Bluebonnet Bird Monitoring Project 2012 Annual Report Photos by Eric Liffmann
Introduction to The Blubonnet Bird Monitoring Project The Bluebonnet Bird Monitoring Project (BBMP) is a collaborative effort between Louisiana State University s School of Renewable Natural Resources, The Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC) and the Baton Rouge Audubon Society. Three goals guide activities at BBMP: to monitor and study bird populations at Bluebonnet Swamp and surrounding areas, to provide unique and exciting outreach to local children, and to provide training opportunities for local university students thereby preparing the next generation of ornithologists in Louisiana. Bluebonnet Swamp Bluebonnet Swamp is a 103-acre forest fragment surrounded by the urban landscape of Baton Rouge. Small isolated forest patches, such as Bluebonnet Swamp, may provide the resources necessary for resident and migrant birds to survive and successfully breed. Conversely, habitat fragments may not provide the food or shelter necessary to sustain healthy bird populations. To determine the value of Bluebonnet Swamp to birds we use contemporary censusing methodologies (bird banding and area searches) to estimate survival, population growth and community structure of migrant and resident birds species at the swamp. Photo by John Hartgerink
Accomplishments Since March 2010, volunteer ornithologists and citizen scientists have continuously monitored birds at Bluebonnet Swamp resulting in approximately 2,000 individual bird captures. All data have been digitized and archived through the Landbird Monitoring Network of the Americas which uploads data to the Avian Knowledge Network and the Tree of Life. Analysis of our data has led to several scholarly manuscripts that have been published, are in press or are currently in review. Our manuscripts cover topics such as molt ecology, behavior and demography. In addition to scientific contributions, we partner with BREC to provide unparalleled environmental education to local children focused on ecology, ornithology and conservation. Since March 2010, we have taught over 200 children about bird conservation in Baton Rouge. Barred Owl eating Sharp-shinned Hawk. Photo from Johnson et al. (2012). Photo by John Hartgerink. Environmental outreach at Bluebonnet. Photo by Eric Liffmann First documented Indigo Bunting with eccentric prealternate molt. Photo from Wolfe and Pyle (2011) Brown Thrasher with deformed bill. Photo from Wolfe et al. (in press). Photo by Jared Wolfe.
Capture Trends of Resident, Migrant and Over-wintering Birds at Bluebonnet Swamp Birds captured per 100 mist-net hours 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 Late Winter Pulse of Cardinals April March February January Spring movement & first pulse of young Fall movement Northern Cardinal Carolina Wren White-eyed Vireo Brown Thrasher Carolina Chickadee Capture rates of the five most common resident birds (species captured yearround) at Bluebonnet Swamp; data from March 2010 through December 2011. The late-winter pulse of Northern Cardinals is an annual phenomenon that may be influenced by increased food resources at Bluebonnet Swamp relative to the adjacent urban matrix. 0 Birds captured per 100 mist-net hours 1.6 1.4 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 Spring migration August July June May Pulse of Prothonotary Warbler young October September August July June May April March February January December November October September Fall migration Swainson s Thrush Indigo Bunting Prothonotary Warbler Capture rates of the three most common migrant birds (species captured during spring migration) at Bluebonnet Swamp; data from March 2010 through December 2011. Only Prothonotary Warbler and Indigo Bunting breed at Bluebonnet Swamp note the pulse of Prothonotary Warbler young in the mid-summer. 0.0 9 December November Birds captured per 100 mist-net hours 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 June May April March February January December November October September August July White-throated Sparrow Hermit Thrush Orange-crowned Warbler Capture rates of the three most common overwintering birds at Bluebonnet Swamp; data from March 2010 through December 2011. 0
Volunteers and Funding Banders and our database manager, Sherri Utley, have donated thousands of volunteer hours. We have recieved funding from the Western Bird Banding Association Reseacrh Grant, Eastern Bird Banding Association Research Grant, Louisiana State Enviromental Research Grant, proceeds from the Peter Pyle Advanced Banding Workshop and in-kind equipment and overhead from BREC and LSU s School of Renewable Natural Resources. Dr. Phil Stouffer s lab (from LSU s Eastern Screech Owl Captured School of Renewable Natural Resources) at Real Nature Environmental Farm. banding birds at Bluebonnet Swamp. Photo by Jared Wolfe. photo by Eric Liffmann. Future Endeavors In the winter of 2012-2013 we plan on increasing the breadth of our bird monitoring program by expanding our efforts to French Town, a BREC managed conservation area. The Bluebonnet Bird Monitoring Project has also acquired the necessary funds to purchase geolocators (data-loggers that are attached to migrating birds to estimate longitutde and latitude by the timing of sunrise and sunset), which will be used to study migratory connectivity; we plan on starting thegeolocator study in the Spring of 2013. Dan Mooney with Brownheaded Cowbird. Photo by John Hartgerink.
Birds Detected and Captured at Bluebonnet Swamp and Satellite Stations Acadian Flycatcher* American Crow American Goldfinch* American Pipit American Redstart* American Robin* Baltimore Oriole Barn Swallow Barred Owl* Black Vulture Black-and-white Warbler* Black-chinned Hummingbird Blue Grosbeak* Blue Jay* Blue-gray Gnatcatcher* Blue-headed Vireo* Broad-winged Hawk Brown Creeper* Brown Thrasher* Brown-headed Cowbird* Calliope Hummingbird Canada Goose Carolina Chickadee* Carolina Wren* Cedar Waxwing* Chimney Swift Chipping Sparrow* Common Grackle* Common Yellowthroat* Cooper's Hawk Dark-eyed Junco Double-crested Cormorant Downy Woodpecker* Eastern Kingbird Eastern Phoebe* Eastern Screech Owl* Eastern Towhee* Eastern Wood-Pewee* Eurasian Collared-Dove European Starling Fish Crow Golden-crowned Kinglet* Golden-winged Warbler Gray Catbird* Great Blue Heron Great Crested Flycatcher* Great Egret Great Horned Owl Green Heron Hairy Woodpecker Hermit Thrush* Hooded Warbler* House Finch* House Sparrow* House Wren* Indigo Bunting* Kentucky Warbler* Lincoln Sparrow* Little Blue Heron Louisiana Waterthrush* Magnolia Warbler* Mallard Mississippi Kite Mourning Dove* Northern Cardinal* Northern Flicker* Northern Mockingbird* Northern Parula* Northern Rough-winged Swallow Northern Waterthrush* Orange-crowned Warbler* Orchard Oriole* Ovenbird* Painted Bunting* Pileated Woodpecker Pine Siskin* Pine Warbler* Prothonotary Warbler* Purple Finch* Purple Martin Red-bellied Woodpecker* Red-eyed Vireo Red-shouldered Hawk Red-winged Blackbird* Ring-billed Gull Rock Pigeon Rose-breasted Grosbeak Ruby-crowned Kinglet* Ruby-throated Hummingbird* Rufous Hummingbird* Sharp-shinned Hawk* Snow Goose Snowy Egret Song Sparrow* Summer Tanager* Swainson's Thrush* Swainson's Warbler* Swamp Sparrow* Tree Swallow Tufted Titmouse* Turkey Vulture Veery* White-crowned Sparrow* White-eyed Vireo* White-faced Ibis White-throated Sparrow* White-winged Dove Willow Flycatcher* Wilson's Warbler* Winter Wren* Wood Duck Wood Thrush* Worm-eating Warbler* Yellow Warbler* Yellow-bellied Flycatcher* Yellow-bellied Sapsucker* Yellow-billed Cuckoo* Yellow-breasted Chat* Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Yellow-rumped "Myrtle" Warbler Yellow-throated Vireo Yellow-throated Warbler *Indicates banded at Bluebonnet or a satellite station (Peveto Woods or Real Nature Environmental Farm) from 2010 through 2011. No asterisk indicates documented via audio-visual survey at Bluebonnet Swamp. Charleston Shirley with Sharp-shinned Hawk. Photo by Jared Wolfe. Eric Liffmann getting kids excited about birds at Bluebonnet Swamp. Photo by John Hartgerink.