Birder's conservation handbook: 100 North American birds at risk

465 Pages·2007·14.962 MB·English

by  Wells, Jeffrey Vance

BIRDER’S CONSERVATION HANDBOOK
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BIRDER’S CONSERVATION
HANDBOOK
100 North American Birds at Risk
Q
J E F F R E Y V. W E L L S
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
Princeton and Oxford
Copyright © 2007 by Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street, Princeton, New Jersey 08540
In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, 3 Market Place, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1SY
All rights reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wells, Jeffrey V. (Jeffrey Vance), 1964–
Birder’s conservation handbook : 100 North American birds at risk / Jeffrey V. Wells.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-691-12322-6 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-0-691-12323-3 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Birds—Conservation—North America. 2. Rare birds—North America.
I. Title.
QL676.57.N7W45 2007
598.168097—dc22 2007017248
British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available
This book has been composed in Goudy text and Gill Sans for display
Printed on acid-free paper. ∞
pup.princeton.edu
Printed in the United States of America
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
Research for the Book Was Made Possible through the
Generous Financial Support of
ELLSWORTH KELLY FOUNDATION
Boreal Songbird Initiative
Conserving the Boreal Forest for Our Songbirds
www.borealbirds.org
1904 Third Avenue, Suite 305
Seattle, WA 98101
Tel: [phone]
Canadian Boreal Initiative
Canada’s Boreal is Ours—Share the Commitment
www.borealcanada.ca
249 McLeod Street
Ottawa, ON
Canada
K2P 1A1
Tel: [phone]
Commission for Environmental Cooperation
Three Countries Working Together to Protect Our Shared Environment
www.cec.org
393, rue St-Jacques Ouest
Bureau 200
Montréal, QC
Canada
H2Y 1N9
Tel: [phone]
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Interpreting and conserving the earth’s biological diversity through research,
education, and citizen science focused on birds
www.birds.cornell.edu
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
Tel: (800) 843-BIRD
Defenders of Wildlife
Dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals
and plants in their natural communities
www.defenders.org
1130 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: [phone]
The Nature Conservancy
Saving the Last Great Places on Earth
www.nature.org
4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100
Arlington, VA 22203
Tel: [phone]
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Conserving the Nature of America
www.fws.gov
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20240
Tel: (800) 344-WILD
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
www.blm.gov
Office of Public Affairs
1849 C Street NW, Room 406-LS
Washington, DC 20240
Tel: [phone]
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
35 Years of Protecting Human Health and the Environment
www.epa.gov
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20460
Tel: [phone]
Contents
Foreword by John W.Fitzpatrick ix Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) 125
Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) 129
Acknowledgments xi
Whooping Crane (Grus americana) 133
American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica) 137
Scope and Purpose 1 Pacific Golden-Plover (Pluvialis fulva) 142
Birds as Indicators 5 Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) 145
The State of North American Bird Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) 149
Populations 9 Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus) 154
Major Conservation Issues Affecting Eskimo Curlew (Numenius borealis) 159
North America’s Birds 18 Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) 163
The State of Bird Conservation in North Bristle-thighed Curlew (Numenius tahitiensis) 169
America and Beyond 33 Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) 172
What You Can Do 42 Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) 176
Surfbird (Aphriza virgata) 180
Species Accounts Red Knot (Calidris canutus) 183
Emperor Goose (Chen canagica) 47 Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Tryngites
Brant (Branta bernicla) 49 subruficollis) 188
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) 53 Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) 56 griseus) 193
Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula) 59 American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) 199
Steller’s Eider (Polysticta stelleri) 62 Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) 203
Spectacled Eider (Somateria fischeri) 65 Heermann’s Gull (Larus heermanni) 208
Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus Red-legged Kittiwake (Rissa brevirostris) 211
urophasianus) 68 Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans) 214
Gunnison Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus
minimus) 72 marmoratus) 217
“Blue”Grouse,including Dusky (Dendragapus Kittlitz’s Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) 221
obscurus) and Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus Xantus’s Murrelet (Synthliboramphus
fuliginosus) 75 hypoleucus) 224
Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus Craveri’s Murrelet (Synthliboramphus craveri) 227
cupido) 79 White-crowned Pigeon (Patagioenas
Lesser Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus leucocephala) 229
pallidicinctus) 83 Green Parakeet (Aratinga holochlora) 232
Montezuma Quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae) 86 Thick-billed Parrot (Rhynchopsitta
Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) 89 pachyrhyncha) 236
Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) 91 Red-crowned Parrot (Amazona viridigenalis) 240
Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) 94 Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis) 244
Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) 96 Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) 248
Bermuda Petrel (Pterodroma cahow) 99 Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes
Black-capped Petrel (Pterodroma hasitata) 102 erythrocephalus) 251
Pink-footed Shearwater (Puffinus creatopus) 104 Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides
Black-vented Shearwater (Puffinus borealis) 255
opisthomelas) 106 Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus
Ashy Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa)108 principalis) 259
Black Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma melania) 110 Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) 262
Least Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma microsoma)113 Bell’s Vireo (Vireo bellii) 267
Red-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax urile) 116 Black-capped Vireo (Vireo atricapillus) 271
California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) 118 Gray Vireo (Vireo vicinior) 274
Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) 121 Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) 277
viii • Contents
Island Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma insularis) 280 Brewer’s Sparrow (Spizella breweri) 355
Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) 282 Baird’s Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii) 359
Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla) 284 Henslow’s Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) 362
California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica) 287 Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Ammodramus
Bicknell’s Thrush (Catharus bicknelli) 290 caudacutus) 366
Bendire’s Thrasher (Toxostoma bendirei) 293 Harris’s Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) 369
Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii) 296 McKay’s Bunting (Plectrophenax hyperboreus) 373
Bachman’s Warbler (Vermivora bachmanii) 299 Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) 375
Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora Tricolored Blackbird (Agelaius tricolor) 378
chrysoptera) 303 Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) 381
Virginia’s Warbler (Vermivora virginiae) 306
Colima Warbler (Vermivora crissalis) 308
Appendix I.North American Birds of Conservation
Lucy’s Warbler (Vermivora luciae) 310
Concern Listed by Different Agencies and
Golden-cheeked Warbler (Dendroica
Organizations 385
chrysoparia) 312
Grace’s Warbler (Dendroica graciae) 315 Appendix II.Hawaiian Birds of Conservation
Kirtland’s Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii) 318 Concern and Extinct Species 421
Prairie Warbler (Dendroica discolor) 321
Bay-breasted Warbler (Dendroica castanea) 325 Appendix III.Mexican Government Official List of
Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) 329 Endangered,Threatened,and Special Concern
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) 333 Bird Species 424
Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros
Appendix IV.Agencies and Organizations Involved
vermivorum) 337
in Bird Conservation 431
Swainson’s Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii) 341
Kentucky Warbler (Oporornis formosus) 344
Illustration Credits 437
Canada Warbler (Wilsonia canadensis) 347
Bachman’s Sparrow (Aimophila aestivalis) 352 Index 439
Foreword
Consider the tools all of us have at our fingertips species in which today’s low reproductive rates ap-
these days to help us become more knowledgeable pear to be indirectly caused by acid rain. Likewise,
birders. Thousands of books, audio guides from policies that reduce reliance on fossil fuels respon-
every corner of the planet, plus a burgeoning num- sible for global warming can have positive implica-
ber of websites, listservs, and chatrooms. At any tions for species as diverse as Piping Plovers
level of skill or experience, we can find answers to (affected by severe storms and tides), Bald Eagles
any question about bird identification, bird biolo- (affected by mercury poison from coal-fired power
gy, bird sounds, and birding locations. But until plants), and Cerulean Warblers (affected by
now, a conspicuous gap has existed in these re- mountaintop removal for coal extraction).
sources: what about bird conservation? It is important to acknowledge that besides
North American birders have become in- being a first rate scholar, Jeff Wells also is an ex-
creasingly concerned about the status of some of traordinary birder. I saw and learned from his most
our most familiar species, and the time was ripe for impressive skills during our nine consecutive years
an easy-to-use but definitive guide to the conserva- together as “Sapsuckers” (the Cornell Lab’s World
tion status of our most vulnerable birds. My col- Series of Birding team, which included two first-
league and long-time birding compatriot Jeff Wells place finishes during that period). Watching him
has filled the void with the creation of this book. pick out the song of a Bay-breasted Warbler from a
Birders and biologists alike will find here a re- moving vehicle on a gravel road, amidst a dizzying
source that highlights the most threatened bird spring chorus, was one of the most amazing feats I
species in North America, and outlines what we ever witnessed in birding, but to Jeff this was busi-
must do to secure their populations. ness as usual. Conversation in the long car rides
During the years that Jeff worked at the Cor- back from Cape May, New Jersey, to Ithaca, New
nell Lab of Ornithology I frequently stopped by his York often turned to the potential for the 40 to 60
office to discuss conservation issues. He has long million North American birders to help define and
been “plugged in” to the latest status reports, and push bird conservation in the twenty-first century.
has made a successful career out of analyzing con- Jeff was a key player in our creating eBird and the
servation priorities based on real data. His desk Great Backyard Bird Count, now among the
was always piled high with journals, bird biogra- largest continent-wide bird population surveys.
phies, journal articles, government reports, man- Engaging birders of all skill levels has always
agement guidelines, and books on threatened been one of Jeff’s most far-reaching goals, and The
species, not to mention data tables of his own cre- Birder’s Conservation Handbook was born out of his
ation. Throughout his period as Director of Bird commitment to this mission. This book belongs on
Conservation for National Audubon, and now as the shelf right next to your field guides, and you
Senior Scientist for the Boreal Songbird Initiative, should use it the same way. Browse it over break-
Wells has been engaged in detective work that al- fast, consult it often as a reference, and dog-ear its
ways is as thorough and scholarly as his conversa- key passages. Unlike some of the other conserva-
tions are lively. tion classics (Greenway’s Extinct and Vanishing
Now all his painstaking efforts (and even Birds of the World, Leopold’s A Sand County Al-
some of that lively conversation) are pulled to- manac, and Carson’s Silent Spring come to mind),
gether in one place. In The Birder’s Conservation this book is purposely created to be portable. Not
Handbookwe find Wells’ holistic look at how poli- intended to sit under glass in the den, this book
cies, conservation projects, and protection ef- was made to end up with coffee stains on it just
forts—many of them designed to accomplish nar- like your favorite bird guide.
row initial purposes—are helping conserve whole This book gives everyone who cares about birds
ecosystems and even human health, as well as the some real, practical information on how we can
birds. Take, for example, the efforts to curb acid make a difference as individuals in keeping our
rain originally designed to reduce impacts on common birds common and our rarest birds from
aquatic life in lakes and ponds. Wells highlights disappearing. Ranging from the obvious (contribute
how these are benefiting the Wood Thrush, a to conservation organizations and land trusts) to