- Endangered Species Day is May 16th
- Top Ten Ways to Help Spring's Migrating Birds
- Rare Birds of North America – book review
- Forster’s Tern on Lake Monroe
- Can penguins cope with climate change? Scientists find different types of ice elicit different responses
- Drone Captures Stunning Birds’-eye Video of Dolphin Superpod
- Scientists discover single gene that enables multiple morphs in a butterfly
- Israel leads the way using Barn Owls and Kestrels to replace Rodenticides
- How a River Otter Can Bag an Alligator for Lunch
- Feathers fly in Norwegian wild bird reality-TV show
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Nature on the Net
Here are some interesting recent articles:
Get Fascinated by Feathers With New All About Bird Biology Site
From the Cornell Lab eNews
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Eve Samples: On the marshes of Lake Okeechobee, a remarkable comeback
By Eve Samples
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
From our vantage point on the coast, looking toward Lake Okeechobee feels like looking down the barrel of a gun.
We see the looming threat of more polluted freshwater releases into the St. Lucie River estuary. Drive 45 miles west, though, and the view shifts dramatically.
It's not threatening. It's beautiful.
On the northwest side of Lake O, shoreline marshes that were obliterated during the hurricane years of 2004 and 2005 have rebounded. In the most pristine parts of the 730-square-mile lake, the water is now clear enough to see bottom. And the birds are back - big time.
Roseate spoonbills. White pelicans. Glossy ibis. Snowy egrets. Black-necked stilts, with their supermodel-like proportions (they have the longest legs compared to their body size of any bird in the world).
A dozen other species took to the air, too, as we skidded across the marshes in Audubon scientist Paul Gray's airboat last week.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
From our vantage point on the coast, looking toward Lake Okeechobee feels like looking down the barrel of a gun.
We see the looming threat of more polluted freshwater releases into the St. Lucie River estuary. Drive 45 miles west, though, and the view shifts dramatically.
It's not threatening. It's beautiful.
On the northwest side of Lake O, shoreline marshes that were obliterated during the hurricane years of 2004 and 2005 have rebounded. In the most pristine parts of the 730-square-mile lake, the water is now clear enough to see bottom. And the birds are back - big time.
Roseate spoonbills. White pelicans. Glossy ibis. Snowy egrets. Black-necked stilts, with their supermodel-like proportions (they have the longest legs compared to their body size of any bird in the world).
A dozen other species took to the air, too, as we skidded across the marshes in Audubon scientist Paul Gray's airboat last week.
"The lake is in perfect shape," Gray told us.
The most striking indication of recovery are the 20 endangered snail kite nests recently mapped in the marshes. The raptor had virtually disappeared from the lake after the storm years. This year, it is rebounding. "I bring up people from the Everglades and they say, 'Wow, we never see this many birds,' " Gray said.
Cruising past thousands of birds in King's Bar shoal, it was hard to believe this was the same lake that wreaks such abuse on our estuary.
It's like there are two different Lake Okeechobees: one in the thriving marshes near the shore; another in the phosphorous- and nitrogen-dense center of the lake, where the bottom is thick and muddy. The latter is what's sent our way when the Army Corps of Engineers opens the flood gates from the lake into the St. Lucie Canal. But keeping those gates closed carries serious risks for the lake.
The reason the marshes of Lake O look so good this year has a lot to do with the fact that the Army Corps is keeping less water in the lake. Unlike in 2004 and 2005, when the lake surged to elevations in the 17- and 18-foot ranges, last year it barely reached 16 feet (and only briefly). The lower levels, combined with an experimental bottom-dredging project during the drought year of 2007, have allowed native plants and birds to flourish.
"All of this was open water. Not a single foot of vegetation," Gray said as he drove us across now-pristine marshes. It's not exactly what coastal advocates want to hear.
While last year was a boon for the marshes of Lake Okeechobee, it was devastating for the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries. From May through October, more than 136 billion gallons of lake water were dumped into the St. Lucie alone, bringing an estimated 72 tons of phosphorous, 656 tons of nitrogen and 15 million pounds of sediment.
On the coast, the pollution prompted cries for the Army Corps of Engineers to hold the lake higher now that it has repaired part of the Herbert Hoover Dike that encircles it. But Gray knows what danger waits if we return to the old practice of holding the lake too high.
As different as the on-the-ground conditions are, the ultimate solution is the same for Lake Okeechobee and the estuaries. It lies in sending more water south, reconnecting the lake with the Everglades. That would allow Lake Okeechobee to stay at lower levels, even in the rainiest years. It would spare the estuaries the gushing discharges from the Big Lake, too.
Nathaniel Reed, vice chairman of the Everglades Foundation, called the comeback of the lake marshes "one of the miracles of Mother Nature." If we fix the plumbing, we won't have to depend on a miracle to strike again.
Eve Samples is a columnist for Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers. This column reflects her opinion. Contact her at 772-221-4217 or eve.samples@scripps.com
Scientists Acknowledge Crucial Role of Volunteers in Advancing Research
Reprinted from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
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| Young people participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count citizen-science project, held over four days each February. Photo by Christine Bartholomew. |
Bonney says:
"For most of history science was something people did as amateurs or hobbyists, but in the twentieth century it became a very specialized profession. Today the doors have been thrown open again. Anyone can be the eyes and ears on the ground, collecting data that even the most sophisticated instruments can’t."
"It’s people in their backyards looking at flowers and looking at birds, but it’s way bigger than that, too. There are well over a million citizen scientists solving real-world problems: figuring out protein structures; transcribing the writing on ancient scrolls. People are studying genes to galaxies and everything in between."
"We’re seeing participation growing exponentially, and that’s largely because of the Internet. Online tools and especially smartphones are really clearing away the barriers to participation. Social media makes it easy to find new opportunities, including for communities who previously haven’t had the means to get involved."
"Citizen science appeals to people’s innate curiosity, and also to their desire to make the world a better place. It adds meaning and value to their hobbies, and gives them a way to contribute to social or environmental causes."
NOTE: The news appears as a policy paper in the journal Science by Bonney and coauthors Jennifer Shirk, Tina Phillips, and Andrea Wiggins of the Cornell Lab; Heidi Ballard of the University of California, Davis; Abraham Miller-Rushing of the National Park Service; and Julia Parrish of the University of Washington.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
April 12, 2014 Field Trip
We will be taking a road trip field trip to Green Cay
& Wakodahatchee Wetlands in the Delray, Boyton Beach area of Palm
Beach County on Saturday April
12th. We will meet at the Cracker Barrel on Wickham Rd just west of
I-95 at Exit #191. We will meet at 6:00 am and I will allow a 15 minute
grace period and we will pull out at 6:15 am sharp. It is about a 2 hr
drive. I would suggest on bringing snacks, drinks, sunscreen and
lunch. We will carpool to reduce the amount of vehicles going and it is
customary to share the gas expense. If we don't have a large turnout we might be able to stop for lunch somewhere along the way.
Those of you that have not been to these 2 places it is easy walking on wooden boardwalks. There are
restrooms at both locations and Green Cay has a nature center and gift shop. We will go to Wakodahatchee
Wetlands first and then Green Cay. They are only about a 5-10 minute drive apart. In case folks show up
after our 6:15 am departure time below are the address for both locations. The weather looks very favorable. High 78 and 0% rain chances as of today.
Wakodahatchee Wetlands
13026 Jog Rd
Delray Beach, FL
561-434-5372
Green Cay Nature Center
12800 Hagen Ranch Road
Boynton Beach, FL
561 966-7000
Boynton Beach, FL
561 966-7000
Jim Eager
Space Coast Audubon Society
Publicity Chair
Join Space Coast Audubon Society for April 18th Meeting “Turtles and More”
WHO: Space Coast Audubon
Society (SCAS)
WHERE: Rockledge
Presbyterian Church, 921 Rockledge Dr, Rockledge, FL.
WHEN: April 18, 2014 at 7:30
pm
Jim Angy of Jim Angy Nature Photography will be our speaker and will be
presenting Turtles and More
Jim spends a lot of time with camera in-hand, observantly poking around in the Brevard County wilds looking for the perfect shot of who-knows-what. One of his favorite subjects is sea turtles. Egg laying season is the time sea turtles present a photo-op for land-based photographers. Jim has been a long-time supporter of all things environmental in Brevard County and is well-known in the county as a naturalist, and public speaker.
Visit the Space Coast Audubon Society
website at www.spacecoastaudubon.org
Look forward to another great turnout.
Jim Eager/Space Coast Audubon Society Publicity
Chair
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Join SCAS on March 21, 2014 for "Radar Birding 101"
By: Jim Eager, Space Coast Audubon Society Publicity Chair
Have you ever wondered how many birds fly over Florida under the cover of night during migration? Thanks to advances in Doppler weather radars we are now able to investigate and answer this question. In this workshop we will teach you how to use radar to analyze bird migration. You will learn how to interpret radar images and how to put this technology to use when choosing where to bird during migration. We will also cover how weather plays a crucial role as to when and where birds will migrate. After this workshop you will be able to "see in the dark", adding a new tool to your birding toolkit that can take your birding to the next level.
We are known by many as the birding duo who always say “Nature is Awesome”. We love to wander around the outdoors looking for the next bird that wishes to cross the path of our Nikon binoculars. In 2013 we joined the Nikon Birding Prostaff team, and with help from Nikon Sport Optics we hope to spread the word that “Birding is Awesome”. We are best known in the Florida birding community for our work on radar ornithology. During spring and fall we share radar images of birds migrating and predict birding conditions across the state at www.badbirdz2.wordpress.com. As a result we have become amateur meteorologists, spending countless amounts of time looking at weather patterns and wind charts in search of answers to questions about where birds are headed and where the next “fallout” may occur.
We both fiddle in the world of nature photography with an emphasis on birds and their habitats and surrounding nature. On our quest to cover the entire state of Florida, we can be found at any one of the state’s campsites mulling over the campfire about where we should explore on our next adventure.
Visit the Space Coast Audubon Society website at www.spacecoastaudubon.org
Look forward to another great turnout.
WHO: Space Coast Audubon Society (SCAS)
WHERE: Rockledge Presbyterian Church,
921 Rockledge Dr, Rockledge, FL
WHEN: March 21, 2014 at 7:30 pm
Angel & Mariel Abreu will present Radar Birding 101
Have you ever wondered how many birds fly over Florida under the cover of night during migration? Thanks to advances in Doppler weather radars we are now able to investigate and answer this question. In this workshop we will teach you how to use radar to analyze bird migration. You will learn how to interpret radar images and how to put this technology to use when choosing where to bird during migration. We will also cover how weather plays a crucial role as to when and where birds will migrate. After this workshop you will be able to "see in the dark", adding a new tool to your birding toolkit that can take your birding to the next level.
We are known by many as the birding duo who always say “Nature is Awesome”. We love to wander around the outdoors looking for the next bird that wishes to cross the path of our Nikon binoculars. In 2013 we joined the Nikon Birding Prostaff team, and with help from Nikon Sport Optics we hope to spread the word that “Birding is Awesome”. We are best known in the Florida birding community for our work on radar ornithology. During spring and fall we share radar images of birds migrating and predict birding conditions across the state at www.badbirdz2.wordpress.com. As a result we have become amateur meteorologists, spending countless amounts of time looking at weather patterns and wind charts in search of answers to questions about where birds are headed and where the next “fallout” may occur.
We both fiddle in the world of nature photography with an emphasis on birds and their habitats and surrounding nature. On our quest to cover the entire state of Florida, we can be found at any one of the state’s campsites mulling over the campfire about where we should explore on our next adventure.
Visit the Space Coast Audubon Society website at www.spacecoastaudubon.org
Look forward to another great turnout.
Read About Fertilizer and the Indian River Lagoon
The links below were provided by another community group in Brevard County working on this issue.
- Turf Grass and the Indian River Lagoon -- a healthy lagoon is a necessity; healthy turf grass is not
- Seagrasses and the lagoon -- healthy seagrasses are imperative; healthy turf grass is not
- Sea grass gains good sign for Tampa Bay -- homeowners and others have adjusted for the Bay
- Green Sea Turtles in Indian River Lagoon, 50 to 70 percent are diseased
- Florida's Slime Crimes -- algae slimes our waters around the state
- http://www.sierraclubfloridanews.org/2012/07/new-link-to-florida-slime-crime-tracker.html
- http://goo.gl/maps/uJEE
- https://www.facebook.com/FloridaSlimeCrimes
- Indian River Lagoon Call to Action, petition, sign up local businesses, neighbors
- Floridians Clean Water Declaration Campaign, as of Feb. 9 more than 6,000 petitions signed, add yours
- Be Floridian -- Tampa Bay estuary program provides lawn care tips and more
- On Fertilizer Ordinances
Warming Temperatures Are Pushing Two Chickadee Species—and Their Hybrids—Northward
Reprinted from Cornell Lab of Ornithology
DNA sleuthing confirms chickadee “hybrid zone” marching northward as climate warms
The zone of overlap between two popular, closely related backyard birds is moving northward at a rate that matches warming winter temperatures, according to a study by researchers from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Villanova University, and Cornell University. The research was published online in Current Biology on Thursday, March 6, 2014.
In a narrow strip that runs across the eastern U.S., Carolina Chickadees from the south meet and interbreed with Black-capped Chickadees from the north. The new study finds that this hybrid zone has moved northward at a rate of 0.7 mile per year over the last decade. That’s fast enough that the researchers had to add an extra study site partway through their project in order to keep up.
“A lot of the time climate change doesn’t really seem tangible,” said lead author Scott Taylor, a postdoctoral researcher at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “But here are these common little backyard birds we all grew up with, and we’re seeing them moving northward on relatively short time scales.”
The two chickadee species meet and hybridize in a narrow zone that has shifted northward 7 miles in the last decade. Full-resolution image is available here.
In Pennsylvania, where the study was conducted, the hybrid zone is just 21 miles across on average. Hybrid chickadees have lower breeding success and survival than either of the pure species. This keeps the contact zone small and well defined, making it a convenient reference point for scientists aiming to track environmental changes.
“Hybridization is kind of a brick wall between these two species,” said Robert Curry, a professor of biology at Villanova University, who led the field component of the study. “Carolina Chickadees can’t blithely disperse north without running into black-caps and creating hybrids. That makes it possible to keep an eye on the hybrid zone and see exactly how the ranges are shifting.”
The researchers drew on field studies, genetic analyses, and crowdsourced bird sightings. First, detailed observations and banding data from sites arrayed across the hybrid zone provided a basic record of how quickly the zone moved. Next, genetic analyses revealed in unprecedented detail the degree to which hybrids shared the DNA of both parent species. And then crowdsourced data drawn from eBird, a citizen-science project run by the Cornell Lab, allowed the researchers to expand the scale of the study and match bird observations with winter temperatures.
The researchers analyzed blood samples from 167 chickadees—83 collected in 2000–2002 and 84 in 2010–2012. Using next-generation genetic sequencing, they looked at more than 1,400 fragments of the birds’ genomes to see how much was Black-capped Chickadee DNA and how much was Carolina.
The site that had been in the middle of the hybrid zone at the start of the study was almost pure Carolina Chickadees by the end. The next site to the north, which Curry and his students had originally picked as a stronghold of Black-capped Chickadees, had become dominated by hybrids.
Female Carolina Chickadees seem to be leading the charge, Curry said. Field observations show that females move on average about 0.6 mile between where they’re born and where they settle down. That’s about twice as far as males and almost exactly as fast as the hybrid zone is moving.
This 2-minute video explains the basics of chickadee hybridization and the research findings:
As a final step, the researchers overlaid temperature records on a map of the overlap zone, drawn from eBird sightings of the two chickadee species. They found a very close match: the zone of overlap occurred only in areas where the average winter low temperature was between 14 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit. They also used eBird records to estimate where the overlap zone had been a decade earlier, and found the same relationship with temperature existed then, too. The only difference was that those temperatures had shifted to the north by about seven miles since 2000.
Chickadees—there are seven species in North America—are fixtures in most of the backyards of the continent. These tiny, fluffy birds with bold black-and-white faces are favorite year-round visitors to bird feeders, somehow surviving cold winters despite weighing less than half an ounce.
To the untrained eye the Carolina Chickadee of the southeastern U.S. is almost identical to the more northern Black-capped Chickadee—although the Carolina has a shorter tail, less white on its shoulders, and a song of four notes instead of two notes. Genetic research indicates the two have been distinct species for at least 2.5 million years.
“The rapidity with which these changes are happening is a big deal,” Taylor said. “If we can see it happening with chickadees, which are pretty mobile, we should think more closely about what’s happening to other species. Small mammals, insects, and definitely plants are probably feeling these same pressures—they’re just not as able to move in response.”
In addition to Taylor and Curry, the authors include Thomas White of Cornell University, Valentina Ferretti of Villanova University, and Wesley Hochachka and Irby Lovette of the Cornell Lab.
DNA sleuthing confirms chickadee “hybrid zone” marching northward as climate warms
The zone of overlap between two popular, closely related backyard birds is moving northward at a rate that matches warming winter temperatures, according to a study by researchers from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Villanova University, and Cornell University. The research was published online in Current Biology on Thursday, March 6, 2014.
In a narrow strip that runs across the eastern U.S., Carolina Chickadees from the south meet and interbreed with Black-capped Chickadees from the north. The new study finds that this hybrid zone has moved northward at a rate of 0.7 mile per year over the last decade. That’s fast enough that the researchers had to add an extra study site partway through their project in order to keep up.
“A lot of the time climate change doesn’t really seem tangible,” said lead author Scott Taylor, a postdoctoral researcher at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “But here are these common little backyard birds we all grew up with, and we’re seeing them moving northward on relatively short time scales.”
The two chickadee species meet and hybridize in a narrow zone that has shifted northward 7 miles in the last decade. Full-resolution image is available here.
In Pennsylvania, where the study was conducted, the hybrid zone is just 21 miles across on average. Hybrid chickadees have lower breeding success and survival than either of the pure species. This keeps the contact zone small and well defined, making it a convenient reference point for scientists aiming to track environmental changes.
“Hybridization is kind of a brick wall between these two species,” said Robert Curry, a professor of biology at Villanova University, who led the field component of the study. “Carolina Chickadees can’t blithely disperse north without running into black-caps and creating hybrids. That makes it possible to keep an eye on the hybrid zone and see exactly how the ranges are shifting.”
The researchers drew on field studies, genetic analyses, and crowdsourced bird sightings. First, detailed observations and banding data from sites arrayed across the hybrid zone provided a basic record of how quickly the zone moved. Next, genetic analyses revealed in unprecedented detail the degree to which hybrids shared the DNA of both parent species. And then crowdsourced data drawn from eBird, a citizen-science project run by the Cornell Lab, allowed the researchers to expand the scale of the study and match bird observations with winter temperatures.
The researchers analyzed blood samples from 167 chickadees—83 collected in 2000–2002 and 84 in 2010–2012. Using next-generation genetic sequencing, they looked at more than 1,400 fragments of the birds’ genomes to see how much was Black-capped Chickadee DNA and how much was Carolina.
The site that had been in the middle of the hybrid zone at the start of the study was almost pure Carolina Chickadees by the end. The next site to the north, which Curry and his students had originally picked as a stronghold of Black-capped Chickadees, had become dominated by hybrids.
Female Carolina Chickadees seem to be leading the charge, Curry said. Field observations show that females move on average about 0.6 mile between where they’re born and where they settle down. That’s about twice as far as males and almost exactly as fast as the hybrid zone is moving.
This 2-minute video explains the basics of chickadee hybridization and the research findings:
As a final step, the researchers overlaid temperature records on a map of the overlap zone, drawn from eBird sightings of the two chickadee species. They found a very close match: the zone of overlap occurred only in areas where the average winter low temperature was between 14 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit. They also used eBird records to estimate where the overlap zone had been a decade earlier, and found the same relationship with temperature existed then, too. The only difference was that those temperatures had shifted to the north by about seven miles since 2000.
Chickadees—there are seven species in North America—are fixtures in most of the backyards of the continent. These tiny, fluffy birds with bold black-and-white faces are favorite year-round visitors to bird feeders, somehow surviving cold winters despite weighing less than half an ounce.
To the untrained eye the Carolina Chickadee of the southeastern U.S. is almost identical to the more northern Black-capped Chickadee—although the Carolina has a shorter tail, less white on its shoulders, and a song of four notes instead of two notes. Genetic research indicates the two have been distinct species for at least 2.5 million years.
“The rapidity with which these changes are happening is a big deal,” Taylor said. “If we can see it happening with chickadees, which are pretty mobile, we should think more closely about what’s happening to other species. Small mammals, insects, and definitely plants are probably feeling these same pressures—they’re just not as able to move in response.”
In addition to Taylor and Curry, the authors include Thomas White of Cornell University, Valentina Ferretti of Villanova University, and Wesley Hochachka and Irby Lovette of the Cornell Lab.
Escalator to Extinction: Climate Change Pushing Tropical Birds Up the Mountain…and Off
Reprinted from Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Many tropical mountain birds are shifting their ranges upslope to escape warming temperatures that disrupt their way of life, according to research by a husband-and-wife team from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that retraced scientist Jared Diamond’s landmark New Guinea expedition in the 1960s. The study will be published on February 17 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
But there’s only so much room on these mountains. Climate change predictions suggest that before the end of this century, global warming will push at least 4 of these species into localized extinctions, says Benjamin Freeman, the study’s lead author and a Ph.D. student at Cornell University. Freeman conducted this research with his wife, Alexandra Class Freeman, a Ph.D. who works at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
“Our research demonstrates that no matter where you are on earth, even a tropical wilderness island in the South Pacific, climate change is happening and having tangible impacts,” says Class Freeman. “In this case, the activities of industrialized nations causing climate change are impacting birds in remote New Guinea, deep in tropical mountain forests, causing them to move up the slopes to find their preferred habitat.”
The new study extends existing research by showing that tropical species are more sensitive to climate shifts than species from temperate regions. Many birds, such as the Northern Cardinal in the United States, have moved farther north over the past 50 years. Birds that live on mountains are also shifting their ranges, in their case moving up in elevation to escape warming temperatures below. The Freemans’ research showed that mountain birds in tropical climates are moving upslope even farther and faster than those in temperate climates—almost 400 feet (or as high as a 40-story skyscraper) over about the last 50 years.
“We always hear about polar bears being affected by large temperature changes in the Arctic, but many tropical birds are attuned to small microclimates, and so they are just as much affected by the smaller-scale change happening in tropical climates,” says Freeman. “And because a mountain is like a pyramid, there’s less area for habitat available as they move up the mountain. They’re being squeezed both by temperatures and for space.”
The research was conducted on two remote forested mountains in Papua New Guinea, one (Karkar Island) hosting an active volcano and the other (Mt. Karimui) a dormant one. The Freemans followed up on Diamond’s pioneering bird surveys of these mountains 50 years ago, which offered a baseline for measuring change. The annual mean temperature on these islands has risen about 0.7 degree Fahrenheit in the past five decades. The birds’ movement up the mountains closely matched the temperature increase. On Mt. Karimui, 87 bird species (or 70 percent of all species in the survey) responded by shifting their ranges up the mountain by an average of 370 feet. On Karkar Island, which is a smaller oceanic island with fewer birds and less diversity, a greater proportion of birds (17 species, or 77 percent of all species in the survey) moved upslope by an even greater amount—an average of 500 feet. The mountains in the research are about 8,000 feet tall.
Because these mountains are so remote, there has been minimal human development. Climate change is the only major environmental change that has occurred since Diamond’s historical transects.
Four bird species in the study—the White-winged Robin, Mountain Gerygone, Crested Satinbird, and Crested Berrypecker—have already shifted their ranges up near the summit of Mt. Karimui. A further 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit increase will likely result in the localized extinction of all four of these species, say the authors. Temperatures in New Guinea are predicted to increase by 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of this century.
“The predicted change by the year 2100 will not only finish off four species on these mountains, but another 10 to 15 species will be put in very precarious positions,” says Freeman. “Furthermore, these upslope shifts are not only happening on the two New Guinean mountains we studied. They’re happening with Peruvian birds, Indonesian moths, Madagascar chameleons, and probably the majority of species in tropical mountains.”
While the species affected on Mt. Karimui and Karkar Island will persist on other islands with taller mountains in New Guinea in the short term, the broader trend is clear—continued temperature increases will cause extinctions of tropical birds on mountains.
This research presents strong evidence of the need for tropical mountain habitat conservation, say the authors, who point out that intact and connected contiguous forests up a mountainside provide the best conductivity for bird species moving upslope.
“As climate change continues and even increases, we know several bird species will be looking for habitat corridors and forested places for new homes at the upper elevations of tropical mountains. Agriculture and development present barriers to the movement of these birds. So we need to make sure the habitat is in place to allow birds to adapt,” says Freeman.
“The biggest problem, of course, is global climate change,” says Class Freeman. “We can’t build more mountains and more high-elevation tropical forests, so the best thing we can do to help these birds is tackle climate change.”
A pdf copy of this research paper, entitled “Rapid upslope shifts in New Guinean birds illustrate strong distributional responses of tropical montane species to global warming,” can be viewed and downloaded at www.eurekalert.org/pio/pnas.php. This research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the Athena Fund of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and the Explorer’s Fund.
Many tropical mountain birds are shifting their ranges upslope to escape warming temperatures that disrupt their way of life, according to research by a husband-and-wife team from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that retraced scientist Jared Diamond’s landmark New Guinea expedition in the 1960s. The study will be published on February 17 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
But there’s only so much room on these mountains. Climate change predictions suggest that before the end of this century, global warming will push at least 4 of these species into localized extinctions, says Benjamin Freeman, the study’s lead author and a Ph.D. student at Cornell University. Freeman conducted this research with his wife, Alexandra Class Freeman, a Ph.D. who works at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
“Our research demonstrates that no matter where you are on earth, even a tropical wilderness island in the South Pacific, climate change is happening and having tangible impacts,” says Class Freeman. “In this case, the activities of industrialized nations causing climate change are impacting birds in remote New Guinea, deep in tropical mountain forests, causing them to move up the slopes to find their preferred habitat.”
The new study extends existing research by showing that tropical species are more sensitive to climate shifts than species from temperate regions. Many birds, such as the Northern Cardinal in the United States, have moved farther north over the past 50 years. Birds that live on mountains are also shifting their ranges, in their case moving up in elevation to escape warming temperatures below. The Freemans’ research showed that mountain birds in tropical climates are moving upslope even farther and faster than those in temperate climates—almost 400 feet (or as high as a 40-story skyscraper) over about the last 50 years.
“We always hear about polar bears being affected by large temperature changes in the Arctic, but many tropical birds are attuned to small microclimates, and so they are just as much affected by the smaller-scale change happening in tropical climates,” says Freeman. “And because a mountain is like a pyramid, there’s less area for habitat available as they move up the mountain. They’re being squeezed both by temperatures and for space.”
The research was conducted on two remote forested mountains in Papua New Guinea, one (Karkar Island) hosting an active volcano and the other (Mt. Karimui) a dormant one. The Freemans followed up on Diamond’s pioneering bird surveys of these mountains 50 years ago, which offered a baseline for measuring change. The annual mean temperature on these islands has risen about 0.7 degree Fahrenheit in the past five decades. The birds’ movement up the mountains closely matched the temperature increase. On Mt. Karimui, 87 bird species (or 70 percent of all species in the survey) responded by shifting their ranges up the mountain by an average of 370 feet. On Karkar Island, which is a smaller oceanic island with fewer birds and less diversity, a greater proportion of birds (17 species, or 77 percent of all species in the survey) moved upslope by an even greater amount—an average of 500 feet. The mountains in the research are about 8,000 feet tall.
Because these mountains are so remote, there has been minimal human development. Climate change is the only major environmental change that has occurred since Diamond’s historical transects.
Four bird species in the study—the White-winged Robin, Mountain Gerygone, Crested Satinbird, and Crested Berrypecker—have already shifted their ranges up near the summit of Mt. Karimui. A further 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit increase will likely result in the localized extinction of all four of these species, say the authors. Temperatures in New Guinea are predicted to increase by 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of this century.
“The predicted change by the year 2100 will not only finish off four species on these mountains, but another 10 to 15 species will be put in very precarious positions,” says Freeman. “Furthermore, these upslope shifts are not only happening on the two New Guinean mountains we studied. They’re happening with Peruvian birds, Indonesian moths, Madagascar chameleons, and probably the majority of species in tropical mountains.”
While the species affected on Mt. Karimui and Karkar Island will persist on other islands with taller mountains in New Guinea in the short term, the broader trend is clear—continued temperature increases will cause extinctions of tropical birds on mountains.
This research presents strong evidence of the need for tropical mountain habitat conservation, say the authors, who point out that intact and connected contiguous forests up a mountainside provide the best conductivity for bird species moving upslope.
“As climate change continues and even increases, we know several bird species will be looking for habitat corridors and forested places for new homes at the upper elevations of tropical mountains. Agriculture and development present barriers to the movement of these birds. So we need to make sure the habitat is in place to allow birds to adapt,” says Freeman.
“The biggest problem, of course, is global climate change,” says Class Freeman. “We can’t build more mountains and more high-elevation tropical forests, so the best thing we can do to help these birds is tackle climate change.”
A pdf copy of this research paper, entitled “Rapid upslope shifts in New Guinean birds illustrate strong distributional responses of tropical montane species to global warming,” can be viewed and downloaded at www.eurekalert.org/pio/pnas.php. This research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the Athena Fund of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and the Explorer’s Fund.
Columbia Birding
By Jim Eager
Anyone interested in birding in Columbia? The atmosphere has improved significantly and is now safe to bird. Ernest Leupin was born and raised in Cali, Columbia and has vast knowledge of the flora and fauna of the varied habitats. I am planning on having Ernest come to Space Coast Audubon general meeting, in the fall, and give his presentation. I saw it at the Everglades Birding Festival, last month, and it was awesome. Contact me at beachbirder@bellsouth.net if you are interested.
Anyone interested in birding in Columbia? The atmosphere has improved significantly and is now safe to bird. Ernest Leupin was born and raised in Cali, Columbia and has vast knowledge of the flora and fauna of the varied habitats. I am planning on having Ernest come to Space Coast Audubon general meeting, in the fall, and give his presentation. I saw it at the Everglades Birding Festival, last month, and it was awesome. Contact me at beachbirder@bellsouth.net if you are interested.
Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)
By Jim Eager
For all that were able to participate in the GBBC it looks like so far Florida has the 3rd highest species count in the US with 307. Audubon is still collecting and tabulating data so the numbers are subject to change. Great job Florida birders.
For all that were able to participate in the GBBC it looks like so far Florida has the 3rd highest species count in the US with 307. Audubon is still collecting and tabulating data so the numbers are subject to change. Great job Florida birders.
| State/Province
|
Number
of Species |
Number
of Checklists |
| California | 358 | 8,472 |
| New York | 165 | 7663 |
| Pennsylvania | 136 | 6945 |
| Ontario | 146 | 6329 |
| Texas | 350 | 5526 |
| Florida | 307 | 5376 |
| Ohio | 137 | 5214 |
| Virginia | 179 | 4883 |
| North Carolina | 194 | 4876 |
| Michigan | 127 | 4000 |
Everglades Birds Are Talking. But Are We Listening?
Reprinted from Audubon Florida
Roseate Spoonbills, Snowy Egrets, and White Ibis are not just beautiful and iconic inhabitants of the Everglades. They are important indicators of ecosystem health. Each year, Audubon Florida's Everglades Conservation Team evaluates population numbers and nesting data to understand the progress of Everglades restoration.
Audubon's scientists have finished evaluating the 2013 data. Our team is pleased to report that there were significant signs of progress for wading birds in the Everglades during this time.
Nesting efforts in 2013 were 57% higher than the average of the last three years. Over 48,200 wading bird nests were recorded.
The most encouraging data was from areas where restoration projects have improved freshwater flows. Early results from habitat impacted by the new C-111 Spreader Canal Western Project are providing hope for Florida's wading birds.
The recently completed C-111 Spreader Canal Western Project created a nine mile hydraulic ridge that increases natural flows into Taylor Slough, a critical flow path that carries water through the heart of Everglades National Park and into Florida Bay. Data from the first year of operation suggests measurable improvement in Roseate Spoonbill habitat - one of Audubon's priority Atlantic Flyway species.
While restoration work is improving Everglades habitat, important work remains. Despite the positive 2013 nesting data, wading bird numbers are still well below restoration targets. Some species are doing better than others. Great Egrets and White Ibis have shown stable population growth, while populations of smaller birds like Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and Snowy Egrets have declined.
The future of Florida's wading birds are dependent on projects that restore the natural flow of freshwater to the Everglades. Audubon Florida is working to make sure that key restoration projects like the Central Everglades Planning Project and the next phase of the Tamiami Trail Bridge are implemented as quickly as possible.
For more information, please download Audubon's latest Fact Sheet: 2013 Wading Bird Nesting in the Everglades. Please feel free to print and share at your next Audubon Chapter meeting or community event.
Roseate Spoonbills, Snowy Egrets, and White Ibis are not just beautiful and iconic inhabitants of the Everglades. They are important indicators of ecosystem health. Each year, Audubon Florida's Everglades Conservation Team evaluates population numbers and nesting data to understand the progress of Everglades restoration.
Audubon's scientists have finished evaluating the 2013 data. Our team is pleased to report that there were significant signs of progress for wading birds in the Everglades during this time.
Nesting efforts in 2013 were 57% higher than the average of the last three years. Over 48,200 wading bird nests were recorded.
The most encouraging data was from areas where restoration projects have improved freshwater flows. Early results from habitat impacted by the new C-111 Spreader Canal Western Project are providing hope for Florida's wading birds.
The recently completed C-111 Spreader Canal Western Project created a nine mile hydraulic ridge that increases natural flows into Taylor Slough, a critical flow path that carries water through the heart of Everglades National Park and into Florida Bay. Data from the first year of operation suggests measurable improvement in Roseate Spoonbill habitat - one of Audubon's priority Atlantic Flyway species.
While restoration work is improving Everglades habitat, important work remains. Despite the positive 2013 nesting data, wading bird numbers are still well below restoration targets. Some species are doing better than others. Great Egrets and White Ibis have shown stable population growth, while populations of smaller birds like Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and Snowy Egrets have declined.
The future of Florida's wading birds are dependent on projects that restore the natural flow of freshwater to the Everglades. Audubon Florida is working to make sure that key restoration projects like the Central Everglades Planning Project and the next phase of the Tamiami Trail Bridge are implemented as quickly as possible.
For more information, please download Audubon's latest Fact Sheet: 2013 Wading Bird Nesting in the Everglades. Please feel free to print and share at your next Audubon Chapter meeting or community event.
Big Win for Florida's Conservation Lands
Reprinted from Audubon Advocate
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has ended its controversial program to sell tracts of conservation land. Instead, DEP will now focus on selling surplus state lands developed for state offices and other constructed facilities.
One example is the A.G. Holley Hospital tract in West Palm Beach, where the agency has a $15+ million offer on the table. The Governor’s budget proposes that these non-conservation land sales will help add funds to the Florida Forever Program for new conservation land purchases.
The cancellation of DEP's Conservation Land Surplus program is a big win for Audubon Advocates.
Your incredible outpouring of written and public comments convinced the Governor and DEP to drop the program. Almost every organization concerned about the “special places” of Florida went to work to organize its members to comment on surplus land proposals to DEP. Florida’s major newspapers published many editorials which opposed the surplus land program and urged the Governor and DEP to abandon it.
Many Florida political figures were outspoken in defense of Florida's conservation lands. The list includes current Senator Jack Latvala (R-Clearwater) and former Senator Paula Dockery, as well as theFlorida Conservation Coalition (FCC), led by former Department of Environmental RegulationSecretary Victoria Tschinkel and former Governor Bob Graham.
The original, computer-generated proposals list of 167 properties included significant areas of wetland, open water, and quality upland habitat. Included were sites noted for protecting species such as theFlorida Scrub-Jay. As comments poured in from all over the state, properties were gradually dropped from the list. Yet, after months of public hearings, over 2,000 acres of the Hilochee Wildlife Management Area in the Green Swamp still remained.
There was a universal plea to drop the Green Swamp properties. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, who manages the site, and the Polk County Commission both opposed the Area's inclusion on the surplus list. However, removing the property would have dropped the list to only about 1,000 acres. Selling this remaining land would not even generate $5 million, let alone the $50 million in revenues projected. DEP’s decision to drop the list in its entirety was the best thing to do.
While Audubon has criticized DEP for these Surplus Conservation Land mistakes, it’s now time to say thank you. Please click here to send an email to the Governor and DEP.
In the end, the Governor’s office and DEP listened to the people and responded by doing the right thing. In today’s political atmosphere, stepping back from a mistake is a seldom seen quality and it’svery good to see it happen here.
The new surplus land list, consisting of non-conservation properties, mostly built and developed or purchased for non-conservation purposes can be seen by clicking here.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has ended its controversial program to sell tracts of conservation land. Instead, DEP will now focus on selling surplus state lands developed for state offices and other constructed facilities.
One example is the A.G. Holley Hospital tract in West Palm Beach, where the agency has a $15+ million offer on the table. The Governor’s budget proposes that these non-conservation land sales will help add funds to the Florida Forever Program for new conservation land purchases.
The cancellation of DEP's Conservation Land Surplus program is a big win for Audubon Advocates.
Your incredible outpouring of written and public comments convinced the Governor and DEP to drop the program. Almost every organization concerned about the “special places” of Florida went to work to organize its members to comment on surplus land proposals to DEP. Florida’s major newspapers published many editorials which opposed the surplus land program and urged the Governor and DEP to abandon it.
Many Florida political figures were outspoken in defense of Florida's conservation lands. The list includes current Senator Jack Latvala (R-Clearwater) and former Senator Paula Dockery, as well as theFlorida Conservation Coalition (FCC), led by former Department of Environmental RegulationSecretary Victoria Tschinkel and former Governor Bob Graham.
The original, computer-generated proposals list of 167 properties included significant areas of wetland, open water, and quality upland habitat. Included were sites noted for protecting species such as theFlorida Scrub-Jay. As comments poured in from all over the state, properties were gradually dropped from the list. Yet, after months of public hearings, over 2,000 acres of the Hilochee Wildlife Management Area in the Green Swamp still remained.
There was a universal plea to drop the Green Swamp properties. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, who manages the site, and the Polk County Commission both opposed the Area's inclusion on the surplus list. However, removing the property would have dropped the list to only about 1,000 acres. Selling this remaining land would not even generate $5 million, let alone the $50 million in revenues projected. DEP’s decision to drop the list in its entirety was the best thing to do.
While Audubon has criticized DEP for these Surplus Conservation Land mistakes, it’s now time to say thank you. Please click here to send an email to the Governor and DEP.
In the end, the Governor’s office and DEP listened to the people and responded by doing the right thing. In today’s political atmosphere, stepping back from a mistake is a seldom seen quality and it’svery good to see it happen here.
The new surplus land list, consisting of non-conservation properties, mostly built and developed or purchased for non-conservation purposes can be seen by clicking here.
The Economic Impact of… Birding? Yes, Birding!
Reprinted from The North Brevard Business Review, A quarterly review of business news in Mims, Port St. John, Scottsmoor, and Titusville
Tourism is "economic development," and a key driver for the economy of North Brevard. In January, the Brevard Nature Alliance hosted the 17th Annual Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival in North Brevard, an event that has grown into one of the largest birding festivals in the nation; in fact, the Southeast Tourism Society has listed it as a "Top 20 Event" for two consecutive years. This year's show captured an estimated 6,000 participants, many of whom journeyed on field trips and attended lectures by internationally recognized birding experts and ornithologists (for the uninitiated, a zoologist that focuses on, of course, birds). The economic impact of this year's four-day event was expected to reach $1.2 million, and result in more than 3,500 hotel nights booked at local lodging units.
Tourism is "economic development," and a key driver for the economy of North Brevard. In January, the Brevard Nature Alliance hosted the 17th Annual Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival in North Brevard, an event that has grown into one of the largest birding festivals in the nation; in fact, the Southeast Tourism Society has listed it as a "Top 20 Event" for two consecutive years. This year's show captured an estimated 6,000 participants, many of whom journeyed on field trips and attended lectures by internationally recognized birding experts and ornithologists (for the uninitiated, a zoologist that focuses on, of course, birds). The economic impact of this year's four-day event was expected to reach $1.2 million, and result in more than 3,500 hotel nights booked at local lodging units.
Nature on the Net
Here are some interesting recent articles:
- If you are curious what bills Audubon Florida are tracking this session, click here to visit their 2014 Legislative Bill Tracker. Check back often, we will be updating this site throughout session.
- Chile: Owls drafted in to fight deadly hantavirus
- Jackdaws protect their nests 'with bright eyes'
- How wolves change rivers.
- Cambodia protects forest for giant ibis
- Penguins suffering from climate change, scientists say
- Burned: How Wildfires Impact Forest Bats
- Wind farms can tame hurricanes
- Lemmings fuel biggest snowy-owl migration in 50 years
- Video: Crows, the Ultimate Problem Solvers
- Gigantic Rats Will Rule the Earth When Other Animals Go Extinct
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Join SCAS on February 21 for "Iceland!"
By Jim Eager, Space Coast Audubon Society Publicity Chair
WHO: Space Coast Audubon
Society (SCAS)
WHERE: Rockledge
Presbyterian Church, 921 Rockledge Dr, Rockledge, FL.
WHEN: February 21, 2014
at 7:30 p.m.
This
presentation will highlight Paul Cooper’s June 2013 trip to Iceland and will
also include a few of his favorites from Florida. Paul
Cooper, "Coop" to his friends, grew up in the foothills of the Adirondack
Mountains in New York where he enjoyed fishing, hiking and just being outdoors.
After college, Paul moved to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in
North Carolina. There he was introduced to birding, by good friend and wildlife
artist, Tim Larson.
In 2003, Paul’s
southerly migration finally brought him to Merritt Island, a mecca for birders
and fishermen as well as home to Kennedy Space Center. While kayaking, fishing and birding along the
Space Coast of Florida, Paul realized he was experiencing many things that most
people never get to see or do. In
November 2008 he bought his first DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera and
started to use digital photography as a way to share these sights and
experiences, from rocket launches, beautiful birds & wildlife, nature
scenes and anything else he thought was interesting.
Unfortunately with the end
of the shuttle program, like many others in Brevard County, Paul was laid off
from Kennedy Space Center. He is now
using this situation as the push he needed to go full time as a
photographer. Although, for Paul’s
business he is capturing people and events, he will always make time for what
his first love – Nature Photography.
We are looking forward to another great turnout!
South Brevard Christmas Count Results
By Dee Fairbanks Simpson, SBCBC Compiler
Better late than never, you can view the summary report of the South Brevard Christmas count here:
http://www.spacecoastaudubon.org/CountSummaryRpt.pdf
In general, we had 152 countable species, with the highlights including a Pomarine Jaeger and a Black-legged Kittiwake.
Better late than never, you can view the summary report of the South Brevard Christmas count here:
http://www.spacecoastaudubon.org/CountSummaryRpt.pdf
In general, we had 152 countable species, with the highlights including a Pomarine Jaeger and a Black-legged Kittiwake.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Shiloh Marsh Launch Complex by Jen Cenker
There will be two public hearings on Feb. 11 and Feb 12 concerning the proposal to develop launch pads at Shiloh. New Smyrna Beach High School will host the first forum on Feb. 11, and the Titusville campus of Eastern Florida State College the second on Feb. 12. Both are scheduled from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., starting with an open house workshop followed by an FAA overview of the environmental study process and a public comment period. Public comments may also be submitted by mail, e-mail and fax through Feb. 21.
PLEASE make plans to attend one of them and let your voice be heard that we are concerned about the massive impact this will have on the Mosquito Lagoon and MINWR. Here is the story that was posted to Florida Today - please share this and get the word out so that we can have a huge crowd to voice our opinions.
PLEASE make plans to attend one of them and let your voice be heard that we are concerned about the massive impact this will have on the Mosquito Lagoon and MINWR. Here is the story that was posted to Florida Today - please share this and get the word out so that we can have a huge crowd to voice our opinions.
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