taking effective action to end this practice” he added.

There are around 12,000 hunters on the small island - the highest density of hunters per square kilometre in Europe. Maltese hunters can legally hunt 32 species in autumn and they have the longest bird hunting season in Europe, which lasts five months.

Due to its strategic location on the European-African migration route, Malta has a long and impressive list of bird species with a total 389 species recorded. Of these, over 170 occur regularly flying over Malta in significant numbers.

Scientific ringing studies carried out by BirdLife Malta since the 1960s have shown that birds from at least 48 countries (36 in Europe and 12 in Africa) use Malta during their migration.

Conservationists in Malta have long been recording the widespread illegal shooting of protected birds every migration period in spring and autumn. Last September, BirdLife Malta discovered the buried remains of over 200 dead protected birds in a woodland in the north of the island that is heavily used by hunters.

The remains included Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus, European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus and Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax among others. To this date no one has been charged and no statement has been made by the authorities.

"The lack of concrete and effective action against the illegal hunting of birds, by the Maltese government, is detrimental to the commitment and momentum within the BirdLife Africa Partnership to conserve, educate and most importantly advocate for increased law enforcement, by governments, for the protection of migratory birds", said Dr Paulinus Ngeh - BirdLife's West Africa Sub-regional Coordinator.

BirdLife Malta believes that thousands of protected birds including rare raptors such as Near Threatened Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus, Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina and Vulnerable Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni, as well as herons, storks and other protected birds are illegally gunned down each year.

Bob Elliot, Head of Investigations for RSPB Scotland (BirdLife in the UK), witnessed the illegal shooting of birds in Malta during BirdLife Malta’s conservation camps. He said: “Malta is the only place where you do not want to see a raptor flying low as it will definitely be shot at in the absence of conservationists or police in the area”.

Mr Elliot said he was appalled with the scale of illegal hunting and trapping in Malta. “In Scotland, we record an average of 60 cases of wild bird crime every year. In Malta, BirdLife recorded over 2,100 incidents in 2008 alone. Scotland is 250 times the size of Malta and has the worst reputation in terms of wild life crimes in the whole of the UK, but Malta still stands in a league of its own”, he added.

In spite of a poor track record in law enforcement for the protection of migratory birds, the Maltese government is once again considering the opening of the spring hunting season for European Turtle Dove and Common Quail. It will do so in defiance of a European Court of Justice ruling that found Malta in breach of the Birds Directive for allowing spring hunting of European Turtle-dove and Common Quail since it joined the EU.

BirdLife Malta President Joseph Mangion concluded: “Malta has shown it cannot meet the conditions of a derogation for another spring hunting season. Every time the government opens the season for limited hunting, it opens the door for hunters to kill protected species. Action has long been overdue. It is now time for the politics to come in line with the law.”

The international petition can be signed online here.

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:24 PM | Comments (0)

December 23, 2009

Kenya's Tana River Delta under siege

The Tana River Delta in Kenya's north coast is under unprecedented threat as corporations and foreign agencies scramble to exploit its riches for export crops, biofuels and minerals. NatureKenya (BirdLife Partner) – with support of RSPB (BirdLife in UK), Schweizer Vogelschutz SVS/BirdLife Schweiz (BirdLife in Switzerland) and DOF (BirdLife in Denmark) – are working with local communities to try and stop the proposed poorly planned developments which would result in tens of thousands of people losing their livelihoods.

The Tana Delta is a vast patchwork of palm savanna, seasonally flooded grassland, forest fragments, lakes, woodland, mangroves, beaches, sand dunes, coral reefs, seagrass beds and the river itself. Large assemblages of water birds qualify it as an Important Bird Area. A 1992–93 study recorded 22 different species of water birds occurring in significant numbers, including pelicans, storks, egrets and terns. In seasons of heavy rains, some 5,000 water birds of over 13 species nest in the Delta, and the young fly off to populate wetlands all over the country.

Basra Reed Warbler © Chris Bell, from the surfbirds galleries.

The Delta is of international importance for the conservation of migratory species, and is home to the Endangered Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis, Vulnerable Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotos and Near Threatened Malindi Pipit Anthus melindae, and 13 of Kenya's 30 East African Coast biome bird species.

But Tana Delta has a history of poor environmental management and planning and failing development schemes. Attempts to grow irrigated rice, cotton, maize and shrimp on a commercial scale met with little success, although local farmers continue to grow rice, maize and other crops by traditional methods. Most recently, a rice scheme in the 1990s left a legacy of poverty and environmental damage.

A number of worrying development projects are currently proposed in the Delta. This includes plans by the Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority (TARDA—a government agency), and the Mumias Sugar Company, who intend to convert about 20,000 ha of the Delta into a monoculture sugar cane plantation. The project came to public knowledge in 2007, and advocacy and awareness campaigns, including a court injunction, temporarily stopped it. However, in June 2009, Kenya's High Court ruled in favour of the developers on a technicality. Now the Government has given tenure rights and ownership of 40,000 ha of Delta land to TARDA, ostensibly to grow rice and maize as a response to Kenya’s recent drought and food shortage. However, more than 25,000 people living in 30 villages stand to be evicted from their ancestral land that has now been given to TARDA.

"While we support emergency actions to improve short-term food security, these must not be used as an excuse to evict local people from their land or as a smokescreen to open up the Delta to poorly conceived development schemes which would threaten the long-term future of both the people and the nature of the area", said Dr Helen Byron - Senior International Site Casework Officer RSPB. "What is needed is a long-term plan for the area which builds on the rich biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Delta to provide sustainable livelihoods for the local people and is produced with strong input from the local communities".

Other threats to the delta include:

A second sugar company, Mat International, is acquiring over 30,000 ha of land in Tana Delta and another 90,000 ha in adjacent districts. The company has not carried out any environmental and social impact assessments.

Bedford Biofuels Inc, a privately-held multinational company based in Canada, is in the process of acquiring land through 45-year lease agreements. Its intention is to transform over 90,000 ha of land in Tana River District into biofuel farms, mainly growing Jatropha curcas.

Tiomin Kenya Ltd, a company incorporated in Canada, wants to mine titanium in the Tana Delta, and is in discussions with the local government authorities.

Qatar has asked Kenya to lease it 40,000 ha of land in Tana Delta to grow crops, in exchange for support for a major new port in nearby Lamu town.

The Tana Delta is the largest of several critical natural areas threatened by development in Kenya. NatureKenya is working with communities in the Delta who are opposed to these plans, and have positive proposals for enhancing their livelihoods through community-owned initiatives.

The Kenya Wildlife Service is spearheading efforts to get the Delta listed as a Ramsar wetland of international importance. It will take time to compile ecological, hydrological and socioeconomic data, and to map the Delta. Meanwhile, the current development proposals put the people, biodiversity and ecological functions of the Delta in great jeopardy.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:19 AM | Comments (0)

December 18, 2009

Partnerships strengthen migratory bird conservation in West Africa

Six countries in West Africa have committed to conserving Important Bird Areas (IBAs) for migratory birds along their coastlines. This is the outcome of a recent joint workshop organised by BirdLife and Wetlands International. “The project offers an opportunity for coordinated monitoring and conservation of IBAs along the coast of West Africa, and for capacity building, which is crucial for migratory bird conservation, as well as enhancement of the livelihoods of local communities”, said Dr Hazell Shokellu Thompson - Africa regional director of BirdLife International.

Over 40% of long-distance migrants in the African-Eurasian flyway have shown signs of decline over the last three decades. Of these 10% are classified by BirdLife as Globally Threatened or Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Along the coast of West Africa - from Guinea to Mauritania – over 170 migratory species have been recorded including Vulnerable Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris and Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola, and Near Threatened Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca.

Ferruginous Duck © Josh Jones, from the surfbirds galleries.

“This coastline is crucial for many migratory birds”, said Dr Paulinus Ngeh – BirdLife’s West Africa Sub-regional Coordinator. “Out of a total of 43 Important Bird Areas in the region that qualify because of migratory birds, 22 have no conservation action”.

Key threats to migratory birds indentified in the region at the workshop include agricultural intensification, pollution, commercial and residential development, unsustainable harvesting of natural resources and unsustainable hunting, modification of habitats such as wetlands, invasive species and human disturbance.

Some of the critical IBAs for migratory birds in the region include Banc d'Arguin National Park and Chott Boul (Mauritania), Delta du Saloum and Djoudj Wetlands (Senegal), Arquipélago dos Bijagós (Guinea Bissau), Sierra Leone River Estuary, and Iles Tristao (Guinea).

Participants from Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Mauritania, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Gambia met at the four-day workshop in Dakar, Senegal. They represented civil society organisations, government institutions and conservation programmes and initiatives in the region. “Together, they identified and agreed on a network of sites and species, as well as a menu of conservation actions that would be undertaken over the four-year life span of the project”, added Dr Ngeh.

“The partnership and participatory approach, adopted right from the onset of the project development process, is one of the outstanding results of the workshop, and a laudable approach for the conservation of migratory birds”, said Ibrahima Thiam, Africa regional director of Wetlands International.

Funding for the workshop came from the Mava Foundation with additional funds from BirdLife International and Wetlands International. The workshop aimed to develop a regional project for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats along the coast of West Africa. The Mava Foundation contributes to maintaining terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, promoting scientific research, training and integrated management practices, while securing a future for local populations in cultural, economic and ecological terms.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:51 AM | Comments (0)

December 11, 2009

Second blow for Asian vultures

Research published by the BirdLife Partnership in the journal Biology Letters has discovered a second veterinary drug causing lethal effects in Asian vultures, adding further pressure to already beleaguered vulture populations.

For every 1,000 White-rumped Vultures Gyps bengalensis occurring in southern Asia in the 1980s only one remains today because of the lethal effects of diclofenac - a drug used to treat livestock - on vultures. Alarmingly, researchers looking into safe alternatives have now identified that a second, livestock treatment in Asia - ketoprofen - is also lethal to the birds. Vultures feeding on the carcasses of recently-treated livestock suffer acute kidney failure within days of exposure.

Slender-billed Vulture, at risk along with White-backed Vulture © Alan Lewis, from the surfbirds galleries.

Following this discovery, the RSPB, the Bombay Natural History Society and Bird Conservation Nepal - (BirdLife in the UK, India and Nepal) - are calling for tighter controls on the use of this second drug in veterinary use in southern Asia. The organisations are keen to see the promotion of drugs that are safe, and currently the only similar livestock treatment known to have no harmful effects on the continent's vultures is meloxicam. Meloxicam is no longer under patent and is currently manufactured by at least 20 companies in South Asia.

Richard Cuthbert of the RSPB said, "From millions of individuals in the 1980s, vultures have simply disappeared from large swathes of India, Pakistan and Nepal and at least three species have been brought to the brink of extinction. The rate of decline of these magnificent birds is staggering. For White-rumped Vultures, for every two birds alive last year, one will now be dead, and this is all because of the birds' inability to cope with these drugs in livestock carcasses, the birds' principal food source."

He added, "Everyone interested in conservation, quite rightly knows about the plight of India's tigers, but in the race towards extinction the vultures will get there far sooner!"

Dr Vibhu Prakash, Director of the Vulture Programme of the Bombay Natural History Society in India, added, "Only meloxicam has been established as a safe alternative for vultures, while at the same time being an effective drug for treating cattle. We would like to see other safe alternatives, but it should be the responsibility of the Indian pharmaceutical industry to test these to determine their safety to vultures."

The research, published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters, shows that ketoprofen is lethal to the birds in the dosages that would be administered to livestock to reduce pain and swelling of those animals suffering from rheumatism or arthritis. Worryingly, researchers have already recorded the drug in one in 200 carcasses in southern Asia, with 70% of those occurring in potentially lethal concentrations.

The authors add that ketoprofen could already be contributing to further declines of the remaining vulture populations caused by diclofenac, and this is a trend likely to increase if ketoprofen replaces diclofenac. In addition to ketoprofen and diclofenac, other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs sold by veterinary pharmacies for treating livestock include meloxicam, phenylbutazone, analgin, nimesulide, flunixin and ibuprofen. Just three of these have been tested to determine their effects on vultures. Diclofenac and ketoprofen cause lethal kidney failure and only meloxicam is known to be safe.

The RSPB and the UK Government's Darwin Initiative have been the main funders of research to find safe alternative drugs and to measure levels of diclofenac contamination in the environment, as well as in partnership with the Indian and Nepalese governments supporting construction and running costs of the vulture breeding centres.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:57 PM | Comments (0)

December 6, 2009

Bulldozers advance in Paraguayan Chaco

BirdLife Partner Guyra Paraguay has warned that if current rates of deforestation continue, the Chaco, currently home to rich and abundant biodiversity, could soon be reduced to the same state as South America’s Atlantic Forest: isolated fragments providing a tenuous clawhold for the threatened remnants of its bird species.

Satellite images analysed by Guyra Paraguay shows that habitat losses in 2009 will be far higher than in 2008, when 228,000 ha were bulldozed to make way for agriculture, mainly cattle ranching. Much of the pressure is believed to be coming from Brazilian agribusinesses, pushed over the border by soaring land prices and stricter environmental law enforcement in their home country.

Chilean Flamingo © Tor Egil Higsis, from the surfbirds galleries.

The Chaco ecosystem is shared between Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina, and is made up of ecologically diverse dry open forest, savanna and seasonally flooded habitats. A UNESCO Man and Biosphere reserve covers around half the 14 million ha of Paraguayan Chaco. According to UNESCO, this is "biophysically the most diverse of the Gran Chaco system. It combines a high biodiversity with well-conserved ecosystems and habitats of great importance that are indispensable for the establishment of biological corridors with the neighbouring countries."

But at its peak in May 2009, the daily rate of habitat loss reached 1,291 ha, the equivalent of more than 1500 football pitches. Demand for fuel for bulldozers dried up local supplies, leading to the creation of a black market, and further intensifying the climate of violent criminality which threatens local communities, national park officials and conservation NGOs.

"Ranchers are armed. It makes it impossible for wardens to act - there have been many examples of threats and intimidation", said Guyra Paraguay's CEO, Dr. Alberto Yanosky.

According to Survival International, land occupied by the Ayoreo-Totobiegosode, the only uncontacted indigenous tribe in South America outside the Amazon, has been bulldozed by employees of a company owned by Brazilian ranchers, who also prevented a representative of the Paraguayan government from entering the area. Amnesty International has reported that members of the indigenous Ava Guarani community who refused to vacate their ancestral land to make way for soy farmers have been sprayed with pesticide.

The Paraguayan Chaco includes some large protected areas, most of which have been designated Important Bird Areas by BirdLife International. But lack of funds means that these are not always well managed or protected. For example, until recently, the 780,000 ha Defensores del Chaco National Park was patrolled by just one guard, without a vehicle.

"The main threat to Important Bird Areas in the Chaco region is fragmentation", said José Luis Cartes from Guyra Paraguay. "We have connectivity between areas, but tendencies show a progressive isolation, with clear-cutting affecting even the boundary areas on the east side of Defensores del Chaco National Park. In 20 years these areas could become 'island' fragments, as occurs now in the Atlantic Forest."

Only one bird species currently regarded as threatened, the Endangered Crowned Eagle Harpyhaliaetus coronatus, is likely to be affected by the ongoing habitat loss, and by increased hunting pressure as a result of the greater human presence. However, according to Rob Clay, BirdLife's Americas Region Senior Conservation Manager, at least four Near Threatened birds are probably also being affected, and may soon warrant higher levels of threat: Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis and Dinelli's Doradito Pseudocolopteryx dinelliani by the drying up of lagoons and wetlands, and Blaze-winged Parakeet Pyrrhura devillei and Black-bodied Woodpecker Dryocopus schulzi by forest loss.

"Many of the Chaco bird species are fairly tolerant of habitat degradation", Rob Clay explained. "But some of the current Least Concern species, such as Chaco Owl Strix chacoensis, Spot-winged Falconet Spiziapteryx circumcincta, Black-legged Seriema Chunga burmeisteri, Cream-backed Woodpecker Campephilus leucopogon and Hudson's Black-tyrant Knipolegus hudsoni, will likely become threatened, or at least Near Threatened."

"But while the implications for birds are worrying, I suspect the implications for mammals such as Chacoan Peccary Catagonus wagneri, Giant Armadillo Priodontes maximus, Giant Anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla, Jaguar Panthera onca, Maned Wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus, Brazilian Tapir Tapirus terrestris, and many others are far more significant", Alberto Yanosky added. "The Paraguayan Chaco is one of the few places left in the Americas, outside of the Amazon, where a relatively intact mammalian megafauna can still be found, and in notable abundance. But that won't be for much longer at current deforestation rates”, Rob Clay added.

Lack of resources means that the authorities are unable to respond quickly to reports of illegal land clearance. Penalties are also inadequate. "The maximum fine for infringement of the laws is $12,000", said Dr Yanosky. "It is no problem for the ranchers to pay this and carry on – it makes good business."

Guyra Paraguay is working with Paraguay's Environment Ministry (SEAM), and with former Environment Minister Dr Luis Casaccia, now Paraguay's Environmental Prosecutor, to try to halt the destruction of the Chaco, and to raise international awareness of the threats to this unique ecosystem.

Together with long-term partner the World Land Trust (WLT), Guyra is also raising funds to purchase and protect what is left of Paraguay's forests. Under a three-way agreement with Guyra Paraguay and SEAM, WLT is supporting management costs of three protected areas in the northern Chaco. Thanks to this support, seven park guards are now employed at Defensores del Chaco, and a vehicle with fuel has also been supplied.

Tropical deforestation has serious impacts on the world's climate. Globally, deforestation and forest degradation account for 15-20% of all human-induced carbon emissions, and a large proportion of this takes place in the tropics. This is therefore one of the major causes of global warming.

Posted by Surfbirds at 2:15 PM | Comments (0)

November 29, 2009

Romanian Parliament puts Danube Delta at risk

At the beginning of November 2009 the Romanian Parliament cancelled a draft law that would have protected the irreplaceable natural environment of the Danube Delta.

The Danube Delta is one of the world’s largest wetlands, home to an extraordinary array of wildlife and to over 320 bird species, such as vulnerable Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus and endangered Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis.

The international relevance of Danube Delta is recognised by its designation as Biosphere Reserve, World Heritage site, a wetland site of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, an Important Bird Area according to BirdLife, a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the EU Birds Directive and a proposed Site of Community Importance under the EU Habitats Directive.

Red-breasted Goose © Szilagyi Attila, from the surfbirds galleries.

The Danube Delta Administration, supported by SOR (BirdLife in Romania) has tried three times to harmonise the laws governing the Danube Delta with the European legislation since 2006. Each time the draft law has been blocked or dismissed by Government ministries or by the Romanian Parliament.

”Without a proper law, the Danube Delta’s habitats and species will be irreversibly affected by uncontrolled tourism developments, road projects, unlicensed hunting and over-fishing. A new law is urgently required to protect the Delta’s natural environment, whilst allowing sustainable economic development and a careful planning”, commented Dr. Marina Cazacu, Danube Casework Officer at SOR (BirdLife in Romania)

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:19 AM | Comments (0)

'No-shooting' shorebird refuge established in Barbados

BirdLife International has created Barbados' first shorebird refuge at an abandoned shooting swamp at Woodbourne, close to the village of Packers. Woodbourne is a four hectare swamp on the flank of the St. Philip Shooting Swamps Important Bird Area (IBA), at which hunting and maintenance ceased in October 2004. Two former hunters were instrumental in securing the lease and financing the initial restoration of Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge. Restoration work started in May and the swamp was ready for the 2009 southbound, autumn migration.

Short-billed Dowitcher © Kit Day, from the surfbirds galleries.

Barbados is an important stop-over site for tens of thousands of Nearctic-nesting shorebirds on their southbound migration to South America where they pass the non-breeding (southern summer) season. Adverse weather in the Atlantic during their flight can force large numbers to stop for shelter on the island, but 15,000-30,000 of these shorebirds – including a number of species of conservation concern – are shot in a handful of managed shooting swamps.

With funding from the US Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, BirdLife has been working closely with the Barbados WildFowlers Association, shooting-swamp owners and individual hunters to increase the survival prospects for migratory shorebirds on the island. The establishment of Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge is an important part of this broader effort that is helping to change rather than stop the tradition of hunting migratory shorebirds on Barbados. Though a few individuals may choose to remain 'in denial', most hunters recognise that in order to continue hunting, the sport must be sustainable. The old culture of 'kill as many as you can' is being replaced by a conservation ethic among older and younger hunters alike. One leading swamp no longer hunts American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica (which has a global population of just 200,000 individuals), most swamps (seven out of 10) no longer use tape lures to attract birds, and those hunters who maintain swamps year-round (instead of only during the hunting season) are helping provide vital wetland habitats for all waterbirds.

Many individuals have generously provided advice, equipment, and other resources to restore and improve shorebird habitat at Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge. Among them were ex-hunters, hunters, conservationists, and a growing group of 'hunter-conservationists'. The restoration work has also been made possible through support from West Pasco Audubon Society, Bird Studies Canada (BirdLife Partner) and the Peter Moores Barbados Foundation. The result is a wetland that is already teeming with birds.

"In a year with little adverse weather to force large numbers of shorebirds to stop for shelter, Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge exceeded our expectations in the numbers of shorebirds finding refuge and in the approval of the neighbouring community of Packers for the restoration project" —Wayne Burke, Barbados Project Manager

Twenty species of shorebird have been observed this season, five of which were USFWS Species of Conservation Concern. A flock of more than 70 Snowy Egrets and a few Little Egrets (and Old World species, now established in the New World in Barbados and Antigua) coming to roost in the wooded 'back swamp' was a highlight. Two Eurasian Spoonbills that arrived in the St. Lucy Shooting Swamps IBA during November 2008 are regular visitors among a host of resident and migratory waterbirds.

Communication and cooperation between conservationists and local hunters is already providing significant returns in the survival prospects of shorebirds. However, this is just the beginning of BirdLife's work. Additional refuges for shorebirds, in concert with a more responsible hunting ethic and the establishment, and adherence to bag limits for species of concern would ensure that Barbados earns a reputation as a haven for passage shorebirds rather than be discredited with notoriety as one of the places where shorebirds are shot. Towards this end, some of the hunters must be commended for starting to release shooting data to BirdLife International for analysis by the Canadian Wildlife Service. This signals a most welcome locally-driven change from unexamined resource consumption to data-informed resource conservation. In the long term, this transparent alliance will benefit all. Not least, the magnificent flights of shorebirds.

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:11 AM | Comments (0)

November 22, 2009

New study sheds light on nightjar

A new study of the Critically Endangered Puerto Rican Nightjar Caprimulgus noctitherus suggests that the species's geographic range is greater than previously estimated. This is the major finding of Geographic distribution of the Puerto Rican Nightjar:

With an estimated population of 1,400-2,000 individuals, Puerto Rican Nightjar is a single-island endemic species found in coastal dry and lower montane forests in the south-west of Puerto Rico. Fragmentation, loss and degradation of its habitat, especially from residential, industrial and recreational expansion are the main threats.

Puerto Rican Nightjar © Frédéric Vanhove, from the surfbirds galleries.

Puerto Rican Nightjar was recorded over a broad region of southern Puerto Rico. “Based on our results and location information obtained over the last few years it appears the geographic range of the species may be considerably different from what had been previously estimated”, said Dr Francisco Vilella, USGS Research Scientist and Professor of Wildlife Ecology at Mississippi State University. The study results suggest that the species's range outside protected areas could be considerably greater than the approximately 4,583 ha (47% of total range) reported by earlier studies.

However, unprotected areas in Puerto Rico are experiencing increasing deforestation from urban and suburban development. "Sites where Puerto Rican Nightjar presence was detected in the south-central regions of the island were characterised by a high degree of habitat disturbance, and included small, isolated forest fragments frequently surrounded by pastures or housing development", emphasized Rafael González, Graduate Research Assistant. Rafael continues "Forest clearing was ongoing in the vicinity of several of the easternmost sites as we were conducting our surveys."

"It is an urgent conservation need to acquire habitat, work with private landowners, government agencies and other NGOs to ensure the continuity and integrity of the nightjar's habitat", said Verónica Méndez, Conservation Coordinator from SOPI.

One clear implication of the results is that several sites in the south-central and south-east region of the island where nightjar presence was detected have not been incorporated in any of the major conservation planning efforts for Puerto Rico. "We recommend nightjar occupied sites in the south-central and south-eastern portions of the species's range should be assessed for their conservation potential", concluded Dr. Vilella.

SOPI is now developing the Species Action Plan with the Puerto Rican Nightjar Network to establish action points for the conservation of the species.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:09 AM | Comments (0)

November 10, 2009

New reserve declared within Dominican Republic IBA

Grupo Jaragua (BirdLife in the Dominican Republic) has celebrated the creation of a new reserve, 'Reserva Biológica Loma Charco Azul' (La Placa), within the Sierra de Bahoruco Important Bird Area (IBA) in the south-west of the Dominican Republic. This IBA holds essential habitat for high numbers (32 of the 34) of Hispaniola restricted-range birds, 14 threatened bird species and over 30 Neotropical migratory birds.

Loma Charco Azul has been declared a reserve after several years of active lobbying by Grupo Jaragua and its partners. The President of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernández, proudly announced the decision to extend the protection in Sierra de Bahoruco by 28,748 hectares.

Narrow-billed Tody, Dominican Republic © Leo Boon, from the surfbirds galleries.

"Loma Charco Azul contains populations of several threatened endemic birds and migratory species and, until now, was an unprotected portion of the Sierra de Bahoruco IBA. Key among the endemics there are the Bay-breasted Cuckoo, La Selle Thrush, Hispaniolan Crossbill and a good population of the vulnerable Hispaniolan Amazon. We applaud the action of President Fernández to designate this important new protected area", said Yvonne Arias, President of Grupo Jaragua. "Grupo Jaragua thanks Leonel Fernández, Jaime David Fernández Mirabal and Eleuterio Martínez, President of the Dominican Republic, Secretary and Deputy Secretary (Subsecretario) of Environment."

The work to create the new protected area and to improve the management of Sierra de Bahoruco National Park was a result of the partnership of Grupo Jaragua, American Bird Conservancy, Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales and the Consorcio Ambiental Dominicano. The work was supported by the US Fish and Wildlife Service through the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act grant program.

Sierra de Bahoruco IBA is one of the three core zones of the Jaragua-Bahoruco–Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve where the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation supported the project “Biodiversity Conservation of the Jaragua-Bahoruco–Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve”.

"This establishes the foundations for more conservation work needed to diminished the impact of threats such as agricultural expansion, introduced animals, fires, illegal logging, capture of parrot chicks and illegal hunting", said Ernst Rupp, who coordinated the work. Moreover, this IBA connects in the west with Massif de la Selle in Haiti, another Globally Important Biodiversity Area, where forests are nearly gone.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:07 PM | Comments (0)

November 5, 2009

Extinction crisis continues apace

The latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species shows that 17,291 species out of the 47,677 assessed species are threatened with extinction.

BirdLife International is the Red List Authority for birds and released the 2009 update for birds earlier in the year, listing 192 species of bird as Critically Endangered, the highest threat category, a total of two more than in the 2008 update. But the update did highlight some successes, including the downlisting of Lear's Macaw Anodorhynchus leari, from Critically Endangered to Endangered, as a direct result of targeted conservation action.

"In global terms, things continue to get worse – but there are some real conservation success stories this year to give us hope and point the way forward", said Dr Leon Bennun, BirdLife's Director of Science and Policy.

Of the world's 9,998 birds, 137 are Extinct or Extinct in the Wild, with 192 Critically Endangered, 362 Endangered and 669 Vulnerable.

Mauritius Fody, rescued from the brink © Cristian Jensen Marcet, from the surfbirds galleries.

The results of the full Red List update reveal 21% of mammals, 30% of amphibians, 12% of birds, and 28% of reptiles, 37% of freshwater fishes, 70% of plants, 35% of invertebrates assessed so far are under threat.

"The scientific evidence of a serious extinction crisis is mounting", says Jane Smart, Director of IUCN's Biodiversity Conservation Group. "January sees the launch of the International Year of Biodiversity. The latest analysis of the IUCN Red List shows the 2010 target to reduce biodiversity loss will not be met. It's time for governments to start getting serious about saving species and make sure it’s high on their agendas for next year, as we're rapidly running out of time."

Of the world's 5,490 mammals, 79 are Extinct or Extinct in the Wild, with 188 Critically Endangered, 449 Endangered and 505 Vulnerable. Eastern Voalavo Voalavo antsahabensis appears on the IUCN Red List for the first time in the Endangered category. This rodent, endemic to Madagascar, is confined to montane tropical forest and is under threat from slash-and-burn farming.

There are now 1,677 reptiles on the IUCN Red List, with 293 added this year. In total, 469 are threatened with extinction and 22 are already Extinct or Extinct in the Wild. The 165 endemic Philippine species new to the IUCN Red List include Panay Monitor Lizard Varanus mabitang, which is Endangered. This highly-specialized monitor lizard is threatened by habitat loss due to agriculture and logging and is hunted by humans for food. Sail-fin Water Lizard Hydrosaurus pustulatus enters in the Vulnerable category and is also threatened by habitat loss. Hatchlings are heavily collected both for the pet trade and for local consumption.

"The world's reptiles are undoubtedly suffering, but the picture may be much worse than it currently looks", says Simon Stuart, Chair of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission. "We need an assessment of all reptiles to understand the severity of the situation but we don’t have the $2-3 million to carry it out."

The IUCN Red List shows that 1,895 of the planet's 6,285 amphibians are in danger of extinction, making them the most threatened group of species known to date. Of these, 39 are already Extinct or Extinct in the Wild, 484 are Critically Endangered, 754 are Endangered and 657 are Vulnerable.

Kihansi Spray Toad Nectophrynoides asperginis has moved from Critically Endangered to Extinct in the Wild. The species was only known from the Kihansi Falls in Tanzania, where it was formerly abundant with a population of at least 17,000. Its decline is due to the construction of a dam upstream of the Kihansi Falls that removed 90 percent of the original water flow to the gorge. The fungal disease chytridiomycosis was probably responsible for the toad’s final population crash.

The fungus also affected Rabb's Fringe-limbed Treefrog Ecnomiohyla rabborum, which enters the Red List as Critically Endangered. It is known only from central Panama. In 2006, the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis was reported in its habitat and only a single male has been heard calling since. This species has been collected for captive breeding efforts but all attempts have so far failed.

Of the 12,151 plants on the IUCN Red List, 8,500 are threatened with extinction, with 114 already Extinct or Extinct in the Wild. The Queen of the Andes Puya raimondii has been reassessed and remains in the Endangered category. Found in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia, it only produces seeds once in 80 years before dying. Climate change may already be impairing its ability to flower and cattle roam freely among many colonies, trampling or eating young plants.

But it's not all doom and gloom, conservation does work and there are some great examples in this year's Red List. In Brazil, Lear's Macaw Anodorhynchus leari has been downlisted from Critically Endangered. Named after the English poet, this spectacular blue parrot has increased four-fold in numbers as a result of a joint effort of many national and international non-governmental organisations, the Brazilian government and local landowners.

In New Zealand, Chatham Petrel Pterodroma axillaris has benefited from work by the New Zealand Department of Conservation and has consequently been downlisted from Critically Endangered. And in Mauritius the stunning, Mauritius Fody Foudia rubra has been rescued from the brink after the translocation and establishment of a new population on to a predator-free offshore island. It has now been downlisted to Endangered.

"Both the petrel and fody have suffered from introduced invasive species, and tackling these is one of the 10 key actions needed to prevent further bird extinctions that BirdLife has indentified. What this year's Red List changes tell us is that we can still turn things around for species. There just has to be the will to act and the resources to back this up", said Dr Stuart Butchart, BirdLife's Global Research and Indicators Coordinator.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:59 AM | Comments (0)

November 1, 2009

Eleonora's Falcons leave for Africa

Two recent studies have revealed new information on the migration routes of Eleonora’s Falcon Falco eleonorae, tracking the birds 9,500 km from their European breeding colonies to their main non-breeding grounds in Madagascar.

Eleonora’s Falcon is a patchily distributed breeding visitor to rocky coasts and islands in the Mediterranean. It is unusual among birds of prey in having a reproductive cycle adapted to match the southward migration of passerine birds, which it eats. This means it breeds much later than many other species, with the young hatching in late August. The species was named after Giudicessa Eleonora de Arborea (1350-1404), a Sardinian princess who fought for Sardinia's independence from the Kingdom of Aragon, and who drafted the first laws in Europe protecting birds of prey.

Eleonora's Falcon, Mallorca © Mark Reeder, from the surfbirds galleries.

Until recently, it was believed the species migrated east through the Mediterranean, then south via the Red Sea and the east coast of Africa to Madagascar, where 70% of the global population is estimated to converge in the winter. However, the new studies used satellite transmitters to show that these birds reach their destination by flying right across the centre of the African continent. Other secrets uncovered include the finding that they migrate by both day and night, crossing huge barriers such as the Sahara Desert. Some of the birds took two months to complete their mammoth journeys, including a stopover in West Africa.

Their return route to European breeding grounds in spring also crossed the heart of the African continent, but involved a longer crossing (1,500 km) of the Indian Ocean than in the autumn. Adult birds returned directly to the Mediterranean, whereas immature falcons spent their first summer in the tropical Africa.

These studies provide valuable new insights into the migration routes of this raptor, and also underline its vulnerability to threats it may face en route, such as hunting, collisions, habitat loss and desertification.

BirdLife International is working to try and save migratory birds on their amazing journeys. Earlier this year, we launched the Born to Travel Campaign to protect migratory birds along the African-Eurasian flyway.

“Every time a migratory bird manages to cross a continent, it tells us an extraordinary story of courage and successfully overcoming the many obstacles along the way”, said Ania Sharwood Smith, European coordinator of the Born to Travel Campaign. “To follow migratory birds satellite tracking is a fantastic technology that greatly improves our understanding of where the main dangers may lie”.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:36 AM | Comments (0)

October 28, 2009

Endemics thrive on Timor-Leste's "Lost World" mountain

Surveys have confirmed that the finest montane forests in Timor-Leste, and possibly the whole island of Timor, are to be found on the inaccessible Mount Mundo Perdido – literally, "Lost World". With 22 of the restricted-range species of the Timor and Wetar Endemic Bird Area found so far, Mount Mundo Perdido has been recognised as Timor-Leste's seventeenth Important Bird Area (IBA).

The surveys were carried out by staff of Timor-Leste's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and Colin Trainor of Australia's Charles Darwin University, supported by BirdLife and the UK Government’s Darwin Initiative.

Yellow-crested Cockatoo © James Eaton/ Birdtour Asia, from the surfbirds galleries.

The upper slopes of Mount Mundo Perdido, rising to 1,760 m, have been protected from agriculture by their steep, rocky terrain. The 16,100 ha site also includes the 1,390 m Mount Laritame, 5 km to the north.

The IBA almost certainly hosts the largest populations of a suite of hill and montane bird species on Timor Island. Of the 22 endemics, one is globally threatened - the Endangered Timor Imperial-pigeon Ducula cineracea - and eight are Near Threatened, including Slaty Cuckoo-dove Turacoena modesta and Chestnut-backed Thrush Zoothera dohertyi. Small numbers of Critically Endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo Cacatua sulphurea are also present.

A total of 63 bird species have been recorded, including 61 presumed breeding residents, and two northern migrants. Eleven of the residents are montane forest specialists, and all appear to be abundant in the IBA.

Possibly the most exciting discovery was a population of Pygmy Blue-flycatcher Muscicapella hodgsoni on the upper slopes, 1,700 km or more from the nearest known populations in Kalimantan and Sumatra. The taxonomic status of this isolated population is being investigated.

Mount Mundo Perdido is also considered one of the three most important sites for conservation of orchids in Timor-Leste, and several new orchid species have been collected.

Although it has legal protected stratus dating back to the United Nations administration which preceded independence, the IBA is not managed as a Protected Area. But local people have responded positively to the idea of Protected Area management, which would, in line with the policy established in Timor Leste, be carried out in close consultation with the community.

Measures would include improved management of livestock, fairer and more sustainable access to forest products such as bamboo and rattan, reforestation of eroded areas, and a village forestry programme to supply timber from plantations, as an alternative to the current uncontrolled extraction of forest trees.

"The Government of Timor-Leste has shown it is committed to preserving our natural and cultural heritage through Protected Areas, by declaring our first National Park (Nino Konis Santana National Park) in 2008. We continue to work towards managing this area sustainably, while we also develop plans to manage 12 other Protected Areas including Mount Mundo Perdido, and to establish 18 new Protected Areas in the long term. All these are to be part of the new Protected Areas Network in Timor-Leste. Thanks to this work, we now know that Mount Mundo Perdido is the richest tropical montane forest site remaining in Timor-Leste", said Manuel Mendes, Director for Protected Areas and National Park, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:27 AM | Comments (0)

Australia's IBAs provide the first nationwide conservation blueprint

Birds Australia (BirdLife in Australia) has published Australia’s Important Bird Areas, a major contribution to conservation planning in a country where the sheer scale of the landscape has held back the identification of sites of high importance for biodiversity conservation.

Birds Australia (BirdLife in Australia) has published Australia’s Important Bird Areas, a major contribution to conservation planning in a country where the sheer scale of the landscape has held back the identification of sites of high importance for biodiversity conservation.

Mangrove Honeyeater © Jon Coleman, from the surfbirds galleries.

Between 2005 and 2009, with contributions from over 1,000 volunteers and funding from Rio Tinto, the IBA project designated 314 Australian sites of global significance for bird conservation. These sites encompass almost 44 million hectares of land, which include IBAs in all Australian States and most Territories. But almost half of the area covered by Australia’s IBAs has no existing formal protection.

The Australian Government aims to reserve at least 10% of all bioregions, and to protect key habitats for nationally listed threatened species and migratory species. Although more than 9,000 formally protected areas cover 11% of the Australian landmass, many bioregions are under-represented, and many threatened and migratory species are poorly protected. Moreover, even in Protected Areas some species are declining. This highlights the need for conservation in the almost 90% of Australia’s landmass that is outside the formal conservation estate.

“In countries such as the United Kingdom, all sites of conservation significance have been identified”, Graeme Hamilton explained. “Until now, the scale of the task and the inadequacy of baseline distributional data have discouraged such projects in Australia, and the lack of mapped priority areas, especially those off-reserve, has been a hindrance to effective and cost-efficient conservation. The IBA project is the first national site-scale conservation analysis for the country.”

Many of Australia’s small islands support large concentrations of nesting seabirds, especially on the Great Barrier Reef and around Tasmania. Some of these seabird colonies and IBAs are very small: 20 IBAs are less than one hectare in size.

At the other extreme, some IBAs have been designated for species that occur at low population densities over very large areas. These include the South-west Slopes IBA for breeding Superb Parrots Polytelis swainsonii, and Arnhem Plateau IBA for White-throated Grasswrens Amytornis woodwardi, both Vulnerable.

A number of Australian birds, such as Endangered Mallee Emuwren Stipiturus mallee are endemic to low, fire-sensitive vegetation such as mallee (important in 22 IBAs) or heathland (11 IBAs). Appropriate fire management is critical if these IBAs are to keep their value. At the wetter end of the scale, the designation of IBAs is triggered by rainforest species (28 IBAs) or specialist mangrove species such as Chestnut Rail Eulabeornis castaneoventris or Mangrove Honeyeater Lichenostomus fasciogularis (17 IBAs). For the birds that inhabit these IBAs, climate change is now the biggest threat.

To read the State of Australia’s Birds report, please click here.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:19 AM | Comments (0)

October 21, 2009

Global population of Gurney's Pitta far greater than previously estimated

A recent paper published online in BirdLife's journal Bird Conservation International, provides strong evidence that the global population of Gurney's Pitta Pitta gurneyi, once believed to be one of the rarest birds in the world, is much greater than was previously estimated.

The only bird species endemic to peninsular Thailand and Myanmar, Gurney's Pitta was considered extinct by some before the rediscovery of a single small population in Thailand in 1986. Classified as Critically Endangered by BirdLife on behalf of IUCN, the discovery of populations in Myanmar led to its downlisting to Endangered in 2008.

Gurney's Pitta © Adrian Webb, from the surfbirds galleries.

The recent research, led by Dr Paul Donald of the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK), confirmed that almost all of the world's population of Gurney's Pitta is located in Myanmar. The research has shown that the previous population estimate for Myanmar was too low and that it in fact is likely to be between 9,300 and an astonishing 35,000 territories, although it probably lies around a mid-point of 20,000 territories. The research also showed that the species occurs further north than previously thought, and at higher altitudes.

The research, funded by the UK Government's Darwin Initiative, also involved the Forest Department, Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association, a local Myanmar non-government organisation and the Indochina programme of BirdLife International.

Dr. Donald said, "This project represents an example of where well targeted conservation research can bring about an improvement in the conservation status of a threatened species through better knowledge. Our increased knowledge of the status, distribution and ecology of this species will guide future conservation investment. Of course we must remember that although the Myanmar population is larger than previously thought, it is declining due to forest loss and is not yet secure."

Recent conservation effort by the same project, involving the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand, The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and Chiang Mai University has stabilised the remnant population in southern Thailand, estimated at between 15 and 20 territories. However, it was discovered that nesting success in Thailand remains very low, due to heavy nest predation by snakes. The Thai population, although small, is located in a protected area, Khao Pra Bang Kram Wildlife Sanctuary. However, the Myanmar population remains unprotected although it is hoped that with the eventual establishment of Lenya National Park, this situation will change.

"Lowland forest continues to be lost throughout South-East Asia, principally for the establishment of commercial oil palm estates. This is the principle threat to the Gurney’s Pitta in Myanmar, although for the moment there is evidence of a decline in the rate of clearance, which may be linked to the global economic downturn", said Jonathan Eames, Programme Manager for BirdLife in Indochina.

Interestingly, habitats supporting the species in Myanmar are rather different to those at occupied sites in Thailand. This means the species might inhabit a wider range of altitudes, slopes and forest types than previously thought, and so might persist in previously unsurveyed areas. The results suggest that the species also is tolerant of or even benefits from, a degree of forest disturbance, though it certainly cannot survive in oil palm plantations. This affords hope that the species will be found at new locations in both Myanmar and Thailand. This will be the goal of further research to be conducted next year.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:09 PM | Comments (0)

October 15, 2009

Lake Nakuru becomes Africa's first IBA-branded National Park

Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for its population of up to 1.5 million non-breeding Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor, has become the first National Park in Africa to be branded as an Important Bird Area (IBA).

The branding is a triumph for BirdLife Partner NatureKenya, which began identifying IBAs within the country in 1995.

Greater Flamingo © Nick Clayton, from the surfbirds galleries

Some 450 bird species have been recorded in and around Lake Nakuru, including Endangered Madagascar Pond-heron Ardeola idea, Near Threatened Grey-crested Helmet-shrike Prionops poliolophus and Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus. The site is also key for regionally important numbers of congregatory waterbirds such as Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus, African Spoonbill Platalea alba, Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus and Grey-headed Gull Larus cirrocephalus.

“The IBA branding makes Lake Nakuru National Park part of the global network of places recognised for their outstanding value to bird conservation”, said Kenya Wildlife Service Director Dr Julius Kipng’etich. He added that Nakuru’s new status was a huge boost to the KWS’s efforts to market the lake as: “The world’s greatest ornithological spectacle”.

Kenya’s Minister for Forestry and Wildlife, Dr Noah Wekesa, said that IBA status would raise awareness and thus reduce stress on the lake’s birds. According to the Environment News Service, he added that other IBAs, such as those around Lake Victoria and in the Cherang'ani Hills, will be used to extend and market Kenya’s ecotourism circuits. At the same ceremony, the Minister launched the Fourth Edition of the ‘Checklist of the Birds of Kenya’, which now lists 1,100 species, and is available from NatureKenya.

Income from the 300,000 visitors to Lake Nakuru each year supports conservation work at other, less glamorous but no less important, Protected Areas. However, the flamingos and other spectacular birds and large mammals at Lake Nakuru are suffering the short-term effects of the severe drought affecting the country.

"Lake Nakuru IBA is crucial for Kenya’s tourism industry which is worthy US$ 1 billion per year”, said, Dr Julius Arinaitwe - BirdLife Africa’s IBA Programme Manager. “Every effort should be made to protect it from the human-induced threats that it is currently facing”.

Longer term problems include the extensive clearance of the Mau Forest by settlers, loggers and charcoal makers, which has reduced the forest’s capacity to hold and release water during the rainy season. Much of Lake Nakuru’s water is provided by four rivers which originate in the Mau Forest.

“There is need to look at the entire water-catchment to conserve wetland IBAs such as Lake Nakuru”, said Paul Matiku - NatureKenya Executive Director. “Even well-protected sites such as Lake Nakuru are threatened by unsustainable land use upstream”.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:42 AM | Comments (0)

October 10, 2009

Solving the mysteries of migratory bird declines

The RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), have joined forces and are working with BirdLife Partners in Ghana (Ghana Wildlife Society), Burkina Faso (Naturama), the Netherlands (Vogelbescherming Nederland) and Denmark (Dansk Ornitologisk Forening) to mount the largest research project of its type to understand more about migratory birds that spend the non-breeding season south of the Sahara desert.

Some of the greatest declines of birds in the UK are among migratory songbirds such as Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus, European Turtle-dove Streptopelia turtur, Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos and Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata. These species breeding in Europe and migrate to sub-Saharan Africa.

Nightingale © Matthew Berriman, from the surfbirds galleries

Recent figures suggest that more than 40 per cent of all migratory species passing between Europe and Africa have declined in the last three decades. Alarmingly, one in 10 of these are classified by BirdLife as Globally Threatened or Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

The project will involve researchers monitoring birds along a corridor stretching from Ghana’s Atlantic coast to northern Burkina Faso, spanning a range of habitats from coastal rainforest to the edge of the Sahara desert.

“These birds face many threats during their incredible annual journeys”, said Dr Erasmus Owusu - Executive Director of Ghana Wildlife Society. “BirdLife and its Partners are working to provide a safer journey for migratory birds”.

“The drastic declines of some of our best-loved summer-visiting birds, such as the cuckoo, turtle dove and nightingale, is one of the greatest concerns currently raging in conservation”, said Dr Danaë Sheehan – RSPB Research Ecologist. “Although we have a reasonable understanding of these birds in the UK, we have little or no idea what's happening to these birds in their wintering grounds, but it’s clear that without help these declines are likely to continue, reducing the populations of these summer visitors to dangerously low levels”.

A number of potential causes for the declines of migrants have been suggested, including: climate change, changes in rainfall patterns, and land degradation. Predicted increases in human population and climatic variability in West Africa are likely to exacerbate these threats.

“If we are to reverse these alarming declines we need to act now”, commented Dr Chris Hewson - Research Ecologist at the BTO. “To do this we need to better understand where these birds spend the winter months and what pressures they face there. If we can find this out we will be in a strong position to help secure their future”.

The team of researchers will be counting and ringing birds at locations in Ghana and Burkina Faso, across a breadth of habitats, from dense tropical rainforest to semi-desert. By recording birds at these points several times during the year, researchers hope to build up a detailed picture of the movements and habitat preferences of European migratory birds wintering in Africa.

In response to worrying declines of many migratory species, BirdLife has launched the Born to Travel Campaign to protect migratory birds along the African-Eurasian flyway. “Naturama are one of over 70 BirdLife Partners across the migration routes between Europe, the Middle East and Africa who are working together to tackle threats to migratory songbirds like agricultural intensification, desertification, deforestation and climate change”, concluded Georges Oueda - Director of Conservation at Naturama.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:57 PM | Comments (0)

October 9, 2009

Get Out and Take Photos - October 24th 2009

On 24th October 2009 volunteer bird photographers all over South Africa are going to photograph 350 species of birds within 24 hours and post the images on a website to promote birding, bird conservation and climate change awareness around the world.

The Challenge is a partnership between BirdLife South Africa, Birding Africa and PlusPlusMinus webdesign and will an innovative contribution by the South African birding community to the world’s biggest simultaneous environmental awareness action, 350.org’s International Day of Climate Action.

On 24 October thousands of people in more than 140 countries will be doing a range of creative actions to raise awareness of one of the most critical issues of our time, climate change. The President of the Maldives will be holding a cabinet meeting underwater to highlight the danger of rising sea levels, climbers at the Mount Everest Base Camp will be raising banners about glacial melting, and crowds of creative people will be doing all sorts of things on Table Mountain. The Day of Action has the support of prominent scientists like NASA’s James Hansen, the world’s most famous climate researcher, and our own Nobel Prize-winning Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Since we’re about birds and conservation, and 350.org’s Day of Action is a magnificent opportunity to ride a wave of global environmental concern, we’ve decided to use the opportunity to raise the profile of South Africa’s amazing avifauna.

The Challenge will be as inclusive as possible – we aim to include photos by all contributors in the online mosaic of bird pictures that will result from the Challenge. Photographers will be given full credit for their images, and will be encouraged to promote the conservation of threatened species and highlight great birding destinations in the picture captions. We’re encouraging members of other conservation organisations to join in, and are inviting other countries to set up their own 350-24-24 Bird Photo Challenges.

October 24 is just around the corner, so don’t delay in visiting the 350-24-24 Challenge website at http://350.birdingafrica.com to find out more and register your participation!

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:58 AM | Comments (0)

October 3, 2009

Triple helping of good news for Jerdon's Courser

Two Jerdon's Coursers Rhinoptilus bitorquatus have been seen in the Cudaapah District of Andhra Pradesh, the first confirmed sighting for several years.

The birds were seen in the heart of the Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary; and in a second piece of good news, the sanctuary has just been extended by a further 1,200 hectares, in compensation for the construction of a canal, which at one point threatened to destroy the Critically Endangered bird’s last stronghold.

Jerdon's Courser © Birdlife International. This image may not be reproduced or exploited in any fashion without permission from Birdlife International.

There was further good news for Jerdon's Courser when the Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, established by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, announced that it had approved funding of US$25,042 for the Bombay Natural History Society’s (BNHS) work to study and conserve the species.

BNHS (BirdLife in India) has been conducting field research on Jerdon’s Courser for the past nine years, in collaboration with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB, BirdLife in the UK), Andhra Pradesh Forest Department, and the Universities of Cambridge and Reading, funded by the UK Government's Darwin Initiative.

The two coursers were seen by BNHS senior research fellow Rahul Chavan, who was appointed to the Jerdon's Courser project earlier this year. Over the last six months, Rahul Chavan has also heard the bird’s calls on a number of occasions.

The Chief Wildlife Warden of Andhra Pradesh, Mr Hitesh Malhotra, said: "This excellent news is very reassuring. We need to increase efforts for the protection of Jerdon’s Courser with renewed vigour."

BNHS Director Dr Asad Rahmani welcomed this further evidence that the courser, long thought to be extinct, is still clinging on in the sanctuary, which will be managed to suit its very particular habitat requirements. He also welcomed the news that the additional land was at last to be added to the sanctuary, following the completion of its transfer from Andhra Pradesh's Irrigation Department to the Forest Department. "It is a big boost to our conservation efforts”, he said. “This land, which is between the canal and the sanctuary, is good Jerdon’s Courser habitat, according to our assessment."

Ian Barber, RSPB's International Officer for Asia, said, "Jerdon's courser is clearly a bird on the edge of existence. Although there is a great deal of international co-operation to prevent this bird's global extinction there are many pressures, especially habitat loss that could force the courser into oblivion, but these new developments can only help."

The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund grant will enable BNHS and the RSPB to continue their research into the courser’s ecology, breeding habits, distribution and habitat use. Because the bird is nocturnal and elusive, survey work depends on the use of automatic camera "traps", and tracking strips which retain the footprints of the bird. "This is a tremendous boost for the Jerdon’s Courser programme and should allow us to carry out the camera trapping we have planned to do", said Dr Rahmani.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:39 AM | Comments (0)

Rare Eagle Shot Down at Hagar Qim

BirdLife Malta’s Raptor Camp teams have witnessed the shooting of yet another protected species, this time a Lesser Spotted Eagle.

The conservation organisation today released footage of a suspect with a shotgun in the middle of the road scanning for the eagle, who ran away after noticing the BirdLife team.

The Eagle, a rare visitor to Malta, was first seen landing at Girgenti by three different raptor camp teams at around 16:45. The Eagle left Girgenti shortly after and headed south-east. Several raptor camp teams and the ALE was alerted as the rare Eagle was being followed by numerous suspicious individuals, some watching the bird and communicating with radios and mobiles while others chased the bird in their vehicles.

Lesser Spotted Eagle © Daniele Occhiato, from the surfbirds galleries

The bird was seen shot at from three different locations by Raptor Camp teams. The Eagle was last seen flying low near Blue Grotto where it was shot at and hit. Birdwatchers saw the Eagle through their binoculars struggling to gain height, and it flew on towards the garrigue near the Hagar Qim temples where it was shot three more times and dropped behind the ridge. Two ALE teams arrived at the scene shortly after.

Before the Eagle was killed in Hagar Qim a Raptor Camp team that was following the bird saw an individual standing in the road with a shotgun scanning the sky in the limits of Zurrieq. The poacher saw the Raptor Camp team and ran back to his car, reversing right past the team, narrowly missing their car and sped off. His accomplice was left behind and jumped into the bushes.

The whole event was filmed by the team and footage was passed onto the ALE as evidence today. BirdLife was informed by the police yesterday evening that the individual filmed at Zurrieq had been arrested and a shotgun and cartridges were found in his possession.

“Every year protected birds are being gunned down by poachers during their migration. When there is a very rare visitor like this eagle, we end up with a shooting frenzy as we witnessed yesterday. Malta is probably the only country in the world where birdwatchers do not want to see rare protected birds but instead hope that they pass the island by” said Dr. Andre Raine, BirdLife Malta Conservation Manager.

Last year on September 27th another Lesser Spotted Eagle was shot and killed in Buskett bird sanctuary. A Raptor Camp team had filmed the poacher stashing the dead Eagle under a rusty barrel by the side of the road (1). The poacher and his accomplice were arrested by the ALE shortly after BirdLife reported the crime to the police. On 3rd June 2009 they were found guilty and fined a total of 4,300euro for the crime (2).

In September 2007 another Lesser Spotted Eagle was found injured suffering gunshot wounds. The Eagle was identified as Sigmar, one of 16 Lesser Spotted Eagle chicks which had been hand reared as part of conservation project in Germany. At the time of the shooting Sigmar was three months old. Sigmar was transported to Germany as the facilities for the bird’s rehabilitation were not sufficient in Malta. On the 7th December 2007 the bird had to be put down as a result of an infection in its shattered shin bone.

Hunting after 3pm between 15 and 30 September is banned as a measure to protect migratory birds of prey. BirdLife Malta alone has received 14 shot protected birds since the 17th September when migration picked up. Raptor Camp teams have also witnessed over 400 illegal hunting and trapping activities since the beginning of the camp. BirdLife will be releasing a report about the findings of Raptor Camp in the coming weeks.

To see the footage please visit www.birdlifemalta.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:59 AM | Comments (0)

September 26, 2009

Local group makes its mark at Egypt's Lake Qarun

Egypt’s first IBA-Local Conservation Group/Site Support Group (SSG) has persuaded one of the country’s largest construction groups to end the dumping of waste at Lake Qarun, which holds regionally important numbers of waterbirds in winter. The construction company has also pledged to restore an area of saltmarsh destroyed by tourism development along the lake shore, as a bird sanctuary.

The Lake Qarun Protected Area LCG/SSG was established by Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE; BirdLife Affiliate) in 2008, with a grant from the Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation.

The lake occupies the deepest part of the Fayoum Depression, more than 40 metres below sea level. Once a large body of fresh water supporting Nilotic flora and fauna, the lake now receives almost all its water as drainage from irrigated land. As a result, and because the only ‘outflow’ is via evaporation, levels of salinity have been steadily increasing. The lake is now slightly more salty than seawater.

Slender-billed Gull © Matthieu Vaslin, from the surfbirds galleries

Because of these environmental changes, a local subspecies of Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala norrisae has become extinct, while Slender-billed Gull Larus genei, which began breeding in the 1990s, has now reached around 8,500 pairs. Numbers of breeding Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus also meet IBA criteria, as does the wintering population of Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis.

A salt extraction processing plant has been set up, which over time will improve water quality and permit habitats to be restored, as well as providing employment. But unregulated tourist development along the southern shores of the lake is destroying the best waterbird habitats, particularly mudflats and saltmarshes, and leading to increased disturbance to birds. Hunters, including organised parties from Europe, regularly ignore the lake’s protected status.

The SSG was set up to enhance biodiversity conservation and benefit-sharing with local communities, in recognition that local people could make a significant contribution towards conservation efforts by reducing exploitation and hunting in the protected area.

“The SSG we established has 20 members, 13 men and 7 ladies, including fishermen, school teachers, farmers, and some people who work at the salt factory”, said Dr Kohar Garo Varjabedian, Principal Coordinator of the SSG project.

SSG members have removed shooting blinds erected by duck hunters, and plan to erect signboards with information about the lake’s protected status, and its importance as an IBA. They are also involved in awareness raising and education activities with schoolchildren.

The local government has an ecotourism strategy for Lake Qarum, which is increasingly seen as a premium tourist destination. “We are focusing on ecotourism and its related economic benefits for local communities, by convincing the fishermen to rent their boats for nature trips along the lake during the closed season for fishing”, Dr Kohar Garo Varjabedian explained.

The SSG has proved to be an important point of contact between the lakeside community and the Protected Area authority, and also the Egyptian government. “For example, we have taken some of the problems that the fishermen were facing to governmental institutions such as the Fish Development Authority and Water and Environmental Police”, added Dr Varjabedian. Better communications between the fishermen and the authorities, together with stricter law enforcement, has reduced illegal fishing. "The fishermen report that fish yields are improving".

When one of the country’s most powerful construction companies began work on a tourist development on the south western shore, the SSG moved into action. “We had reports that the workers at the site of the project were dumping piles of cement, sand and rock, and destroying the saltmarsh habitats of the birds”, said Dr Varjabedian. “We showed the photos that we had taken to the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), and the director stopped them, and the bulldozers were quickly pulled back to 30 metres from the shoreline.

“The construction company’s owner has pledged to set aside a proportion of his shoreline for saltmarshes to be re-established, providing a small bird sanctuary on the lake. This was to have been a hunting lodge in his original plan, and he has made a commitment not to allow or sanction hunting parties along the lake. These actions from his side were announced after our meeting with him.”

In the summer of 1998, some 3,000 fledgling Slender-billed Gulls were found dead on El Qarn island, their main breeding site, almost certainly the victims of poisoning. Now local attitudes have changed. “Recently some fishermen found a wounded flamingo and took it to the LQPA office to be treated”, said Dr Varjabedian. “This has never happened before at LQPA.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:37 AM | Comments (0)

Madagascar NGOs unite against plunder of natural resources

Asity Madagascar (BirdLife in Madagascar) has joined a group of Malagasy civil society organisations, Voahary Gasy, calling for an end to the plundering of natural resources in the national parks of north-east Madagascar.

Following the change of government in March this year, all but essential humanitarian aid has been withdrawn by the international community, leaving Madagascar's national park and forestry services with little or no funding.

Loggers have moved into the protected areas, stripping the forests of valuable hardwoods such as rosewood, ebony and mahogany. They work for influential business people who are in possession of illegal but "official" documentation permitting them to export these hardwoods.

Local communities who depend on forest resources and on tourism have been threatened and attacked when opposing these illegal and highly destructive activities. A new trade in bushmeat has developed. Lemurs in particular are being killed in large numbers, and some hunters are supplying restaurants 'to order'.

Helmet Vanga © Nick Garbutt, BirdLife International. This image may not be reproduced or exploited in any fashion without permission from BirdLife.

A number of endemic birds are largely or entirely confined to pristine primary forest in north-east Madagascar, among them the Endangered Madagascar Serpent Eagle Eutriorchis astur and Vulnerable Helmet Vanga Euryceros prevostii and Bernier's Vanga Oriolia bernieri. With the complete breakdown of the enforcement of protected area regulation, and armed gangs operating with impunity in the forests, it has not been possible to assess the impact on these and other threatened species.

The Malagasy NGOs which have come together to form Voahary Gasy are calling for an immediate halt to exports of hardwoods, particularly rosewood, the enforcement of protected area regulation, the creation of a task force to combat environmental crime, and a campaign to raise awareness within Madagascar of the nature and extent of the destruction of the island's remaining forests.

Voahary Gasy also emphasise that the range of new and extreme threats to Madagascar's environment and biodiversity is very broad and not restricted to the north-east of the country or to precious hardwoods (although most severe here). Other parts of the country, and valuable resources such as reptiles, shark fins and rare plants, are also affected or at least at risk. Asity Madagascar is working with other groups to control or prevent problems in the far south-east, where the largest expanse of lowland forest, Tsitongambarika, is under threat, and similar initiatives are taking place elsewhere.

Global Witness and the Environmental Investigation Agency are currently preparing a detailed report on the illegal timber trade in Madagascar, due to be released in the coming weeks.

Ms Voninavoko Raminoarisoa, Coordinator of Asity Madagascar warned that if this situation is allowed to continue, many of the conservation gains in Madagascar, including the efforts of local communities to protect their resources, will be lost. "Asity Madagascar, as BirdLife Affiliate, calls on the international community to join efforts to solve these urgent problems."

"These events are a disaster for Madagascar, profiting a tiny number of individuals at immense cost to the country’s economy and extraordinary heritage", said Dr Roger Safford, Senior Programme Manager at BirdLife International. "The global community must help to resolve the situation, but the emergence of Voahary Gasy is a very positive step, showing the commitment of Malagasy institutions and individuals to lead in publicising and tackling the problems."

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:30 AM | Comments (0)

Hunting: an extinction threat to Middle East's most threatened bird

Conservationists trying to prevent the extinction of Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita are distraught that one of the last remaining wild birds in the Middle East has been shot by a hunter in Saudi Arabia, bringing the known wild Middle Eastern population of this Critically Endangered species to just four individuals.

Formerly, the range of this species extended across parts of southern and central Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. It even features in the hieroglyphs of Ancient Egypt. Following a huge population and range decline, the bulk of the wild population of 210 birds now occurs in Morocco, but a tiny population was rediscovered in 2002, in Syria.

Northern Bald Ibis © Stephen Daly, from the surfbirds galleries

A satellite-tracking project led by BirdLife International and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in collaboration with the Desert Commission of the Syrian Government, established that the Syrian adults migrate to the Ethiopian highlands each winter, but the wintering area of younger birds remains a mystery. This migration across the deserts of the Middle East to north-east Africa puts these birds under threat from the region’s many hunters.

Researchers from BirdLife, the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) and IUCN, trying to find out more about the movements of the young birds, fitted two birds with satellite tags, and it is one of these birds – a female – which was shot.

"We were excited that tagging a sub-adult ibis may have helped us to solve the mystery of where young ibises spend the winter, but now we may never know", said Eng. Ali Hamoud, of the Syrian Desert Commission. "The shooting of a young bird from such a tiny population is devastating news and it shows that hunting is a major threat to this species."

Dr Jeremy Lindsell, the RSPB scientist in charge of the ibis satellite-tracking project, said: "Recovery of the population from this frighteningly low level is going to be exceedingly difficult, but everyone involved in the project believes we must do everything we can to provide hope for this culturally-important icon of the Middle East. The tiny Syrian population has been breeding very well since its discovery, although it has suffered two poor years. The low rate of return of young birds to the colony shows that they are being lost somewhere on migration. We are starting to discover what the problem might be."

Three birds from a semi-captive population in Turkey were released last year to see if they would migrate. They flew south as far as Jordan, but subsequently were found dead. Initially, it was feared they had been poisoned, but later it was realised that the birds had been electrocuted, emphasising that other threats can have a devastating impact on the future of the Northern Bald Ibis in the Middle East.

More satellite-tagged birds released from Turkey this year, flew south as far as Saudi Arabia but they too disappeared not much more than 100 km from where the Syrian bird was shot. Although their fate has not been established, researchers believe these birds too may have succumbed to hunters.

The hunting of Northern Bald Ibis is not allowed in Saudi Arabia. HH Prince Bandar Bin Saud the Secretary General of NCWCD (National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development) said: “Upon hearing the news of Northern Bald Ibises in Saudi Arabia, NCWCD immediately reacted and dispatched a team to search for the birds. Local people reported to the commission that an ibis had been shot illegally by hunters.

On migration, the remaining ibises nesting in Syria pass through Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Djibouti, Eritrea, finally wintering in Ethiopia.

Sharif Jbour, of Birdlife in the Middle East, said "Now that the threats to this species are becoming clear we will be doing all we can to address them. It is essential for the future of this population that they have safe passage through the region during their migration. With so many countries involved this is a great challenge but we already have high level support in many of these countries, so we are hopeful of change."

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:24 AM | Comments (0)

BirdLife films shooting of two birds of prey in Malta

Birdlife Malta's Raptor Camp filmed a Marsh Harrier and a Honey Buzzard being shot down in different locations this morning. The organisation also received two shot protected birds following yesterday afternoon's widespread shooting on protected birds particularly in the south of Malta.

The shot Marsh harrier was filmed by BirdLife Malta Executive Director Tolga Temuge who was accompanied by a local journalist at Has-Saptan. There were at least 6 six shots fired on the bird which was hit several times and fell into a private hunting site 50 meters away. Shortly after the police was called, two cars left the hunting lodge and drew away. The police had still not arrived on the scene 45 minutes after the call was made.

Night Heron © BirdLife Malta. These images may not be reproduced or exploited in any fashion without permission from BirdLife Malta.

The killing of the Honey Buzzard was filmed by a team in Handaq early this morning. The bird was instantly killed after taking a shot. The team called the ALE and the police emergency but there was no reply.

Raptor Camp teams that covered only a small part of Malta confirmed this morning's shooting of and shooting at of at least 16 additional protected birds, six of which were seen falling from the sky.

BirdLife Malta's office yesterday afternoon was inundated with calls from members of the public who reported numerous illegal hunting reports. A woman, who was having a walk at Birzebbuga valley, told BirdLife that she saw many Honey Buzzards shot down. Another woman who was crying on the phone reported shooting of "big birds" in residential area in Attard. BirdLife
even received calls of poachers shooting from the roofs of residences.

BirdLife Malta also received a shot Honey Buzzard and a Night Heron yesterday. The birds were sent to an independent vet who confirmed the nature of the injuries. BirdLife learned that there were more protected birds handed over to the police, but their numbers and whereabouts are not known to BirdLife.

Honey Buzzard © BirdLife Malta. These images may not be reproduced or exploited in any fashion without permission from BirdLife Malta.

"Despite overwhelming evidence of the scale of illegal hunting and the recent discovery of 201 dead protected birds at Mizieb, the Office of the Prime Minister remains silent. The shots are clearly not being heard from Castille but the usual impotent threats about hunters' votes are." said Geoffrey Saliba, BirdLife Malta Campaigns Coordinator.

Footage of the shootings from this morning can be seen on the BirdLife Malta website www.birdlifemalta.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:11 AM | Comments (0)

September 16, 2009

The future of Europe’s seabirds is in your hands, Commissioner

On 15 September BirdLife International urged Mr. Joe Borg, the European Commissioner for Maritime affairs and Fisheries, to take action to prevent the deaths of an estimated 200,000 seabirds which are killed in fisheries in European waters every year.

Dr Euan Dunn, the head of the RSPB marine policy team (BirdLife in the UK), said: “We are extremely concerned about the Commission’s apparent lack of commitment to reduce the bycatch of seabirds dying in longline and gillnet fisheries in European waters”.

Balearic Shearwater © Ben Lascelles, from the surfbirds galleries

Of most concern are those species that are either facing global extinction or those with the majority of their breeding populations in Europe. In particular, Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus, which is confined as a nesting bird to Spain’s Balearic Islands, is predicted to become extinct within 40 years. It is believed that bycatch in longline fisheries is a significant factor in the decline of this ‘Critically Endangered bird’ to a precarious population of only 2000 pairs. Up to 50 individual birds have been caught on hooks on a single longline.

Dr Euan Dunn added: “Globally, seabirds are the most visible indicators of the health of the oceans and yet, globally, they are declining faster than any other group of birds”.

“We have known for many years about the deaths of albatrosses and other seabirds in longline fisheries in the Southern Ocean, but I suspect that many people would be surprised to learn that a species rarer than the tiger is being threatened with extinction by fisheries operating in European waters”.

“We have been waiting for a decade for the European Commission to take action to reduce the toll of seabirds in Europe’s fisheries. Further delays will result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of birds. The technical adjustments to fishing practices needed to prevent this bycatch are often very simple but the political will to apply them has been lacking for far too long”.

Other species affected in European waters include Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis, Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea and Steller’s Eider Polysticta stelleri.

Tatiana Nemcova, BirdLife’s Senior EU Advocacy Officer said: “Joe Borg only has a few months remaining as European Commissioner for Maritime affairs and fisheries: the proper protection of our great continent’s seabirds would be a great legacy”.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:47 AM | Comments (0)

BirdLife welcomes ECJ decision on spring hunting in Malta

In a verdict delivered on 10 September, the European Court of Justice (ECJ, case C-76/08) declared that Malta has breached European law by allowing spring hunting of Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur and Common Quail Coturnix coturnix in the years 2004-2007.

BirdLife International and BirdLife Malta welcomed the ruling as it shows that this practice jeopardizes the conservation of these species, which have been classified by BirdLife as being in unfavourable conservation status in Europe. As a consequence, BirdLife concludes spring hunting has to end permanently. Hunting in autumn can continue for these and 30 other species in Malta, under certain conditions laid out in the EU Birds Directive.

Quail © James Kennerley, from the surfbirds galleries

BirdLife International and BirdLife Malta had submitted a complaint to the European Commission on Malta’s insistence on spring hunting in 2005. “This ruling is good news for millions of European birds, including Turtle Dove and Quail that cross Malta every spring on their dangerous migration back from Africa. Once again we have an example how the EU Birds Directive can help our common natural heritage”, said Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager at BirdLife International in Brussels.

“Malta needs to come in line with the Birds Directive and ban spring hunting. At the same time, as we have said many times before, Maltese hunters have every right to continue their practice during the autumn hunting season within the parameters of the law, and respecting the list of huntable species” said Joseph Mangion, BirdLife Malta’s President.

The Maltese islands are located on an important bird migration route in the Mediterranean. A recent study analysing ring recoveries in Malta, showed that birds originating from a minimum of thirty-six European countries have been recorded migrating over Malta.

At the same time, conservationists across Europe remain concerned about illegal hunting of protected species in Malta (like raptors and herons), and a lack of adequate police enforcement.

“The ALE, the Maltese police unit dealing with illegal hunting, is heavily under-resourced and struggles to keep up with the scale of illegalities. We expect the Prime Minister to use this Court Ruling as an opportunity to now focus on clamping down on illegal hunting - which has tarnished Malta’s reputation over the years”, concluded Mr Mangion.

This year BirdLife Malta will run its annual international raptor monitoring camp between 12 September and 4 October. Maltese and international ornithologists join this camp with the express aim collect data on bird migration, and to curtail illegal hunting activities by informing the Maltese police force where needed, while respecting any hunting activities that stay within the legal framework.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:42 AM | Comments (0)

September 11, 2009

Critically Endangered Fiji Petrel found and photographed at sea – pungent fish attracts “lost” species

An expedition to find the Critically Endangered Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea has been successful, returning with stunning images and new information on one of the world’s least-known seabirds.

Known from just one specimen collected in 1855 on Gau Island, Fiji, the Fiji Petrel was lost for the next 130 years. Since 1984 there have been a handful of reports of “grounded” birds that had crashed onto village roofs on Gau. Until now there had been no confirmed sightings of the seabird at sea.

Fiji Petrel © H.Shirihai. All photos are copyrighted by BirdLife and/or its contributing photographers and may not be reproduced or exploited in any fashion without permission from BirdLife.

The search for the elusive petrel is described in a paper in the latest Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. Up to eight individuals were seen over eleven days in an area around 25 nautical miles south of Gau. The species’ flight, behaviour and detailed comparison to other species are also described for the first time.

The paper’s lead author, Hadoram Shirihai, said: “Finding this bird and capturing such images was a fantastic and exhilarating experience”. Fellow expedition member Tony Pym commented, “To see such a little-known bird at such close range was magical.”

Finding Fiji Petrel at sea was no accident, combining meticulous planning and luring the seabirds with a specially made food, called “chum”. The main ingredients of chum? Fish offal cut into small pieces and mixed with very dense fish oil, to which water was added and then frozen in 10-kg blocks.

Fiji Petrel © H.Shirihai. All photos are copyrighted by BirdLife and/or its contributing photographers and may not be reproduced or exploited in any fashion without permission from BirdLife.

Frozen chum blocks persist for up to one-and-a-half hours, creating a pungent and constant oil slick, which attracts petrels from some miles away. On the second day, the first Fiji Petrel appeared, approaching the chum slick from downwind, slowly zigzagging over the slick, and suddenly changing direction to drop onto a small floating morsel.

Fiji Petrel is classified as Critically Endangered, with its perilous status confirmed by this expedition: “We observed only a few Fiji Petrels”, said Shirihai. “This was despite choosing what we considered to be the optimum month, and a method that would attract all petrels in the vicinity’’ and Pym added, “The present evidence is that very few Fiji Petrels survive, that immediate efforts to find the nest sites are needed, and prompt, effective protection is urgently required before it is too late.”

“More surveys to locate the breeding area of Fiji Petrel are planned for 2010”, said Dick Watling of NatureFiji-MareqetiViti,. “Once we know the location, we can assess what needs to be done to turn around the fortunes of this species.”

“Fiji Petrel is one of 192 bird species which are Critically Endangered,” said Jez Bird, Global Species Officer at BirdLife International. “Because Fiji Petrel is exceptionally rare and extremely poorly known any new data concerning range and abundance are vital to its conservation.”

The expedition also gathered valuable distributional information on many other seabird species, including the Endangered Phoenix Petrel Pterodroma alba and the Vulnerable Gould’s Pterodroma leucoptera and Parkinson’s Petrels Procellaria parkinsoni.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:14 AM | Comments (0)

September 2, 2009

Quest launched to find 'lost' birds

BirdLife International is launching a global bid to try to confirm the continued existence of 47 species of bird that have not been seen for up to 184 years.

The list of potentially lost birds is a tantalising mix of species ranging from some inhabiting the least visited places on earth - such as remote islands and the western Himalayas – to those occurring in parts of Europe and the United States.

"The mention of species such as Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Jamaican Petrel, Hooded Seedeater, Himalayan Quail, and Pink-headed Duck will set scientists' pulses racing. Some of these species haven’t been seen by any living person, but birdwatchers around the world still dream of rediscovering these long lost ghosts", said Marco Lambertini, BirdLife International's chief executive.

"History has shown us that we shouldn’t give up on species that are feared to have gone to their graves because some, such as Cebu Flowerpecker, have been rediscovered long after they were feared extinct, providing hope for the continued survival of other 'long-lost' species. Cebu Flowerpecker, of the Philippines, was only rediscovered at the eleventh hour just before the last remnants of its forest home were destroyed."

"The extinction crisis is gathering momentum, but that’s no excuse for humanity to allow even more strands from the web of life to disappear, especially without giving them a final chance of life."

The announcement of the quest to find lost species was made at the launch of the 21st British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland Water. The RSPB's Martin Davies, co-organiser of the British Birdwatching Fair, said: "During the BirdFair's twenty-one-year history we have funded many conservation projects that have benefited species of bird threatened with extinction. It would be a great legacy if funds from British birdwatchers prove the survival of formerly lost species."

"We have chosen Cebu Flowerpecker as the emblem of this year's British Birdwatching Fair because it provides hope and inspiration not to give up on lost species. We are delighted that the Philippines Ministry of Tourism has today agreed to become the BirdLife Species Champion for this forest jewel."

The ministry of tourism's funding will provide initial financial support efforts by the Cebu Biodiversity Foundation to conserve the Critically Endangered Cebu Flowerpecker, which was feared extinct in the early 20th Century but was rediscovered in 1992.

Read "A conversation with Tim Gallagher author of the Grail Bird: Hot on the trail of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker"

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:39 AM | Comments (0)

Malta: the return of 'common' birds

A new report released by BirdLife Malta (BirdLife in Malta) highlighted how 2009 has been a remarkable year for breeding birds in Malta.

The results of the ‘2009 Rare Breeding Bird Report’ showed that nine rare breeding species, most of which are relatively common in other countries, increased their overall distribution in the Maltese islands compared to 2008, with a further four species recorded breeding in 2009 but not recorded last year.

Kestrel © David Moreton, from the surfbirds galleries

The highlights of the study were the first confirmed breeding records of two pairs of Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus in 15 years and the colonisation of Malta by a species new to the island – Pallid Swift Apus pallidus. The first confirmed breeding record of a pair of Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea in almost 100 years and only the fourth confirmed breeding record of a pair of Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus were other important breeding records.

The report includes all rare breeding bird records that adhered to the strict criteria laid out by the European Bird Census Council and by BirdLife Malta for very rare breeding bird records.

BirdLife considers the ban of spring hunting during the past two years playing an important role in the establishment of these species due to less disturbance during the initial periods of breeding.

“The results highlight how important the ban on spring hunting over the last two years has been for the rare breeding species in Malta. Although illegal hunting was widespread, especially in the south during spring migration, the hunting intensity was much lower over this period due to the ban. Yet, with spring hunting now banned, the biggest problem for rare breeding birds is illegal shooting during the rabbit hunting season opened on 1st June”, said Dr Andre Raine, BirdLife Malta’s Conservation Manager.

Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager at the BirdLife European Division, commented: ”We are pleased to see these birds are returning to Malta, as in most other countries these species belong to the common birds! This is a great success, for BirdLife and the EU Birds Directive - which Malta finally seems willing to comply to”.

Unfortunately, in June and July, BirdLife Malta still received ten shot protected birds, including some of the birds that bred in Malta this summer.

“Despite those killings, this year has seen very positive changes, with Maltese villages hosting new colonies of breeding Common Swift, while the countryside is providing the food needed to raise young Common Kestrel. However, it is vital that a Wildlife Crime Unit is set up in Malta to provide rare birds with protection throughout the year, particularly during the breeding months in summer when these birds are particularly vulnerable to illegal hunting” concluded Dr Raine.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:31 AM | Comments (0)

Lake Natron faces renewed threat from soda-ash mining

BirdLife has learnt that a Tanzanian Government Agency is seeking to buy mining equipment for large-scale soda ash extraction from Lake Natron – the most important breeding site for Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor [Near Threatened] in the world. “This is worrying indeed”, said Lota Melamari - the CEO of Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (WCST-BirdLife in Tanzania).

“An advert for the supply of mining equipment, and a recent announcement of the expansion of the railway and building of new port at Tanga to handle soda ash all point to deliberate efforts to keep alive the intention of mining Lake Natron's soda ash", added Lota Melamari.

Lesser Flamingo © John Dempsey, from the surfbirds galleries

The Tanzania Investment Centre, a Tanzanian Government Agency, is inviting interested parties to quote for the “Supply of machinery and equipment, as well as trucks in a greenfield soda ash/caustic soda processing plant”. The advert was placed on behalf of KDCL Minerals (T) Ltd - a private company which states that the $US 125 million project at Lake Natron in Northern Tanzania will produce approximately 200,000 tonnes of soda ash annually.

Three-quarters of the world’s population of Lesser Flamingo live in East Africa – and all depend on Tanzania’s Lake Natron as a breeding site. The development and associated infrastructure could permanently prevent the birds from nesting at Lake Natron, spelling doom for the region’s spectacular flamingo flocks.

In opposition to development proposals of 2007, BirdLife launched its ‘Think Pink’ campaign. At the same time the Lake Natron Consultative Group - a coalition of 49 mainly African institutions - was formed to urge the Tanzanian Government to abandon the project. “Through campaigns like Think Pink, the world, local communities, Tanzanian NGOs and ordinary citizens have said a big ‘No’ to the project - this will not change”, warned Ken Mwathe of BirdLife Africa Partnership Secretariat and Coordinator of Lake Natron Consultative Group.

Earlier plans for mining Lake Natron involved Tata Chemicals Ltd. and the governmental National Development Corporation. BirdLife welcomed the withdrawal last year of an initial, inadequate and inappropriate Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), and is awaiting a new ESIA to be produced and reviewed by a competent team of experts. “The Tanzanian Government has promised, and consistently maintained, that no new ESIA would be conducted before having in place an Integrated Management Plan for the Lake Natron Ramsar Site, and this process is still ongoing”, concluded Lota.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:27 AM | Comments (0)

August 18, 2009

Birdfair - Rutland Water - 21st - 23rd August 2009

The Birdfair are global sponsors of the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme and
contribute their entire profit to protecting Critically Endangered birds. Last year the Birdfair raised £265,000!

Entry is £10. Watch this short video to find out more...

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:34 AM | Comments (0)

August 4, 2009

Preachers and teachers help conserve Turkish wetland

Lake Burdur is internationally important for wintering and passage waterbirds, and has been threatened in recent years by pollution, urban development and unsustainable agricultural practices. In response, Doğa Derneği - the BirdLife Partner Designate for Turkey - recently drafted a sermon to educate the local community of Burdur on the importance of conserving their lake.

White-headed Duck © Rony Livne, from the surfbirds galleries

“…Water is one of the countless blessings and a source of life for us, as well as for all of Earth’s creatures”, said Burdur’s Provincial Mufti. “ It is estimated that through the sermon Doğa Derneği reached approximately 52,000 people across over 1,000 mosques in all the villages, towns, districts and provincial centre of Burdur. The first of its kind in Burdur, the sermon highlighted the responsibility of humans in protecting the environment and wildlife.

Lake Burdur is an Important Bird Area (IBA) and one of nine Ramsar wetlands of international importance in Turkey. It is very important for wintering waterbirds, and is the single most important wintering site for Endangered White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala - over two-thirds of the world’s wintering population occur at Burder Lake.

The Lake is facing degradation pressure due to the unrestricted use of water resources which feeds the basin which is leading to its rapid retreat and a marked decrease in crop productivity and soil quality. Poor management of water resources continue to threaten the ecosystem’s balance, its ecological integrity and the species which depend on it.

Posted by Surfbirds at 4:55 PM | Comments (0)

July 28, 2009

Largest ever count of White-shouldered Ibis

Conservationists from the Birdlife International Cambodia Programme and University of East Anglia (UEA), UK, recently counted the largest number of White-shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisoni ever recorded. At least 161 were counted; confirming that Western Siem Pang, Cambodia, is the single most important site for the species. The total number of White-shouldered Ibis is likely to be even higher than this figure, as many more roost sites are being found in Western Siem Pang.

“Western Siem Pang consistently yields the highest counts of this species anywhere in the world. I am thrilled we have broken our best ever count yet again”, said Jonathan Eames, Programme Manager of Birdlife International in Indochina.

White-shouldered Ibis © Pete Morris, Bridquest, from the surfbirds galleries

"We just don’t know why we have so many White-shouldered Ibis at Western Siem Pang. My hunch is that the species is resident so we are not recording movements of birds from elsewhere. I also believe that cattle and buffalo stocking density is key to understanding the density and abundance of the species”, said Eames.

Western Siem Pang is home to Cambodia’s 'Big Five'. The site currently supports five Critically Endangered bird species. The other four are: Giant Ibis Thaumatibis gigantea, White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis, Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris, and Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus.

"The numbers of White-shouldered Ibis and the presence of populations of four other Critically Endangered species, make Western Siem Pang an irreplaceable site we have got to conserve”, Eames continued.

Western Siem Pang is currently unprotected. BirdLife has been active at the site for several years already, undertaking species monitoring and awareness activities. Together with the Forestry Administration, BirdLife is now actively advocating the designation of a Protected Forest covering a large part of the site.

“In order to save this species a great deal of research is required to understand its ecology and relationships with local people. As research continues we hope to provide concrete conservation recommendations for this species”, said UEA PhD student Hugh Wright.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:43 AM | Comments (0)

July 12, 2009

House Crow eradicated from Socotra

Alien invasive House Crow Corvus splendens has been successfully removed from the island of Socotra.

“Eradication of the House Crow from Socotra has removed the risk posed to our native fauna”, said Nadim Taleb - the National coordinator for the GEF, Governance and Biodiversity Mainstreaming Project. This news follows ten years work by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and Socotra Archipelago Conservation and Development Programme (SCDP). House Crow arrived on Socotra in 1996 and built up a breeding population of over 10 pairs which posed a threat to native biodiversity. Numerous attempts to trap them failed but an imaginative scheme to control their numbers was successful. Children were paid a reward for bringing a nest containing young to the Socotra Archipelago Conservation and Development Programme. The last birds were killed by a marksman this spring. “The Invasive Species Control Group freed Socotra from the invasive House Crow”, said Omar Al Saghier, National Coordinator for GEF-Small Grant programme. “We now wish them success in their efforts to work alongside local communities to eradicate invasive plants”.

House Crow © Ian Tew, from the surfbirds galleries

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:51 AM | Comments (0)

June 28, 2009

Hope for Seychelles' last Critically Endangered species

The first Seychelles Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone corvina chicks to fledge successfully outside La Digue Island, Seychelles for over 60 years is flying on Denis Island, a coral island in the inner Seychelles group. The newly-fledged birds are flying well, very noisy, and being fed by their parents –"typical normal and healthy flycatcher chicks", according to Nirmal Shah, Director of BirdLife Partner Nature Seychelles, the Species Guardian for the paradise-flycatcher.

Seychelles Paradise-flycatcher © Jan Bisschop, from the surfbirds galleries

The paradise-flycatcher is the only Seychelles species still listed as Critically Endangered. Formerly Critically Endangered Species including Seychelles Magpie-robin Copsychus sechellarum, Seychelles White-eye Zosterops modestus and Seychelles Scops-owl Otus insularis have all been downlisted as a result of conservation action. The population of the paradise-flycatcher has been steadily increasing in recent years. In 1996 there were 69-83 pairs; this had risen to 104-139 pairs by the last comprehensive survey in 2000.

Seychelles Paradise-flycatchers, probably "overspill" birds from the population on La Digue, are regularly seen on neighbouring islands, but have been unable to establish viable populations. The reintroduction to Denis Island is part of a three-year project, funded by the UK Government's Darwin Initative, and carried out by Nature Seychelles together with the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) and the collaboration of other organisations and the Seychelles Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

Seychelles Paradise-flycatcher requires mature stands of indigenous badamier Terminalia catappa and takamaka Calophyllum innophylum trees. However, its habitat requirements may be less strict than previously thought. As the population on La Digue has increased, a number of birds have established territories in open woodland with housing encroachment, and an increasing number of tree species are used for nesting.

Nature Seychelles began ecosystem restoration on Denis Island in 2002, with funding from two Global Environment Facility projects facilitated by the World Bank and with the collaboration of the island owners, and this work has continued under the current Darwin Initiative-funded flycatcher project. The island is free of alien predators.

Last November, 23 Paradise-flycatchers were translocated from La Digue to Denis Island by Nature Seychelles and DICE, in collaboration with the La Digue Development Board and other partners. Nature Seychelles currently knows the whereabouts of 21 of these birds, with the recent reappearance of a male which had been replaced or ousted from his territory by another young male.

It is believed that the population on Denis could reach 40-50 birds. Other islands are being assessed for their suitability for future translocations.

"We predict that we will have a large enough population to downlist it to Endangered in the next two years or so", said Nirmal Shah. "This will be another huge triumph for Nature Seychelles with its international partners BirdLife, the RSPB and DICE."

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:42 AM | Comments (0)

June 23, 2009

Exploring the 'Google forest'

Scientists who recently used Google Earth to help discover a hidden forest in Mozambique, have been finding a wealth of new species. "Whatever we see we pick up, and there's a high probability that it's going to be a new species”, said Dr Julian Bayliss - head of the cross-border conservation project.

Five years ago, few from outside the area knew there was a forest at Mount Mabu. Its discovery by the scientific community is down to a very 21st-Century research tool. "I used Google Earth to locate all the mountains over 1,500m that were closest to Mount Mulanje in Southern Malawi", said Dr Bayliss. "Mount Mabu was selected through Google Earth as one of these sites".

BirdLife were part of the previous expedition to the site which discovered new species of butterfly and snake, along with seven Globally Threatened birds. “The forest on Mount Mabu is remarkable for its extent and condition”, said Dr Lincoln Fishpool, BirdLife’s Global IBA Co-ordinator who was on the 2008 Mabu expedition. “It therefore holds significant populations of several bird species which are in serious trouble elsewhere”, he added.

 

Since that time, further experts have been scouring Mount Mabu for new species in an effort to help build the case to conserve a unique forest. "We are dealing with what looks like the biggest rainforest in Southern Africa”, added Dr Bayliss.

Unlike most of the forests in the region there was no sign of any logging or burning having taken place. The 7,000 ha of Mount Mabu are in pristine condition. "This is an island of evergreen forest in a sea of savannah", said Professor Bill Branch – one of Africa's leading reptile specialists.

What that means is that the animals inside Mabu have had very little interaction with other groups of forest dwellers beyond its borders. Unable to walk across the dry lowlands to mountain forest elsewhere, many have evolved in isolation to suit Mabu's own type of wet forest. That now translates into many of the species proving to be new to science.

For the first reptile expert to ever visit Mount Mabu, the hunt for new lizards and snakes is proving rather easy for Professor Branch. Of the seven species that he’s has caught so far, only one is definitely not new to science.

However, declaring a new species is a process fraught with the fear of being proved wrong. But Mabu's scientists are quietly confident that, in the last year, they have found more than 10 new species.

"There are definitely new species to be found in almost all types of animals here on Mabu," concluded Dr Bayliss. With only an eighth of the forest having undergone even a cursory scientific investigation, it's hard to disagree.

Conserving Mount Mabu is now the priority. The forest’s value as a refuge to villagers during the war has thus far helped to protect it, along with poor access and ignorance of its existence. However the local human populations is growing and Mozambique’s economy is booming. There is a risk the forest will come under pressure to be cut for wood or burnt for crop space.

Experts from Mozambique, Kew Gardens, The World Bank and BirdLife International are amongst those meeting in Maputo today to discuss the future for Mount Mabu. The scientists are hoping their discoveries prove that Mount Mabu is unique, and that it merits official protection. “The studies so far have shown that Mount Mabu is a biological oasis”, added Paul Kariuki Ndang’ang’a – BirdLife’s Africa Species Programme Manager - from the Maputo workshop. “BirdLife are working in partnership with others to ensure it stays that way”.

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:11 AM | Comments (0)

June 18, 2009

BirdLife grant helps Endangered shorebird

A grant from the BirdLife International Community Conservation Fund is helping establish a new population of Endangered Shore Plover Thinornis novaeseelandiae on Mana Island, off the west coast of Wellington, New Zealand.

The project is showing early signs of success. A pair from among 41 juveniles introduced to the island in 2007 hatched and fledged a chick during 2008, and five more young Shore Plovers have fledged in 2009.

Shore Plover © Pete Morris/Birdquest, from the surfbirds galleries

The first chick was born to one-year-old parents. Shore Plovers normally breed from two years.

The sole natural breeding population of Shore Plover is on Rangatira (South East) Island in the Chatham Islands. The species was once widespread around the coast of New Zealand’s South Island, but had been extirpated by the 1870s. Their global population is estimated to be less than 250 birds, with a total range of just 4 km2.

The Mana Island translocation is the latest in a series of releases of Shore Plover. Ten pairs are held in captivity, mainly at the Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre in northern Wairarapa. Young birds produced by the captive flock are released on to predator-free islands as soon as they are old enough to fly.

A local community NGO, the Friends of Mana Island (FOMI), is funding and providing volunteers for the five-year translocation project, which includes intensive monitoring of the newly introduced birds. The BLICCF grant, together with local support and the proceeds of an art auction held in London last year by the New Zealand Society and New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, has provided FOMI with sufficient funding to complete the project.

“It’s great for visitors to see one of the world’s rarest shorebirds as soon as they get off the boat,” said Colin Ryder - FOMI President and Forest & Bird (BirdLife in New Zealand) regional committee member. “It’s hard to believe that they are only 30 to 40 minutes from downtown Wellington.”

FOMI was set up to assist the Department of Conservation in implementing the restoration plan for Mana Island. Mice have been eradicated from the island, which is now predator-free, over half a million native trees have been planted, a wetland restored, and threatened reptiles and invertebrates reintroduced. Forest & Bird has also been heavily involved in the island’s restoration, most importantly having initiated and resourced the mouse eradication project.

The island is a scientific reserve, and Shore Plover joins other successful introductions of New Zealand’s endemic bird species that are rare on the mainland, including two more Endangered species - Takahe Porphyrio hochstetteri and Brown Teal Anas chlorotis.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:41 AM | Comments (0)

June 5, 2009

Wader populations decline faster than ever

According to a new publication by Wetlands International, more than half the populations of waders in Europe, West Asia and Africa are declining at an accelerating rate.

Waders are a group of relatively small waterbirds including species like lapwings, plovers, godwits, curlews and sandpipers. Many of them undertake long distance migrations from their Arctic breeding grounds to wintering areas as far away as Southern Africa. Some concentrate in huge numbers at just a few sites, making these wetlands critical for their survival.

The new ‘Wader Atlas’ is the first comprehensive overview of key site networks for waders in Europe, West Asia and Africa, and the publication highlights a need for better protection of the key wetlands along their flyways, especially in Africa and the Middle East.

The authors outline that whilst many European Union (EU) Member States have established a fairly comprehensive network of protected areas for waders, many of which are Important Bird Areas (IBAs) identified by the BirdLife Partnership, the protection and management of key sites is still far from adequate beyond the EU’s borders.

Ruff © Sean Nixon, from the surfbirds galleries

"Waders such as Ruff [Philomachus pugnax] are heavily protected in the EU; farmers receive thousands of Euros for nest protection”, said author Simon Delany. However, the new publication outlines that resources outside the EU urgently need to be increased – helping to conserving waterbirds at all stages of their lives.

The wetlands of the African west coast are under enormous pressures. The sparse water resources in the Sahelian zone are tapped by dams which have turned formerly shallow wetlands into permanently dry lands. Irrigation schemes for growing human population disrupt the water flow in wetlands such as the shrinking Lake Chad. The atlas also outlines that wetlands themselves are often converted to agricultural use - such as in the Tana River Delta in Kenya, which is threatened by conversion to sugar cane plantations.

“Migratory waterbirds can only be effectively conserved through international cooperation along their entire flyway”, said Dr Vicky Jones - BirdLife’s Global Flyways Officer. “BirdLife Partners are focusing on joining up site-based action at critical sites for waterbirds within the African-Eurasian area”.

BirdLife is a key partner in the Wings over Wetlands (WOW) project which is making an enormous difference to the understanding of migratory waterbirds and their needs, demonstrating best practice in the conservation and wise-use of wetlands, and increasing cooperation along the African-Eurasian flyway.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:13 AM | Comments (0)

May 31, 2009

Bird migrations set to increase

Bird migrations are likely to get longer according to the first ever study of the potential impacts of climate change on the breeding and winter ranges of migrant birds. The length of some migrations could increase by as much as 400 km. “The predicted future temperature changes and the associated changes in habitat could have serious consequences for many species”, said lead-author Nathalie Doswald of Durham University (UK).

A team of researchers - led by Durham University and with funding from the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) and Natural Environment Research Council – looked at the migration patterns of European Sylvia warblers, a group of birds that are common residents and visitors to Europe, like Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis and Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla.

Common Whitethroat © Rudi Debruyne, from the surfbirds galleries

“Our findings show that marathon migrations for some birds are set to become even longer journeys”, said Dr Stephen Willis – team leader from Durham University. “This is bad news for birds like the Common Whitethroat”.

Some 500 million birds are estimated to migrate to Europe and Asia from Africa. Birds weighing as little as nine grams undertake the annual migration of thousands of miles between the two continents to find food and suitable climate.

“Most warblers come here in spring and summer time to take advantage of the surplus of insects, and leave for warmer climes in the autumn”, added Dr Willis. “From 2071 to 2100, nine out of the 17 species we looked at are projected to face longer migrations, particularly birds that cross the Sahara desert”.

Co-author of the research paper, Professor Rhys Green of Cambridge University and RSPB said: "These tiny birds make amazing journeys, pushing themselves to the limits of endurance. Anything that makes those journeys longer or more dependent on rare and vulnerable pit-stop habitats used for refuelling on migration could mean the difference between life and death.”

"We have already seen evidence that birds' ranges are moving north to track suitable climate conditions in the way predicted by past modelling”, noted Professor Green. “This latest research suggests they will face an increase in the length of an already arduous journey.”

In response to worrying declines of many migratory species, BirdLife has launched the Born to Travel Campaign to protect migratory birds along the African-Eurasian flyway. “These birds face many threats during their incredible annual journeys”, said Richard Grimmett – BirdLife’s Head of Conservation.

“BirdLife and its Partners are working to provide a safer journey for migratory birds”, added Mr Grimmett. “We have BirdLife Partners in over 70 countries across the migration routes between Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and are working together to tackle threats to migratory songbirds like agricultural intensification, desertification, deforestation and climate change”.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:31 AM | Comments (0)

May 16, 2009

“Flying High” conserving the Spanish Imperial Eagle

The Flying High Programme, (Alzando el vuelo in Spanish), was created by SEO/BirdLife (BirdLife in Spain) in 2006 and has just begun its second phase. The first phase involved national authorities, local communities and private landowners in protecting habitats where Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti lives.

Spanish Imperial Eagle © Stephen Daly, from the surfbirds galleries

Spanish Imperial Eagle is a flagship species in Spain, with a population of 253 breeding pairs it occurs in only five Spanish regions and also in Portugal. Spain holds 99% of the world breeding population. The Alzando el vuelo programme focused its activities in Campo de Montiel and Eastern Sierra Morena in the Ciudad Real province, one of the most important breeding and dispersal areas for the species. A “land stewardship programme” has signed agreements with 17 private properties in which it has invested near €100,000 in habitat management.

Conservation action for this impressive bird of prey has been developed to address the main threats, of poisoning, collision with power lines and habitats loss. More than 2,000 people participated in activities organised by SEO/BirdLife which raised their awareness and involved them in the protection of Spanish Imperial Eagle.

The second phase of the Programme, which runs from 2009 until 2012, is based on a large land stewardship network. This will be divided in three groups: a network of municipalities, a network of private landowners and a network of schools. The aim of this network is to extend the success of the first phase to cover the species’s entire distribution. While municipalities and properties networks will channel and focus on habitat management and species conservation, the network of schools will be in charge of organising awareness and information activities.

“So far, 54 municipalities have joined the network and SEO/BirdLife hopes that many more will follow, as they are the main players who could involve local authorities and common people in biodiversity conservation actions”, said Beatriz Sánchez, Responsible for the Alzando el vuelo Programme.

Follow the webcam at www.aguilaimperial.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:21 AM | Comments (0)

BirdLife International announces more Critically Endangered birds than ever before

BirdLife International's latest evaluation of the world's birds has revealed that more species than ever are threatened with extinction. A staggering 1,227 species (12%) are now classified as Globally Threatened but the good news is that when conservation action is put in place, species can be saved.

"In global terms, things continue to get worse – but there are some real conservation success stories this year to give us hope and point the way forward", said Dr Leon Bennun, BirdLife's Director of Science and Policy.

BirdLife International's annual Red List update, on behalf of the IUCN, now lists 192 species of bird as Critically Endangered, the highest threat category, a total of two more than in the 2008 update.

Hooded Grebe has udergone a rapid recent decline and has been uplisted to Endangered © Pete Morris, Birdquest, from the surfbirds galleries

A recently discovered species from Colombia - Gorgeted Puffleg Eriocnemis isabellae - appears for the first time on the BirdLife/IUCN Red List, being listed as Critically Endangered. The puffleg, a flamboyantly coloured hummingbird, only has 1,200 hectares of habitat remaining in the cloud forests of the Pinche mountain range in south-west Colombia and 8% of this is being damaged every year to grow coca.

Sidamo Lark Heteromirafra sidamoensis from the Liben Plain of Ethiopia has also been uplisted to this category due to changes in land use, and is in danger of becoming mainland Africa’s first bird extinction. And coinciding with the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, one of the Galapagos finches, Medium Tree-finch Camarhynchus pauper also becomes Critically Endangered, partly as a result of an introduced parasitic fly.

But it's not only rare birds that are becoming rarer, common birds are becoming less common. In eastern North America, Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica is fast disappearing from the skies. Following continent-wide declines of nearly 30% in the last decade alone, this common species has been uplisted to Near Threatened.

"Across Africa, widespread birds of prey are also disappearing at an alarming rate, and emblematic species such as Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus) and Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) have been uplisted as a result. These declines are mirrored in many species, in every continent", said Jez Bird, BirdLife's Global Species Programme Officer.

But it's not all doom and gloom, conservation does work and there are some great examples in this year's BirdLife/IUCN Red List. In Brazil, Lear's Macaw Anodorhynchus leari has been downlisted from Critically Endangered. Named after the English poet, this spectacular blue parrot has increased four-fold in numbers as a result of a joint effort of many national and international non-governmental organisations, the Brazilian government and local landowners.

In New Zealand, Chatham Petrel Pterodroma axillaris has benefited from work by the New Zealand Department of Conservation and has consequently been downlisted from Critically Endangered. And in Mauritius the stunning, Mauritius Fody Foudia rubra has been rescued from the brink after the translocation and establishment of a new population on to a predator-free offshore island. It has now been downlisted to Endangered.

Similar work is now also underway for 32 Critically Endangered species as part of the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme.

“Both the petrel and fody have suffered from introduced invasive species, and tackling these is one of the 10 key actions needed to prevent further bird extinctions that BirdLife has indentified. What this year's Red List changes tell us is that we can still turn things around for these species. There just has to be the will to act and the resources to back this up”, said Dr Stuart Butchart, BirdLife's Global Research and Indicators Coordinator.

“It extremely worrying that the number of Critically Endangered birds on the IUCN Red List continues to increase, despite the number of successful conservation initiatives around the world”, said Simon Stuart, Head of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission. “The IUCN Red List is the global standard when it comes to measuring species loss so we urge governments to take the information contained in it seriously and do their level best to protect the world’s birds.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:42 AM | Comments (0)

May 12, 2009

Dead animals back on the menu for vultures

On 24 April 2009 BirdLife International welcomed the vote in the European Parliament to put dead meat, or carrion, back on the menu for Europe’s hungry vultures. Vultures, known as nature’s cleaners, are capable of stripping a dead cow or sheep carcass in a matter of hours. They have been starving since EU rules forced all dead livestock to be cleared right away in the countryside.

This vote followed an agreement reached by the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council which have all cooperated constructively to find a solution for the ‘vulture crisis’ – which had resulted in birds flying across the continent in search for food.

Griffon Vulture © Slawomir Dabrowski, from the surfbirds galleries

Ariel Brunner, Senior Agricultural Policy Officer at BirdLife International commented on the vote: “BirdLife has been asking decision makers for a long time to remove this unnecessary threat to some of Europe’s most magnificent birds of prey and we are particularly happy that several Members of the European Parliament as well as Commission officials have taken to heart our plea and worked constructively towards today’s decision”.

The Spanish populations of Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus have been particularly badly hit by the lack of food. Groups of starving vultures have gone in search of food, flying hundreds of kilometres as far as Germany and, to the astonishment of locals, have been seen even outside Brussels in 2008. Lack of food is also affecting threatened species such as Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti, Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus, and Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus.

The European Parliament has voted to allow Member States to allow farmers in Member States to leave dead livestock where they fall for the benefit of vultures when it is safe to do so from a human and animal health point of view. Other birds and mammals such as bears and wolves will also benefit from these changes as they are known to also scavenge carcasses.

Mr. Brunner noted however that it's now up to the governments to implement the changes: “Today is an important breakthrough but the lean times are not over yet for the Vultures as Member States will still have to use the derogations that have been granted by today’s vote”.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:41 AM | Comments (0)

Successful translocation sees first petrel chick

The first Bermuda Petrel Pterodroma cahow chick to be born on Nonsuch Island, Bermuda, for almost 400 years, has recently hatched, the result of a successful translocation programme.

"The birth of this chick is an extraordinary achievement for those who have dedicated their lives to saving this rare bird from the brink of extinction", said Glenn Blakeney, the Bermuda Minister of the Environment and Sports.

Bermuda Petrel © Gareth Knass, from the surfbirds galleries

Bermuda Petrel (also known as the Cahow) once numbered in the tens of thousands before the island’s discovery by the Spanish in the early 1500s. The Cahow changed Bermuda’s history, as the ghostly sounds made at night by the island’s huge Cahow population so frightened the superstitious Spanish sailors that they thought Bermuda was inhabited by devils and never settled there. However, although they didn’t settle, they left pigs on the island as food for shipwrecked sailors.

Over the next hundred years, the pigs destroyed almost 90% of the Cahow population, rooting up the bird’s nest burrows and eating eggs, chicks and adult birds. By the time the English settled Bermuda in 1609, the Cahows only survived on remote islands.

Due to predation by rats, cats and dogs brought to Bermuda by the early settlers, and hunting by the settlers themselves, the remaining Cahows disappeared very quickly, and were thought to be extinct by the 1620s. No Cahows was seen between 1620 and 1951, when a few breeding pairs were discovered nesting on some of the smallest and most remote rocky islands.

"I can not think of a more appropriate success story appropriate for the 400th anniversary of the settlement of Bermuda as the Cahow practically saved the early settlers but then they almost became extinct because of them!", said Dr David Wingate.

Dr. Wingate's interest in the Cahow began in 1951, when the species was rediscovered and he ended up devoting 50 years of his life to saving the species.

After removing all the rats from Nonsuch Island, 105 Cahow chicks were moved there between 2004 and 2008 in the hope of establishing a new predator-free breeding population.

In 2008, the first of these now fully-grown Cahows returned to nest burrows on Nonsuch. Four Cahows, identified by their tags as leaving from Nonsuch in 2005, were recaptured ‘prospecting’ new nests and now a pair has successfully bred.

"I'm hopeful that next year we will see more chicks born on Nonsuch and we will then truly have secured a major victory in ensuring the future survival of this most extraordinary bird", said Jeremy Madeiros, Conservation Officer for the Department of Conservation Services.

Seabirds, particularly albatrosses, are becoming increasingly threatened at a faster rate globally than all other species-groups of birds. Seabirds face a variety of threats, both on land and at sea. Currently the most critical conservation problem facing seabirds is thought to be bycatch caused by mortality in longline fisheres. It is estimated that over 100,000 birds – including tens of thousands of albatrosses – are killed annually by pirate fishing vessels in the Southern Ocean alone.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:39 AM | Comments (0)

April 24, 2009

Conservation boost for Tahiti Monarch

A conservation programme for one of world's most threatened birds, Tahiti Monarch Pomarea nigra, has received a welcome double boost by the appointment of La Société d'Ornithologie de Polynésie "MANU" (BirdLife in French Polynesia) as the Species Guardian and financial support from the BirdLife Preventing Extinction Programme.

Tahiti Monarch was once widespread in Tahiti but predation of the nests by Black Rat Rattus rattus – that not only eat the eggs and young, but kill the females on the nests – meant that by the 1990s Tahiti Monarch was limited to four valleys in Western Tahiti. It is now classified as Critically Endangered by BirdLife on behalf of the IUCN Red List.

A conservation programme was initiated by MANU. This work focused on monitoring the breeding territories, placing metal bands on nesting trees to prevent rats climbing them and applying rat bait during the breeding season. The early project was a success and the dramatic population collapse was halted. However, with only 23 known birds and a total estimated population of 30-40, the species is far from secure.

Tahiti Monarch © Birdlife International

Thomas Ghestemme, Species Recovery Coordinator for MANU explained, "Over the last year we have had more staff and resources to enhance our work on these wonderful little birds. We have been able to apply rat bait to the breeding territories throughout the year and start colour banding (ringing) birds so they can be monitored more closely. This extra effort has shown results, with all known pairs producing chicks in the last breeding season".

Still with precariously few birds, the immediate focus of the work will be to secure this population and build up the numbers, survey for new territories in remote areas and safeguard any birds found. Another key area will be to study the basic ecology of the birds and in particular the diet and foraging associations with trees.

Anne Gouni, Director of MANU explains the longer term aims of the recovery plan "to really secure the Tahiti Monarch we will need introduce populations to suitable rat-free islands in the future. This means that we will have to understand the ecological requirements of the species and ensure there will be enough birds to establish new populations without risking the Tahiti population, sadly this is some years away".

Wandering Tattler (not a Tahiti Monarch!) but a Tahitian bird nonetheless © Peter Nash, Tahiti, from the surfbirds galleries

The BirdLife Preventing Extinction Programme is spearheading greater conservation action, awareness and funding support for all of the world’s most threatened birds, starting with the 190 species classified as Critically Endangered, the highest level of threat.

James Millett, Senior Technical Advisor with the BirdLife International Pacific Partnership said "MANU have done a remarkable job in preventing the extinction of Tahiti Monarch, this is very difficult work in inhospitable terrain and I am very pleased that MANU will receive funding from the Preventing Extinctions Programme to boost the recovery project. We hope that by becoming a Species Guardian, MANU will be able to raise the profile of the monarch and attract a Species Champion to sponsor the work in the longer term".

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:08 AM | Comments (0)

April 17, 2009

Black-faced Spoonbill recovery falters

The latest comprehensive survey of Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor has revealed a decrease in the number of wintering birds, with 2,041 individuals counted compared to 2,065 in 2008. Coordinated by the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (BirdLife in Hong Kong) and supported by Wild Bird Society of Japan (BirdLife in Japan), Chinese wild Bird Federation (BirdLife in Taiwan), and the Indochina Programme Office, plus input from Chinese and Korean birdwatchers. This census is one of the best examples of single-species population monitoring in Asia.

Black-faced Spoonbill © Pete Morris/Birdquest, from the surfbirds galleries

In the late 1980s, only a few hundred birds were recorded at two sites in southern Taiwan and Hong Kong, and all were under threat. As recently as 1999, Black-faced Spoonbill was classified by BirdLife on behalf of the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered. At the BirdLife World Conference in Rosenheim, Germany in 1994, BirdLife Partners agreed on the first International Action Plan for the species, coordinated by the Chinese Wild Bird Federation (BirdLife in Taiwan). Implementation workshops were then held in Beijing (1996) and Tokyo (1997). These resulted in a systematic winter census, satellite tracking of migrating individuals, coordination of colour ringing (banding), an increased public awareness of the species and the discovery of new breeding sites in China and Russia and rediscovery in the Philippines The satellite tracking revealed for the first time that the demilitarised zone on the Korean peninsula is the species’s main breeding area.

The most important wintering populations have now been identified in the Zengwen (Tsengwen) Estuary of southern Taiwan (1,081 birds), and the Inner Depp Bay between Hong Kong and Shenzhen (335 birds). Also, the growing interest of birdwatching in mainland China has contributed greatly to the understanding of the distribution and number of this species. Until the beginning of 2000 there was a big gap of knowledge in coastal China. Now we know the many birds winter in Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan provinces.

"This has been an Asian conservation success story with Black-faced Spoonbill being downlisted to Endangered. What is more important is that the conservation of this species has brought former foes such as as mainland China and Taiwan, and North and South Korea together to work for this common goal", said Simba Chan, Senior Conservation Officer in the BirdLife Asia Division.

It is probably too early to draw conclusions on whether the birds are reaching carrying capacity. The non-breeding number has been increasing almost every year since the census began in 1994, except in 1997 and 1999.

However, the non-breeding grounds of Black-faced Spoonbill are still facing severe development pressure. For example, the artificial wetland on the reclaimed island in Fukuoka Bay, Japan, holds one of the country’s biggest wintering populations. The site is due for development in a few years. A small coastal wetland in Macau, which supports 40-50 wintering birds (about 2% of the global population), is under threat from a casino development.

BirdLife has compiled an International Species Action Plan for Black-faced Spoonbill on behalf of the Convention of Migratory Species. This action plan will be launched this year.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:07 AM | Comments (0)

April 1, 2009

US fisheries act to protect Arctic and Albatrosses

Audubon Alaska, the state office of the National Audubon Society (BirdLife in the US), has welcomed the decision of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) to prevent the expansion of industrial fishing into all US waters north of the Bering Strait for the foreseeable future. The NPFMC has acted to limit pressure on ocean ecosystems, already under stress from global warming.

With no large-scale commercial fishing in the US Arctic at present, this decision establishes one of the most far-reaching precautionary measures in fisheries management history. Audubon was part of a consortium of groups, including Oceana, Ocean Conservancy, the Pew Environment Group, local Arctic communities and fishermen, which lobbied for this result.

King Eider © Kit Day, from the surfbirds galleries

The groups were concerned about the impact of commercial fishing on seabirds and other Arctic wildlife due to incidental take, reduced prey availability, and habitat disturbance. Of particular concern are activities such as bottom trawling, and its potential disruption of prey species of bottom-feeding seabirds such as Spectacled Eider Somateria fischeri.

“Much of the Arctic food web is linked to a handful of fish species, such as the Arctic Cod”, said Stan Senner, executive director of Audubon Alaska. “We don't want to add the effects of commercial fisheries while the entire ecosystem is changing due to global warming,"

Twenty-three Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are located along the Alaskan Arctic Ocean coast, plus six more on the Russian side. Eight of these are of global or continental significance. Among these is Ledyard Bay, a globally significant IBA extending 30-40 miles seaward in the Chukchi Sea. This IBA is a Critical Habitat Area for Spectacled Eiders, which are listed under the US Endangered Species Act. About 33,000 Spectacled Eiders and 500,000 King Eiders Somateria spectabilis feed on molluscs and other bottom-living prey species in the shallow waters of the Bay.

Spectacled Eider © Pete Morris, Birdquest, from the surfbirds galleries

From April into November, nearly all of the breeding King Eiders from the US and Canada, plus many Russian breeding King Eiders, migrate through, stage, and forage in the eastern Chukchi Sea. Other species which use the Chukchi Sea include Vulnerable Steller’s Eider Polysticta stelleri and Critically Endangered Kittlitz’s Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris.

“There are many things we simply don’t know about the Arctic Ocean ecosystem”, said Pat Pourchot, Senior Policy Representative at Audubon Alaska. “Many nesting and staging seabirds in the Arctic Ocean depend on forage fish such as Arctic cod. Accordingly, any commercial fishing for forage species may result in cascading impacts to seabirds and marine mammals.”

Meanwhile on the West Coast of the USA, where bycatch of Endangered Black-footed Albatross Phoebastria nigripes in the sablefish fishery is a primary concern, fishermen are voluntarily taking measures to stop the accidental killing of seabirds by longline fishing boats. The Fishing Vessel Owners' Association (FVOA), which represents longlining captains in the halibut and sablefish fisheries along the US West Coast, has instructed its members to use streamer (tori) lines in Washington, Oregon, and Californian waters.

Measures to prevent bycatch are already required by fleets operating in Alaska, where albatross deaths have been reduced by up to 80% thanks to the use of bird-scaring streamer lines.

"We were pleased with the process of reducing bird bycatch in Alaska, and we would support similar measures here along the West Coast," said Robert Alverson, Executive Director of FVOA, which collaborated with researchers to establish the regulations currently in force in Alaska.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:17 PM | Comments (0)

March 25, 2009

White-eyes evolve new species faster than any other known bird family

The discovery of a new bird to science in a distant archipelago is providing evidence of how, in the absence of competitors, unique species can evolve rapidly to fill empty niches. But the archipelago is not the Galapagos, and the bird is not one of Darwin’s finches.

In the year of the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth, a paper in the leading scientific journal, Ibis, describing a new bird species in the Solomon Islands, has reinforced evidence that white-eyes evolve new species faster than any other known bird family – including Galapagos finches.

Javan White-eye © James Eaton/ Birdtour Asia, from the surfbirds galleries. Javan White-eye is a highly localised Javan endemic decreasing as coastal mangroves get turned into shrimp ponds.

The new species has been named Vanikoro White-eye Zosterops gibbsi. The formal description was published in Ibis by Dr Guy Dutson of Birds Australia (BirdLife in Australia), who led a recent expedition to the island of Vanikoro to gather evidence about the bird. Its scientific name gibbsi is in honour of the first person to see the species – David Gibbs.

Vanikoro White-eye differs from other family members by having a distinctively shaped bill; along with different leg and eye-ring colours.

Vanikoro is a small island in the south-west Pacific, in the Solomon Islands archipelago. The rugged volcanic island with steep, forest-covered hills was visited by Jules D’Urville in 1829 – six years prior to The Beagle landing in the Galapagos - who collected specimens of Vanikoro Flycatcher Myiagra vanikorensis and Uniform Swiftlet Collocalia vanikorensis.

“Genetic research has shown that white-eyes evolve new species faster than any known bird family,” said Guy Dutson. “Islands only 3 km apart in the Solomons have their own white-eye species, and the Solomon Islands alone have 13 species of white-eye.

“Like Darwin’s finches, these birds have evolved unique beak structures and feeding behaviours in the absence of competitors”, Dr Dutson added.

White-eyes are small sociable birds of tropical forests. As their common name implies, many have a conspicuous ring of tiny white feathers around their eyes. The Vanikoro White-eye differs from the geographically closest white-eye, the Santa Cruz White-eye Z. sanctaecrucis, by having a longer bill, and different leg and eye-ring colour.

Vanikoro White-eyes are found in forest habitats, mostly above 350 m, and feed on insects and small fruits. “Vanikoro White-eyes were abundant towards the summit of the highest mountain”, noted Dr Dutson, who observed an active nest during his expedition. “Up to three adults fed chicks at a single nest, suggesting cooperative breeding, which has only been documented in two other white-eye species”.

Vanikoro White-eye displays different feeding behaviours to closely-related birds. “This new species forages in a slower, more methodical manner than similar white-eyes, suggesting they have evolved into an empty niche”, commented Dr Dutson.

“Like Galapagos finches, Vanikoro White-eye has evolved perfectly to its surroundings in the absence of competitors”, said Dr Nigel Collar, the Leventis Fellow in Conservation Biology at BirdLife International.

“Perhaps the biggest threat to Vanikoro White-eye is introduced alien species such as rats”, Dr Nigel Collar warned. “Predators introduced by humans now pose a huge threat to native species across the Pacific.”

“Elsewhere in the Solomon Islands, birds are threatened by logging which can extend from the coast high into the hills”, added Dr Dutson.

“So little is known about biodiversity in the Solomon Islands”, said Don Stewart – Director of BirdLife’s Pacific Programme. “Who knows what is still to be found in the Solomon Islands? We need more expeditions like this throughout Melanesia before threats such as illegal logging wipe species out before we can help them”.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:54 AM | Comments (0)

March 3, 2009

The state of Australia's birds

Many native Australian bird species are declining. Birds of garden, water, scrub and woodland are showing marked falls in their populations says a new report by Birds Australia (BirdLife in Australia). The encouraging news is that the status of some species is improving as a result of conservation action.

This is the sixth ‘the state of Australia’s birds’ report, and presents an up-to-date overview of the health of bird populations in Australia and the main challenges to their sustainability. This 2008 report focuses on trends in bird populations revealed by around 50 long-term monitoring programs that have been running for up to 40 years.

Trends in bird populations are mixed, but more species are in decline than were reported in 2003. Common birds are far less common than they once were, for example populations of the familiar Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen have slumped.

Red-necked Avocet © Tamás Zalai, from the surfbirds galleries

“Many, and perhaps most, of our native birds are in decline for a range of reasons including habitat loss and introduced predators”, said Dr Graeme Hamilton - Birds Australia CEO.

The report documents that many of Australia’s waterbird populations are in serious decline due to a combination of the severe drought – especially around the Murray–Darling Basin - and poor water management practices.

Australia’s shorebirds are being closely monitored to ensure they do not share the same fate as the waterbirds. Nevertheless, numbers of migratory shorebirds, such as Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis and Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea, which fly thousands of kilometres from Siberia each year, have fallen sharply in recent years, as have populations of resident shorebirds, such as Red-necked Avocet Recurvirostra novaehollandiae.

Birds in the bush are faring little better, but still declining. Woodland birds, such as robins, thornbills, fantails and treecreepers, which feed on insects on or near the ground, have all declined in south-eastern Australia due to habitat clearance and other modification. Birds of the heathland, such as Ground Parrot Pezoporus wallicus in Western Australia and Endangered Eastern Bristlebird Dasyornis brachypterus in south-eastern Queensland, have also reached perilously low numbers, due to bushfires.

The encouraging news is that where active management is undertaken success in improving the state of bird populations is more prevalent than failure. This is especially true of Globally Threatened birds, such as Gould's Petrel Pterodroma leucoptera and Superb Parrot Polytelis swainsonii. Both Vulnerable species have been actively managed, with recovery plans that have seen habitat protected, rehabilitated or replanted, predators controlled, nest-boxes provided and captive-bred birds released.

Although the report deals with birds, the findings have much broader implications for nature and society—birds are indicators of national quality of life. “This loss of bird biodiversity is serious as it will also reflect the loss in other groups such as mammals, reptiles, and plants”, commented Dr Hamilton.

“Birds Australia have done an impressive job of analysing the latest information on trends in bird populations”, said Alison Stattersfield – BirdLife’s Head of Science. “Their findings are extremely concerning and mirror those presented in BirdLife International’s ‘State of the world’s birds’ report published last year”.

“Globally, there is increasing evidence from long-term monitoring studies of major changes in bird communities and their habitats, with many species declining and few increasing. Our conservation efforts need to be geared up tremendously to halt this loss of biodiversity”.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:36 PM | Comments (0)

February 13, 2009

Dalmatian Pelicans illegally shot in Romania

SOR (BirdLife in Romania) recently received evidence of illegal hunting activities taking place in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. At least eight dead or injured birds were found in the Uzlina area of the Danube Delta. The dead birds were Vulnerable Dalmatian Pelicans Pelecanus crispus and Pygmy Cormorants Phalacrocorax pygmaeus.

The two species are strictly protected from hunting by Romanian legislation, and accidental shooting can be ruled out because the species that were shot are easy to identify. The fact that their killing occurred in a protected area also increases the severity of the case. The Danube Delta is a Biosphere Reserve, a Ramsar site (Wetland of International Importance), and a Natura 2000 site (Special Protected Area).

injured Dalmatian Pelican, Romania © Zoltan Baczo, from the surfbirds galleries

The Romanian Dalmatian Pelican population is one of the most important in Europe, estimated at around 400 breeding pairs, of which four individuals were shot. Romania is also home to nearly half the world’s population of Pygmy Cormorant.

SOR is expressing its opposition and deep concern regarding the failure to enforce hunting legislation in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. “This type of abusive hunting, where the culprits are usually unidentified, tends to be recurrent in this area and can be considered a direct attack on its unique biodiversity”, said Ciprian Fântână, Conservation Director at SOR.

dead Dalmatian Pelican, Romania © Zoltan Baczo, from the surfbirds galleries

The Romanian BirdLife Partner has notified the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Administration, the Regional Environment Protection Agency, the Environment Ministry and the Regional Game Associations. All these institutions are responsible for law enforcement and are empowered to find and sanction those responsible for the illegal hunting activities in the Danube Delta.

“The fact that deliberate massacre of Globally Threatened Dalmatian Pelican is still taking place in Europe is a clear call for more efforts to educate and enforce control on the side of authorities, but media and civil society must play their part too”, said Boris Barov, European Conservation Manager at the European Division. “Such appalling news reminds us how deep-rooted poaching is in human behaviour - despite many years of conservation and awareness-raising work”.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:18 PM | Comments (0)

Birds' movements reveal climate change in action

The northward and inland movement of North American birds, confirmed by thousands of citizen-observations, has provided new and powerful evidence that climate change is having a serious impact on natural systems, according to a new report by Audubon (BirdLife in the USA). The findings signal the need for dramatic policy changes to combat pervasive ecological disruption.

Analyses of citizen-gathered data from the past 40 years of Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count reveal that 58% of the 305 widespread species that winter on the continent have shifted significantly north since 1968, some by hundreds of kilometres. Movement was detected among species of every type, including more than 70% of highly adaptable forest and feeder birds. Only 38% of grassland species mirrored the trend, reflecting the constraints of their severely-depleted habitat and suggesting that they now face a double threat from the combined stresses of habitat loss and climate adaptation.


Purple Finch © Bill Schmoker, from the surfbirds galleries

Population shifts among individual species are common and can have many causes. However, Audubon scientists say the ongoing trend of movement by some 177 species—closely correlated to long-term winter temperature increases—reveals an undeniable link to the changing climate.

"Birds are showing us how the heavy hand of humanity is tipping the balance of nature and causing ecological disruption in ways we are just beginning to predict and comprehend", said report co-author and Audubon Director of Bird Conservation, Dr Greg Butcher. "Common sense dictates that we act now to curb the causes and impacts of global warming to the extent we can, and shape our policies to better cope with the disruptions we cannot avoid."

Movements across all species averaged approximately 56 kilometres during the period. However, it is the complete picture of widespread movement and the failure of some species to move at all that illustrates the potential for problems.

Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus, Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus, and Boreal Chickadee Parus hudsonicus have retreated dramatically north into the Canadian Boreal, their ranges moving an estimated 500, 395, and 340 kilometres respectively over 40 years.

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator, Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris, and American Black Duck Anas rubripes, normally found in southern-tier states, have all taken advantage of warmer winter waters and have shifted their ranges north by an estimated 393, 272, and 226 kilometres.

Only 10 of 26 grassland species moved north significantly, while nine moved south. Species such as Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna, Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus, and Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia were likely unable to move despite more moderate northern temperatures because essential grassland habitat areas have disappeared, having been converted to intensive human uses such as row crops, pastures, and hayfields. In combination, global warming and ongoing overuse of grasslands by humans will doom grassland birds to continued population declines.

"Birds provide some of the best evidence for species's responses to climate change, through their population size, distribution and timing of breeding and migration", said Dr Stuart Butchart, BirdLife's Global Research and Indicators Coordinator. "There is now plenty of evidence that bird species are shifting their ranges northwards and to higher altitudes, and that their timing of breeding and migration is shifting forwards in response to climate change."

Audubon anticipates that the new avian evidence will help attract attention and spark action among more than 40 million U.S. bird-watchers, including tens of thousands who contributed to the Christmas Bird Count data on which the studies are based. The 109-year-old census provides the world’s longest uninterrupted record of bird population trends. "Citizen Science is allowing us to better recognize the impacts that global warming is having here and now. Only citizen action can help us reduce them", said Butcher.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:12 PM | Comments (0)

February 3, 2009

Chinese year of the babbler

A new species of babbler has been described from Guangxi province in south-west China close to the border with Vietnam. Named Nonggang Babbler Stachyris nonggangensis, after the reserve at which it was discovered, this new species is closely related to Sooty Babbler S. herberti but is larger and has white crescent patches behind the ear coverts and dark spots on the upper breast and throat.

Click here for an image of the babbler

Ornithologists, Zhou Fang and Jiang Aiwu from Guangxi University first sighted the birds in surveys during 2005 and confirmed its identity as an undescribed taxon the following year. A formal description was published in a recent edition of leading ornithological journal The Auk.

In general behaviour it resembles a wren-babbler of the genus Napothera in that it prefers running to flying, and seems to spend most of its time on the ground foraging for insects between rocks and under fallen leaves. This is in contrast to other closely-related babbler species that spend most of their time foraging in undergrowth and trees, seldom coming to the ground. No nest has yet been found. About 100 pairs of the birds have been observed in Nonggang.

"I have been studying birds in the region since the 1970s but I had never seen it before. Their habitat in the reserve is protected", Zhou says. "But as they could also exist in the karst rainforest outside the reserve, logging and burning wood to make charcoal pose a threat to their wider habitat."

Its natural habitat is karst seasonal rainforest that, following selective cutting, is dominated by Burretiodendron hsienmu.

"The limestone area in south-western Guangxi is part of the Indo-Burma global biodiversity hotspot and the south-east Chinese Mountains Endemic Bird Area, and is one of the most typical tropical karst regions in the world", Zhou continues. "The fragility of the karst ecosystem and its destruction by people pose great threats to the bird's existence. Therefore, research and conservation of the birds in this habitat is very urgent."

"This is exciting evidence that there could be many more interesting discoveries awaiting ornithologists in China", said Dr Nigel Collar, the Leventis Fellow in Conservation biology at BirdLife International.

This taxon will be assessed in due course by the BirdLife taxonomic working group. If treated as a full species, its conservation status will then be evaluated by BirdLife, the Red List Authority for birds on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:22 AM | Comments (0)

January 12, 2009

Sooty Falcon requires urgent action

A Sooty Falcon Falco concolor has been tracked from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to its wintering areas in Madagascar by the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD). This is the first satellite tracking of Sooty Falcon anywhere in the world. BirdLife believes this monitoring to provide useful information to help conserve this declining species. However, urgent action is now needed to protect breeding sites of this rare falcon on Abu Dhabi islands and elsewhere in the Gulf.

Sooty Falcons breed in scattered, highly localised colonies in the Middle East and time their breeding to coincide with the autumn migration of small birds. Most of the population winters in Madagascar where they hunt large insects.

Sooty Falcon © Tomer Landsberger, from the surfbirds galleries

The Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) fitted the Sooty Falcon with a satellite transmitter at its nest on islands in the Sila Peninsula, Abu Dhabi. H.E Majid Al Mansouri, Secretary General of EAD, expressed his pride and reiterated the importance of such scientific studies.

"We chose to track the Sooty Falcon … because it is a key species for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi," said Abdulnasser Al Shamsi, EAD Director of Biodiversity Management Sector.

The bird – known as 'Ibn Battuta' - departed the UAE in October and was recorded flying over Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique before crossing into Madagascar, its final destination for the winter. "This first ever tracking of the species is a fantastic addition to world science," said Dr Salim Javed, EAD Deputy Manager of Bird Conservation. Altogether Ibn Battuta flew through seven countries and covered 6,700 km.

Sooty Falcon has recently been uplisted to Near Threatened owing to concerns that its population may be much smaller than previously thought, and in decline. A recent EAD breeding survey revealed a fall of 64% since 1994. They reported that the species had disappeared from several former nesting locations, and only six known breeding pairs remain. EAD scientists believe that the loss may be a result of disturbance from development and human presence during the nesting season.

“In the Arabian Gulf the situation appears to have reached a critical stage for nesting Sooty Falcons”, said Ibrahim Al-khader, BirdLife’s Director for the Middle East. “BirdLife is extremely concerned about this rare falcon. In biological terms the UAE Sooty Falcon population now critically close to extinction and requires immediate conservation action”.

BirdLife recently reported how the EAD were instrumental in forming a new agreement that will aid concerted conservation effort necessary across different countries. “Initiating such a multi-national collaborative project on Sooty falcon would be one of the best ways to kick-start the implementation of the Action Plan of the newly established MoU on Migratory Birds of Prey, recently concluded in Abu Dhabi," added Dr Salim Javed.

BirdLife believes that implementation of the 'African-Eurasian Memorandum of Understanding on Birds of Prey' will provide broad-scale actions to help Sooty Falcon. However, targeted action is now urgently required. “What needs to be achieved quickly and effectively is conservation of the remaining nesting sites of this falcon on the Abu Dhabi islands, as well as elsewhere in the Gulf”, commented Ibrahim Al-khader.

BirdLife’s Important Bird Area (IBA) programmes, and EAD’s own studies, have identified a number of the islands of Abu Dhabi as being of international importance for birds of prey which urgently require formal protection by the UAE authorities. “BirdLife respectfully wishes to propose that Faziya, Furaijidat, Qasr Khayain, Ghagah and Jazeera Shoot should be formally protected and managed in time for the next breeding season”, said Ibrahim Al-khader. “There really is no time to lose”.

BirdLife also highlights a number of urgent conservation actions for these important Sooty Falcon locations. “Without such actions, one of the Middle East’s most beautiful and extraordinary birds of prey will disappear from the region”, concluded Ibrahim Al-khader. The actions include:

Restricting, where and when possible, access to breeding colonies of Sooty Falcon at the above sites.

Controlling any future development within these sites that would negatively affect breeding colonies and ensure that environment assessments and regulations are implemented for any potential development.

Annual monitoring of the breeding colony at these sites to assess the population trend.
Conducting research of breeding and wintering species at these sites to be designated as IBAs except for Ghagah (which is already an IBA) to enable their official recognition and protection.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:37 PM | Comments (0)

January 5, 2009

Critical news - Honduran Emerald rediscovered in Western Honduras

Recent sightings have added to our knowledge of the distribution of some of the world’s rarest birds.

Last month a team of American and Honduran researchers and conservationists travelled to western Honduras to search for Honduran Emerald Amazilia luciae, a Critically Endangered species of hummingbird, endemic to Honduras. The principal cause of its decline is habitat destruction, with approximately 90% of its original habitat lost, and the remaining habitat occurring in isolated patches of arid thorn-forest and scrub of the interior valleys of northern Honduras. Based on specimen data, the species was originally known to occur in four Honduran departments, Cortés and Santa Barbara in western Honduras, and Yoro and Olancho in north-eastern Honduras. Despite efforts to find the species in western Honduras, it had not been reported there since 1935. The team conducted searches in Santa Barbara and Cortés and found six sites inhabited by the Emerald, all in the department of Santa Barbara.

www.rarebirdsyearbook.com

“Finding the species in western Honduras gives hope for the conservation of the species. This rediscovery not only increases both the known distributional range but also the population size of this species”, said Dr Stuart Butchart, BirdLife's Global Research Coordinator.

Another good news story from the Americas involves Entre Rios Seedeater Sporophila zelichi. Funded by the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, Aves Uruguay (BirdLife in Uruguay) has been focusing on locating the species in Uruguay through developing habitat models from known occurrences and using predicted locations to then search for the species in new areas. On the very first fieldwork trip Aves Uruguay found a male Entre Ríos Seedeater in an area with no previous records.

“This is a great result and goes to show how well this method of habitat modelling can work”, said Dr Rob Clay, Senior Conservation Manager for the Americas. “This species suffers not only from habitat loss but also from trapping, as this attractive bird is popular as a cagebird.”

Further work on this species is needed as the wintering grounds remain unknown but are likely to be in the Brazilian cerrado or Pantanal.

Both these birds are among 190 Critically Endangered species in need of a Species Champion as part of the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme.

BirdLife Species Champions are a new global community of businesses, institutions and individuals who are stepping forward to provide the funding required to carry out the vital conservation measures BirdLife International has identified to help prevent bird extinctions.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:07 AM | Comments (0)

December 29, 2008

Christmas cracker at South African roost

Scientists monitoring at Mount Moreland - South Africa’s largest Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica roost - have captured their first overseas ringed bird from a festively snowy location. The young Barn Swallow had flown all the way from Finland – a total of 11,000 km! “This is an amazing Christmas gift”, said Hilary Vickers of the Lake Victoria Conservancy – sponsors of the Mount Moreland ringing programme.

“We were carefully fitting the swallows with rings so we can monitor their movements when we spotted a bird already carrying one”, said Mount Moreland bird-ringer Andrew Pickles. “A magnifying glass provided the words Helsinki - Finland!”

The Barn Swallow undertakes one of the world’s most remarkable migrations, with many individuals flying thousands of miles in spring to breed in Europe and then repeating the feat in the autumn, to spend the boreal winter in southern Africa.

Barn Swallow © Marc Read, from the surfbirds galleries

The Finnish Barn Swallow is the first record of an overseas ringed bird being caught at Mount Moreland. However, it is likely that swallows travel from a number of European countries to the site.

The Mount Moreland team is now awaiting details from the Finnish bird ringing data centre. This will give the exact location of where and when the bird was ringed. What is already known is that the swallow is an immature bird visiting South Africa for the first time. “It probably hatched in Finland in June so would be about six months old”, said Lauri Hänninen from BirdLife FINLAND (BirdLife in Finland).

Mount Moreland is part of the Lake Victoria Wetlands, and is the biggest roost site for Barn Swallows in South Africa. The first Barn Swallows arrived at Mount Moreland this year on 29 September. The numbers have now reached their peak and it is now possible to witness up to 3 million birds during an evening from a special viewing area on site.

“The swallows gather together about half an hour before sunset, and provide a soul-stirring sight as they fly in their vast numbers over the Lake Victoria Wetlands”, commented Mark Anderson – Director of BirdLife South Africa (BirdLife in South Africa). “As dusk falls, the swallows suddenly drop into the reed-beds and are all gone”.

The Mount Moreland roost recently hit the news when it was threatened by a proposal to build La Mercy Airport next to the site. In response, BirdLife South Africa led a successful campaign – alongside BirdLife Partners throughout Europe, most notably by the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) - to agree a number of key mitigation actions designed to protect the internationally important Barn Swallow roost.

“Following our campaign, the Airports Company of South Africa [the organisation behind La Mercy] realised the importance of the site as a reedbed of international significance”, said Neil Smith, Conservation Manager at BirdLife South Africa.

La Mercy Airport is now 40% complete and the Airports Company of South Africa are using a number of measures to ensure that the roost and airport can coexist. These include employing environmental management staff to make sure that suitable management of the reedbed continues. “The Airports Company have also purchased a bird detection radar … swallow monitoring is expected to start in early 2009”, noted Neil Smith.

Impacts on the reedbed caused by the airport’s construction are being monitored and managed by an environmental monitoring partnership which consists of several stakeholders including, the Airports Company of South Africa, BirdLife South Africa, the Mount Moreland Conservancy, Tongaat Hulett Developments, the environmental consultants and governmental conservation organisations.

“The environmental monitoring partnership ensures that all stakeholders have input into the conservation of the reedbed - not just the developer”, added Neil Smith.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:41 AM | Comments (0)

November 27, 2008

Switzerland publishes IBA inventory

SVS (BirdLife in Switzerland) and the Swiss Ornithological Institute recently published ‘Important Bird Areas in Switzerland'. The book describes 31 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) which are important for 29 bird species that meet the qualifying criteria. It will be distributed to decision-makers to help gain more protection for these key sites.

The IBAs presented in the report cover 13% of Switzerland’s total area. Nearly half (48%) of the IBAs are located in the Alpine habitat which dominates Switzerland. Indeed, many bird species identified as important in the new publication are limited to the Eurasian alpine habitat. Three sites are in the Jura Mountains, two are in the cultivated landscapes of the Central Plateau, and 11 sites were selected for wintering waterbirds and are along the most important Swiss lakes and rivers.

Alpine Accentor © Christopher Plummer, from the surfbirds galleries

At present, many IBAs in Switzerland don’t have any special protection status. However, a current objective is to integrate them into the Emerald-Network. This is non-EU equivalent of the Natura 2000 network. Some IBAs are partly protected because they have been designated as Ramsar sites, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, or federal protected areas. However, a lot of work remains to be done to ensure a more complete protection of Swiss IBAs. Werner Müller, Director at SVS added: "the publication is an important step in biodiversity conservation, but much more work will be needed to achieve the official protection of the sites under the Emerald Network".

The main threats to Swiss IBAs presented in the book are from lowland agricultural intensification, the abandonment of agriculture in the less accessible Alpine meadows, and the increasing disturbances caused by sports activities in more remote areas.

Boris Barov, European Conservation Manager at BirdLife European Division, added: “Switzerland is well known for its magnificent mountains. We hope that this new publication will make it easier for the Swiss authorities to focus on the best of the best of Alpine biodiversity”

The publishing of this book takes place after a long series of activities related to the IBA Programme in Switzerland: The first Swiss IBAs were designed in 1989 for the Inventory “Important Bird Areas in Europe”. They contained only areas for wintering waterbirds. The criteria were revised in 1995, leading to the designation in 2000 of other IBAs for breeding bird species in the Alps, the Jura Mountains and the Central Plateau. The new book now presents all the 31 IBAs of Switzerland in detail and will be used to convince the Swiss authorities of the importance of protecting IBAs to stop biodiversity loss.

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:41 PM | Comments (0)

Rare birds' release

Following last year's critically acclaimed first edition, Rare Birds Yearbook 2009 has just been published. Featuring the world's 190 Critically Endangered species the book is compiled in cooperation with BirdLife International, the IUCN Red List authority on birds.

Rare Birds Yearbook 2009

The book provides an entry of up to two pages for each Critically Endangered species, complete with its history, the latest information on its status, and the measures that are being taken to protect it, and the 2009 edition has stunning new images of the world's rarest birds.

Six new full-length feature articles cover topics such as the reintroduction of the Californian Condor, philosophical conservation issues, and the latest news about the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme.

"£4.00 from each sale goes directly to save the birds that Rare Birds Yearbook covers", said Erik Hirschfeld, Rare Birds Yearbook editor and founder. "By raising awareness about the plight of these birds, this book provides conservation funds directly to the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme."

The good news since the 2008 edition is that six species have been downlisted from Critically Endangered: Gorgeted Wood-quail Odontophorus strophium, Marquesan Imperial-pigeon Ducula galeata, Purple-backed Sunbeam Aglaeactis aliciae, Gurney's Pitta Pitta gurneyi, Rondonia Bushbird Clytoctantes atrogularis and Somali Thrush Turdus ludoviciae.

The bad news is that eight new ones have been uplisted to replace them: Tristan Albatross Diomedea dabbenena, Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus, Tachira Antpitta Grallaria chthonia, Reunion Cuckooshrike Coracina newtoni, Mariana Crow Corvus kubaryi, Floreana Mockingbird Nesomimus trifasciatus, Akekee Loxops caeruleirostris and Gough Bunting Rowettia goughensis.

This is a project that is trying to put itself out of business by helping save these Critically Endangered species. So why not help by picking up a copy of Rare Birds Yearbook 2009.

To find out more visit www.rarebirdsyearbook.com

To buy this book click here

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:23 PM | Comments (0)

Big trouble for UK and Icelandic seabirds

Analysis of this year's seabird breeding data on RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) coastal reserves shows that Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea and Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus – more commonly known as Arctic Skua - have had a terrible season, with virtually no chicks reared to fledging in the far north of the UK. Changes in food supply, which may be linked to climate change, could threaten the future of these species in the UK.

Arctic Skua © Martin Scott, from the surfbirds galleries

The UK is internationally important for seabirds. Scotland alone is home to over three million seabirds, which is around 45% of the European Union’s breeding seabird population. Earlier this year, the RSPB issued a grave prognosis for the breeding season. Many internationally-important colonies had abandoned nests, and empty cliffs which should have been teeming with tens of thousands of seabirds were very quiet.

The new RSPB data confirm that many northern species have suffered major collapses in breeding success. Worryingly, the evidence again suggests that repeated annual breeding failures are now substantially reducing populations of those species worst affected.

While Black-legged Kittiwakes, Arctic Terns and Arctic Skuas have been hit very hard and face important declines, some other seabird species appear to be weathering the storm on RSPB reserves. Great Skua Catharacta skua, Northern Gannet Morus bassanus and Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo have experienced modest increases in their numbers, while Herring Gull Larus argentatus have remained stable.

Although direct evidence is still lacking, increased winter sea surface temperatures disrupting the food chain are thought to be driving the declines. Douglas Gilbert, an ecologist with RSPB Scotland, said: "RSPB reserves are acting as an indicator of the wider fortunes of seabirds around our coasts. The outlook for some species such as Arctic Skua, Black-legged Kittiwake and Arctic Tern is dire, and there are problems with other species like Common Guillemot Uria aalge and Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica in some areas too. Unless conditions change to allow these birds the chance of successful breeding, the long-term future for them is bleak. The evidence that this is linked to changes in sea surface temperatures is now growing”.

Icelandic seabirds are also experiencing similar problems. Fuglavernd (BirdLife in Iceland) reports that many seabirds have had extremely bad breeding seasons over the last four years. Icelandic seabird declines have coincided with a period of rapid increases in sea temperature - especially in south and west Iceland which is most exposed to the warming waters of the Gulfstream.

As in the UK, species which have suffered most are Arctic Terns, Black-legged Kittiwake, Atlantic Puffin, Great Skua and Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis. Due to climate change, 18 new bird species have arrived in Iceland since the 19th Century.

Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager at the BirdLife European Division, commented: "This is an especially shocking example showing how urgently we have to strengthen our complex ecosystems in times of climate change. If governments do not take action against overfishing, pollution and greenhouse gases, we will face many more terrible surprises"

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:14 PM | Comments (0)

November 18, 2008

First Protected Area Established for Critically Endangered Blue-throated Macaw

Asociación Armonía (BirdLife in Bolivia), with the support of American Bird Conservancy and World Land Trust-US, has created the world's first protected area for the Critically Endangered Blue-throated Macaw Ara glaucogularis, a species with an estimated global population of 300 individuals. The group purchased a 3,555 hectare ranch in the grasslands of eastern Bolivia, a site with 20 Blue-throated Macaws during the breeding season.

Blue-throated Macaw, nr Trinidad, Bolivia © Joe Tobias, from the surfbirds galleries

Blue-throated Macaw is endemic to savannas in the Beni province of Bolivia, and depends on motucu palms for nesting. These palms occur in palm "islands" embedded in the extensive seasonally-flooded grasslands. The entire known population of the species exists on private ranches which undergo yearly burning and heavy grazing by cattle.

The new Barba Azul Nature Reserve also protects excellent Beni savanna habitat with good populations of Vulnerable species, such as Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta, Cock-tailed Tyrant Alectrurus tricolor, and Black-masked Finch Coryphaspiza melanotis.

Healthy populations of the Near Threatened Greater Rhea Rhea americana and Orinoco Goose Neochen jubata are common in the area.

Research in the area of the new reserve found the highest known density of Blue-throated Macaw with a roosting site in the dry season holding 70 individuals and 20 during the rainy season. The birds inhabit a remote area with poor access, and the large group roosts in the forest islands. Armonía/Loro Parque Fundación have identified a further five ranches for sale that are at risk of being developed and that are essential for the expansion of the new private reserve, to protect 41% of the of the known Blue-throated Macaw population.

"This work builds on the Armonía/Loro Parque Fundación Blue-throated Macaw Conservation Program which has supported both research on the macaw and public outreach, including a pride campaign to build awareness of the macaw and support its conservation", said Bennett Hennessey, Executive Director of Armonía. "Raising public awareness to build local support for the macaw is our most potent tool to halt the illegal taking of these rare birds for the pet trade."

"In the face of this development pressure, there is an urgent need to expand the new reserve to conserve a viable population of this spectacular macaw and the many other vulnerable species within it", said Byron Swift, Executive Director of World Land Trust - US.

"This is a huge conservation achievement", said George Fenwick, President of American Bird Conservancy. "The main threats to Blue-throated Macaw are capture for the pet trade and habitat destruction for cattle ranching, and, until now, the species's habitat was completely unprotected."

Armonía is planning the development of a research station and ecotourism facility with access by airplane at the site to help support the project, and through Bird Endowment and Loro Parque Fundación support, the organization has also been experimenting with nest boxes for the birds. The macaws are taking to them readily and this provides an exciting opportunity to boost macaw breeding success while habitat restoration is underway. It should also be possible to expand macaw habitat by creating new tree islands. Removing grazing pressure will improve habitat within existing tree islands and improve conditions for other savanna species. Similarly, controlling fire will enhance habitat for all grassland species and prevent degradation of the tree islands.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:57 AM | Comments (0)

International action to save Lesser White-fronted Goose

A new plan will help stimulate international conservation to save the fastest declining species covered by the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA). The ‘International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus [Vulnerable]’ provides a framework for coordinated international action across its extraordinary migratory route which spans Europe and parts of Asia.

“We now have a solid basis of consolidated information and a practical roadmap which will help countries to work together for the protection of this threatened species”, said Bert Lenten, the Executive Secretary of AEWA.

Lesser White-fronted Goose © Peter Martin, from the surfbirds galleries

The Western Palearctic population of Lesser White-fronted Goose is decreasing faster than those of almost any other species in the area covered by AEWA, with a decline rate of 30-49% over the last 10 years. Hunting on the staging and winter grounds is a primary threat, along with habitat loss and climate change.

The largest part of the bird’s population nests in Russia, migrates across Central Asian states such as Kazakhstan and winters in countries like Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Iraq and Iran. Because the Lesser White-fronted Goose’s migration route regularly takes it across 22 countries, it has become a flagship species for international cooperation.

“A complicated migration route takes the bird through a number of countries where there are no effective hunting regulations”, said Dr Vicky Jones – BirdLife’s Global Flyways Officer. “Lesser White-fronted Goose epitomises the importance of international action to save our threatened migratory birds”.

“One of the things this action plan can do is to promote international cooperation and capacity building in order to assist the countries in this region to strengthen their actions for the species and thereby for wetlands conservation more broadly”, commented Tim Jones, an Action Plan compiler.

An international agreement of this kind is often a requirement before national conservation actions can be justified. “If we get the habitats and sites for this species protected through the implementation of this action plan – it will be benefiting not only the Lesser White-fronted Goose but also many other waterbird species as well”, noted Lenten.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:50 AM | Comments (0)

November 5, 2008

Report warns of shorebird extinctions

A report presented in South Korea today outlines the country’s importance as a key refuelling stop for Globally Threatened migratory birds. It provides clear evidence that substantial declines are taking place in shorebirds populations in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, and that the world’s largest reclamation project could be driving Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus towards extinction.

Spoon-billed Sandpiper, South Korea © Trevor Feltham, from the surfbirds galleries

The joint Birds Korea / Australasian Wader Studies Group report entitled ‘Saemangeum Shorebird Monitoring Program Report’ was presented in Changwon, South Korea today at the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The Australasian Wader Studies Group is a Special Interest Group of Birds Australia (BirdLife in Australia).

Saemangeum is one of the most important shorebird sites within the Yellow Sea and is being reclaimed for development, putting hundreds of thousands of migratory birds under threat. The 40,100 ha construction project on the west coast of South Korea involves damming the estuaries of the Mangyeung and Dongjin Rivers with a vast 33-km long seawall.

“The results of three years survey work clearly shows that there have been massive falls in shorebird numbers at Saemangeum”, warned Nial Moores – Birds Korea. “Saemangeum used to support the largest-known congregations of Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper and Endangered Spotted Greenshank Tringa guttifer, and its destruction could be a major factor in driving these birds towards extinction.”

“The report presents evidence that the reclamation at Saemangeum alone may have caused a 20% drop in the global population of Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris, which winter in Australia, meaning that another shorebird species could soon become globally threatened”, said Alison Russell-French, Birds Australia’s President. The report also warns that there have also been severe impacts on the livelihoods of the many local people who relied on the fisheries at Saemangeum.

“We urge the governments of South Korea and China to carefully assess the findings in this report, and fully consider the impacts of coastal development on wetland biodiversity”, said Dr Mike Rands – BirdLife’s Director & Chief Executive.

“There are still opportunities to mitigate the impacts of the Saemangeum project and restore much of its biodiversity for the benefit of people and all life on Earth”, commented Nial Moores. “Action must be taken soon. Once these magnificent mudflat habitats are lost, the biodiversity they support can never be recovered”.

Birds Korea is dedicated to the conservation of birds and their habitats in South Korea and the wider Yellow Sea Eco-region. The Australasian Wader Studies Group aims to ensure the future of waders and their habitats in Australia through research and conservation programs and to encourage and assist similar programs in the rest of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:37 AM | Comments (0)

October 19, 2008

Returned Lorikeets breed on Atiu

Endangered Rimatara Lorikeets Vini kuhlii which were reintroduced to Atiu in the Cook Islands, using money raised by the British Birdwatching Fair, have begun to breed. The people of Atiu have played a part in monitoring and protecting the birds – known locally as Kura - and the hereditary chiefs of the Cook Islands have taken the lead in celebrating the success of the reintroduction.

Fossil and historical evidence show the bird was native throughout the Southern Cook Islands, and Rimatara, a small nearby island in French Polynesia. It was hunted to extinction for its red feathers, except on Rimatara, where it was protected by a tapu (taboo).

After the release in April 2007, the lorikeets were seen in large flocks on many parts of the island, except at the two release sites. Later in the year they settled into small groups which appeared to establish themselves in particular areas.

In October 2007 posters were distributed to advertise a contest with prizes for residents finding the first, second and third juvenile Kura.

Gerald McCormack, who master-minded the reintroduction, explains that although little is known about the breeding cycle of the lorikeet, the behaviour of other native birds suggested that nests would mainly start between September and December.

From knowledge of other lorikeets, it was likely that incubation would take about 25 days, and nestling feeding about 60 days – about 12 weeks in total from egg-laying to fledging. Adult lorikeets have bright orange beaks and legs and bright red breasts, while newly fledged lorikeets have dark grey beaks and legs, and bluish-red breasts. It was thought that this difference persisted for at least three months.

The first juvenile was reported by Roger Malcolm and George Mateariki on 21 February 2008. This young bird, or other juveniles, was seen a few more times during March and April. Because the observers were participants in the reintroduction programme, the prize money remained intact.

On 22 June a nest was reported in an albizia tree Falcataria moluccana, and a special prize of $100 was awarded. This nest, near the island's sawmill, was about nine metres off the ground, in the end of dead branch about 15cm thick and half-a-metre long. It was photographed by Danish photographer Finn Neilson on 20 July. One photograph showed a Common Myna Acridotheres tristis inspecting the entrance of the nest, and Neilson reported that a Kura was in the nest at the time.

At dusk on 10 August, two large and two small Kura were seen flying from the nest to a nearby tree and back to the nest. This sighting earned the $200 for the first juvenile reported by a resident. The prize was presented by Rongomatane Ariki, president of the council of chiefs of the Cook Islands, in a ceremony beside the plaque commemorating the reintroduction at Atiu's administration office.

However, the Common Mynas, introduced early in the 20th Century to control the coconut stick insect, proved a threat. "In the case of one fledgling, two mynas twice made serious physical contact", Gerald explains. "One of these encounters lead to a prolonged contact conflict between the parents and the two mynas, which extended into a less intense conflict with more than 15 mynas. The fledgling survived – partially aided by the presence of observers and the removal of several mynas." Gerald recommends the number of mynas on Atiu should be drastically reduced to give the lorikeets a head start in establishing a more robust population.

Despite the community-to-community arrangement that no birds would be transferred from Atiu to any other island or nation, within two months of the reintroduction four birds flew 50 km to the neighbouring island of Miti'aro. A survey throughout June 2008 by Hannah Wheatley of Leeds University confirmed that Miti'aro still has four birds, although she was unable to confirm reports of a fifth. "Her trapping showed an abundance of Ship (Brown) Rat and Pacific Rat", says Gerald. "These birds will be monitored to learn more about the effects of Ship Rat on the Rimatara Lorikeet, which is larger than the Blue Lorikeet Vini peruviana and the Ultramarine Lorikeet Vini ultramarina that have been devastated by Ship Rat in French Polynesia."

Atiu was chosen for the reintroduction because it has similar vegetation to Rimatara, has no other lorikeet species, and is currently free of Ship Rats. A programme has been implemented to help keep the island Ship Rat free. This involves monitoring incoming goods, and reporting any fallen coconuts with the tell-tale signs of gnawing. "Ship rats gnaw a side-hole going through the coconut, while the more common holes at the base of fallen coconuts can be made by Pacific Rats", said Gerald.

More recently, there has been a confirmed report of another Kura nest, although so far, no confirmation of eggs or juveniles.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:32 AM | Comments (0)

New sightings of the Ibadan Malimbe in Nigeria's newest proposed IBA

Surveys of the Ifon Forest Reserve, Nigeria, in November 2007 and March 2008 provided confirmed sightings of Endangered Ibadan Malimbe Malimbus ibadanensis, which is endemic to south-west Nigeria. These and earlier sightings have led Ifon Forest Reserve to be proposed as Nigeria's newest Important Bird Area.

"The sighting of the Ibadan Malimbe in Ifon Forest Reserve indicates an extension of the earlier range, and have raised interesting research questions about the distribution of Ibadan Malimbe in south-western forests", said Ademola Ajagbe of Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF, BirdLife Partner Designate in Nigeria),

Ibadan Malimbe was known only from a small area circumscribed by Ibadan, Ife, Iperu and Ilaro in south-western Nigeria. In December 2006, the species was first discovered in Ifon Forest Reserve of Ondo State, where six sight records were obtained during a ten-day survey. Foraging pairs were seen on two separate occasions and lone males were recorded twice. Records of this species from Kakum National Park, Ghana, in February 2002, September 2004 and February 2005 are yet to be confirmed.

One male was identified during the eight-day survey in 2007, while two males were identified at two different locations during the eight-day 2008 survey in the central and northern portion of the reserve. It was difficult to ascertain the presence of female Ibadan Malimbe during the 2008 survey as the males were observed in the company of several Red-headed Malimbe M. rubricollis pairs.

Widespread forest clearance for subsistence agriculture is cited as a possible cause of the Ibadan Malimbe's decline since the 1970s, and human pressure on forests within its range is ongoing. Most of the forest patches within the species's current range are community-owned forests and their preservation is dependent upon local communities.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:30 AM | Comments (0)

September 22, 2008

Birds indicate biodiversity crisis – and the way forward

Common birds are in decline across the world, providing evidence of a rapid deterioration in the global environment that is affecting all life on earth – including human life. All the world’s governments have committed themselves to slowing or halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010. But reluctance to commit what are often trivial sums in terms of national budgets means that this target is almost certain to be missed.

These are some of the stark messages from State of the Worlds Birds, a new publication and website (birdlife.org/sowb) launched today at BirdLife International’s World Conference in Buenos Aires.

Turtle Dove © Bill Jackson, has lost 62% of its population in the last 25 years,
from the surfbirds galleries

“Birds provide an accurate and easy to read environmental barometer, allowing us to see clearly the pressures our current way of life are putting on the world’s biodiversity”, said Dr Mike Rands - BirdLife's CEO.

The report highlights worldwide losses among widespread and once-familiar birds. A staggering 45% of common European birds are declining: the familiar European Turtle-dove Streptopelia turtur, for example, has lost 62% of its population in the last 25 years. On the other side of the globe, resident Australian wading birds have seen population losses of 81% in just quarter of a century.

Twenty North American common birds have more than halved in number in the last four decades. Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus fell most dramatically, by 82%. In Latin America, the Yellow Cardinal Gubernatrix cristata - once common in Argentina - is now classified as globally Endangered.

Millions of White-rumped Vultures Gyps bengalensis recently flew in Asian skies. In just sixteen years populations have crashed by 99.9% - the species is now classified as Critically Endangered. Widespread birds like the Eurasian Eagle Owl are believed to be vanishing from Middle Eastern forests. Seabirds - including Critically Endangered Chatham Albatross Thalassarche eremita - are disappearing from the world’s oceans.

“Many of these birds have been a familiar part of our everyday lives, and people who would not necessarily have noticed other environmental indicators have seen their numbers slipping away, and are wondering why” said Dr Rands. “Because birds are found almost everywhere on earth, they can act as our eyes and ears, and what they are telling us is that the deterioration in biodiversity and the environment is accelerating, not slowing.”

State of the Worlds Birds identifies many key global threats, including the intensification of industrial-scale agriculture and fishing, the spread of invasive species, logging and the replacement of natural forest with monocultural plantations. However, Dr Rands warns: “In the long term, human-induced climate change may be the most serious stress of all”.

The encouraging news is that conservation works and is relatively cheap. Direct action saved 16 bird species from extinction between 1994 and 2004. But conserving biodiversity now urgently needs more financial support.

“Effective biodiversity conservation is easily affordable, requiring relatively trivial sums at the scale of the global economy”, said Dr Rands. For example, to maintain the protected area network which would safeguard 90 percent of Africa’s biodiversity would cost less than $1 billion US dollars a year –yet in a typical year the global community provides around $300 million.

“The world is failing in its 2010 pledge to achieve a significant reduction in the current rate of loss of biodiversity”, said Dr Rands. “The challenge is to harness international biodiversity commitments and ensure that concrete actions are taken — now!”

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:06 PM | Comments (0)

September 6, 2008

Peru’s spectacular seabirds seeking sanctuary

Peru’s seabirds, especially the spectacular aggregations at its guano islands, are world famous. However, a new BirdLife report indicates that many of the sites and species are under increased threat and urgently need better protection.

The new report - jointly published with the American Bird Conservancy - details the outcomes of a workshop held in Lima (Peru) last year entitled “Seabirds and Seabird-Fishery Interactions”. The objective was to bring together individuals and organisations working on seabird-related topics in Peru in order to develop a coordinated plan of action in relation to seabird conservation and management priorities. The workshop focussed on identifying breeding sites for key species and addressing the principal threats to these.

Peruvian Tern © Dubi Shapiro, from the surfbirds galleries

Paramount is the need to take action now to preserve the Peruvian guano islands, whose seabird populations have decreased from 15-20 million to just 2 million over the last 30 years, to the extent that harvesting their guano – bird droppings - may no longer be economically viable. This guano has been harvested for centuries along the coast of Peru and is an important source of organic fertilizer.

John Croxall, Chair of BirdLife’s Global Seabird Programme explained that “the combination of the immensely productive cold Humboldt Current offshore and the dry climate onshore created conditions whereby Peru’s coastal islands hosted vast colonies of seabirds whose droppings were preserved in layers tens of metres deep.”

Although the guano harvest was partly responsible for reducing seabird numbers, if it stopped now, the limited protection most islands currently enjoy using guano wardens would cease. This would result in widespread disturbance and depredation of the important seabird colonies. The delegates agreed that the breeding sites urgently need more protection.

Successful transfer of the sites to the Peruvian National Protected Areas System would require substantial resources to develop and implement appropriate management plans which have the support of regional and local authorities and communities. Dr Croxall commented that “a major international fundraising initiative will be needed, both to protect the islands until a sustainable longer-term plan is developed as well as to create and underpin this plan”.

The report also highlights the plight of three Globally Threatened, and declining, seabirds for which Peru holds a big portion of the world population:

Vulnerable Humboldt Penguin Spheniscus humboldtii: now fewer than 5,000 birds remain. They are threatened by fisheries bycatch and competition as well as disturbance and illegal capture.
Endangered Peruvian Diving Petrel Pelecanoides garnotii: now restricted to two main sites and threatened by hunting, introduced predators, reduced food availability and fisheries bycatch.
Endangered Peruvian Tern Sterna lorata: now fewer than 1,000 birds at no more than three known breeding sites and threatened there by disturbance and coastal development.

“An urgent priority for the conservation of Peruvian Terns is to protect the largest known breeding site, within the Paracas reserve, from disturbance by tourists and vehicles” said Dr Croxall. He further explained that “for all species effective site protection and management are needed. The workshop identified about 40 sites which need to be properly safeguarded if the great spectacles of Peruvian seabirds are to survive” Currently only two receive statutory protection.

The report also addresses issues arising from: longline fishing and bycatch of seabirds; the concept and practice of identifying marine IBAs; and the management of anchoveta fish stocks to reduce competition between seabirds and the fishing industry. The outcomes of discussions on these topics are presented and the full document can be downloaded below.

The workshop was organised by the Global Seabird Programme of BirdLife International in conjunction with the American Bird Conservancy seabird program.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:13 PM | Comments (0)

Canada makes giant leaps in site protection

The Canadian Government has announced that it will protect more than 450,000 hectares of Arctic wilderness in Nunavut province, including a globally significant Important Bird Area, by establishing three new National Wildlife Areas: Niginganiq (Isabella Bay), Qaqulluit (Cape Searle) and Akpait (Reid Bay). All three sites are located on the north-east side of Baffin Island in Nunavut.

“This is great news for Canada’s birds, biodiversity and the cause of wilderness preservation”, said Julie Gelfand, president of Nature Canada. “Two of Canada’s Important Bird Areas are found within the Qaqulluit and Akpait NWAs. This means critical breeding and feeding grounds for millions of migratory birds will be preserved.”

Northern Fulmar© Glyn sellors, from the surfbirds galleries

Nature Canada has long argued that National Wildlife Areas are an essential tool for protecting Canada’s migratory birds and endangered species. Habitat for several Arctic marine species stand to be set aside with the Government’s announcement, including the largest Canadian colony of Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis.

“We are extremely pleased to see the Government take the all important first step of officially designating three new wildlife areas”, said Gelfand. “With this announcement, however, should come a commitment to provide the ongoing funding required to properly manage the entire system of National Wildlife Areas in Canada well into the future.”

“Currently nearly 12 million hectares of wilderness are being managed on less than $4 million dollars annually, which is a tiny fraction of what is needed to properly address management concerns and protect wildlife populations”, said Gelfand.

In another recent announcement, Ontario State Premier Dalton McGuinty, pledged to permanently protect 225,000 square kilometres of boreal forest in the northern area of the province. Covering more than 20% of Ontario's total land mass, the area to be protected is roughly the same size as the United Kingdom. McGuinty also announced a sweeping mining reform package that is unprecedented in North America in recognizing the role of First Nations and the need to share resource benefits with local communities.

Scientists around the world have been calling on Canadian governments at all levels to protect the boreal forest, which is under increasing pressure from logging, mining and oil and gas exploration.

The vast boreal region in northern Ontario represents 43% of the province's land mass and has been identified as one of the world's most significant and largest intact forest and wetland ecosystems.

Boreal forest is the world's single-largest terrestrial carbon storehouse. The Canadian boreal forest alone stores 186 billion tons of carbon - equivalent to 27 years of the world's carbon dioxide fossil fuel emissions. It also contains the majority of North America's fresh, unfrozen water and it provides nesting grounds for billions of migratory songbirds and waterfowl; half of North America's birds are dependent on Canada's boreal forest for their survival.

In May, the Quebec government announced that they will protect more than 18,000 square kilometres of forest and wetlands in 23 new conservation areas. Fifteen of these new conservation areas are in the boreal zone.

The move will bring the province closer to its pledge to protect 8% of its natural spaces from development by the end of 2008. The new conservation areas amount to more than one per cent of Quebec's total area and was the biggest area of land protected in more than 100 years.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:42 AM | Comments (0)

September 3, 2008

Iron grip closes on Langebaan lagoon

BirdLife South Africa (BirdLife in South Africa) says time is running out for the Langebaan Lagoon - one of it's most precious Ramsar sites, and part of the West Coast National Park and Saldanha Bay islands Important Bird Area (IBA).

Langebaan Lagoon is the most important wetland for waders in South Africa, regularly accounting for around 10% of South Africa's coastal wader numbers. The lagoon can support more than 37,500 non-passerine waterbirds in summer, of which 34,500 are waders, 93% of which are Palearctic migrants.

Grey Plover © Ian Tew, from the surfbirds galleries

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola, Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea, Sanderling C. alba, Red Knot C. canutus and Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres are the major components of the summer wader assemblage. The coastal strandveld supports several restricted-range and biome-restricted species, including the recently described Long-billed Lark Certhilauda curvirostris.

In winter, the lagoon regularly supports more than 10,500 birds, of which 4,500 are Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus and 4,000 are waders.

BirdLife South Africa reports that this important Western Cape wetland is now plagued by port expansion, sewerage pollution, urban development and tourism infrastructure development, and may lose its conservation status as a important site for South Africa's breeding coastal birds.

The existing iron ore terminal is set to double its capacity for iron ore exports. This planned expansion has been seriously criticized by conservation organisations due to the expected impact on the hydrology, lagoon sediments, birdlife and shoreline of the lagoon. Evidence of the long-term negative impacts of the original port development in the early 1970s is visible on the eastern shores of the lagoon at the Langebaan village.

"The beaches have practically disappeared due to the scouring tidal action that was created by the causeway and jetty when the iron ore terminal was constructed," said Carolyn Ah Shene of BirdLife South Africa's Policy & Advocacy Division. "Tidal water that used to take four days to return to the Atlantic Ocean is now believed to take up to seventeen days to return. The extra dredging that will be required for the double capacity terminal will have devastating impacts on the lagoon sediments and its biota. We believe this will have a serious knock-on effect on bird diversity and numbers at the lagoon."

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:28 PM | Comments (0)

September 2, 2008

Canal diverted to save Jerdon's Courser

The 270-mile Teluga Ganga Canal, from Srisailam in central Andhra Pradesh to Chennai (Madras), is to be diverted around the only remaining habitat of the Critically Endangered Jerdon's Courser Rhinoptilus bitorquatus.

Because of its specialised habitat requirements, Jerdon's Courser is endemic to the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh and extreme southern Madhya Pradesh, India. Believed to number no more than 50 individuals, the bird was thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in Andhra Pradesh 22 years ago. The rediscovery led the Andhra Pradesh government to establish the Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary, to protect the courser's habitat of scrub forest interspersed with bare ground in the gently rolling, rocky foothills of the Eastern Ghats.

When the proposed route of the canal threatened the sanctuary, conservationists including Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS, BirdLife in India) and RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) urged the Supreme Court of India to intervene. The Supreme Court halted the construction work, and now, three years later, a new route has been approved which avoids most of the protected sites.

The Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Department has agreed, in principle, to buy 3,000 acres of scrub forest between the new canal route and the sanctuary. The state's Forest Department will manage that land to protect and enlarge the bird's habitat.

Dr Panchapakesan Jeganathan, a scientist at BNHS, said: "This bird is more threatened than the tiger, and very few people have ever seen it. People thought Jerdon's Courser was a block to progress, but are now benefitting from the canal's realignment because they will receive generous compensation, and the only land they are losing is difficult to farm."

Fuelwood collection and overgrazing, and more recently disturbance from the construction of the canal, may have contributed to the bird's decline, But some livestock grazing and forest management will continue in the sanctuary to maintain the open scrub.

"There is every chance that Jerdon's Courser will survive this development and, with the right management, eventually increase its numbers", Dr Jeganathan continued. "The decision is an example of how governments, communities and conservationists can work together for mutual gain, without putting in jeopardy the future of a threatened species."

Scientists believe other nearby scrub forests could be harbouring Jerdon's coursers, and have been given permission to attach radio transmitters to two birds. They will also use cameras and footprint tracking strips to find out more about the species.

Ian Barber, the RSPB's Asia Officer, said: "It is crucial we find other sites hosting Jerdon's coursers and encourage both politicians and the people living nearby to support that work."

He added: "We are hoping the courser will become the State Bird of Andhra Pradesh to create a sense of pride and stewardship among all of those on whom its future depends."

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:35 AM | Comments (0)

August 1, 2008

Korean delegation highlights proposed canal impacts

Representatives from three Korean organisations have visited BirdLife International in Cambridge to highlight the environmental impacts of the proposed Korean Grand Canal Project.

Buddhist Environmental Solidarity, Eco-Horizon Institute and Birds Korea all gave presentations detailing how this project is predicted to impact on wetland biodiversity and questioning whether it is economically viable, and reported that popular opinion in Korea is against the project.

The proposed first stage would cut across the country from Seoul in the north-west to Pusan in the south-east. This would involve significant amounts of dredging to deepen the shallow rivers for the use of large container ships, thereby destroying much of the current rivers’ biodiversity. It would also affect the hydrology of the rivers, impacting large areas of wetlands.

The first phase of the canal scheme would be 553 km long with 19 locks and 16 dams and would include a 26 km tunnel involving a boat lift. The second phase of the project would involve a second canal to the south-west of the country.

Scaly-sided Merganser © Peter Morris, a rare photo of this
species from the surfbirds galleries

Many species would be affected by the building of the canal including the Endangered Scaly-sided Merganser Mergus squamatus. There would be severe effects on several important sites, including up to 11 Important Bird Areas notably Upo wetland which has been designated as a Ramsar site.

The presentations also revealed that South Korean President Lee Myung-bak had recently suspended the project given the environmental impacts and the concerns of the Korean public. This bold decision is especially timely as the 10th Meeting of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands entitled "Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People" will meet in Changwon, Republic of Korea from October 28 to November 4.

"We are very concerned about the potential impacts of the Grand Canal on threatened birds and other biodiversity", said Dr Mike Rands, Director & Chief Executive of BirdLife International.

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:30 PM | Comments (0)

Bullfinch benefits

For the past 5 years, SPEA (Birdlife in Portugal) and the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK), together with other partners, including the Azores Regional Government, have been implementing a LIFE project to save the Critically Endangered Azores Bullfinch Pyrrhula murina - or Priolo as it is known locally - from extinction. This species is Europe’s rarest songbird, and the second most globally threatened bird species in the whole continent. It occurs only in small pockets scattered in a 6,000 hectare mountain range on São Miguel island in the Azores. The species’s natural habitat, which was already patchily distributed and degraded, is currently severely threatened through invasion by aggressive exotic plant species.

Azores Bullfinch © John Oates, from the surfbirds galleries

The LIFE project has been improving the Azores Bullfinch habitat since 2003, by clearing exotic plants and planting native trees that provide the food that the birds depend on. Project staff have also been monitoring the population, which seems to be responding well to this habitat management – the population appears to be increasing fast, at least in the transects monitored by the LIFE project team.

Last year, conservation scientists decided that there was a need for a complete snapshot of the Azores bullfinch distribution, as well as a more robust measure of the species density, habitat use and numbers. The team in Portugal and in the UK then developed a unique field experiment - a simultaneous survey of all the Azores bullfinches in the complete world range.

The event, partly funded by a generous grant of US$17,000 (€11,000) from the Disney Conservation Fund, attracted much interest and 50 volunteers from the UK, Holland, Brazil, Spain, France, mainland Portugal and the Azores spent several days in June being trained on Azores Bullfinch songs, habitat classification and distance sampling.

Almost 200 one-kilometre squares were checked and 287 point counts took place, with eight minutes spent at each point. A total of 78 Azores Bullfinches were counted, which should result in a final estimate of several hundred birds – an increase on the 200 individuals estimated five years ago. Encouragingly, there were a number of records from outside the core range for the species, suggesting it may occur more widely than previously thought.

SPEA has been appointed the Species Guardian for Azores Bullfinch as part of the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme and Birdwatch magazine recently stepped forward as a Species Champion. This support will enable SPEA to build on this work into the future.

"This is great news for Azores Bullfinch and shows how the work of the Species Guardian is really making a difference", said Jim Lawrence, the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme Development Manager.

If you would like to help Birdwatch support Azores Bullfinch visit their online donation site at www.justgiving.com/priolo

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:23 PM | Comments (0)

Marine reserve on home straight

Wellington’s south coast marine reserve came a step closer recently with its formal announcement. The ‘Taputeranga Marine Reserve’ will be opened officially next month; 17 years after Forest & Bird (BirdLife in New Zealand) first started campaigning for it.

“Having Taputeranga Marine Reserve on Wellington’s doorstep will be a huge bonus,” said Forest & Bird General Manager Mike Britton. “With other marine reserves, as people have seen the growth of fish numbers and other marine life inside and outside the reserve, even opponents have become supporters.”

The 840 hectare reserve is home to Little Penguin Eudyptula minor and Australasian Gannet Morus serrator along with more than 180 species of fish. The Wellington Marine BioBlitz, coordinated by Forest & Bird in October 2007, found more than 600 species inside the proposed reserve in just one month, including at least six species new to science. Common Dolphins, Fur Seals, Orcas (Killer Whales) and whales are also regular visitors to the area.

Killer Whale © Mark Breaks, from the surfbirds galleries

"What has buoyed the members of the Coalition the most has been the overwhelming and consistent support of the Wellington community. Along with the marine life, the community will soon begin to reap the benefits", said Colin Ryder, convener of the Coalition to help designate the reserve. “The creation of the reserve has only been made possible by the support and active involvement of many enthusiastic and committed individuals. It has been a long, complex and sometimes frustrating journey, but the end result will be well worth the effort".

The marine reserve will be open for the public to enjoy. People will be encouraged to visit Taputeranga to dive, swim, kayak and explore the beach. However, fishing or taking any marine life will not be allowed.

The official opening will kick off New Zealand’s Conservation Week on September 7, and will include a marine walk with talks and activities. The week is organised by Forest & Bird, the Department of Conservation and others.

BirdLife International is currently adapting and extending the IBA programme to the oceans. The identification of Marine IBAs will make a vital contribution to global initiatives to gain greater protection and sustainable management of the oceans, including valuable input to the identification of Marine Protected Areas.

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:18 PM | Comments (0)

July 25, 2008

Socotra recognised as World Heritage Site

The Socotra Archipelago was recently added to the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) list of World Heritage Natural Sites. Many international organisations including BirdLife have long campaigned for the Socotra Conservation and Development Programme's (SCDP) submission for this prestigious designation.

In the statement which accompanied the announcement, UNESCO explained that Socotra is of universal importance because of its rich and distinct flora and fauna and high level of endemism.

Socotra Cormorant © Mike Watson, Birdquest, from the surfbirds galleries

"37% of Socotra's 825 plant species, 90% of its reptile species and 95% of its land snail species do not occur anywhere else in the world. The site also supports globally significant populations of land and sea birds (192 bird species, 44 of which breed on the islands while 85 are regular migrants), including a number of threatened species." Globally threatened species include Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis.

Bird species restricted to Socotra include the near-threatened Island Cisticola Cisticola haesitata, Socotra Warbler Incana incana, Socotra Starling Onychognathus frater, Socotra Sunbird Nectarinia balfouri, the Vulnerable Socotra Bunting Emberiza socotrana. Also only found on the island is the Socotra Grosbeak Rhynchostruthus socotranus, part of the complex of species which Yemen recently appointed as its national bird, the Golden-winged Grosbeak. A further 11 subspecies are endemic to the island. Surveys by BirdLife and SCDP have shown that all have healthy populations.

"This is an important step on the way to developing Socotra sustainably, with benefits for both the population of the island and its biodiversity," said Yemen's Environment Minister Abdul-Rahman al-Iryani, who opposes plans by other ministries for damaging road developments on the island. The minister believes that eco-tourism will make an important contribution to Socotra's economy.

This designation is a culmination of the process which began when Socotra was declared a UNESCO Man and Biosphere reserve in 2003.

"Socotra's rich biodiversity and endemism is now recognised at the highest level," said Ibrahim Al-Khader, Head of BirdLife Middle East.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:45 AM | Comments (0)

July 13, 2008

Kazakh IBAs get first natural World Heritage Site status for Central Asia

Two of central Asia’s most important steppe-wetland Important Bird Areas (IBAs), Tengiz-Korgalzhyn and Naurzum have been recognised as being of the same outstanding natural value as sites such as Yellowstone National Park and the Galapagos Islands.

During its 32nd session in Quebec the UNESCO World Heritage Committee announced this week that they were to include the territory of “Saryaka - Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan” into the list of UNESCO natural World Heritage Sites. The Tengiz-Korgalzhyn and Naurzum nature reserves, the two sites forming Saryaka, are located in the steppe zone of Kazakhstan and are two of the most important IBAs in Central Asia. Both are crucial migration stop-over sites for several million birds each year on the African-Eurasian flyway. They also hold large breeding populations of many globally threatened species.

“This World Heritage Nomination represents a significant step in the safeguarding of these vitally important sites”, Dr Lincoln Fishpool, BirdLife’s Global IBA Coordinator.

Siberian Crane © Roy de Haas, from the surfbirds galleries

Naurzum is particularly important for Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus (Vulnerable), Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis (Endangered) and the Critically Endangered Siberian Crane Grus leucogeranus. The Tengiz-Korglazhyn is used by an estimated 2 million waterbirds during migration, and is also a key site for global breeding populations of Dalmatian Pelican Pelacanus crispus (Vulnerable), Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni (Near Threatened) and Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius (Critically Endangered).

Both sites are located in the steppe zone and cover important steppe habitat. This is home not only to birds but for many rare species of mammal such as Saiga Antelope Saiga tatarica and Steppe Marmot Marmota bobak.

“Tengiz Korgalzhyn is under threat because of a need for fresh water for the growing capital city, as well as for waste water dumping. This nomination is a great and important day for conservation in Kazakhstan and will help to protect these globally significant wetlands and threatened steppe habitat”, says Vitaliy Gromov, Director of the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK), BirdLife’s project partner in Kazakhstan.

The nomination process was initially started by the government of Kazakhstan, NABU (BirdLife in Germany) and WWF International while ACBK together with RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) and also the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan played a crucial role in the phase of the submission of the final nomination dossier.

“NABU is very happy that we can finally see the results of this long process. This will be the first natural Heritage Nomination not only for Kazakhstan but also for Central Asia. These sites have now been given the recognition they deserve”, says Thomas Tennhardt, NABU’s Vice-President.

“We congratulate the government of Kazakhstan on this success. Kazakhstan has taken on major responsibilities to protect these globally important IBAs for the future”, says Dr. Norbert Schaffer, Head of the European Programmes and International Biodiversity Policy Department, RSPB.

IBAs form a worldwide network of sites for the conservation of birds. When complete, this global network is likely to comprise around 15,000 IBAs covering some 10 million km2 (c.7% of the world’s land surface) identified on the basis of about 40% of the world’s bird species. The effective conservation of these sites will contribute substantially to the protection of the world's biological diversity.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:11 AM | Comments (0)

July 4, 2008

Raptor Camp 2008 - September 13 - September 28 2008 - Book now

Make a difference towards the conservation of wild birds. Join Raptor Camp Malta and participate in Illegal Hunting Surveillance and Raptor Migration Monitoring

About BirdLife Malta

BirdLife Malta is the most effective and successful organisation in the fight against illegal hunting of protected species in Malta. BirdLife Malta forms part of the BirdLife International partnership which includes organisations such as RSPB in the UK, NABU (Naturschutzbund) in Germany, VBN (Vogelbescherming Nederland) in Holland, SVS/BirdLife Switzerland, SOF (Sveriges Ornitholgiska Forening) in Sweden, LIPU (Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli) in Italy and many others.

What is Raptor Camp Malta about?

BirdLife Malta, since the late 1990s, has organised a camp during the annual autumn raptor migration period. Both local and international volunteers join this camp with the express aim to curtail illegal hunting activity and collect data on bird migration. This is no bird watching holiday, but a serious conservation effort!

What’s in it for you?

This is an excellent chance to make a genuine contribution to wildlife conservation and experience life in another country. You will be given the opportunity to get involved in serious conservation work and, more importantly, play a part in Malta’s fight to stop the illegal hunting of protected species. You will experience the positive effects of your work immediately on a day to day basis.

Illegal hunting surveillance and raptor migration monitoring are the two main elements forming the camp. These are carried out every day during the morning and afternoon. As well as monitoring raptor migration, participants will also record migration of a range of other species, including herons, bee-eaters, orioles, thrushes and doves.

When not working on the main Raptor Camp objectives, participants are free to choose from a variety of planned and non-planned activities. These include other conservation work and/or birding-related activities and also other leisure activities such as cultural visits to historic sites, trips to the other islands, and swimming and other social activities. In the evening work shops, discussions and films will be organized for the participants.

Illegal hunting surveillance

Volunteers will look out for hunters and watch for illegal hunting activities. Camp attendees will effectively be working as ‘look-out posts’ to inform police of illegal hunting activities and their whereabouts. The volunteers will record data on illegal activities as well as trying to gather evidence through cameras and video cameras. At times, in the absence of police, volunteers’ presence is used to curtail illegal hunting activities through a cautionary approach. Past experience shows that the mere presence of birdwatchers who will report infringements to the police is an active deterrent.

One of the teams in the field monitoring migration

Raptor Migration Monitoring

Volunteers will look out for raptors, identify the species and record basic data. The most common migrants at this time of year are Marsh Harrier, Honey Buzzard, European Hobby and Common Kestrel, while other migrants include Osprey, Montagu’s Harrier, Eleonora’s Falcon and Lesser Kestrel. Data recorded includes species, age and sex (where possible), location, and time of sighting.

Other conservation work

Raptor Camp attendees will also be exposed to a variety of conservation work during their stay at the camp in the form of field work on BirdLife Malta’s project sites. Attendees will work at the camp for 5 days per week and have 1 day per week to work on a conservation site of their choice. (If you want to also take part in other conservation projects please write to nicholas.crockford@birdlifemalta.org two weeks before you arrive in Malta.)

Also, when not working on the main Raptor Camp objectives, participants are free to choose from a variety of planned and non-planned activities. These include both birding-related activities and other leisure activities. Ringers will need to provide a copy of their licence prior to their arrival in order to obtain local ringing licence should they wish to participate in ringing activities while in Malta. In the evening work shops, discussions and films will be organized for the participants.

What skills do you need to join Raptor Camp Malta?

All one really needs is enthusiasm and motivation to fight against illegal hunting of protected species. However, a number of volunteers are required to have raptor identification skills. For those without raptor identification skills, a crash course in raptor ID will be provided at the beginning and in the middle of the camp. All volunteers will be required to participate in chores to look after the camp.

What about accommodation, food and transport while in Malta?

BirdLife Malta organizes group accommodation in a family run apart-hotel in Buskett Forest. This hostel also acts as the base of all activities during the camp. Depending on the number of attendees, a second hotel may also be rented in the north of the island. Accommodation, food, transport during the camp activities will be organized for the group. The attendees will pay for transportation from and to the airport.

How long does the camp last?

The camp starts on the 13th September and lasts for just over 2 weeks ending on the 28th September. Volunteers may come for one or two weeks depending on their availability and the flight schedule.

How much does Raptor Camp cost?

The cost per day for the camp is Euro 20 (£16Stg). This includes:

Shared accommodation in apartments
Continental breakfast (breads, jams, cold cuts, tea and coffee); packed lunch (sandwich and a whole fruit); and Cooked Dinner
All transport during working activities
Extras:

transfer from the airport to the hotel (and from hotel to airport) can be organised for you by the hotel. This roughly costs Euro 25 per trip
a minimal extra cost is charged for persons wishing to attend excursions to cover the cost of transport (excursions are optional)
any other personal costs one spends on leisure
For more information and to participate

Simply send an email to raptorcamp@birdlifemalta.org outlining what information you need.

To download the2007 Raptor Camp report please click here

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:11 AM | Comments (0)

June 19, 2008

An eye for the Maine chance

Maine Audubon has completed the initial stage of its Important Bird Areas (IBA) program, identifying 22 areas in Maine as critical to state and global bird populations.

“A diverse mix of habitats makes Maine an important place for about 300 species of birds—many of them threatened or endangered”, said Susan Gallo, the Maine Audubon biologist who heads the project. “But threats like inappropriate development, chemical contamination and climate change put them at risk. By identifying the most crucial areas, the IBA program helps us focus our conservation efforts where we can have the greatest impact.”

Piping Plover © Tom Prestby, from the surfbirds galleries.

The IBA program of BirdLife International is a worldwide initiative aimed at identifying and protecting a network of critical sites for the conservation of the world's birds. When complete, this global network is likely to comprise around 15,000 IBAs covering some 10 million km2 (c.7% of the world’s land surface) identified on the basis of about 40% of the world’s bird species. The effective conservation of these sites will contribute substantially to the protection of the world's biological diversity.

IBAs are locations that provide important habitat for one or more species of breeding, wintering or migrating birds. The areas meet thresholds for birds listed as threatened or endangered, for species of state or regional conservation concern, or for substantial population concentrations or unique species diversity.

“At this stage we focused on the most important spots on publicly and privately conserved land along the coast and major wetlands in southern and central Maine”, Gallo said. “We think this is a good starting point for engaging the public, working with landowners and encouraging responsible land management.”

“We see this as a locally driven, grassroots, bottom-up process,” said John Cecil, Audubon’s national IBA program director. “Local engagement is a cornerstone of the IBA program’s success in the United States.”

A national committee is reviewing several Maine IBAs that may qualify for globally important status. Certain sites meet global population thresholds for Piping Plover Charadrius melodus (Near Threatened), Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow Ammodramus caudacutus (Vulnerable), and Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus (Vulnerable).

Posted by Surfbirds at 2:15 PM | Comments (0)

June 6, 2008

Tricoloured mega-colony saved

Audubon California has announced that it has reached an agreement with a farmer to safeguard a single colony of about 80,000 Tricoloured Blackbirds Agelaius tricolor – nearly a third of the world’s population of this Endangered species.

The estimated global population of Tricoloured Blackbirds is 250,000 to 300,000 birds, with at least 95% of these occurring in California. Tricoloured Blackbirds have declined dramatically in the past century as native wetland habitat has been lost and the species has consequently been classified as Endangered. Tricoloured Blackbirds form just a few large nesting colonies each year, and in most cases these occur in crop fields. This puts the colonies in grave danger when farmers cultivate the field before young birds are able to fly.

Tri-coloured Blackbird © Martin Meyers, courtesy of Birdlife International

“This is really a great victory for conservation, and an example of how conservation and agricultural interests can work together to find real solutions”, said Graham Chisholm, director of conservation for Audubon California. “The Tricoloured Blackbird is an important part of California’s natural beauty, and this agreement, combined with other conservation measures, will help to ensure that it has a healthy future.”

Through a cooperative agreement with Audubon California, the farmer will delay the harvest of 65 hectares where the colony is nesting. This delay will provide enough time for the young to leave the nest, ensuring the success of the state’s largest breeding colony. Because the delay in harvesting will reduce the market value of the crop, Audubon California has agreed to compensate the farmer for any lost value.

“Audubon is grateful that this farmer was willing work with us to craft a solution to save this mega-colony of Tricoloured Blackbirds”, said Chisholm. “We’ve found that the more we talk about these issues, the more we understand that we don’t necessarily have to choose between the protection of important species and the economic interests of farming communities.”

Public and private land managers are working to manage habitat for Tricoloured Blackbirds in order to encourage the birds to nest in wetlands and other secure habitats as opposed to agricultural fields. Audubon California is part of a statewide working group, including public agencies, farmer and rancher organizations, conservation organizations, researchers from UC Davis and others to develop a comprehensive strategy to protect Tricoloured Blackbirds.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:54 AM | Comments (0)

New hope for Regent Honeyeater

The release of Regent Honeyeater Xanthomyza phrygia back into the wild provides new hope for the Endangered species. In total, twenty-seven birds, all fitted with radio transmitters, have been released into the Chiltern National Park (Australia). Community involvement is now playing a vital part in monitoring activities. A bird has already been re-sighted next to a wild bird - the first wild Regent Honeyeater in the park for 18 months!

The Regent Honeyeater, with its brilliant flashes of yellow feathers, was once seen in flocks hundreds-strong. “Recent surveys have suggested that the species has declined dramatically during the past five years,” warned David Geering (National Regent Honeyeater Recovery project Co-ordinator). “There could be as few as 1,000 birds left in the wild.”

Regent Honeyeater © Dean Ingwersen, courtesy of Birdlife International

One of the Endangered Regent Honeyeaters Xanthomyza phrygia - released into the Chiltern National Park (Australia) - wearing its newly-acquired radio transmitter which is allowing scientists to monitor project success.

Conservation partnerships between government agencies, Birds Australia (BirdLife in Australia), community groups and landholders, have sought to protect the Regent Honeyeater's habitat and ensure this species continues to exist in the wild. Efforts are now focused on protecting and restoring habitat at regularly-used sites.

Chiltern National Park was selected as the release location. “The park provides a relatively large, intact, protected area of habitat for the species,” said Sarah Kelly Biodiversity Officer for the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE). “The releases coincide with good Ironbark and White Box flowering which will provide a critical food source for the birds”, Ms Kelly said.

Post-release monitoring is now a key activity. “The birds have been fitted with small radio-transmitters and coloured leg bands to assist with the monitoring”, said Dean Ingwersen from Birds Australia's Threatened Bird Network. A monitoring team - including specially trained community volunteers - are following the birds. “Community involvement in the monitoring of released birds is vital to the project’s success”, commented Mr Ingwersen.

The birds have been recorded behaving naturally. “On many occasions honeyeaters fed on nectar within ten minutes of their release, with many birds even hawking insects soon after leaving the aviaries!” stated Mr Ingwersen.

One of the earliest birds to be released was quickly re-sighted next to a wild bird - the first confirmed wild Regent Honeyeater in Chiltern National Park for 18 months. Several other wild Regent Honeyeaters have now been seen in association with the released birds. “This is a fantastic result and validates all of our hard work. We are now hoping to observe breeding - in terms of desired post-release outcomes it's the only thing missing!” Commented Mr Ingwersen.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:45 AM | Comments (0)

June 2, 2008

UN Conference fails life on Earth

With only 18 months to go until 2010, BirdLife urges the global community to face reality, cooperate and take responsibility for future generations

The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) fails to address the urgency of biodiversity loss by 2010. Although 191 countries agreed in Bonn that the diversity of life on Earth is essential for human survival, and despite scientific proof that species are rapidly declining, they were unable to agree on many of the concrete steps forward that would have been necessary.

The global Partnership of BirdLife International today expressed its deep disappointment at the lack of progress, especially on financing biodiversity, protected areas and tackling the increasing threat to biodiversity from climate change.

Dr Mike Rands, Director and Chief Executive of BirdLife International stressed “Despite good leadership shown from Germany, most other rich countries have failed to match their words with financial commitments. BirdLife urges governments to recognise the urgency and importance of biodiversity conservation, by immediately making money available to save life on Earth.”

At the conference an economic study was presented showing that if investments are made now, the costs will be far lower than if we delay.

Governments were also unable to agree on concrete steps to establish a global network of protected areas. Without a comprehensive network of protected areas it is highly unlikely that the global community will meet its 2010 commitments.

Climate change presents an unprecedented threat to humans and nature. At the same time, biodiversity plays a crucial role in enabling us to overcome the challenges of climate change. Despite this, with final conclusions pending, the Bonn conference risks failing to establish the urgently needed cooperation between the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The conference also missed the opportunity to take immediate action to prevent damage to biodiversity from biofuels.

With only 18 months to go until 2010, BirdLife urges the global community to face reality, cooperate and take responsibility for future generations.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:15 AM | Comments (0)

May 23, 2008

The IUCN Red List 2008: Climate change and continental drift

Climate change has become firmly established as an accelerant to many of the factors which have put one in eight of the world's birds at risk of extinction, today’s publication of the 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species of birds has found. Long-term drought and sudden extreme weather are putting additional stress on the pockets of habitat that many threatened species depend on. This coupled with extensive and expanding habitat destruction has lead to an increase in the rate of extinction on continents and away from islands, where most historical extinction has occurred.

The 2008 Red List makes grim reading with 1,226 species of bird now threatened, and eight species newly uplisted to Critically Endangered, the highest threat category. Of the 26 species that changed category owing to changes in their population size, rate of decline or range size, 24 were uplisted to a higher level of threat. These include widespread continental species like Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata and Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata, both previously of Least Concern, and now regarded as Near Threatened in a global context.

Mallee Emuwren © Tony Chittenden, image courtesy of Birdlife International

In Australia, Mallee Emuwren Stipiturus mallee is undergoing a very rapid population decline, and its habitat is now so fragmented that a single bushfire could be catastrophic. Years of drought, particularly in the southern and western parts of the species’s range, have affected the health of the vegetation on which it relies and has almost led to the emuwren’s extinction in South Australia where the last significant population comprises 100 birds confined to 100 km².

In the Galápagos Islands, Floreana Mockingbird Nesomimus trifasciatus is confined to two islets off Floreana. Its population has declined from an estimated maximum of 150 individuals in 1966 to fewer than 60, and is now at risk from extreme weather events. As a result it has been uplisted to Critically Endangered.

In Papua New Guinea, deforestation caused by a rising demand for the cultivation of palm oil has led to species such as New Britain Goshawk Accipiter princeps being uplisted to a higher threat category.

However, there is some good news. Two species whose situation has improved are Marquesan Imperial-pigeon Ducula galeata and Little Spotted Kiwi Apteryx owenii, both the beneficiaries of conservation. Actions plans put in place have resulted in the downlisting of both species to lower threat categories.

“This goes to show not only that conservation action works but that it is vital if we are to prevent the extinction of these and other species”, says Dr Stuart Butchart, BirdLife's Global Research and Indicators Coordinator.

“Species are being hit by the double whammy of habitat loss and climate change. As populations become fragmented the effect of climate change can have an even greater impact, leading to an increased risk of local extinctions”, Dr Butchart adds.

Climate change is likely to figure more prominently in future Red List updates. Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus has been uplisted from Endangered to Critically Endangered, owing to accelerating population declines, driven partly by habitat loss and degradation of the tidal flats it depends on in its migratory and wintering ranges. But climate change is expected to have an increasing negative impact on this species and others dependent on tundra for breeding. Modelling indicates that 57% of the Spoon-billed sandpiper's breeding habitat could be lost by 2070.

“This latest update of the IUCN Red List shows that birds are under enormous pressure from climate change,” says Jane Smart, Head of IUCN’s Species Programme. “The IUCN Red List is the global standard when it comes to measuring species loss so we urge governments to take the information contained in it seriously and do their level best to protect the world’s birds.”

To combat the ever increasing threat of extinction to so many species, BirdLife has launched the Preventing Extinctions Programme, the biggest and most wide-ranging bird conservation programme the world has ever seen. The Programme targets all 190 Critically Endangered birds on the 2008 IUCN Red List, by finding ‘Species Champions’ who will fund the work of nominated ‘Species Guardians’ for each bird - organisations and people best placed to carry out the conservation work necessary to prevent the loss of these species.

Posted by Surfbirds at 12:16 PM | Comments (0)

April 17, 2008

Shorebird staging-sites in short supply...

Migratory shorebirds, and the wetland habitats they require to complete their annual journeys, are under threat. These are the stark results of a Biological Conservation paper which reports migratory populations wintering in south-eastern Australia have plummeted by 79% over a 24 year period. “Our grandchildren will not be able to share in the excitement of marvelling at the migratory feats of shorebirds if the current decline continues”, said Dr Graeme Hamilton (CEO Birds Australia, BirdLife in Australia).

The key cause is thought to be loss of suitable feeding habitat at staging sites, where birds refuel along their epic flights. "The wetlands and resting places that they rely on for food are shrinking virtually all the way along their migration path, from Australia through Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and up through Asia into China and Russia", stated Professor Richard Kingsford (Biological Conservation paper co-author).

Bar-tailed Godwit © Arie Ouwerkerk, from the surfbirds galleries

The news comes as nearly two million migratory shorebirds are gathering on the other side of Australia in what has been described as one of the world’s greatest wildlife spectacles. The birds are preparing to make an annual flight along the ‘East Asian-Australasian Flyway’ – a route which passes through 22 countries.

Many birds have already set off - one of which is a Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica carrying a small transmitter. The GPS tag allows researchers to follow its route from Broom in north-western Australia as it travels to breeding grounds in Alaska. The bird 'H8' was last sighted on 11 April entering the Yellow Sea in China, having already travelled around 5,000 km.

The Yellow Sea provides rich feeding habitat for more than three million migratory birds annually, and is a key refuelling stop. A total of 36 species pause their journey here to rebuild their energy reserves.

The Yellow Sea is also home to 600 million people in China and South Korea - about 10% of the world’s population. The demands of this growing human population are progressively destroying the tidal feeding grounds, crucial for migratory shorebirds.

The most important shorebird site within the Yellow Sea – Saemangeum – is currently being reclaimed for development, putting millions of migratory birds under threat. The 40,100 ha construction project on the west coast of South Korea involves damming the estuaries of the Mangyeung and Dongjin Rivers with a vast 33-km long seawall.

“Our international agreements relating to shorebird conservation (Ramsar Convention), the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA), the China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA) and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention) do not seem to be working”, warned Dr Hamilton.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:56 AM | Comments (0)

Communities unite to protect White-necked Picathartes

A survey of the Western Area Peninsula Forest (WAPF) in Sierra Leone has discovered two new breeding colonies of the Vulnerable White-necked Picathartes Picathartes gymnocephalus, in addition to the 16 sites already known.

White-necked Picathartes © Jason D Weckstein, Ben D Marks/NCRC, courtesy of Birdlife International. The globally threatened White-necked Picathartes is one of the Upper Guinea Forest's most extraordinary birds .

The survey was part of a one-year project carried out by volunteers from the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone (CSSL, BirdLife in Sierra Leone), the University of Sierra Leone, and the government’s Forestry Division, with help from local communities.

The project, funded by the Disney World Conservation Fund (DWCF), also established a network of trained wardens in villages surrounding the WAPF reserve.

White-necked Picathartes is a flagship for bird and habitat conservation in Africa. Its extant population is restricted to the fragmented Upper Guinea forest in Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ghana.

In Sierra Leone, numbers are estimated at 1,400, with populations in forest reserves close to the minimum for long-term viability, and numbers are apparently stable or declining very slowly. The survey established that the number of nests in the WAPF colonies had fallen by 20 percent in the ten years from 1997 to 2007.

Much of the project work was carried out by members of one of Africa’s longest established Site Support Groups, PAGE, the Peninsula Action Group for the Environment. “This group commands considerable respect and recognition among the local communities,” said CSSL volunteer Arnold Okoni-Williams. “Through PAGE’s influence and facilitation, the project team was able to plan and execute project activities with minimal difficulty at all village levels.”

A number of awareness-raising seminars and training sessions were held in the villages around the WAPF, which Okoni-Williams says has resulted in a common understanding and a strong commitment to conserve the species and its forest home.

The major achievements of the project include:

A complete database with details of geographic locations and ecological status of the 18 known sites, and population data. This is being used for monitoring and management purposes.

A wardening system around all known Picathartes colonies through a network of trained SSG members in 11 communities around the forest reserve.

Over 1,000 local people are now aware of the status and conservation needs of the White-necked Picathartes through village seminars, posters and brochures, and radio programmes.

Capacity of the project team, PAGE and local communities have been enhanced for sustainable site-level conservation initiatives.

“We are grateful to DWCF for their timely intervention to contribute to saving one the most isolated populations of White-necked Picathartes, for the sake of posterity and overall global biodiversity conservation,” Okoni-Williams added. “We continue to rely on their support on this and other potential conservation programmes in the future.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:49 AM | Comments (0)

Biodiversity conservation works... but more is needed

Conservation efforts have slowed the rate that species are slipping towards extinction, argues a paper published online in Conservation Biology by scientists from BirdLife International and Cambridge University. Direct conservation action has saved 16 bird species from extinction since 1994 and has substantially slowed the rate of population decline for an additional 33 Critically Endangered bird species.

“Conservation action can benefit species that are on the brink of being lost forever”, stated Dr Stuart Butchart (BirdLife's Global Species Programme Coordinator) and co-author of the paper. “However, efforts have been less targeted towards, or less effective for, moderately threatened species”, Butchart added.

Norfolk Island Parakeet © Cathy McBey, courtesy of Birdlife International,
is an example of an extinction averted.

The study focused upon the rate at which bird species of global conservation concern – those listed by BirdLife International on the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List - moved between different categories over time, from the lowest threat (Least Concern) through to the most severe (Critically Endangered) and then to Extinct. The research showed that conservation initiatives - such as habitat protection, eradication of invasive species and control of hunting pressure – have effectively slowed, or even reversed, the rate at which some of the most threatened birds have moved towards extinction.

The Endangered Norfolk Island Parakeet Cyanoramphus cookii is an example of an extinction averted. Forest clearance had reduced habitat upon which the birds relied, and competition with other birds and predation by rats had taken a severe toll. By 1994 the global population of this colourful bird was estimated to be 32-37 birds, including just four breeding females, all found on the tiny Norfolk Island (Australia). Nest site protection, a captive breeding programme and control of predators resulted in the population growing to between 200 and 300 individuals within ten years.

The parakeet success story echoes the message of the Conservation Biology paper. Conservation action has succeeded in moving more species from Critically Endangered to Endangered than have become extinct.

Interestingly, an analysis focusing on Australia as a case-study showed that the positive impacts of conservation action were even more marked than at the global scale. “This probably reflects Australia’s well-developed and better-funded conservation infrastructure compared to other parts of the world” commented lead author Dr Mike Brooke (Cambridge University, UK).

The message is clear. When a species is on the edge of extinction, focussed conservation action and adequate funding can make a big difference. However, many species still face imminent extinction. Step forward the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme.

A total of 189 bird species remain classified as Critically Endangered – the highest category of extinction risk. The BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme aims to raise £19 million over the next five years to improve the fortunes of these birds by recruiting BirdLife Species Champions. “We have had a tremendous response already with Species Champions coming forward from all walks of life – everybody can help!”, said Jim Lawrence (BirdLife’s Species Champion Development Manager).

With a global network of national partner organisations to implement the necessary conservation action, underpinned by scientific analysis showing the successes that result, the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme is making real difference.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:41 AM | Comments (0)

April 8, 2008

Short-tailed Albatross chicks moved out of the shadow of the volcano

Ten Short-tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus chicks have been moved by helicopter, from their current stronghold on Torishima Island to the site of a former colony 350 km to the South-east.

The potential for future volcanic events on Torishima is among the most serious threats to this Vulnerable species. Currently, 80-85% of the world population breeds on a highly erodible slope on the outwash plain from the caldera of an active volcano. Monsoons send torrents of ash-laden water down this slope across the colony site. A volcanic eruption could also send lava, ash or poisonous gases through the colony.

adult Short-tailed Albatross © Greg Gillson, from the surfbirds galleries

The translocation site, Mukojima, part of Japan’s Bonin Islands (and administratively part of the Metropolis of Tokyo), is non-volcanic. Short-tailed Albatross bred here at least until the 1920s.

"Establishing viable breeding colonies in other safer locations is paramount to ensuring the survival and recovery of the Short-tailed Albatross", said Judy Jacobs of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which has worked on the translocation of the albatross chicks with staff from the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, and other Japanese and US organisations which together form the Short-tailed Albatross Recovery Team (START).

The ten chicks had reached the "post-guard" state, when parents leave them alone for increasing periods, but were still some three months away from fledging. "The key assumption to this approach is that geographic imprinting on the nesting island occurs after this time; chicks that fledge from a translocation site will return to breed at their fledging site, not their hatching site", Kiyoaki Ozaki explained.

START personnel, who hand-reared Laysan and Black-footed Albatross Phoebastria nigripes chicks in preparation for this project, will spend the next three months feeding the chicks, before they take wing and head out to sea. It will be five years before they reach sexual maturity and are ready to return to breed.

The START team intends to translocate at least ten more chicks annually for the next five years.

Dr Ben Sullivan, BirdLife International global seabird programme coordinator, said: “This welcome initiative to establish new, secure breeding sites will help this rare species. Even though its numbers are increasing even a small amount of mortality due to longlining could hamper its comeback.”

This is a tremendous international conservation effort, with money coming in from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, North Pacific Research Board, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Japan's Ministry of Environment, The Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Asahi Shimbun, and Suntory Fund for Birds Conservation.

In addition, Alaska's commercial fishing industry has played a key role in helping to secure Federal funding for this effort.

Posted by Surfbirds at 2:08 PM | Comments (0)

Save the Great Cormorants of Lake Constance

Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU – BirdLife in Germany) is protesting vehemently against the planned destruction of Lake Constance’s only colony of Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo.

“It is hard to believe that Freiburg local authority intends to commit such a destructive act, not only in a National Nature Reserve but especially within a European Special Protected Area (SPA)”, said Dr Andre Baumann (chairman - NABU Baden-Württemberg). “This persecution of Great Cormorants not only contradicts common sense, it also contravenes European bird protection legislation and is morally unjustifiable”. NABU is protesting to the authorities in Freiburg against the planned operations and has started an online petition.

Great Cormorant © Matthew Berriman, from the surfbirds galleries

Freiburg local authorities are planning to use searchlights to drive breeding birds from their nests during April. This will leave eggs to grow cold, and chicks to freeze to death. Experience in Brandenburg with such a massive disturbance has shown that the Great Cormorant offspring have no chance of survival.

The Great Cormorants at Lake Constance will also be shot form the first of August onwards. At that time of the year many of the young chicks will still be dependent upon their parents.

The Great Cormorants of Lake Constance became locally extinct in the 1970s. Strict conservation laws enabled the populations to re-establish. At present, over 90 pairs breed in the Radolfzeller Aachried Nature Reserve, in the western area of Lake Constance.

The colony is a cause of concern for local anglers and commercial fishermen, who have put pressure on the Freiburg local authority to drive the birds away. “The interests of a minority must not be allowed to override the rights of residents and the natural world. The persecution of Great Cormorants will ruin the reputation of the Lake Constance region as a holiday destination for nature lovers,” commented Baumann. Many other bird species like the Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina, Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus and the Black Kite Milvus migrans, may also suffer as a result of the searchlight attack.

Great Cormorants are accused of damage to fish stocks at Lake Constance and subsequent economic losses. These arguments lack evidence. “It has neither been proven that the Great Cormorant seriously endangers fish stocks or significantly affects the fishermen’s economic existence,” noted Manfred Lieser (chairman - NABU Radolfzell-Singen-Stockach). “Despite this, Freiburg local authority plans to erase the colony and thereby accepts the disturbance of other protected bird species in an SPA. That kind of approach calls into question the sense and purpose of legally protected areas”.

NABU is currently considering legal steps in order to stop destruction of the colony. NABU conservationists are protesting to the Freiburg authorities, and have threatened to take legal action if the “searchlight abortion” takes place. NABU has launched a protest petition on its website.

The clock is ticking - the colony is due to be destroyed this April. Please join the NABU petition and send an email to Freiburg City Council. You will find an email prepared in English and German at www.NABU-BW.de.

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:48 PM | Comments (0)

March 27, 2008

Bermuda Petrel returns to Nonsuch Island (Bermuda) after 400 years

Three Endangered Bermuda Petrels (Pterodroma cahow – also known as the Cahow), translocated to Nonsuch Island before fledging in 2005, have returned to the island, and been observed entering artificial nesting burrows constructed for them.

Bermuda Petrel was thought extinct for almost three centuries. In 1951, 18 pairs were rediscovered breeding on sub-optimal rocky islets in Castle Harbour, Bermuda.

The birds began to be moved to Nonsuch, in the entrance to Castle Harbour, after Hurricane Fabian (2003) caused the flooding and partial collapse of the islets, which contained the entire known breeding population.

Bermuda Petrel Pterodroma cahow using artificial burrow on Nonsuch Island
(Bermuda), copyright Jeremy Madeiros, courtesy of Birdlife International

In the last four years, a total of 81 chicks have been translocated, of which 79 have fledged successfully.

The 6.5 hectare (15.5 acre) Nonsuch Island Nature Reserve has potential nesting habitat which is elevated enough to be safe from hurricane flooding and erosion. The present nesting islets total less than one hectare (2.4 acres).

The above clip is from the documentary ‘Bermuda's Treasure Island’ - produced
by Deirdre Brennan and directed by Éamon de Buitléar.

Under the direction of Dr. David Wingate, Bermuda’s former Conservation Officer, Nonsuch Island has undergone ecological restoration over the last 45 years, with the replanting of native and endemic trees and plants. “This has now formed a young closed-canopy forest, similar to what the first settlers on the island in the early 1600s described the bird as nesting under”, said Jeremy Madeiros of Bermuda’s Department of Conservation Services, who has managed the Cahow Recovery Programme since David Wingate’s retirement.

During February this year, Jeremy Madeiros and Andrew Dobson, President of the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds, visited Nonsuch Island at night to check for evidence of Bermuda Petrel breeding activity.

“One bird landed next to us so we could check its band [ring], weigh and measure it,” said Andrew Dobson. “It then spent at least two hours in the burrow.”

Under the direction of Dr. David Wingate, Bermuda’s former Conservation Officer, Nonsuch Island has undergone ecological restoration over the last 45 years, with the replanting of native and endemic trees and plants. “This has now formed a young closed-canopy forest, similar to what the first settlers on the island in the early 1600s described the bird as nesting under”, said Jeremy Madeiros of Bermuda’s Department of Conservation Services, who has managed the Cahow Recovery Programme since David Wingate’s retirement.

During February this year, Jeremy Madeiros and Andrew Dobson, President of the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds, visited Nonsuch Island at night to check for evidence of Bermuda Petrel breeding activity.

“One bird landed next to us so we could check its band [ring], weigh and measure it,” said Andrew Dobson. “It then spent at least two hours in the burrow.”

David Wege, BirdLife International’s Caribbean Programme Manager, said: “The Bermuda Petrel has been making a steady recovery from the very brink of extinction, thanks to some truly inspirational conservation management, but the lack of suitable nesting habitat on the Castle Harbour islets will always be a major limiting factor on future population growth. If the translocated birds continue to return to Nonsuch Island and establish a viable breeding population, the long-term future for the species will be significantly improved.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:32 AM | Comments (0)

March 9, 2008

Beck’s Petrel flies back from extinction

A bird that was known only from two records from the 1920s has been discovered in the Pacific after a gap of 79 years. Sightings of the Critically Endangered Beck’s Petrel Pseudobulweria becki published by the British Ornithologists' Club, have finally proven the species is still in existence, and delighted conservationists.

A voyage into the Bismarck Archipelago, north-east of Papua New Guinea, successfully managed to photograph more than 30 of these elusive seabirds. This included sightings of fledged juveniles - suggesting recent breeding. A freshly dead young bird salvaged at sea also becomes only the third specimen in existence. “This re-finding of Beck’s Petrel is exceptional news and congratulations to Hadoram Shirihai [the finder] for his effort and energy in rediscovering this ‘lost’ petrel,” commented Dr Stuart Butchart, BirdLife's Global Species Programme Coordinator.

Beck's Petrel, copyright Hadoram Shirihai

Mr Shirihai first visited the area in 2003, where he observed ‘possible Beck’s Petrels’ – inspiring him to return four years later. Explaining this decision, he commented: “I was eager to know about these amazing petrels… and to understand better how we may conserve them”.

The small tube-nosed seabird was first described by Rollo Beck, an ornithologist and collector of museum specimens. The petrel, which now bears his name, was previously only known from two specimens he collected in 1928 and 1929 during an expedition to the region.

Hopes were raised two years ago in Australia with the sighting of a possible Beck’s Petrel in the Coral Sea off Queensland. This record was not accepted by the Birds Australia Rarities Committee. The recent evidence from the Bismarck Archipelago is published today, and finally confirms the rediscovery of this enigmatic bird.

Confirming the existence of Beck’s Petrel was difficult because it is similar to Tahiti Petrel Pseudobulweria rostrata, few people have looked for it at sea, and it may be nocturnal at the breeding grounds. “There are numerous atolls and islands where it may breed”, said Dr Butchart. “However, the remaining population may be small”.

Beck's Petrel, copyright Hadoram Shirihai

Like other tubenoses, Beck’s Petrel is potentially threatened by introduced cats and rats at its breeding sites, and by logging and forest clearance for oil-palm plantations. Until the breeding sites have been identified the threats remain speculative.

Notes:

Despite the 79-year gap between records, BirdLife International have categorised Beck’s Petrel as Critically Endangered rather than Extinct. "It probably remains extant, because there have been a number of recent records individuals of the very similar Tahiti Petrel Pseudobulweria rostrata in the Bismarck Archipelago and Solomon Islands which may refer to this species," states BirdLife’s Red List species account.

Bismark Archipelago, copyright Birdlife International

The Bismarck Archipelago is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean and part of Papua New Guinea. It includes mostly volcanic islands spread into four provinces with an area of 49,700 km² (19,189 sq mi ). Most islands are mountainous, covered by tropical forest (replaced locally by plantations), and surrounded by extensive reefs.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:13 AM | Comments (0)

February 19, 2008

Wintering Spoon-billed Sandpipers found in Myanmar

Sightings of 84 Spoon-billed Sandpipers Eurynorhynchus pygmeus at two coastal wetland sites in Myanmar have cast new light on the winter distribution of this endangered species, and confirmed that these wetlands are of international importance for their biodiversity.

The known global population of Spoon-billed Sandpiper has plunged alarmingly in the last few years to only 200-300 pairs.

Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Thailand © Mark Andrews, from the surfbirds galleries

“The number of breeding pairs in Chukotka, Siberia, fell by 50 percent between 2006 and 2007, and no birds have been seen this year at their traditional wintering sites in Bangladesh”, says Evgeny Syroechkovskiy, Vice President of the Russian Bird Conservation Union (BirdLife in Russia).

The Spoon-billed Sandpiper Recovery Team which found the birds included staff from Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA), BirdLife International’s Partners in Russia and Thailand, and members of ArcCona Consulting (Cambridge, UK and Kiel, Germany) and the Japan Wetlands Action Network (JAWAN).

Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Thailand © Mark Andrews, from the surfbirds galleries

ArcCona’s analysis of satellite images, combined with the experience of previous surveys in India, Bangladesh and Thailand, and with historical records of the species in Myanmar, suggested that potentially suitable habitats existed in the south-western state of Arakan (Rakhine) in the Bay of Bengal, and Martaban (Mottama) Bay near the Thai border.

“The Arakan coast has never been surveyed before, and Martaban Bay only marginally in 2003,” explained Christoph Zöckler of ArcCona Cambridge.

Thirty-five Spoon-billed Sandpipers were counted at one high-tide roost in Arakan, including one juvenile ringed at the breeding ground in Chukotka last summer. The team at Martaban found a total of 48 Spoon-billed Sandpiper, scattered over the huge mudflats of the bay but included a flock of 39 birds.

“Our surveys have covered only a small section of the promising Arakan coast,” Christoph Zöckler added. “Although small-scale reclamation of the mudflats for prawn ponds has been observed, the coastal zones are largely healthy ecosystems, which provide both crucial habitat for tens of thousands of arctic waders, and livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of people.”

Htin Hla of BANCA said he was surprised and delighted by the findings. He said that BANCA will work with the international community to provide a more secure future for the species.

“This is an important piece of the jigsaw,” said Simba Chan, Senior Conservation Manager at BirdLife’s Asia Division. “If present trends continue, Spoon-billed Sandpiper faces extinction in the next few years. If we are to save the species, we need to identify and conserve not only its breeding sites, but its migration stopover sites and wintering grounds too.”

Simba Chan added: “The coast of myanmar is still relatively intact, but most of the tidal area along the eastern asia flyway is under very heavy development pressure. This work provides further illustration of the global importance of Myanmar for biodiversity conservation.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:38 AM | Comments (0)

January 18, 2008

Climate Change study predicts hazy future for Europe's birds

On January 15th, BirdLife International welcomed the publication of ' A Climatic Atlas of European Breeding Birds'. This Atlas marks a major advance in understanding the potential impacts of climate change on wildlife. It shows that in the course of the 21st century the changing climatic conditions will force most species to move into new areas. For many of them this will prove difficult, and combined with other threats this will increase their risk of extinction in Europe.

The study, based on the use of 'climate envelope modelling', predicts that without vigorous and immediate action against climate change, the potential future range of the average European bird species will shift by nearly 550 km north-east by the end of this century and will reduce in size by a fifth compared to the current range. For some species, the potential future range does not overlap with the current range at all. Arctic and sub-arctic birds and some Iberian species are projected to suffer the greatest potential range loss. Projected changes for some species found only in Europe, or with only small populations elsewhere, suggest that climate change is likely to increase their risk of extinction.

Red Grouse is one of the species that will face problems due to a changing climate
according to the results of the Atlas © Steve Round, from the Surfbirds galleries

The Climatic Atlas not only shows maps of the potential range of each species breeding in Europe at the end of this century, it also provides ways of responding to this challenge. Most of all we need to protect and restore today's wildlife, and secure healthy populations of birds within their current ranges. Central to this will be the strengthening of Natura 2000, the European network of protected areas. The sites must be better protected, managed and connected to provide a 'backbone for biodiversity' and to accommodate the expected changes in distribution. At the same time, the landscape outside these areas must become more 'permeable' to species movements by providing stepping stones of high quality habitat and by more sustainable land-use policies.

Dr. Clairie Papazoglou, Head of the European Division of BirdLife International concluded: "The implementation of the EU Birds and Habitats Directive across the EU is a precondition for helping our wildlife against the impacts of climate change and for supporting Europe's ecosystems on which we depend ourselves if we want to come through the climate crisis."

To read more click here

http://www.birdlife.org/eu/pdfs/Climatic_Atlas.pdf'

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:24 PM | Comments (0)

January 10, 2008

Satellite imagery paints picture of New Britain’s disappearing forest birds

Analyses of satellite images have revealed for the first time the extent of deforestation occurring on the island of New Britain, Papua New Guinea, indicating that many more bird species are threatened with extinction than previously feared.

An eighth of lowland forest on the island –a stronghold for a number of birds found nowhere else on Earth- disappeared between 1989 and 2000, largely driven by a rapid and uncontrolled expansion in global demand for palm oil.

The findings, published in the journal Biological Conservation mean that the total number of threatened or ‘near threatened’ birds on the island will almost double to 21.

Conservationists are now calling for an effective system to adequately protect the crucial lowland forests that remain on New Britain.

New Britain Kingfisher, New Britain, September 2005 © Ian Merrill ,
from the Surfbirds galleries

In the paper, scientists from the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK), BirdLife International, Conservation International, an independent consultancy and Institute of Environment and Sustainability, EC JRC, analysed ‘before-and-after’ high resolution images of New Britain, showing that approximately 12% of forest cover was lost between 1989 and 2000, including over 20% of forest under 100 m altitude, with substantial areas cleared for commercial oil palm plantations.

“Examining the satellite images of New Britain, we were struck immediately by the clear and extensive loss of forest in many parts of the island”, explained Dr Graeme Buchanan of the RSPB and lead author of the paper. “Deforestation was particular severe in the flat coastal lowlands.”

The authors of the paper then overlaid the maps of forest loss with known habitat preferences of New Britain’s birds. These analyses suggested that extensive habitat loss will have forced significant declines for 21 of the island’s bird species, bringing some to the edge of extinction.

“By comparing this information against the altitudinal ranges of each of the birds that live in New Britain, we estimated the potential effects on species – a ‘before and after’ of disappearing habitat, and of disappearing populations”, said Buchanan.

The novel study represents the first time that that the use of satellite imagery (‘remote-sensing’) has been used to determine the likely threat status of a complete set of birds present in a given region or locality.

The technique has potential for use in other places where field-data are lacking in areas that may be too extensive or too difficult to survey on the ground, as is the case on New Britain.

The island of New Britain is a hotbed of rare and unusual bird species, home to 37 endemic (occurring nowhere else on Earth) or ‘restricted-range’ bird species. Species most affected by deforestation on the island are those which cannot tolerate degraded or non-forest habitats, and that only occur in the lowlands. [1]

The paper reports that hardest hit is the strikingly iridescent Bismarck Kingfisher Alcedo websteri –a specialist of lowland forest streams- which lost a fifth of its habitat during the ten year period.

Other birds to suffer include the Green-fronted Hanging-parrot Loriculus tener, which lost 18% of its habitat in the same period.

Southeast Asia’s largely unregulated and expanding palm oil industry –fuelled by increasing global demand- is highlighted as the main factor behind the extensive lowland forest loss on New Britain.

“The findings show that New Britain’s endemic birds are being driven to extinction by our thirst for palm oil, which is widely used in foodstuffs and industry”, said Dr Stuart Butchart, BirdLife’s Global Species Programme Coordinator and co-author of the paper. “After wiping out the lowland forests of Malaysia and Indonesia, companies are now moving eastwards, to New Guinea and Melanesia, where they now threaten a whole new suite of species.”

Based on further analysis of the satellite images, an estimated 320 km2 (11%) of the land cleared had already been converted to plantation, mainly for palm oil. Much of the remainder is likely to be planted up in the next few years: “it is likely that oil palm plantations will continue to increase rapidly: by 2001, oil palm estates at just two sites totalled c.295 km2 with one company planning to expand its plantations on New Britain to 800 km2 by 2014”, the authors assert.

The paper recommends potential areas to designate as protected areas, concluding “there is clearly a pressing need to survey these areas to confirm that they are refuges for New Britain’s endemic fauna, and to ensure their immediate and effective protection”.

Notes:

[1] New Britain is crescent-shaped, approximately 600 km (370 miles) along its southeastern coastline, and from 30 to 110 km (20-70 miles) wide, not including a small central peninsula. The island is the 38th largest in the world, with an area of 37,800 km² (14,600 mile²), according to Wikipedia.

The island of New Britain, east of New Guinea, is of very high global conservation importance, and home to 37 endemic or restricted-range bird species.

The island forms part of a high priority Endemic Bird Area (EBA) with New Ireland and satellites which together support 38 endemic bird species. For a factsheet on New Britain with information on habitat types and species present, visit BirdLife’s Data Zone

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:40 PM | Comments (0)

December 14, 2007

Rainforest park sets the bar for Bali talks

A huge rainforest in one of Africa's poorest countries should today win indefinite government protection and is being heralded as one of the first examples of forest conservation to cut carbon emissions.

President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone, is today expected to back plans to make the 75,000-hectare Gola Forest his country's second national park protecting more than 50 mammal species including Leopards, Chimps and Forest Elephants, 2,000 different plants and 274 bird species of which 14 are close to extinction.

The area, close to the Liberian border, will become the flagship site in a new national park network with local communities paid annually to replace royalties linked to logging and diamond mining in the forest.

White-necked Picathartes: an inhabitant of Gola forest, image kindly supplied by Birdlife International

The project is being funded by the European Commission, the French government, the RSPB and US-based Conservation International.

Alistair Gammell, International Director for the RSPB said: "In Sumatra, we are helping to rehabilitate the forest because most of it has been logged at some stage. Gola is different because much more of the area is primary rainforest and other areas have nog been logged for more than 30 years. Without this project, the forest would have been destroyed within ten years because Sierra Leone needs funds for its development."

The Rufous Fishing Owl Scotopelia ussheri, the Green-tailed Bristlebill Bleda eximia and the Gola Malimbe Malimbus ballmanni are amongst bird species at risk in Gola. But best known in the forest is the White-necked Picathartes Picathartes gymnocephalus whose appearance and nesting habits are bizarre.

The Picathartes nests under the forest's towering rocks. Gola is thought to be the major stronghold for the bird, which is highly respected by villagers.

President Koroma is planning to establish six more national parks in Sierra Leone to develop tourism as the country recovers from the civil war of the 1990s.

Graham Wynne, Chief Executive of the RSPB, said: "There are few places in the world where you will find such diversity. Gola is a magical place and it is worth saving simply because it is there."

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:52 AM | Comments (0)

November 16, 2007

Thousands of birds die in Black Sea Oil spill

Thousands of birds and fish have been killed as oil spills from a stricken tanker in the northern Black Sea.

At least 30,000 birds have died, and thousands more are covered in oil and face death in the coming days. The main species reported to be affected are Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo, Common Coot Fulica atra, Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus and Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis.

Black-necked Grebe © Rich Andrews, from the surfbirds galleries

So far, 50km of Russian coastline is affected by the oil spills. Two Important Bird Areas (IBAs), nearby, the Kiziltash Bay and the Tamanski and Dinskiy Bays, are under threat. Both are designated primarily for migrating and wintering birds. Up to 50,000 migratory waterfowl and other birds are known to use the sites during migration. Among these are Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus, listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla.

On Saturday night November 10th, a heavy storm brought severe damage to vessels stuck in the Kerch Strait between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.

One vessel broke in two, leaking at least 2,000 tonnes of oil in the Black Sea. At least three more vessels that sank carried potentially hazardous sulphur. Twelve ships in total were reported to have been affected by the storms, killing at least six sailors.

Due to the weather circumstances which are still difficult at the moment, information about the current situation in the area is sparse. BirdLife’s network representatives are therefore relying on local sources to receive updates. Weather services have announced more storms for tonight which make it impossible to undertake large-scale rescue operations at sea or to start cleaning oil-covered birds.

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:14 PM | Comments (0)

World Cup airport will look out for Swallows

As five million Barn Swallows migrate from across Europe to roost in South Africa’s Mt Moreland Reedland, they will be greeted by more than just birdwatchers. In future air traffic controllers at La Mercy Airport will be among those watching the birds come in, if necessary informing pilots of the swallow flocks when coming into land so that collisions can be avoided.

The plan to protect the birds will be announced on November 11th at a special ceremony at the reedbed, attended by BirdLife South Africa.

The decision – one of a number of key mitigation actions announced – was made in response to global outcry last November, when BirdLife outlined its concern about the expansion of La Mercy Airport, in preparation for South Africa’s hosting of World Cup 2010.

Swallow © Steve Nuttall, from the surfbirds galleries

The threat that planes would pose to the adjacent roost – arguably Africa’s largest – was put across by conservationists and BirdLife Partners throughout Europe, most notably by the RSPB, BirdLife’s Partner in the UK, a country in which a number of the Barn Swallows breed.

The campaign was led by BirdLife South Africa: “This has been a fantastic result, and we’re delighted to report on this outcome after a year of negotiations and meetings. The support of so many people – via letters and petitions – has played an important part.” said Neil Smith, Conservation Manager at BirdLife South Africa.

“Since our campaign started, the Airports Company of South Africa [the organisation behind La Mercy] has really come on board, quickly realising the importance of this site as a reedbed of international significance.”

Following BirdLife’s complaint, consultants were brought in to examine the roosting and flocking behaviour of the swallows, using advanced radar imagery. Their results confirmed that constant monitoring of the swallow movements during take-off and landing of aircraft would be required.

The Airports Company of South Africa has now listed a number of measures that it will take to ensure that the roost and the airport can coexist. These include employing environmental management staff to make sure that suitable management of the reedbed continues.

Perhaps most significantly, the same advanced radar technology used to study the movement of the swallows will also be installed in the airport control tower. This will mean that planes can take the option of circling or approaching from another angle when large flocks of swallows form over the reedbed site in the late evening.

“Losing such a valuable site could have affected breeding swallow populations across Europe”, said Dr Ian Burfield, Birdlife’s European Research and Database Manager. “Conserving migratory birds is about more than ensuring one site is protected or well managed. It takes global effort: at breeding sites, at stopover sites during migration, and at important non-breeding sites like this, where large numbers of birds roost.”

The Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica undertakes one of the world’s most remarkable migrations, with many individuals flying thousands of miles in spring to breed in Europe and then repeating the feat in the autumn, to spend the boreal winter in southern Africa. Numbers of Barn Swallows have declined across many European countries, largely as a result of agricultural intensification and simplification.

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:09 PM | Comments (0)

November 4, 2007

Judgement day for Africa’s flamingos

The enormous clouds of pink flamingos that grace the skies of East Africa and ring the edges of some of its most scenic lakes with a bright band of living colour may soon be a thing of the past if the path is cleared on November 2nd 2007 for a major industrial development on a remote and isolated lake in Africa’s Great Rift Valley.

Officials in Tanzania are to assess plans for a soda ash plant on Lake Natron, the world's single most important breeding site for the Near Threatened Lesser Flamingo, where more than a million of these beautiful birds nest.

Lesser Flamingo © Tar János, from the surfbirds galleries

They will advise Environment Minister Mark Mwandosya on whether to allow Lake Natron Resources, jointly owned by the Tanzanian Government and the Indian company TATA Chemicals, to pump more than 100,000 litres of freshwater and 550,000 litres of brine (saltwater) from the area every hour, for the production of soda ash, a material used in glass and dye production.

The lake is the only reliable breeding site in East Africa for the Lesser Flamingo. All the 1.5 - 2.5 million Lesser Flamingos alive in East Africa today were probably hatched at Lake Natron - Africa's "flamingo factory".

A coal-fired power station, road and rail links and housing for 1,200 construction workers would be built at the site. The development would seriously harm tourism in three countries, Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia, and could cause Lake Natron’s international wetland designation to be withdrawn.

The leaders of conservation groups in 23 African countries have signed a petition urging the Tanzanian government to turn down the proposal and their campaign has been backed by naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.

Sir David said: “Lake Natron’s vast flocks of shimmering pink flamingos are one of the world’s greatest wildlife attractions. These spectacular birds deserve the strongest protection we can offer them.

“Any threat to their future would not only be an ecological disaster, it would deal a huge blow to tourism in East Africa which helps ensure the survival of the region’s spectacular wildlife and wild places.”

As well, there are questions why International protocols such as Ramsar, Convention on Migratory Species, and closer home, the Protocol on Environment of the East African Community, were not considered during the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) process.

The ESIA report states that “it must be recognised that the limited knowledge available on the functioning of the Lake Natron ecosystem as it relates to the Lesser Flamingo strongly suggests that the project will entail a significant degree of risk for this species in the longer term that is not capable of direct mitigation”. Other serious impacts the report cites as significant are "the increase of HIV/AIDS in existing resident population and increased pressure on the grazing land of the Masai community".

Proponents of the scheme cite its economic benefits in terms of profit, tax revenues and jobs. However, the report indicates that "no casual labour recruitment of any sort except from major towns outside the Ramsar site" - including during construction phase. They also ignore the potential negative effects on the environment and tourism, one of the major sources of foreign exchange in both Tanzania and Kenya. The tourist industry in Tanzania employs over 200,000 people directly, and provides many more jobs indirectly.

Ato Mengistu Wondafrash, of BirdLife International’s Africa Partnership, said: “Lake Natron secures a way of life for nomadic communities and the flamingos produce a thriving tourist economy. To jeopardize Africa's "flamingo factory" for an ill-considered development would be economic, and moral, suicide.”

Dr Hazell Shokellu Thompson, Head of BirdLife’s Africa Division, said: “Africa is making great strides towards conserving its immense biodiversity and Tanzania must think clearly of what this decision on Lake Natron will say of its environmental credentials.

“This is a clear opportunity for the Tanzanian government to continue showing moral and environmental responsibility in Africa by taking a decision not to proceed with the soda ash development.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:25 PM | Comments (0)

October 30, 2007

Vulture-killing drug now on sale in Africa

BirdLife's Council for the African Partnership has warned African BirdLife Partners that they need to be on high alert, following the discovery of the drug Diclofenac on sale at a veterinary practice in Tanzania. A survey by WCST (WildLife Conservation Society in Tanzania, BirdLife in Tanzania) is underway to establish the full facts.

Diclofenac, a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID), has been found to cause gout and renal failure in vultures of the Gyps genus. In India, where Diclofenac was in widespread veterinary use, three Gyps species, formerly of Least Concern, have been pushed to Critically Endangered status, losing over 99 percent of their populations in just over a decade.

Griffon Vulture, at risk from Declofenac poisening © Slawomir Dabrowski

“This development could be absolutely catastrophic for vultures in Africa if it is not addressed immediately, to prevent this avian killer from becoming an established veterinary drug,” said Jane Gaithuma of the BirdLife Africa secretariat. “Research by BirdLife Partners has established that there are safe alternative drugs available, such as Meloxicam, so there is actually no need for Diclofenac at all.”

Without action by governments and veterinary associations to ban the use of Diclofenac for veterinary purposes, the drug is likely to be very difficult to control. Since the patent for the drug expired, it has been produced in generic form by hundreds of manufacturers worldwide, and is sold under dozens of different names. The manufacturer of the brand found in Tanzania exports the drug for veterinary use to 15 African countries spread across the continent.

Governments in the Indian subcontinent have belatedly taken action. At a meeting of the National Wildlife Board in March 2005, the Government of India announced that it intended to phase out the veterinary use of Diclofenac within six months. In 2006, the governments of India, Pakistan and Nepal all banned manufacture of Diclofenac, sending a very clear signal, and it is hoped that full retail bans will soon follow. But numbers are already so low that the future of White-rumped (Gyps bengalensis), Indian (Gyps indicus) and Slender-billed Vultures (Gyps tenuirostris) now depends on captive breeding programmes. Gyps vultures take several years to reach sexual maturity, and a pair produces only one or two young every one or two years, so it will take decades before any of these species is likely to come off the Critical list.

Africa's vultures already face terrible pressures, and several species formerly of Least Concern were added to the 2007 Red List of threatened species. Veterinary use of Diclofenac in Africa could quickly put the Cape vulture Gyps coprotheres (VU) in even greater danger of extinction, and further threaten Rueppell's Griffon Vulture Gyps rueppellii (NT), White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus (NT) and Griffon vulture Gyps fulvus (LC). Gyps vultures are very wide ranging, and exposure to Diclofenac in a single carcass in any one of their range states could prove fatal to whole populations, threatening the more common species as well as the already rare ones. NSAID toxicity has been reported for raptors, storks, cranes and owls, suggesting that the potential adverse conservation impact of NSAIDs may extend beyond Gyps vultures, and could include Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus (EN), White-headed vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis (VU) and Lappet-faced vulture Torgos tracheliotus (VU).

In contrast, there are no reported mortalities for Meloxicam, which has been administered to over 700 birds from 60 species, with safety tests carried out.

BirdLife Partners are called upon to work with relevant authorities and other conservationists to assess whether Diclofenac is in veterinary use in their country, and where this is the case to stop/ban it. In countries where Diclofenac is not yet in veterinary use, it will be important to work with government authorities and civil society to alert people of its danger and to ensure it becomes pre-emptively banned.

All BirdLife supporters in Africa can play a part, by checking their local veterinary outlets to see if the drug is on sale, and by contacting the government and other authorities to call for a total ban.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:07 PM | Comments (0)

October 29, 2007

BirdLife Partners applaud Uganda’s decision to drop Mabira Forest give-away

Conservationists across the BirdLife Partnership are welcoming news that the Ugandan government has dropped its plan to give away a third of Mabira Forest Reserve to provide land for sugarcane plantations.

The announcement came on Friday 19 October 2007, through a statement from the Uganda Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.

Blue-throated Roller, one of 300 species in Mabira Forest,
July 2007 © Nik Borrow, from the surfbirds galleries

Mabira Forest Reserve (at over 30,000 hectares) is globally recognised by BirdLife as an Important Bird Area (IBA). The forest contains over 12% of plant species and 30% of bird species found in Uganda. The announcement follows months of intensive campaigning by a number of organisations, most notably NatureUganda (BirdLife in Uganda) with support from BirdLife’s Africa Division and by BirdLife Partners from a number of countries and territories.

Achilles Byaruhanga, NatureUganda’s Executive Officer expressed delight: “I am excited that our effort to advocate for a better option for Mabira Forest Reserve has been recognised and the fact accepted that the forest is a critical resource for Uganda and globally. The achievement is also for the Ugandan people who stood firm and opposed what was a wrong policy decision"

NatureUganda’s recent economic valuation of Mabira Forest Reserve is thought to have played an enormous part in the decision. The report showed clearly that the economic value of the forest if conserved, would surpass the anticipated economic value from sugarcane growing in future.

Moreover, the report indicated clearly that alternative land for sugarcane growing is available elsewhere in Uganda, where there may be enhanced benefit to local communities and local economies.

The list of ‘ecosystem services’ –livelihoods, clean water, food- provided by Mabira Forest to over 120,000 adjacent community members was another important finding in the report handed to the government by NatureUganda. The value of tourism also prominently featured.

The BirdLife International Partnership through its national partner, NatureUganda, will continue to work with the Government of Uganda in the conservation of its national heritage. “We applaud the government of Uganda for making a bold decision in protecting its forest resources despite the intentions of the sugar company,” said Ato Mengistu Wondafrash, the chairperson of Birdlife’s Africa Partnership (2006-2007).

The announcement made by the Ugandan government on Friday coincided with BirdLife’s Council for the Africa Partnership (CAP) meeting in Nairobi, where 23 African nations met and signed a petition opposing a proposed chemical plant on the shores of Tanzania’s Lake Natron, which threatens 75% of the world’s Lesser Flamingo.

“We hope the interesting parallels between Mabira and Lake Natron are noted by the Tanzanian government – both support key species, both support a booming tourist trade and both provide crucial ecosystem services for associated communities,” said Dr Hazell Shokellu Thompson, Head of BirdLife's Africa Division.

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October 23, 2007

Outrage as poaching discovered on Greece's Lesvos island

One of the most outrageous poaching incidents in Greece has come to light on the island of Lesvos. A total of 32 Corncrake Crex crex were found, having been attracted by means of illegal equipment and killed by poachers.

The Corncrake is a globally threatened species, protected by the European Birds Directive. There are currently many projects targeting its conservation in countries in the North and West of Europe, nearly all of them involving BirdLife Partners.

Corncrake, from the surfbirds galleries © Steven Round

Game wardens on the island in the municipality of Ayiasos were first to discover the incident on September 22th 2007. The finding was later confirmed by the President of the Hunting Association of Archipelagos.

Mr. Kostas Papakonstantinou, member of the Hellenic Ornithological Society (BirdLife in Greece) states that: "most worrying is that, based on many testimonies that were made public recently, this incident is just the tip of the iceberg and Corncrake poaching in central and southern Lesvos is a very frequent phenomenon."

Charges have been pressed against the three poachers by the Forest Department of Lesvos and their licences, guns and the rare birds, have all been confiscated.

The Hellenic Ornithological Society praised the game wardens for discovering the incident and stressed the need to combine stronger enforcement actions with better education programmes for hunters on the issue of species identification of birds.

The Hellenic Ornithological Society is following the situation closely, stressing that this incident could serve as a good example of the effectiveness of proper law enforcement in future.

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:16 PM | Comments (0)

October 18, 2007

Africa’s leading conservationists meet as chemical plant threatens three-quarters of world’s Lesser Flamingo

Leading conservationists from 23 African nations have met recently to sign a petition opposing the proposed chemical plant on the shores of Tanzania’s Lake Natron, which threatens 75% of the world’s Lesser Flamingo.

The petition was signed by delegates of BirdLife’s Council for the Africa Partnership (CAP) in Nairobi and follows months of speculation and international outcry over the proposed salt ash development on Tanzania’s border with Kenya.

Lesser Flamingo © John Dempsey

More than half a million pairs of Lesser Flamingos may nest at Lake Natron. The lake is the only reliable breeding site for the species' East African population – more than 75 per cent of the world’s total.

Lake Natron's isolation and vast salt flats provide crucial safety from predators, while its alkaline waters, rich in cyanobacteria, and lakeside springs supply food and freshwater for parents and chicks. The lake supports the huge concentrations of Lesser Flamingos that feed and roost on other lakes up and down the Rift Valley, hailed as “the greatest ornithological spectacle in the world” and supporting a thriving tourist economy.

The proposed salt ash plant would pump 530 cubic metres of brine per hour and produce 0.5 million tons of sodium carbonate a year. The large-scale development would also include a sizable residential complex.

Delegates attending the BirdLife Council Meeting fear that the entire flamingo population could be lost if the development goes ahead, citing a number of reasons, including: likely changes in the chemical composition of the water (affecting the cyanobacteria on which the flamingos depend); disruption of nest sites; and expansion of surrounding infrastructure, a factor which could bring in new predators, particularly Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus – a species linked to mass nest desertions in breeding Greater Flamingo, a similar species.

BirdLife, the world’s largest alliance of conservation organisations, is fully opposed to the plans, first made public in an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) put forward by consultants for Lake Natron Resources Limited (a joint venture of the Tanzanian Government and the Indian company Tata Chemicals) in mid-July 2007.

Lake Natron Resources Limited have now submitted a revised version of their ESIA to Tanzania’s National Environment Management Council, who will in turn make recommendations to Tanzania’s Minister of State in the Vice-Presidents Office for Environment. It is here the decision will ultimately rest.

"We strongly urge the government to look at its natural resources – to look at the sustainable resource Lake Natron currently provides. The lake secures a way of life for nomadic communities, and the flamingos produce a thriving tourist economy. To jeopardize this for an ill-considered development would be economic, and moral, suicide,” said Mengistu Wondafrash, Chairman of the Council of the African Partnership (CAP).

The sight of Lesser Flamingo are a big pull for tourists to the area: worth up to US$12 million say the East African Consultative Group, opposing the development.

“If we can’t work to protect habitat for one of Africa’s most charismatic ‘postcard’ species, what hope is there for other species?” he added.

Much has been made of the Tanzanian government’s role in the final decision: “As a continent, Africa is making great strides towards conserving its immense biodiversity,” said the Head of BirdLife’s Africa Division, Dr Hazell Shokellu Thompson. “Tanzania must think clearly of what this decision on Lake Natron says of its environmental credentials, and to the other twenty-four nations which are represented here at this meeting today.”

"This is a clear opportunity for the Tanzanian government to continue showing moral and environmental responsibility in Africa by taking a decision not to proceed with the Soda Ash development."

The petition, signed by conservationists from 23 African nations, will now be sent to the Tanzanian government and Tata Chemicals.

Posted by Surfbirds at 5:00 PM | Comments (0)

October 16, 2007

Spoon-billed Sandpiper facing extinction

Populations of one of the world’s strangest birds have crashed over the last decade, and surveys this summer of its breeding grounds in the remote Russian province of Chukotka suggest that the situation is now critical. The charismatic, and rather aptly named, Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus, is now worryingly close to becoming extinct. With only 200-300 pairs left, conservationists are calling for urgent help to tackle the decline.

“We’ve seen a 70% drop in the number of breeding pairs at some sites over the last couple of years. If this decline continues, these amazing birds won’t be around for much longer,” says Evgeny Syroechkovskiy, Vice President of the Russian Bird Conservation Union (BirdLife in Russia).

Spoon-billed Sandpiper © Trevor Feltham

The reasons for these losses are complex, involving changes to habitat during migration and loss of breeding areas. What is clear is that nest predation by foxes and disturbance by people and dogs could prove to be the final nail in the coffin for the few birds left.

“Action to safeguard the remaining breeding pairs needs to be taken now for there to be any chance of saving them. We are planning to put wardens in place at these critical sites. Once they are protected and the birds are successfully fledging young, we can get on with the task of trying to save areas that they use whilst on migration,” Evgeny adds.

Spoon-billed Sandpipers’ spoon-shaped bill is still something of a mystery, the exact use for which is still unknown. They breed during June–July in a small strip of coastal Arctic tundra in Chukotka, NE Russia. They then migrate thousands of kilometres to winter along coasts in South and South-East Asia. Spoon-billed Sandpipers are one of several species to depend on the rich tidal coasts of the Yellow Sea in east Asia, where they stop to refuel on their way to and from their breeding grounds.

“Coastal reclamation in South Korea is currently destroying over 40,000 ha of habitat; coastal habitats are being converted into saltpans and shrimp farms in Bangladesh and Chinese coasts have been rapidly developed in recent years,” says Christoph Zöckler, international coordinator of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Action Plan, “They are just running out of places to stop and feed on migration.”

What seems certain is that if these changes continue there will soon be no place left for Spoon-billed Sandpipers.

“The recent declines have shocked those concerned about the species, but with investment and the dedication of those involved we can still save the Spoon-billed Sandpiper.” says Richard Grimmett, BirdLife’s Global Conservation Manager.

BirdLife International has launched the Preventing Extinctions initiative to try and turn the tide for Spoon-billed Sandpiper and species like it, and is looking for companies, institutions and individuals to step up and provide funding by becoming BirdLife Species Champions.

With the right conservation action plan in place it is possible to save a species. It has been done before, but it takes hard work and hard cash but aren’t we all the better for knowing that a bird with a spoon for a bill exists out there, somewhere?

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:01 AM | Comments (0)

October 9, 2007

Conservationists appalled at Red-footed Falcon massacre

52 Red-footed Falcon – listed as Near Threatened by BirdLife - have been found shot at Phasouri in Cyprus, a well-known poaching “black spot”. The finding has appalled conservationists throughout Europe, and has led to BirdLife Cyprus renewing calls for action on the issue.

On the morning of Friday 5 October farm workers at the Phasouri citrus plantations found the Red-footed Falcons laying dead or wounded among the orange trees. Two piles of empty shotgun cartridges lay at the centre of the massacre site. Of the 52 falcons recovered, six were wounded and forty-six had died.

Red-footed Falcon © Kit Day

Red-footed Falcon is a colonial species that nests and migrates in group. The species is strictly protected in the EU as it has suffered severe declines in its main, eastern European breeding range in recent decades.

BirdLife Cyprus reports that this incident is by no means the first time illegal shooting has resulted in the killing of birds of prey and other migrants, such as Bee-eaters Merops apiaster, at Phasouri on the Akrotiri peninsula of Limassol. "This terrible situation has dragged on for the past few years without the authorities taking appropriate action to stop it,” said Mike Miltiadous, Research Officer of BirdLife Cyprus.

"For years, BirdLife Cyprus has been calling for effective anti-poaching action on the peninsula, which is the most important autumn migration stop-over area on the Island for thousands of birds, and birds of prey in particular,” said BirdLife Cyprus Manager, Martin Hellicar.

The area where Friday’s falcon shooting took place is within the Akrotiri British Sovereign Base Area (SBA), but the main problem on the peninsula in recent years has been the absence of joint anti-poaching patrols by the SBA Police and the Cyprus Game Fund. Taking advantage of this lack of joint action, illegal hunters have profited along the ‘border’ between the SBA and Republic, simply stepping across the dividing line to avoid either SBA Police or Game Fund patrols.

“This anti-poaching action has plainly failed to materialise, with the results that illegal shooters have become increasingly bold, making this act one of the worst cases of illegal bird killing ever reported in Europe,”said Hellicar.

“A joint SBA-Game Fund anti-poaching team has now been set up, but we have not seen it in action yet,” said Hellicar. “Friday’s massacre should have been prevented by the SBA Police, but we believe it is the product of the unacceptably lax state of affairs in the Phasouri area as a whole.”

BirdLife Cyprus also called for an immediate ban on shooting on the entire peninsula. Although almost all the peninsula is a protected reserve, a narrow coastal strip along the west is open for hunting of Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur and Quail Coturnix coturnix from early September to mid-October. But the real draw for many hunters is not the meagre numbers of this legal quarry but the huge numbers of Bee-eaters Merops apiaster and Yellow Wagtails Motacilla flava, both strictly protected species under Cyprus and EU law.

“Under the circumstances, the hunting area in operation today should be shut down immediately and indefinitely,” finished Miltiadous.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:41 AM | Comments (0)

October 3, 2007

Rimatara Lorikeet returns to the Cook Islands

Around 100 years ago, the Queen of Rimatara in French Polynesia, imposed a tapu (taboo) which saved the last naturally-occurring island population of one of the Pacific’s most beautiful parrots. Now her royal counterpart, the traditional Queen of Atiu in the Cook Islands, has accompanied 27 of the birds on the journey back to her island, from which they had been absent for more than two centuries.

The Rimatara Lorikeet Vini kuhlii is green above, with crimson-red face and under-parts, and purple patches on the back of its neck and on its belly. It was extinct in Atiu and the other southern Cook Islands before 1820, hunted for its brilliant red feathers, which were used in ceremonial costumes. Since then, the tree-climbing, egg-eating Black or Ship’s Rat has become widely established in French Polynesia and the Cook Islands, devastating two other Pacific parrot species, the Blue Lorikeet and the Ultramarine Lorikeet.

Gerald McCormack of the Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust led the reintroduction, after confirming that Atiu was not only free of Black Rats, but also had the same trees and shrubs as Rimatara, ensuring that the birds would find the nectar and fruit they needed.

McCormack received funds from the British Birdwatching Fair 2006, which raised money for the BirdLife International project “Saving the Pacific’s Parrots”. He was helped by the Ornithological Society of Polynesia (MANU, the BirdLife Partner Designate in French Polynesia), Te Ipukarea Society (TIS, the BirdLife Affiliate in the Cook Islands), and the Zoological Society of San Diego (ZSSD).

“But the reintroduction would not have been possible without the vision and generosity of the people of Rimatara, for whom the lorikeet is a symbol of joy and wellbeing,” McCormack said. “On previous occasions the removal of birds from their island resulted in the birds’ deaths, a phenomenon they attributed to the tapu of their late Queen. The community finally agreed to the reintroduction programme only after they understood how the spread of the Ship Rat had destroyed island populations of the Blue Lorikeet and the Ultramarine Lorikeet, and that there was a scarcity of suitable ship-rat-free islands in French Polynesia. By agreeing, the community made it very clear that they were sharing their bird with Atiu so it could live in the wild without interference, and that it should never be transferred to any other island or country.”

After their arrival in the Cook Islands, the birds and the reintroduction team were greeted with elaborate welcoming ceremonies. The celebrations went on for four days.

There have been regular sightings since. McCormack says the birds have spread over the whole 30 km2 of the island of Atiu. "As of August, sunny-day flocks are up to 13 birds and some apparent pairs are being reported. We are now organizing a community contest to find the first juveniles as evidence of breeding."

Posted by Surfbirds at 5:21 PM | Comments (0)

September 22, 2007

“Alarm-call” for China’s rarest bird

A recent study of Chinese Crested Tern highlights that the global population has fallen to less than fifty individuals, half what they were just three years ago.

The study believes that the main cause of this decline is an unregulated expansion in trade for seabird eggs, a local delicacy that has risen in demand alongside a thriving tourist economy.

Without urgent action conservationists have given the bird less than five years before disappearing completely from its two remaining breeding areas.

Chinese Crested Tern © Bjorn Anderson

Chinese Crested Tern Sterna bernstein is China’s rarest bird, listed by BirdLife International as Critically Endangered – the most severe threat category.

First discovered in 1861 and rarely recorded since, Chinese Crested Tern was largely presumed extinct until 2000, when four adults and four chicks were found amongst a colony of other tern species on Matsu, an island off the coast of Fujian Province. In 2004, it was discovered breeding at another site: Jiushan Islands, on the coast of Zhejiang Province of eastern China. At present these are the only known breeding sites in the world.

“We all thought we had lost this species sixty years ago and were so happy to hear of its rediscovery in 2000," commented Simba Chan, Senior Conservation Manager at BirdLife’s Asia Division. “Its survival in Fujian and Zhejiang waters was probably due to the tension between Beijing and Taipei.”

“It would be such an irony if the Chinese Crested Tern survived amid the hostility in the Taiwanese Strait, yet becomes extinct now the relationship between Beijing and Taipei gradually normalises,” he added.

“Both sides of the Strait should work together to save this, the rarest bird in China - otherwise it will be sure to follow the Baiji [Yangtze River Dolpin] as another ecological tragedy of the early 21st century.”

The recent survey, undertaken by a Chinese survey team, is the first time Chinese Crested Tern have been surveyed over successive breeding seasons.

“Compared with 2004, the population size has decreased by more than 50 percent,” said Dr Chen Shuihua, who led the Chinese Crested Tern survey team. “Our investigation indicated that its survival is under very severe pressure and on the verge of extinction.”

The study suggests that egg-collecting poses by far the most dramatic threat to Chinese Crested Tern, whereby seabird eggs are collected by local fishermen in the belief that wild eggs have more nutritious value than poultry eggs.

“With rapid economic development along the east coastal area in China, tourism and catering have also developed rapidly,” explained Dr Chen. “As a result a large number of sidewalk snack booths have emerged in the coastal areas of Zhejiang and Fujian.”

Seabird eggs have become a popular delicacy, yet there is little awareness that some of these eggs may come from threatened species.

The report indicates that the going rate for one seabird egg at Juexi (nearby the Jiushan Island breeding colony) was approximately 15 Chinese yuans ($2USD) in 2005. In two years this price has more than doubled: seabird eggs now sell for 35 Chinese yuans (about $4.5USD), encouraging more people into the egg-collecting trade.

In 2005 and 2006, the Chinese Crested Tern breeding colony disappeared altogether on Jiushan Island, most likely a sign of breeding failure caused by egg-collecting. Subsequent findings have reinforced this opinion: “We saw few newborn seabirds in our 2006 and 2007 breeding season surveys,” added Dr Chen.

BirdLife International are among those putting together an action plan that will draw together measures needed to save Chinese Crested Tern. Among the actions needing urgent implementation are: enhancing protection of breeding habitats, stationing wardens, regular monitoring, and regulations for selling and collecting of seabird eggs in eastern China.

“China has a good record on taking action to save other bird species from extinction - this alarm-call to save Chinese Crested Tern has hopefully come just in time,” said Simba.

Read Graham Talbot's Chinese Crested Tern Twitch at surfbirds

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:28 AM | Comments (0)

Bulgaria and Romania enrich EU through Important Bird Areas

BirdLife International has today launched inventories of the most important sites for wild birds in the two new Member States of the European Union, Bulgaria and Romania.

Altogether 244 of these internationally important sites for biodiversity, known as Important Bird Areas (IBAs), have been identified in the two countries. They cover 40% of combined land surface.

IBAs serve as a reference list for those areas to be protected by Member States under the EU Birds Directive and the Natura 2000 network.

The BirdLife Partners in Bulgaria (BSPB) and Romania (SOR) present their IBA inventories nine months after the countries joined the EU.

Red-breasted Goose, © Szilágyi Attila

The IBAs identified cover a diverse range of habitats such as lowland and mountain forests, wetlands and grasslands– landscapes that are rapidly disappearing from the rest of Europe.

In Bulgaria, a large part of the IBAs designated host twenty-three globally threatened species like Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca, Semi-collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata and Red-Breasted Goose Branta ruficollis, which represents 70% of the global wintering population. Forty-six of Bulgarian IBAs hold important congregations of migratory species e.g. White Stork Ciconia ciconia, Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina and Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus.

In Romania, a large proportion of the IBAs support the twelve globally threatened species that occur in Romania, either as breeding or wintering species. The country plays an important role in maintaining the European breeding populations of seven species (Dalmatian pelican Pelecanus crispus, Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus, Saker Falcon Falco cherrug, Corncrake Crex crex and European Roller Coracias garrulus), and also supports important wintering populations of Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus, Red-breasted Goose, White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala and Greater-spotted Eagle Aquila clanga.

Romanian IBAs also support more than 50% of the EU breeding population of seven species, including Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides, Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus and Red-footed Falcon.

However, BirdLife is very concerned that the legal protection of these areas will not keep pace with the rapid economic development, including for tourism along the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria and in the mountains of Romania.

"We want the governments of both countries to urgently put in place the legal protection required by EU legislation, before irreversible damage is done to these sites of high natural beauty" said Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager, BirdLife's European Division.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:14 AM | Comments (0)

September 13, 2007

More birds than ever face extinction – but success stories highlight way forward

As the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species reveals the scale of the escalating extinction crisis occurring across the planet, an unobtrusive parakeet from Mauritius is showing that, with funding and dedicated fieldworkers, species can recover from the brink of extinction.

Released today, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species reveals that unprecedented numbers of species are now threatened with extinction. For birds, the Red List is maintained by BirdLife International, who report that 1,221 species are considered threatened with extinction. The overall conservation status of the world’s birds has deteriorated steadily since 1988, when they were first comprehensively assessed.

189 birds are now listed as Critically Endangered - the highest threat category.

Yet even among these severely threatened birds is a small number whose survival odds are improving, providing case-studies to others for how species can be successfully saved. The most encouraging recovery seen in the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species was Mauritius (Echo) Parakeet, once dubbed “the rarest parrot on Earth”.

Mauritius Parakeet Psittacula eques –a green parrot, males of which have a bright red bill - was once down to just 10 birds in the 1970s, but today saw the World Conservation Union (IUCN) announce its move from Critically Endangered to Endangered.

“Mauritius Parakeet is an inspiring example of how species can be helped to recover even from the brink of extinction,” commented Dr Stuart Butchart, BirdLife’s Global Species Coordinator.

In the last century the species has suffered from a multitude of threats all of which contributed to substantial declines; yet concerted actions, involving local and international conservationists, the government and people of Mauritius –with support from an array of international funders- has seen the species’ chances of survival improve.

“Our work in saving other Critically Endangered birds on Mauritius has taught us that you must tackle the root causes of decline and be prepared to address these issues first,” says Vikash Tatayah of the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation (MWF), the island’s sole terrestrial conservation NGO.

For Mauritius Parakeet, these threats included introduced nest predators (in particular Black Rat), decline of the native fruits on which the parakeets feed (itself outcompeted by invasive non-native plants, and eaten by feral pigs), and a loss of suitable nesting sites.

“These parrots only naturally nest in old canopy trees, which are disappearing across the island,” Vikash explains. “Many years of hard work went into tackling the shortage of nest sites and finally we’ve come up with a design acceptable to Echo Parakeets and requiring less maintenance. The parakeets now nest in artificial cavities more than the traditional nest cavities.”

“The artificial cavities also control for invasive nest predators –another long-term threat to the birds,” Vikash continues. “The boxes are rat-proofed, overhanging trees are trimmed, we poison for rats on the ground, and staple plastic sheeting around trees to reduce predation of eggs and chicks by rats. These are simple but essential measures to help get the population back on its feet.”

This is the third such downlisting to occur on Mauritius in recent years due to the efforts of MWF. In 2000, Pink Pigeon Nesoenas mayeri, down to just nine birds a decade earlier, was downlisted to Endangered and now numbers 400 birds. Likewise, Mauritius Kestrel Falco punctatus, went from just four birds in 1974 and now numbers approximately 1,000 individuals.

Mauritius Kestrel, Mauritius, Bel Ombre © Cristian Jensen Marcet

Mauritius Kestrel, Mauritius, Bel Ombre © Cristian Jensen Marcet

On being asked the secret of their success Vikash answers: “It’s no use saying ‘a parrot is a parrot, a pigeon is a pigeon’; instead we must ask how we can use the lessons we have learnt on restoring populations of other threatened birds – we must pass information on, learn from our experiences and the experiences of other projects worldwide.”

“We’ve needed fantastic support and that’s what we’ve got: both technical and financial but you also need excellent and dedicated people in the field. Whilst funding is crucial, equally so is having trained people in the field – people make the difference.”

The news is of encouragement to those working in conservation within the BirdLife Partnership, once again proving that with adequate investment and trained people on the ground, threatened species do recover.

Two weeks ago the first Mauritius Parakeet eggs of the season were laid and MWF is confident that, due to good native fruit season, a sufficient number of young parrots will fledge to maintain the population.

“Mauritius Parakeet is still Endangered – we still have lots of work to do,” states Vikash. MWF will continue conservation work on the species until the Mauritius Parakeet population is self-sustaining, but by working to maintain habitats, control predators and promote biodiversity they hope to improve the survival odds of other species that too depend on the island’s biodiversity. “People included,” adds Vikash.

“Like other species that have been saved from extinction, reversing the fortunes of the Mauritius Parakeet took painstaking research to identify the threats, sufficient funding and sustained efforts by dedicated fieldworkers to implement the necessary actions,” said BirdLife’s Dr Stuart Butchart.

“Across the world there are dedicated people struggling to repeat this story for other species, but they need the resources to achieve this.”

For more on today’s Red List 2007 announcements visit: www.iucn.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:18 AM | Comments (0)

August 30, 2007

Globally threatened birds pay for their sex

A new study published in the leading ornithological journal Ibis has uncovered that for the vast majority of bird species, there are more males than females. The discovery suggests that populations of many of the world’s threatened birds could therefore be overestimated, because scientists often base population estimates on counts of males.

Males are usually more brightly plumaged than females and the males of many species sing to attract mates and defend territories making them easier to hear and therefore count. Researchers then take this as an estimate of the number of breeding pairs, critically assuming an equal number of males and females in the population. But is this assumption a valid one? This study suggests not.

Stitchbird, one of the threatened species known to have a male-biased sex ratio.
New Zealand, Tiritiri Matangi Island 12th Nov 2005 © Ray Wilson

After carrying out a comprehensive review of hundreds of scientific papers, Dr Paul Donald of the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) concluded that in the majority of bird species studied, there are more males than females.

“Most species have male-skewed sex ratios, but a wholly unexpected finding was that the rarer the species, the more highly skewed towards males the population sex ratio becomes,” says Dr Donald. “This means that many of the world’s rarest species may be much closer to extinction than we previously thought, because the number of females is lower than the number of males . It is much easier to save a population with an excess of females than one with an excess of males.”

But why does this happen?

“It’s not that females are producing more sons than daughters, because at hatching the sex ratio is generally equal. The only possible explanation is that females do not live as long as males”, Dr Donald adds. “As generations grow older, they become increasingly dominated by males as more females die off.”

One possible explanation for this higher female mortality is that females may experience higher physiological stress. In many bird species females are the dispersing sex while the males stay closer to home and in migratory species it is often the females that fly the furthest despite being smaller in size.

But why do more threatened species have such strongly skewed sex ratios?

“One possible explanation is that many threatened species are endangered because of introduced predators, which have been shown to kill females when they are incubating eggs in the nest.”

Backing up Dr Donald’s argument, some studies have found that populations of threatened species in New Zealand have reverted back to a more balanced sex ratio after predators were removed.

Because most bird population estimates are likely to be overestimates, it is crucial that researchers take the sex ratio into account when devising strategies for saving globally threatened species.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:50 AM | Comments (0)

August 24, 2007

Asian rare bird first to benefit from world's largest bird conservation programme

The Bengal Florican, one of the world’s most threatened birds, will be first to benefit from a new conservation approach that aims to save all 189 of the world’s Critically Endangered birds from extinction.

With less than 1,000 individual birds remaining, Bengal Florican had been given just five years before disappearing forever from its stronghold, the floodplain of the Tonle Sap lake in Cambodia.

Bengal Florican, Cambodia, Kompong Thom 27 March 2005 © Vincent van der Spek

The florican will benefit from the groundbreaking new ‘BirdLife Species Champions’ approach; whereby ‘Champions’ are being sought for Critically Endangered birds, to fund identified conservation programmes that will pull each species back from the brink of extinction.

The ‘Species Champion’ for Bengal Florican will be the British Birdwatching Fair 2007, contributing toward conservation works being undertaken by ‘Species Guardians’ working in Cambodia. Three other Critically Endangered birds will also benefit: Belding’s Yellowthroat (Mexico), Djibouti Francolin (Djibouti), Restinga Antwren (Brazil).

Since being re-discovered in Cambodia in 1999, Bengal Florican numbers have plummeted due to unregulated land conversion for intensive agriculture.

The BirdLife Species Champions funding will contribute toward the government-approved ‘Integrated Farming and Biodiversity Areas’ programme in Cambodia, encouraging communities to favour ‘low-impact’ traditional farming techniques over intensive non-sustainable dry-season rice production.

“It is a fantastic privilege that Birdfair can act as Species Champion for the Bengal Florican,” said Martin Davies, co-organiser of the British Birdwatching Fair. "Visitors to the fair can take heart in knowing that their contributions will directly help the survival prospects of birds that otherwise would certainly disappear from the planet forever.”

“Critically Endangered birds can be saved from extinction through this innovative approach,” said Dr Mike Rands, Chief Executive of BirdLife International, on the BirdLife Species Champion initiative.

“We know the priority conservation actions needed for each species – what we need now is the support of companies, organisations or even individuals –Species Champions.” he added.

“This is an enormous challenge, but one we are fully committed to achieving in our efforts to save the world’s birds from extinction.”

The BirdLife Species Champion initiative will be launched officially at this year's British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland Water (August 19-21), co-organised by the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) and the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:08 AM | Comments (0)

August 6, 2007

Timor-Leste (formerly East Timor) declares first national park

After just five years as an independent nation, Timor-Leste (formerly East Timor) has declared its first national park, a move which will protect a number of threatened species found nowhere else on Earth.

The declaration has been applauded by BirdLife International, one of a number of organisations involved in the site designation process.

“This is an incredibly forward-thinking decision, made all the more spectacular by the fact that this is such a young nation,” said Dr Mike Rands, BirdLife’s Chief Executive. “We wholeheartedly congratulate the Timor-Leste government on this declaration, and their commitment to conservation in line with sustaining the livelihoods and heritage of local people.”

Timor-Leste became independent in 2002 and despite rich deposits of oil and gas it remains one of the world's poorest nations.

The newly designated Nino Konis Santana National Park –at over 123,600 hectares- links together three of the island’s sixteen BirdLife-designated Important Bird Areas: Lore; Monte Paitchau and Lake Iralalara; and Jaco Island.

Yellow-crested Cockatoo, copyright Craig Robson, Birdquest

“This is great progress by the government and communities of Timor-Leste. After five years work our first national park is born. It will help our nation to protect its national heritage, culture and history,” said Manuel Mendes, Director of the Department of Protected Areas and National Parks, Timor-Leste. “The national park will protect globally significant biodiversity and the culture and socioeconomic livelihoods of communities living there.”

The National Park will also include over 55,600 hectares of the ‘Coral Triangle’, a marine area with the greatest biodiversity of coral and reef fish in the world.

The National Park includes 25 bird species restricted to Timor and neighbouring islands, and also the Critically Endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo Cacatua sulphurea, whose populations have been devastated worldwide by unsustainable exploitation for trade. In addition the Park is home to the endemic Timor Green-pigeon Treron psittaceus, listed as Endangered due to loss of monsoon-forest habitat on Timor island.

BirdLife has worked with the Timor-Leste government (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, MAFF) since shortly after the country's formal independence. Site designation work began with a programme of biological surveys, resulting in the identification of the country's Important Bird Areas (IBAs) (soon to be published in book form).

In doing this BirdLife joined forces with the New South Wales (Australia) Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC), whose participation allowed the programme to be widened towards establishment of a new national protected areas network. Additional support to the programme was provided by Australian Volunteers International.

“Now we must plan further and work hard to manage well, not only the government of Timor-Leste but international partners who want to collaborate and work with us, help us to build our capacity so that we can manage for ourselves,” finished Mendes.

The National Park is named in honour of Nino Konis Santana, national hero and former Commander of FALANTIL (Forças Armadas da Libertação Nacional de Timor-Leste), the armed wing of the resistance movement in the struggle for independence who was born in the village of Tutuala within the National Park.

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:44 PM | Comments (0)

July 31, 2007

European Commission takes last minute action to stop illegal expressway construction in Poland

Environmental NGOs, including BirdLife International, the CEE Bankwatch Network, OTOP, the Polish partner of BirdLife International, Greenpeace, WWF Poland and Wetland Conservation Centre support the European Commission’s decision to ask the European Court of Justice to halt imminent construction of the ‘Via Baltica’ expressway through the pristine Rospuda Wetlands in north-east Poland. The wildlife-rich Rospuda Valley is protected under EU environment law.

In today’s announcement the Commission asked the European Court to make an urgent order (‘interim measures’) requiring Poland to suspend works immediately, until a full Court judgement is delivered. Breaching EU environmental law and ignoring its own commitment to wait for a decision of the court, Poland had announced the start of construction of the Via Baltica expressway for August 1st. The European Commission originally took Poland to the Court on this matter in March 2007.

Black Grouse, threatened by road developments in Poland,
copyright Graham Catley

The Rospuda valley is a designated Natura 2000 site for its status as an area of outstanding biodiversity value. It is home to the protected Lesser-spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina and White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla, Western Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus, and others. Wetlands located in the valley (including such EU habitats as alkaline fens and bog forests) belong to the most pristine ones of that type within Europe. The Via Baltica road development plan runs straight through the Augustow Forest and other protected areas.

Magda Stoczkiewicz, Bankwatch’s Policy Coordinator, said: “The arrogance of the Polish government towards European law and legal institutions – namely the European Court of Justice – is appalling. Still, we believe that due to the European Commission’s reaction, devastation of the unique Rospuda Valley will be halted.”

Since the proposals for the Via Baltica Expressway were first outlined, environmental NGOs and conservationists in Poland and across Europe, as well as many Members of the European Parliament, have expressed strong opposition to the project, arguing that economically viable and less-devastating alternative routes exist to satisfy Poland’s need for better infrastructure.

“Unfortunately, along the investment planning process numerous national and EU law requirements had been ignored. To let the Polish government go ahead with the planned work on Via Baltica may result in irreversible harm to wildlife and also withholding EU funds for the infrastructure investments”, said Marta Majka Wisniewska of WWF Poland.

Izabela Flor, Director of OTOP, the Polish Partner of BirdLife International said “This case has developed into a real test case for the enforcement of European legislation in Poland. Poland receives significant funding from the EU, and should also fulfil its duties as a Member State and live up to its responsibility to protect a unique European natural heritage.”

Maciej Muskat of Greenpeace Poland added: “If, as the government plans, road building through the Rospuda Valley recommences on 1 August, a great many people will come to the valley, to defend its natural wealth and to prevent the violation of Polish and European law."

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:14 AM | Comments (0)

July 28, 2007

Spring Alive earlier in 2007

The Springtime migration of four bird indicator species across Europe took place earlier this year than the previous year, according to BirdLife’s Spring Alive project, an online resource involving children, teachers and birdwatchers from across the continent.

Throughout last Spring, participants across Europe watched out for and recorded the arrival of four migratory birds: White Stork Ciconia ciconia, Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica, Common Swift Apus apus and the Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus. Results showed that all four species were spotted earlier this year on average, compared to the Spring Alive 2006 results.

White Stork from Surfbirds Galleries © Dr. Steve M.R.Young

Over 16,000 records were added to the Spring Alive website this year (http://www.springalive.net) and the project involved a large number of European BirdLife Partners. Website visitors were able to watch the progress of Spring across Europe, as birds were spotted further and further northwards.

This year’s arrivals were found to be slightly earlier than the European phonological norm (White Stork in early April; Barn Swallow, mid-April; Common Cuckoo, early May; Common Swift, mid-May), a reflection of the relatively mild Spring -much warmer and longer than 2006- in comparison with previous years.

“Throughout Spring, the project was great fun for all those involved, helping people learn about birds, migration pressures and the environment, yet the results also have value: adding to scientists’ knowledge of changes occurring in the global environment, many of which relate to climate change,” said Joanna Kalinowska, European Spring Alive project coordinator.

“Such early sightings of migratory birds might not have been possible twenty years ago,” she finished.

Find out more: www.springalive.net

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:39 PM | Comments (0)

July 10, 2007

Conservationists call for Ugandan government to halt forest ‘give-aways’

Kampala, Uganda: The fate of Mabira Forest Reserve - home to 30% of bird species found in Uganda - continues to hang in the balance as President Museveni and some elements of the Ugandan government attempt to hand over a quarter of its area for sugarcane cultivation.

BirdLife International and NatureUganda (BirdLife in Uganda) continue to argue that the economic benefits of retaining Mabira in its present form, will easily exceed the ‘short-sighted’ gains quoted by the government in the proposed forest ‘give-away’.

Mabira Forest Reserve (at over 30,000 hectares) is listed by BirdLife as an Important Bird Area (IBA) and contains over 300 bird species, including the Endangered Nahan's Francolin Francolinus nahani. The forest is also home to nine species found exclusively in the region including Grey-cheeked Mangabey Lophocebus albigena johnstoni, a recently identified endemic primate subspecies.

Black Bee-eater, a Ugandan forest speciality, copyright Steve Arlow

In order to convey the enormous value of retaining Mabira Forest Reserve, NatureUganda has undertaken an economic study of the site, which they are now putting to the Ugandan government. Among the economic benefits of retaining Mabira that NatureUganda have outlined are:

1. Environmental services provided by Mabira Forest Reserve. Most notably the forest protects the water catchment area for Lake Victoria, Lake Kyoga and the River Nile. The forest also acts as a carbon sink worth $212 million USD at current carbon market prices.

2. Local livelihoods are supported via commodities that come from the forest, particularly from the sustainable harvesting of wood, food and medicines. The National Forestry Authority, the lead forestry agency in Uganda, last year estimated the value of the wood alone at $568 million USD.

3. Tourism at Mabira is another high-earner for Uganda: Mabira contributes 62% of the total revenue collected from visitors to Uganda’s Forest Reserves. Ecotourism is now Uganda’s second largest foreign exchange earner.

“The economic studies that we have undertaken clearly indicate that keeping Mabira Forest Reserve for reasons of conservation, constitutes a better land-use option than sugarcane growing when total economic value is considered,” said Achilles Byaruhanga, Executive Director of NatureUganda.

“If a quarter of Mabira is chopped down the effect on the remaining forest will be far-reaching, reducing the range of species, causing encroachment, erosion and siltation, and reducing its capacity to provide services, so there would be less water in rivers, less rain, less carbon intake, fewer tourists,” he added.

NatureUganda’s arguments for stopping the ‘give-away’ of Mabira Forest Reserve are supported by BirdLife International, a global alliance of over one hundred conservation organisations.

“For the Ugandan government and Mehta Group [sugar company] to continue with a venture that is so very costly in terms of biodiversity loss and in terms of economic stability, is wholly deplorable.” said Hazell Shokellu Thompson, Head of BirdLife’s Africa Division. "However, we are confident that once all the facts have been reviewed, the Ugandan government will do the right thing for the Ugandan people and stop the ‘give-away’".

"Uganda ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1993 and has a fairly good track record in upholding the treaty so far. The government has an obligation to continue to adhere to the agreement in the same way that many African and world nations do," he commented.

“The sugar company itself also argues that it has a strict policy of environmental compliance which this venture quite obviously contradicts.”

Mabira is only one of a number of ‘give-aways’ proposed by the Ugandan government, believed to be planning a bill to amend the National Forest and Tree Planting Act that would give the National Forestry Authority power to de-gazette protected forests without first going through parliament.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:47 PM | Comments (0)

European Court condemns Spain over nature law

The European Court of Justice has found Spain guilty of breaching European nature conservation law. According to the Court, Spain failed to designate sufficient Special Protection Areas (SPAs) as required by the EU Birds Directive in seven of its regions, namely Andalusia, the Balearics, Canaries, Castilla-La-Mancha, Catalonia, Galicia and Valencia.

Spain, like other EU countries, has shown commitment to implementing the EU’s nature legislation and to work towards the EU-wide target of halting biodiversity loss by 2010. But as the Court ruling shows, more needs to be done. Several bird species, like the Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni (60% of the European population resides in Spain) or the Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata which only exists on the Canary Islands in the EU, are under severe threat from human activities and are reliant on protection under European law in order to ensure their survival.

Lesser Kestrel, copyright Nic Hallam

The EU Birds Directive declares that each Member State has to designate the most appropriate areas for the protection of birds based on biological criteria. BirdLife International’s inventory of Important Bird Areas (IBAs) provides a reference list for this, as confirmed once more by the European Court today. In the case of Spain, IBAs cover 31.5% of the country’s territory, while so far only 18% has been designated as SPA under the Birds Directive. Therefore the European Court has ruled today that Spain has to close this gap and designate the remaining sites.

Alejandro Sánchez, Director of SEO/BirdLife (BirdLife in Spain), warns that: “Many unique sites still need to be designated and enlarged. Only then can we ensure the protection of rare and threatened species such as Spanish Imperial Eagle and steppe birds like Dupont’s Lark.”

Clairie Papazoglou, Head of the European Division at BirdLife International in Brussels, welcomes the decision of the Court and states that: “We are pleased that our list of Important Bird Areas for Spain has been validated once again by the European Court. BirdLife International recognises that Spain has already taken important steps to protect its unique natural heritage, but more needs to be done, as this Court ruling clearly shows.”

Yesterday the Commission stepped up its actions against infringements of bird protection laws by taking Germany, Austria and Poland to the European Court and by sending first warning letters to eight countries of the new EU Member States. Cyprus also received a first warning letter by the Commission for breaching the hunting provisions in the Birds Directive as it allowed spring hunting on the Turtle Dove last May.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:34 PM | Comments (0)

June 27, 2007

Commission puts its foot down to ensure nature protected in new Member States, Germany and Austria

The European Commission opens infringement procedures against almost all new Member States for insufficient implementation of EU nature law – Poland and Germany taken to the European Court.

Brussels, Belgium - The European Commission took a strong stance today by starting new and stepping up ongoing infringement proceedings against ten EU Member States for failing to implement the EU Birds Directive [1]. Together with the Habitats Directive this law forms the cornerstone of EU action to address the decline of biodiversity, which in combination with climate change is seen as the most pressing environmental problem of the 21st century. EU governments have committed to halting the loss of wildlife by 2010, and to implementing its nature legislation.

SPAs have proved important for conservation of Ferruginous Duck in Slovakia. © Nigel Blake

Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager at BirdLife International in Brussels states: “We welcome the legal actions announced today, but regret that so many governments need to be forced to turn their nice words into action. We hope the affected Member States will now speed up their efforts to comply with EU legislation. We need healthy and diverse ecosystems to ensure long-term economic development. After all, this is about the well-being of Europeans!”

The Commission decided today to take Germany, Austria and Poland to the European Court of Justice because of insufficient designation of Special Protection Areas (SPAs) as required by the Birds Directive. It was also decided to send first warning letters on the same issue to eight more countries that joined the EU in 2004. This means, that apart from Estonia, all the new Member States from the 2004 round are in legal trouble on bird protection. Cyprus will receive a first warning letter related to bird hunting.

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:32 PM | Comments (0)

June 15, 2007

Research confirms extent of Europe’s disappearing farmland birds

New research has shown that Europe’s farmland birds have declined by almost 50% in the past 25 years – a trend caused by EU-wide agricultural intensification being driven by a policy in need of urgent reform.

The results, released today, bring together the most comprehensive biodiversity indicators of their kind in Europe, collated by the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS) - a partnership led by scientists from the European Bird Census Council, BirdLife International, the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) and Statistics Netherlands.

Corn Bunting, copyright Jim Duncan

The data was collected from 20 independent breeding bird survey programmes across Europe over the last 25 years, all of which were coordinated thanks to the concerted efforts of national programmes involving thousands of dedicated volunteer birdwatchers.

The results confirm the extent to which farmland birds have declined. Across Europe as a whole from 1980 to 2005, common farmland birds have on average fallen in number by 44%–the most severe decline of the bird categories monitored.

“Birds can be vital barometers of environmental change – their declines are clear evidence of the environmental degradation that has occurred across European farmland,” said Dr Richard Gregory, Chairman of the European Bird Census Council, and Head of Monitoring and Indicators at the RSPB. “The data are staring us in the face: many farmland birds -and the species and habitats with which they coexist- are under serious threat.”

Species like Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis, Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio, Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra, Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus and Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus are familiar names in the long list of declining farmland bird species.

The bird organisations involved in the study are calling for a reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), a system of European Union subsidies and programmes that has led to considerable agricultural intensification in EU Member States. Although this drive has lessened with successive reforms, the CAP still appears to fail farmland birds and the European environment in general.

“These results show how urgently we need a complete reform of the Common Agriculture Policy, to deliver targeted support for high nature value farming systems and farmed Natura 2000 sites, and to support farmers in delivering environmental improvements throughout the countryside,” said Ariel Brunner, BirdLife’s EU Agriculture Policy Officer, based in Brussels.

Most concerning is the likelihood of rapid farmland bird declines in new EU Member States that hold some of Europe’s largest concentrations of farmland birds. The study indicates that declines in farmland birds in new EU Member States mirror those declines of more established EU Member States. The fear is that EU accession may accelerate and worsen the situation.

“The EU has made encouraging strides forward in environmental legislation, yet for farmland -which accounts for nearly half of the total land surface of Europe- we are working to an outdated policy that still encourages unsustainable intensive farming, while failing to support those extensive farming systems that are vital for biodiversity conservation and rural economies,” said Brunner.

Findings from the study also show declines for forest birds: across Europe as a whole from 1980 to 2005, numbers of common forest birds have fallen on average by 9%.

The researchers highlight that the speed with which forest ecosystems react to changes in management are much slower than in farmlands, so this decline may carry a very serious warning. They are now urging for further studies to investigate the driving factors, management regimes in particular.

Forest bird declines have been particularly severe in the boreal forests of Northern Europe, where they are thought to be threatened by highly intensive forestry exploitation.

Overall, for both forest and farmland birds, the findings from the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS) paint a worrying picture of the state of Europe’s wildlife:

"We have the data and the knowledge to help farmland and forest birds, but we need urgently to look deeper into the reasons behind these declines – and to design effective policies that will ensure further losses do not occur,” said Dr Gregory.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:51 AM | Comments (0)

May 23, 2007

1,221 and counting: More birds than ever face extinction

The latest evaluation of the world’s birds has revealed that more species than ever are threatened with extinction, and that additional conservation action is critical to reversing current declines.

BirdLife International’s annual Red List update – which takes into account population size, population trends and range size for all 10,000 bird species worldwide - states that 1,221 species are considered threatened with extinction and are to be listed as such on the 2007 IUCN Red List.

Waved Albatross © Lee Dingain

The latest update also shows an additional 812 bird species are now considered Near Threatened, adding up to a total of 2,033 species that are urgent priorities for conservation action.

The overall conservation status of the world’s birds has deteriorated steadily since 1988, when they were first comprehensively assessed. Now, more than a fifth (22%) of the planet’s birds is at increased risk of extinction.

The 2007 update has highlighted the deteriorating status of the world’s vultures: five more species have been ‘uplisted’ to higher categories of concern as a result of numerous threats. These include habitat loss, conversion and degradation (which remains the principal threat to all the world’s birds, impacting on 86% of Globally Threatened species), fewer feeding opportunities (as a result of declining wild ungulate populations on which to scavenge) and poisoning by the veterinary drug diclofenac – a factor behind rapid population declines in vultures across Asia in recent years.

Bird species restricted to oceanic islands continue to be among the world’s most threatened birds due mainly to the introduction of alien invasive species.

This year has seen St Helena Plover Charadrius sanctaehelenae uplisted to Critically Endangered, having suffered considerably in recent years from habitat degradation due to a proliferation in invasive plants and predation from cats, another invasive species. Likewise, Po’o-uli Melamprosops phaeosoma (known only from the Hawaiian island of Maui), has also become categorised as ‘Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct)’ after the death in captivity of the last known individual in 2004, and the failure to find any other individuals in the wild.

Another island-nesting species, Waved Albatross Diomedea irrorata (which breeds only in the Galapagos islands), has been categorised as Critically Endangered, as new evidence shows it is declining, primarily because of the expansion of commercial long-line fishing, in which birds attracted to bait are hooked and drown.

While the number of bird species included on the Red List increases, there is cause for encouragement: where conservation actions are put in place, species have shown signs of recovery.

Mauritius Parakeet Psittacula eques, which survives in south-west Mauritius (having become extinct historically on Réunion) has been downlisted (to Endangered) due to a highly successful recovery programme that has included release of captive-bred birds, measures to control predators and the provision of artificial nest sites. The programme has been led by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, a conservation NGO that has worked closely with the Mauritian government.

Further good news is provided by Spectacled Petrel Procellaria conspicillata, downlisted from Critically Endangered to Vulnerable, after an increase from an estimated 1,000 pairs in the 1980s to some 10,000 pairs in 2006. The population increase is part of a long-term recovery largely in response to removal of pigs from its only breeding site, Inaccessible Island, Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic, and has occurred despite losses to long-line fisheries.

Egyptian Vulture © Stephen Daly

Dr Stuart Butchart, BirdLife's Global Species Programme Coordinator said of this year’s Red List update:

“There are two sides to this story: whilst conservation efforts have been successful in recovering some species, there are more and more species slipping towards extinction. The challenge becomes greater each year.”

“But where efforts, resources and political will are directed, species can recover. Conservation works,” he said. “We just need much more of it in order to turn back the tide of impending extinctions.”

BirdLife’s revisions to Red List categories, and the associated documentation, including factsheets for all the world’s 10,000 bird species, can be found on the BirdLife website: visit www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html

FURTHER INFORMATION:

A total of 135 species are documented as having gone Extinct since 1500. A further four species are now Extinct in the Wild and survive only in captive populations. Fifteen species are categorised as Critically Endangered(Possibly Extinct) because they are likely to have gone extinct too, but cannot be designated as such until we are certain. Thus, a total of 154 species may have been lost in the last 500 years.

Three species have gone Extinct or Extinct in the Wild already this century: Spix's Macaw Cyanopsitta spixii (classified as Critically Endangered: Possibly Extinct in the Wild) in 2000, Hawaiian Crow Corvus hawaiiensis (classified as Extinct in the Wild) in 2002, and Po‘ouli Melamposops phaeosoma (classified as Critically Endangered: Possibly Extinct) in 2004. Brazil and Indonesia support the highest numbers of Globally Threatened Birds, with 119 each.

Forest is by far the most important habitat for Globally Threatened Birds, supporting 76% of species. Tropical/subtropical lowland and montane moist forest are the most important forest-types, supporting 40% and 30% of Globally Threatened Birds respectively.

Declines have been particularly severe for birds in the Indo-Malayan realm (owing to deforestation) and for the world’s albatrosses (owing to incidental mortality in longline fisheries).

1,221 species are considered threatened with extinction and included on the 2007 IUCN Red List. This represents 12.4% of the total of 9,821 extant bird species in the world.

Of the threatened species, 189 species are considered Critically Endangered and are therefore at extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

VULTURES

Five vulture species ‘uplisted’ in the 2007 Red List update: Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus (now Endangered), White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus (Near Threatened), Rueppell's Vulture Gyps rueppellii (Near Threatened), Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvu (Critically Endangered) and White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis (Vulnerable). For more information visit: vultures.birdlife.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 5:57 AM | Comments (0)

May 14, 2007

Stunning new hummingbird species needs immediate protection

The flamboyantly coloured Gorgeted Puffleg Eriocnemis isabellae, a new species of hummingbird, has been discovered in Colombia.

But there are concerns over its future safety because the Serrania del Pinche mountains where it was discovered are unprotected.

Ornithologists Alexander Cortés-Diago and Luis Alfonso Ortega made three sightings of the new hummingbird during surveys in 2005 of montane cloud forest in the Serrania del Pinche, south-west Colombia.

Gorgeted Puffleg © Alex Cortes

“We were essentially following a hunch,” said Alexander Cortés-Diago of The Hummingbird Conservancy (Colombia) and co-discoverer of Gorgeted Puffleg. “We had heard that a new species of plant had been discovered in the region in 1994. This discovery and the isolation of the Serrania led us to believe there could also be new species of vertebrates.”

“Though we expected to find new species of amphibians and new ranges for birds, the discovery of a new hummingbird was completely unexpected.”

The highly distinct new species is characterised by an enlarged, bicoloured iridescent throat patch (hence ‘Gorgeted’) in males and white tufts above the legs which are characteristic of ‘Puffleg’ hummingbirds.

Further surveys in 2006 brought more sightings and photographs which were sent for identification to Prof. Karl-L. Schuchmann, curator of ornithology at Zoological Research Museum A. Koenig (Germany).

Dr André-A. Weller of the Brehm Fund for International Bird Conservation/Zoological Research Museum A. Koenig, co-author of the scientific description published in Ornitologia Neotropical noted: “We immediately suspected the bird as a new species. Further study has shown that this is certainly the most spectacular discovery of a new hummingbird taxon during the last decade or more.”

The mountainous Serrania del Pinche region may hold other new species but their future isn’t secure.

“The isolated nature of the Serrania del Pinche within the biodiverse Choco region makes it likely that further new species await discovery,” said Luis Mazariegos-Hurtado of The Hummingbird Conservancy. “Yet a major threat to these forests exists: the increase in coca fields and ‘slash and burn’ agriculture. It is estimated that 500 hectares are lost each year.” commented Mazariegos-Hurtado.

The species has been heralded by BirdLife International as one of the most significant new discoveries of recent years.

Gorgeted Puffleg is predicted to have a very small habitat range,
hence its survival may hang in the balance © Alex Cortes

“This is an important discovery for bird conservation and further evidence of how much more there is to learn about the world’s forests, and how much we stand to lose if they are allowed to be destroyed.” said Ian Davidson, Head of BirdLife International's Americas Programme based in Ecuador. “Gorgeted Puffleg is a flagship species for the biodiversity of Serrania del Pinche, which must be conserved,” he added.

“To go undiscovered for so long, the bird’s range must be extremely small and fragile – hence conservation action is undoubtedly a priority for the Serrania del Pinche.”

A number of conservation organisations are now looking to ensure the region is secured further protection. The Hummingbird Conservancy has started a conservation initiative with local communities and governmental organisations, whilst Fundación Ecohabitat (Colombia) is working to reduce the relentless expansion of agriculture into the forests by promoting use of legal crops and sustainable agriculture.

The Hummingbird Conservancy is proposing the site become an Important Bird Area to Colombia's Instituto Alexander von Humboldt, working in collaboration with BirdLife International.

“This is a discovery with mixed emotions: the indescribable happiness of finding a new hummingbird and the harsh reality that this may be one of the most endangered species outside of an unprotected area.” said Luis Alfonso Ortega of Fundación Ecohabitat, co-discoverer of the hummingbird.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:37 AM | Comments (0)

May 6, 2007

“Indefensible” Cyprus Spring Shooting permit shocks conservationists across Europe

Cyprus: Today’s shock decision by the Cyprus government to permit shooting of Turtle Doves this spring poses an unacceptable threat to a declining species and is indefensible under the EU Birds Directive, say conservationists throughout Europe.

The Cyprus government’s decision will allow for European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur - a species declining across Europe - to be shot in certain coastal areas on Sunday May 6 and Wednesday May 9.

Turtle Dove © Bill Jackson

“It will be a case of targeting a threatened bird species at the most vulnerable stage of its life-cycle,” said Executive Manager of BirdLife Cyprus, Martin Hellicar.

“These threatened doves will be hit as they pass through Cyprus at the tail-end of their long migration from Africa to their breeding grounds in mainland Europe. The EU Birds Directive bans shooting during migration towards nesting areas in order to ensure birds can successfully produce young to replenish their numbers,” said Hellicar.

Spring hunting is prohibited by EU law -the Birds Directive- in order to protect wild birds during their migration from Africa to breeding grounds in Europe.

BirdLife International in Brussels have informed the European Commission about this step and is to ask Commissioner Dimas for immediate and firm reaction, asking the Cypriot government to revoke this decision.

“This step by Cyprus represents a serious and unacceptable infringement of European law, and BirdLife International will ask national governments and EU decision makers to express their protest to the Cypriot government.” said Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager at BirdLife in Brussels.

“This decision represents a very serious step backwards for both bird conservation and hunting in Cyprus. We are not opposed to legal, sustainable hunting - but this is not what we are faced with here.” said Hellicar.

Malta, another EU country which permits spring hunting, is currently the subject of legal action from the European Commission. Cyprus would have to expect a European Court case -with similiar EU wide embarrassment- if the country doesn’t revoke its decision, conservationists have warned.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:38 PM | Comments (0)

May 3, 2007

Survey uncovers Grauer’s Swamp-warbler nest

Recent surveys of Africa’s Albertine Rift Valley have shed new light on Grauer’s Swamp-warbler Bradypterus graeuri, a particularly vocal Endangered bird that occurs nowhere else on Earth.

In the past, adult swamp-warblers have been recorded throughout the Rift Valley, in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda. Yet breeding and nesting behaviour –two vital facets of information for conservationists working to save the species- remained largely unknown, until now.

Grauers Swamp-warbler nest
© Claudien Nsabagasani

“During our routine surveys of the Kabatwa Swamp in the Volcanoes National Park [in Rwanda], we came across a small cup-shaped nest perched in foliage 35cm from the ground. The nest was built from Poa leptocrada and other sedges. To our surprise there were two chicks sitting in the nest,” said Claudien Nsabagasani, Ornithological Researcher with Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International (DFGFI) and IBA Focal Point for Association pour la Conservation de la Nature au Rwanda, ACNR (BirdLife in Rwanda).

“We revisited the Swamp-warbler nest daily from then on to acquire information on nesting and feeding behaviour before the chicks fledged a week later.”

The photos of the warbler nest are Rwanda’s first, shedding important light on the reproductive ecology of the species.

The surveyors, supported by funding from RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) and DFGFI, had been monitoring Grauer’s Swamp-warbler over four seasons, starting in July 2006, in the Volcanoes National Park, an Important Bird Area (IBA).
“With threatened species, every nest counts,” said Paul Kariuki Ndang’ang’a, the Species Programme Manager at BirdLife Africa Partnership Secretariat. “Information on where the birds choose to make their nests -at what height, and in what foliage– are all crucial pieces of information for those involved in managing and surveying these sites to help secure populations of threatened species.”

Grauer’s Swamp-warbler is listed as Endangered as a result of its very small, fragmented and declining range – a reflection of habitat loss as the Rift Valley’s mountain forests are converted to cultivation and pasture.

“The swamp-warbler population in the Volcanoes IBA are protected, which is encouraging news for the future of these newly discovered young fledglings,” said Serge Nsengimana, the ACNR Executive Officer. “But site protection remains a critical issue for the species as a whole.”

“Hopefully this added knowledge on nesting behaviour will help in our efforts to save this endemic species from possible extinction.”

In 2005, an ACNR-led team discovered Rwanda’s first Grauer’s Swamp-warbler nest at Rugezi Swamp, an IBA currently lacking legal protection.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:47 AM | Comments (0)

Surveys reveal raptor ‘super-roost’

Surveys in Senegal by LPO (BirdLife in France) have revealed a single roost containing over 28,600 Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni and 16,000 African Swallow-tailed Kite Chelictinia riocourii – one of the largest bird of prey roosts ever found.

Lesser Kestrel © Kit Day

“One evening, I saw the passage of some 300 birds flying over,” said Philippe Pilard of LPO, who discovered the site in January 2007. “The next evening I saw 1,300 falcons fly over. I therefore decided to follow them, which was only possible on foot.”

“I first walked 10 kilometres -even crossing rivers by canoe- and finally found the Lesser Kestrel roost, along with the African Swallow-tailed Kites.”

The existence of communal roosts during the non-breeding season -sometimes involving several thousand individuals- has been observed in a number of different countries including Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. However conservationists have described this enormous roost -altogether some 45,000 insectivorous raptors- as exceptional.

The numbers of roosting Lesser Kestrel at this site are thought to represent more than half of the known breeding populations of western Europe and northern Africa combined. The roost likely held individuals from Morocco, Spain, Portugal and France.

The finding is the culmination of seven years of research and many hours of observation in the field by LPO ornithologists, funded for the past year by La Fondation Nature et Découvertes.

During the course of the next few years, comprehensive surveys of the region are now being planned.

Lesser Kestrel is listed as Vulnerable by BirdLife. The species has undergone rapid declines in western Europe - equivalent to c.46% in each decade since 1950. As such, the species has been the subject of significant conservation efforts, particularly in its European breeding range.

LPO have used the discovery to highlight the importance of protecting wintering sites, as well as breeding sites, across the range of this migratory species.

“Although there have been a number of conservation efforts devoted to Lesser Kestrel in France and elsewhere in Europe, these efforts will be fruitless if nothing is put in place to protect its African wintering grounds.” said Yvan Tariel, Head of Raptor Conservation at LPO.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:38 AM | Comments (0)

April 11, 2007

European outrage as Malta’s spring hunting season begins

On the same day Malta’s spring hunting season for birds begins, bird conservation organisations across Europe have united in protest against the Maltese government for allowing the practice to continue, despite ongoing legal and political action taken by the European Commission. The European Partnership of BirdLife International -consisting of 42 separate national conservation organisations- have together urged the Maltese Prime Minister Dr Lawrence Gonzi to end spring hunting and “clamp down” on poaching.

The conservation groups argue that, since joining the EU in 2004, Malta has breached the European Birds Directive by allowing spring hunting of Turtle Dove and Quail. Spring hunting is prohibited by the Birds Directive in order to protect wild birds during their migration from Africa to breeding grounds in Europe.

Turtle Dove, copyright Steve Arlow

This is the fourth consecutive breach of the EU law since Malta joined the Union in 2004. Legal action by the European Commission against Malta began in June 2006, with a European Court case expected to start later this year. On 15 March 2007 the European Parliament adopted a strong resolution calling on Malta to end spring hunting and trapping of birds immediately.

Speaking on behalf of the BirdLife European Partnership, Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager at BirdLife International in Brussels said:

“Malta is a vital stepping-stone for these birds on their exhausting journey northwards, hence this is not an issue just for Malta – it affects all European nations”

“Conservationists, citizens, organisations and governments across Europe have invested significant amounts of time and resources in protecting wild birds in their own countries. The fact that the Maltese government allows these birds to be killed during their journey to the breeding grounds is deeply shocking – particularly as this decision ignores the law and all scientific evidence and instead seems heavily influenced by upcoming elections.”

“The Maltese hunters may not want to live up to their common responsibility as Europeans but the Maltese government should.” said Kreiser.

Starting today, Malta’s spring hunting season will end on the 20 May. During the hunting period significant numbers of Turtle Dove and Quail will be killed and trapped. Protected species like birds of prey are also known to be killed illegally during the hunting season.

This year –before the official opening of the season- the BirdLife Partner in Malta has already received reports of illegal shooting:

“Declining or endangered species continue to be shot illegally on a regular basis. Only last week a Pallid Harrier and a Purple Heron were found shot” said Joseph Mangion, President of BirdLife Malta. “With the European population of Pallid Harriers down to only a handful of birds, the actions of a single Maltese hunter could impact dramatically on the future of this species. This scenario is repeated for a wide range of threatened birds that are shot illegally on a regular basis here in Malta.”

“BirdLife Malta and the whole European network of BirdLife International will continue to press Malta to stop spring hunting and to clamp down on poaching, otherwise the country risks not only a heavy fine from the European Court of Justice but also a further deterioration of its public reputation in the EU.” added Konstantin Kreiser.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:41 AM | Comments (0)

April 2, 2007

Indonesia's first “Restoration Forest” gives hope to last rainforests in Sumatra

Following a major change in forestry law in Indonesia, a ground-breaking initiative to protect and restore an area of Sumatra’s remaining dry lowland rainforest has now been made possible.

The initiative, planned and pursued for over five years by the coalition of Burung Indonesia, the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, UK) and BirdLife International, with support from BirdLife Partners, will establish Indonesia’s first “forest ecosystem restoration concession” for the conservation and regeneration of a 101,000 hectares forest block in the lowlands of the island of Sumatra.

Storm's Stork, Harapan Rainforest's most threatened bird copyright Rob Hutchinson

The newly named Harapan Rainforest is in an area that was likely to be felled and replaced by plantations for timber or oil palm production. Such plantations clearly have less biodiversity value and extremely limited ecosystem services compared to natural forests.

The forest is called ‘Harapan Rainforest’ after the Indonesian word for ‘hope’.

The BirdLife International Partnership will put the life back in an area that was previously exploited for timber. They will restore and conserve the native trees, plants and wildlife that remain, and plant many more trees to restore the forest to prime condition.

Sukianto Lusli, Executive Director of Burung Indonesia, said: “We expect big dividends for wildlife as well as for local communities. Sumatra’s lowland forest is already a hotspot for rare wildlife. The restoration of the forest will help prevent forest fires which have been badly affecting local communities as well as the entire region.”

The forest is home to the Critically Endangered Sumatran Tiger, of which only 100-300 remain in the wild. Around 20 tigers live in Harapan Rainforest. The area is also home to at least 267 bird species, of which 71 are threatened with extinction. Surveys show evidence of Asian Elephants, Malayan Tapir, Sun Bear and two species of gibbon. Many of these species rely on large tracts of undisturbed forest to survive and maintain only a fragile toehold in the remaining forest.

Central Sumatra is home to indigenous people known as the Batin Sembilan people. Many of these people still follow a semi-nomadic lifestyle, harvesting fruits, rattan and honey from the forest. “Now these people have a choice for their future,” Mr Lusli said. “With intact forest remaining, they will have the choice of maintaining their traditional lifestyles. They will also have the option of becoming wildlife monitors or forest wardens, as will other people in the local area. The Harapan Rainforest management will also work with the local government to improve rural livelihood.”

The change in Indonesian law that allows production forest to be allocated for conservation and restoration comes just in time and paves the way for many more of these rehabilitation concessions to be established. Forests in the country have suffered dramatically from forest fires, illegal logging and conversion of natural forests.

Without this effort to secure Harapan Rainforest, the area would almost certainly have been cleared, burned and converted to timber plantations, like surrounding forest lands. Once BirdLife International’s conservation efforts are well underway, the Partnership will protect the forest from illegal logging and allow the trees to regenerate naturally, as well as planting new ones.

Graham Wynne, Chief Executive of the RSPB, said: “It is difficult to express just how significant this breakthrough is. There have been many times in the last five years when our hopes of saving Harapan Rainforest had all but ebbed away.”

“Every part of Harapan Rainforest has been logged to some extent in the last 60 years and some of its species have been staring extinction in the face. But all of the forest can still recover and every single species it hosts now has a toehold on survival.”

Marco Lambertini, Director of Network and Programmes for BirdLife International, said: “Indonesia suffers from some notoriety for its rapid deforestation. However the Harapan Rainforest initiative, and the Indonesian government’s support for it, could mark a turning point for the country’s forests, a new hope for their conservation. Their biodiversity, their role in the mitigation of global warming as well as regulating local climate and preventing floods, make their protection relevant for both the local as well as the global community. We will work towards every success in this initiative, and hope that others follow.”

For more information, contact:

PR contact, Burung Indonesia, telephone +62 251 357222 email hutanharapan@burung.org (GMT + 7 hours)

Jules Howard, BirdLife International, telephone +44(0)1223 279813, mobile: 07971069098, email jules.howard@birdlife.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:40 AM | Comments (0)

March 26, 2007

Zululand Birding Route celebrates ten years

One of Africa’s most established and celebrated ecotourism initiatives, the Zululand Birding Route (ZBR), celebrated its 10th anniversary this weekend.

“It has been a real conservation success story. To see the Zululand Birding Route reach 10 years is testament to how simple and effective the avitourism [birding ecotourism] concept has been in this case,” said Duncan Pritchard, BirdLife South Africa Avitourism Division Manager. “There have been winners all round: local economies, jobs, education and, of course, the birds.”

Pel's Fishing Owl, South Africa, Lower Mkuzi July 2005 © Adrian Jordi

Celebrations for the anniversary took place over three days and included guided tours of the Birding Route, a film festival, Bird Fair and a Forest Birders Camp.

The ZBR initiative has received appraisal globally for combining economic benefits to local communities (through “birder-friendly” establishments and local bird guides) with environmental benefits relating to habitat protection and bird conservation. The ZBR, along with the established Greater Limpopo Birding Route, are worth an estimated ZAR 50 million (USD 6.8million) per year in direct economic value to the South African region.

Conservationists have pointed out that many of the 70 top ‘birding sites’ on the ZBR have been saved by this economic incentive toward conserving sites important for birds and biodiversity.

“Our conservation efforts have certainly been strengthened by this investment. Importantly we’ve also seen an overall increase in bird appreciation from tourists and local communities themselves – this is a crucial ingredient in saving species from extinction.” commented Pritchard.

The initiative has been pioneered by BirdLife South Africa, who have provided training to local bird guides across Birding Routes, and marketed to tourists via BirdLife Travel, a specialist travel agency set up by BirdLife South Africa to plan itineraries that take in Important Bird Areas.

“Our continued support for the Birding Route concept is founded on an appreciation that this approach demonstrates an effective integration of biodiversity conservation into sustainable development initiatives that are adaptable to a variety of locations and contexts,” said Jonathan Stacey, Rio Tinto-BirdLife International Programme Manager.

The project’s success is the result of a wide variety of stakeholder support, including corporates such as Rio Tinto and its local business, Richards Bay Minerals, as well as local government structures such as Uthungulu District Municipality.

“The ZBR is the product of partnership,” said Stacey. “Those many organisations who have supported its development can feel confident that, as it continues into the future, a working link has been created between such supporters and those communities that ultimately will uphold the conservation of birds and their habitats.”

For further details visit www.zbr.co.za or BirdLife South Africa, www.birdlife.org.za

For more information on the Zululand Birding Route, see this month’s World Birdwatch Feature, BirdLife South Africa is growing routes.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:16 AM | Comments (0)

March 22, 2007

Poland's reckless approach to natural treasure lands it in European Court of Justice

Polish and European environmental NGOs welcomed today’s decision by the European Commission to refer Poland to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for breaching EU environmental law by planning construction of the Via Baltica expressway through the protected Rospuda Valley, in north-east Poland.

Black Grouse, threatened by road developments in Poland,
copyright Graham Catley

The Commission has also made use of special procedures (“interim measures”) to ask the Court to make an urgent order requiring Poland to suspend works immediately, until the full judgement is given. As construction firms are already on site, environmental NGOs hope that the Court will make a decision within days in order to protect the valley from irreversible damage.

For years environmental groups have complained that the currently proposed routing of the road does not respect EU law and that a viable and significantly less damaging alternative exists.

Magda Stoczkiewicz, Bankwatch’s Policy Coordinator, said: “It is very unfortunate that Poland is to be taken to the European Court of Justice over the Rospuda Valley case, but it is no surprise given the government’s rash approach to European law in this instance. The Commission's firm stand on this issue is encouraging and it can only be hoped now that the verdict of the Court will be positive for the valley, one of Poland’s and Europe’s unique natural treasures.”

“The whole European Partnership of BirdLife International supports the important move taken by the European Commission today..." —Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager, BirdLife International

These road developments on Via Baltica, as they are currently proposed, run straight through the Augustow and Knyszyn Primeval Forests. These are Special Protection Areas under the Birds Directive and should be proposed as Sites of Community Importance under the Habitats Directive – Europe’s major laws for the protection of natural environment.

"The whole European Partnership of BirdLife International supports the important move taken by the European Commission today and also the sense of urgency that has driven the European Commission in the past months. We also fully support the request that an order be made for Poland to stop construction work pending the consideration of the Court. This is a crucial case and Poland, just as other EU Member States, must fulfil its obligations to respect EU nature legislation," added Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager of Birdlife International.

Marta Majka Wiśniewska of WWF Poland said: “The request from the Commission for so-called interim measures is further evidence of how bad the situation is. A key natural habitat with protected species could be lost because of a lack of will to assess alternative solutions. Instead of being proud about bringing such a natural treasure to Europe, Poland is putting it at risk. This situation must be stopped immediately.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 12:44 PM | Comments (0)

March 19, 2007

EU LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater Project

The EU LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater Project is launching in Malta on the 26th March, 2007. It is the largest conservation initiative of its kind in Malta.

This high profile project is a partnership of government authorities and conservation organisations, part funded by the European Union. This combination of government bodies with BirdLife Malta, RSPB and SPEA (BirdLife Portugal) is an innovative and positive way of working on wildlife conservation in the Maltese islands

Yelkouan Shearwater, copyright Frank Dhermain

Yelkouan Shearwater, copyright John Borg

The Maltese islands are very important for Yelkouan Shearwaters (Puffinus yelkouan). An estimated 1,500 pairs are known to breed here, which equals approximately 10% of the world's population. A third of these breed at the project site, Rdum tal-Madonna, in the north of Malta.

The aim of the project is to secure the future for Yelkouan Shearwaters in Malta and the Mediterranean. The initiative also aims to improve the Rdum tal-Madonna site (a Special Protection Area and a Special Area of Conservation) for visitors from abroad and locals.

The project will undertake satellite tracking and data logging research to find out where these birds actually go after the breeding season in the Maltese islands. This will provide new scientific data (currently very limited) on these birds' movements and behaviour including how deep they can dive, whether they stay near Malta and how far they travel. The Project will use this data to create the first Marine Special Protection Area in Malta, setting an example for other countries in the Mediterranean region.

We are also creating the first protected area management plan for Malta which will act as a blueprint for all other internationally important sites.

For further information, please contact me at the below addresses:

Helen Raine
Project Manager
EU LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater Project
c/o BirdLife Malta, 57/28 Triq Abate Rigord, Ta'Xbiex XBX1120
Tel: +356 21347646
helen.raine@birdlifemalta.org

http://www.lifeshearwaterproject.org.mt/

http://www.birdlifemalta.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:36 AM | Comments (0)

March 2, 2007

Iraq opens the book on wildlife conservation

Wildlife conservation in Iraq has been given a significant boost with the release of a guide to Iraq's birds; the first field-guide of its kind for the nation.

BirdLife International and Nature Iraq, a newly-formed conservation non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Iraq, have published "Field Guide to the Birds of Iraq" in Arabic. [1] [2]

Covering the 387 bird species that have been recorded in Iraq, this is the first comprehensive, fully-illustrated field-guide to an Arabic-speaking country. The field-guide was made possible through funding from the Canadian Government via the Canada-Iraq Marshlands Initiative, the World Bank, the Ornithological Society of the Middle East (OSME) and AviFauna.

Basra Reed Warbler, copyright Amit Geffen

"For Iraq, a nation that has lost so much of its wildlife in the last twenty years, this book opens the door for the growing conservation movement in this country" said Dr Ali Douabul of Nature Iraq. "Local language field guides are crucial tools for conservation. They encourage people to realise, appreciate and get involved in bird conservation, which, because birds are good indicators of the environment, has potential benefits for all of our wildlife."

The book is due to be presented to the Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani, in the next few weeks.

The release of the "Birds of Iraq" field-guide adds weight to the conservation movement that has started to emerge in the country. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein's government in 2003, the Mesopotamian Marshes, thought to be the site of the biblical Garden of Eden and home to 28 of Iraq's Important Bird Areas - have been the focus of a major international programme to help restore their ecological and social-cultural heritage. [3]

Under the regime of the previous government, almost 90% of the Marshes were destroyed through drainage. With reduced numbers of fish and the failing of crops, many people were forced to flee to neighbouring Iran and Jordan. Since this time however some 40% of the land has been re-flooded and wildlife - with it food for Iraq's people - is returning. [4]

"These are some of the most wildlife-rich sites in the Middle East, but often all we hear about is the conflict" said Richard Porter, BirdLife International's Middle-East Advisor and co-author of the guide. Mr Porter has in recent years led a team from BirdLife International that has trained biologists from Nature Iraq in skills to survey and monitor Iraq's marshes for the wildlife that live there. [5] [6]

"It's recognised across the world that biodiversity can enhance quality of life in a region. By publishing this field-guide with Nature Iraq, we are improving the ease with which people can become involved in conservation in the region; a positive step which has potential economic benefits for the nation as a whole" Mr Porter commented.

Further information:

[1] 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 them.

[2] Notes on Field Guide to the Birds of Iraq:

The illustrations and text for the field guide have been taken from "Birds of the Middle East" (in the Helm Field Guide series),
which has recently been translated into Arabic. Nature Iraq was responsible for adapting the text for Iraq, especially that on status, distribution and habitats. The publication was designed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) in Jordan and funded by a number of organisations including the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the World Bank and the Ornithological Society of the Middle East (OSME).

Copies of Field Guide to the Birds of Iraq (price £15.00 including postage) can be obtained in the UK from OSME Sales: e-mail:
sales@osme.org

Citation: Birds of Iraq IN ARABIC (2006) by M. Salim, R.F.Porter, S. Christensen, P Schiermaker-Hansen & S Jbour. Published by Nature Iraq & BirdLife International. Amman, Jordan.

[3] The Mesopotamian Marshes are one of the most biodiverse regions in Iraq. These areas form one of the largest wetlands in the Middle East, providing a vital stop-over for thousands of waterbirds on migration and during the winter months. They are also recognised by BirdLife International as an Endemic Bird Area (EBA) based on the fact that the area contains three species that occur nowhere else in the world; Iraq Babbler Turdoides altirostris, Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis and Grey Hypocolius >I>Hypocolius ampelinus.

[4] The area of the Mesopotamian Marshes declined by 85.5% from 8,926 km2 to 1,294 km2 between 1976 and 2000 (UNEP 2001). In April 2003, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced that, of the marshland area that remained in 2000, a further third had been drained up to 2003, thus only c.7% of the original extent remains as of 2003, i.e. 759 km2.

[5] Over the past two years, BirdLife International, funded by the Canadian Government, has been training biologists at Nature Iraq to carry out bird and other wildlife surveys of the internationally important Mesopotamian Marshes. This training has covered recording techniques, plant identification, habitat monitoring techniques and practical skills like measuring water quality.

Biologists at Nature Iraq have just started their fifth survey of the Mesopotamian Marshes region. Initial indications report healthy populations of Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus, African Darter Anhinga rufa, Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis and Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris. No species of bird has become
extinct in the Marshes since the last surveys in the 1970s.

[6] Â Richard Porter is co-author of the guide, the senior author being Mudafer Salim on behalf of Nature Iraq.

Posted by Surfbirds at 12:38 PM | Comments (0)

January 24, 2007

Don't can albatross populations

As representatives from the five commissions controlling global tuna fishing meet for the first time to discuss the future of tuna stocks, the RSPB and BirdLife International have warned that the outlook for most of the world's albatrosses also rest with these bodies.

Dr Cleo Small, of BirdLife International, is attending this week's meeting in Kobe, Japan. She said: "Nineteen of the world's 21 species of albatross are threatened with extinction and bycatch from longline fisheries, including those for tuna and swordfish, is the principal threat. Coordinated action by the tuna commissions is critical to the survival of many albatrosses, as well as other vulnerable species including turtles, sharks and, of course, tuna and swordfish stocks.

Black-browed Albatross, copyright Steve Huggins

"Failure by the tuna commissions to resolve overfishing and bycatch issues will not only leave tuna 'canned', but many other species, including albatrosses, will be 'canned' too."

Seabird bycatch is a solvable problem. Bycatch can be reduced dramatically by using a combination of simple techniques such as streamer lines towed behind a vessel, setting lines at night when birds are less active, or adding weights to lines so they rapidly sink beyond the reach of foraging birds.

Dr Cleo Small added: "By acting together to address bycatch issues, the tuna commissions can share knowledge and spread the cost of development of these bycatch mitigation measures."

The first meeting of the world’s five tuna commissions will seek ways to reduce the over-fishing and illegal fishing that threatens many valuable tuna and swordfish stocks around the world.

BirdLife International hopes that this meeting will develop systems for sharing knowledge and research on measures to reduce bycatch, and establish global systems for monitoring data on catch of target and non-target species through on-board observer programmes.

In 2000 BirdLife International launched the Save the Albatross campaign to ensure the survival of albatrosses threatened with global extinction because of longline fishing.

As part of the campaign, the RSPB and BirdLife are running the Albatross Task Force, a practical project to reduce the number of seabirds killed on longline hooks. Specially-trained task force members are working as sea helping fishermen to adopt simple and proven measures, such as flying streamer lines adjacent to the longlines to prevent birds becoming accidentally hooked.

For further information on the campaign visit www.savethealbatross.net

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:49 PM | Comments (0)

September 15, 2006

Bugun Liocichla: a sensational discovery in north-east India

A professional astronomer has made the most sensational ornithological discovery in India for more than half a century.

Birdwatching at Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, in January 1995, Ramana Athreya glimpsed two liocichlas (a kind of Asian babbler) which did not fit any field guide descriptions.

Bugun Liocichla, India, Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, NE India, April 10th 2006 © Simon Allen from Surfbirds Galleries "you can clearly see the deep olive green underparts, the deep crimson undertail coverts of the (presumed) male, the grey colouration on the neck and sides of the breast, and the dark cap which contrasts with the obvious yellow loral and post-ocular spots. Ramana Athreya first discovered this species in 1995 but only last year was its second sighting reported. Please see his posting on the OB discussion group of 10th April for full details and chronology."

Ten years passed before he saw the birds again. A colleague identified them—from Athreya’s field sketch—as Emei Shan Liocichla Liocichla omeiensis.

But Emei Shan Liocichla is endemic to mountains in south-west China. The nearest record was over 1,000 km from Eaglenest.

With Forest Department permits, Athreya mist-netted one bird in May 2006. After detailed notes and photographs—and feathers which had worked loose in the net—he released it. Similarities suggested it was closely related to Emei Shan Liocichla, but many differences in plumage and calls, especially song, indicated a new species. Bugun is about 10% larger in all measurements except the beak, which is smaller.

Since such a spectacularly colourful bird (with equally distinctive calls) had been overlooked during several years of surveys at Eaglenest, Athreya felt the population might be too small to withstand the loss of an adult bird. Instead, feathers from the mist-net have been designated the holotype.

Read more at the BirdLife Website

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:13 AM | Comments (0)

June 2, 2006

Mystery shrouds loss of migrant birds

Mystery is surrounding the huge declines of birds that migrate thousands of miles from Africa to Europe each spring.

Scientists fear that their dwindling numbers may be a warning of widespread environmental damage. Climate change, drought and desertification in Africa, and massive pesticide use on African farmland may all be to blame for the declines of once common UK birds such as the Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe, Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix and European Turtle-dove Streptopelia turtur, a BirdLife Europe-wide study led by the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) concludes.

At the same time, birds such as the European Roller Coracias garrulus, Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus and Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni have also vanished from regular breeding sites on the continent. All three are now classified as near- or globally threatened.

Roller from the Surfbirds Galleries © Bill Baston

Dr Fiona Sanderson, a Research Biologist at the RSPB and lead author of the study said, "This is incredibly worrying. We knew that some of these long-distance migrants were declining but we were shocked at the extent of their losses."

The research, to be published in the journal Biological Conservation, shows that 54 per cent of the 121 long-distance migrants studied have declined or become extinct in many parts of Europe since 1970. The study also compared migrants and resident birds with similar characteristics, and in almost every case, the migrant fared worse.

The RSPB’s Dr Paul Donald, a co-author of the study, said: "These migrants are highly evolved and some range over a quarter of the planet’s land surface. For species like this to be affected so severely suggests that something pretty serious is going wrong somewhere, which cannot be good news for us. These birds used to be common in Europe but many now are rare or extinct in some regions."
Researchers will now investigate four theories for the loss of migrant birds:

Climate change: air temperatures are changing and warmer springs are causing insects to breed earlier. Resident birds may be surviving winters better and, alongside insects, are adapting more quickly to climate change. Long-distance migrants flying from Africa cannot detect the temperature incr