Lecture 14 - Conservation of birds

Transcription

1 Lecture 14 - Conservation of birds

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4 Louisiana From Schoerger (1955) Iowa

5 The Bad News. IUCN Redlist for Birds around the Globe: 190 Critically endangered 361 Endangered 671 Vulnerable 835 Near Threatened

6 The Bad News. In the U.S. Half of bird species are declining 19 of 27 grassland birds are in serious decline

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8 Biodiversity contains the accumulated wisdom of nature and the key to its future. If you ever wanted to destroy a society, you would burn its libraries and kill its intellectuals. You would destroy its knowledge. Nature s knowledge is contained in the DNA within living cells. The variety of genetic information is the driving engine of evolution, the immune system of life, the source of adaptability. (From Meadows Biodiversity: the key to saving life on earth. Land Stewardship Letter 4-5)

9 The Cost of Conservation Recovery of the California Condor - $1,000,000 per year Restoration of the Everglades complex - estimated at $7.8 billion over the next 20 years Stumpage value of $20 million in oldgrowth Douglas fir required by one pair of spotted owls

10 Threats to Birds and Bird Biodiversity Toxins Cats Collisions with Structures Emerging Threats Climate Change Ecophobia Loss of habitat!!!!! See

11 Pesticides Toxins Of 5 billion pounds of pesticides applied worldwide, 20% are used in U.S. 670 million birds in U.S. are exposed each year, around 67 million die Buy organic!!

12 Toxins Lead Source: lead sinkers and jigs, lead shot Water birds (lead shot ban in 1991) California Condor Bald Eagle k0

13 Cats Domestic cats are considered primarily responsible for the extinction of 33 bird species since the 1600s million homeless cats in the U.S. Kill millions of birds annually Spay/Neuter your cat and don t let it outside

14 Collisions with Structures Communication towers kill 4-5 million birds annually No guy wires No lights if lighted use white not red and pulses with long pause in-between

15 Collisions with Structures Buildings kill up to 1 billion birds every year (day and night)! Bird safe, lights out (MN Audubon) What you can do Turn off your inside lights Place feeders/shrubs close to windows

16 Collisions with Structures Wind Turbines on the North Shore

17 The Conflict Habitat Fragmentation and Loss Avoidance Mortality (birds and bats)

18 The Conflict feet tall

19 Migrants (Percent of Total) Percent of migratory birds in each flight height category m to 500m Canopy to 100m Below Canopy

20 Exotic Species - Birds Rock Pigeon introduced very early in the US House Sparrow introduced in Brooklyn about 1850; found in MN Twin Cities area about 1875 European Starling introduced in New York city in 1890 Ring-necked Pheasant, Hungarian partridge, Chukar, etc.

21 Introduced in NYC in 1890

22 House Sparrow introduced in Brooklyn about 1850

23 Climate Change Loss of habitat and associated resources Food, nesting, migration, over winter. Introduction of new and/or non-native species Emersion of new habitats Climate changing at unprecedented rate, many species will not be able to keep up.

24 Climate Change Makes Migrations Longer For Birds ScienceDaily (Apr. 16, 2009) A team of scientists, led by Durham University, have published findings that show that the marathon flights undertaken by birds to spring breeding grounds in Europe, are going to turn into even more epic journeys; the length of some migrations could increase by as much as 250 miles.

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26 Nature Deficit Disorder

27 Number ONE Threat: Habitat Loss Most birds require specific habitats U.S. Forests fuel, lumber, agriculture Fragmentation and Loss Forests - Small Farms Industrial Agriculture Manicured Lawns. E.g. Spotted Owl, Ivory Billed Woodpecker, Ovenbird, Winter Wren, Northern Goshawk, Eastern Meadowlark, Greater Prairie Chicken, Golden-winged Warbler, Kirtland s Warbler, Marbled Murrlet, Red-fronted Lorikeet, Red-headed Woodpecker, Indigo Bunting, Veery, and so on.

28 Conservation by Design For the protection and restoration of habitat

29 Conservation Biology Preservation of Biodiversity

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33 Partners in Flight Species Assessment Factors Population Size Breeding Distribution Non-breeding Distribution Threats to Breeding Threats to Non-breeding Population Trend

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37 Hope Grasshopper sparrow rebound after conversion of row crops to grassland

38 Hope European Starlings and House Sparrows competed for cavities Saved by nest boxes!

39 Hope DDT Pat Redig UMN Raptor Center Efforts = 169 pairs in the Twin Cities Duluth hosts the Greysolon Peregrines! Greysolon Building in Duluth

40 Hope Important Bird Areas 35 in MN 2 in Duluth nominated: St. Louis River Estuary and MN Point Habitat Conservation Priorities (MN DNR, The Nature Conservancy) North Shore stopover project

41 Hope Anna s dissertation work Players: UMD, NRRI, DNR, Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, Private Land Owners

42 Developing Models to Describe How Birds Respond to Forest Habitat

43 Predicting How Forest Birds Respond to Future Forest Change Year 50 Year 300

44 You tell me! What you can do. Eat local/organic Be a land steward Educate Cut your energy use Stay educated Get involved

45 THANKS!!!!