atlantic flyway

ATLANTIC FLYWAY
HE M IS PHERIC
CO NS E RVAT ION
Bahamas
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Species: Piping Plover
Habitat: Bahamas
How We Work: Audubon’s
International Alliances
Program partnered with
Audubon North Carolina
and the Bahamas National
Trust to discover where
Piping Plovers that breed
on the East Coast of the
United States and Canada
spend the winter. They
found their answer in a
Bahamas population census this past February. The
count tallied more than
1,000 birds—one-eighth
of the highly endangered
species’ entire population
and the majority of the
East Coast breeders. The
census also identified two
new globally significant
Important Bird Areas. As a
result of this work, we now
know that the Bahamas
is second only to Texas in
importance to the survival
and recovery of this vulnerable species.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY
Migration The Atlantic Flyway encompasses some of the hemisphere’s most productive ecosystems, including forests, beaches,
and coastal wetlands. From the Arctic south along the entire Atlantic Coast and through the Caribbean to South America, Audubon
is working to support this avian superhighway’s 500-plus bird species, including Least Terns (above), and millions of individual birds.
Conservation Challenges Forty percent of the Atlantic Flyway’s bird
species are species of conservation concern. These include the Wood
Thrush, the most widespread of our eastern forest neotropical migratory species, whose population has been reduced by half during the past
40 years. With only one-tenth of the U.S. landmass, this flyway is home
to one-third of the nation’s human population. And dense population
carries with it many challenges for birds and habitat: development and
sprawl, agriculture, logging, overfishing, and climate change.
THE NETWORK: The Buffalo Audubon Society is improving neotropical migratory bird habitat at Joseph Davis State
Park in Lewiston, with support from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.
AU D U BON NETWORK : WOO D TH RUSH
● Audubon Chapters: 157
★ Audubon State Offices: 8
● Audubon Centers: 21
● Globally Significant IBAs: 139
A
Audubon Vermont’s
Forest Stewardship Program
helps landowners manage their
woods to benefit forest birds.
PRIORITY BIRD
Wood Thrush
B
New York City Audubon’s
Project Safe Flight is making the
city safer for migrating birds.
C
Audubon South Carolina
negotiates conservation easements to protect more habitat
near Francis Beidler Forest.
D
The Atlanta Audubon Society
works to identify and conserve
key breeding and feeding sites
for birds in Georgia.
(Hylocichla mustelina)
Range and habitat:
Nests in moist deciduous and mixed forests in
eastern United States and
southeastern Canada.
Winters mostly in tropics
of southern Mexico and
Central America.
Status: Research suggests a population
decline of almost two
percent a year since mid1960s; decreases more
pronounced in Canada
than in the United States.
Threats/Outlook: Habitat
loss on both breeding and
wintering grounds. Even
where nesting habitat
remains, fragmentation
has increased threat of
cowbird parasitism. Not
in immediate danger,
but large-scale habitat
protection is essential.
Points
South
Audubon and BirdLife International Partner
Pronatura protect forest fragments and restore
watersheds in Veracruz, Mexico.
Audubon and Belize Audubon work for better
management of Central American forests to create
wintering habitat for migrating birds.
OTHER PRIORITY SPECIES Canada Warbler, Black Skimmer, Greater Shearwater,
Wood Stork, Snail Kite, Seaside Sparrow, American Black Duck
CONNECT: South Carolina’s Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest provides habitat for Prothonotary Warblers and
introduces visitors to low-country life. Learn more at http://mag.audubon.org/articles/conservation/enchanted-forest.
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ATLANTIC FLYWAY
PROTECTING FORESTS FOR
MIGRATORY BIRDS
Species: Wood Thrush, Canada Warbler, and scores of other migratory species
Habitat: Forest nesting grounds
Our Work: Audubon enlists landowners and foresters to adopt bird-friendly
Field Notes
Name: Amanda Acosta,
Executive Director,
Belize Audubon Society
Range: Belize
“
18
Seven of the protected
areas managed by the
Belize Audubon Society are
prime wintering habitat for
many neotropical migratory birds, including the
Wood Thrush. By working
with Audubon’s International Alliances Program,
we’re sharing expertise
and experience that builds
on our collaboration with
many chapters of Audubon
since our inception 42 years
ago. Originally founded as
an offshoot of the Florida
Audubon Society, we now
manage nine protected areas covering 192,000 acres
of Belize. We truly appreciate the strong support we
have gotten from Audubon
over the years.
forestry practices, and promotes legislation that provides incentives.
Conservation Impact: Audubon Vermont has trained 80 percent of the
state’s foresters in wildlife-friendly practices. This year the program’s
guidelines were adopted as an official reference for management plans
used by participants in a state property tax reduction program for landowners who commit to keep their land (more than one million acres to
date) in forest. Audubon New York has trained Adirondack landowners
and foresters who are responsible for managing nearly 700,000 acres. In
partnership with the Belize Audubon Society, Audubon is also supporting
wintering habitat for the Wood Thrush (below) and other neotropical migrants through field science training and public outreach efforts to reduce
poaching in Important Bird Areas like Cockscomb National Park.
Conservation Outlook: Under its new strategic plan, Audubon will be expanding both the reach and scope of this innovative approach to conservation. This includes advancing economic incentives for forest preservation
in Latin America as well as in the United States.
”
THE NETWORK: Using a North America Wetlands Conservation Act Grant, Audubon Connecticut was able to secure protection of added acres at one of the state’s two globally significant IBAs—habitat for nesting Saltmarsh Sparrows and other birds.
PRIORITY BIRD
Canada Warbler
BIRD-FRIENDLY BACKYARDS,
PARKS, AND COMMUNITIES
Species: Prothonotary Warbler, Ruby-throated Hummingbird,
Cedar Waxwing
Habitat: Backyards, parks, and community green spaces
Our Work: Without healthy, safe places to rest and refuel, even the hardiest Atlantic Flyway migrants cannot complete their journeys each spring
and fall. Fortunately, Audubon provides the expertise and resources
volunteers need to welcome birds to their backyards and parks.
Conservation Impact: Allentown and 11 other “Bird Towns” are enrolled in
Audubon Pennsylvania’s new initiative to foster community-wide commitment to conservation. Audubon of Florida and Audubon Connecticut (one
of its programs is shown above) are engaging Chapters, garden clubs, and
other groups, through the Urban Oases program, to promote landscaping
with plants that are beneficial to birds. The Cape Fear Audubon Society in
Wilmington, North Carolina, introduces “birdscaping” to local residents.
And these are only a few of the ways Audubon At Home helps provide
safe passage for millions of birds along the Atlantic Flyway.
Conservation Outlook: Audubon will continue to mobilize its network of
Centers and Chapters to empower individuals and communities to create
more bird-friendly habitat all along the Atlantic Flyway.
(Cardellina canadensis)
Range and habitat: Breeds
in wide range of deciduous and coniferous forests
from boreal Canada and
northeastern U.S. through
the Allegheny Mountains’
central ridge to Tennessee
and Georgia. Winters south
to northern South America.
Status: Population of this
little-studied species is
roughly 1.4 million. Current
population is half what it
was in the mid-1960s.
Threats/Outlook: Sensitive to forest fragmentation by humans and degradation by deer feeding
on understory vegetation.
Loss of suitable habitat
from development has
reduced historical populations. Species does well
where forest patches are
regenerating, but that
dynamic habitat is less
common than it once was.
CONNECT: Project Puffin had another great year, with more than 500 pairs of nesting Atlantic Puffins on Seal Island
alone. The program has been restoring breeding puffins in Maine since 1973. Learn more at http://www.projectpuffin.org.
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ATLANTIC FLYWAY
Field Notes
Name: Iván Mota,
Intern, Project Puffin
Range: Coastal Maine
and the Dominican
Republic
Whenever I think
“about
Project Puffin, the
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endangered Black-capped
Petrel (Pterodroma
hasitata) always comes to
mind. It breeds mainly on
the island of Hispaniola
(the Dominican Republic
and Haiti). I believe the
Black-capped Petrel can
be a great species to start
a similar reintroduction
program—as was done
with the Atlantic Puffin in
Maine—as other petrels
have been successfully
reintroduced following
Project Puffin methods.
I hope to start such a
project for Black-capped
Petrels in Hispaniola.
”
PROTECTING THE EVERGLADES
Species: Everglade Snail Kite, Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork
Habitat: The Everglades and Florida Bay
Our Work: By restoring the Everglades (above), Audubon preserves habi-
tats for the birds that are the ecological indicators of the River of Grass.
Conservation Impact: Audubon of Florida has long been at the forefront of
Everglades protection and restoration. This year the state program focused
attention on the plight of the critically endangered Everglade Snail Kite,
securing federal commitments to restrict the use of irrigation water from
Lake Okeechobee, a significant threat to the species’ survival. Audubon of
Florida was also instrumental in major projects that will restore muchneeded freshwater flow into the Everglades, benefiting Roseate Spoonbills, Wood Storks, and wading bird colonies. In the northern Everglades,
Audubon is working to ensure protection of 150,000 acres of ranchland as
part of a newly proposed Everglades Headwaters Wildlife Refuge.
Conservation Outlook: Audubon’s science underlies and shapes Everglades restoration decisions. Using the recovery of key bird species as a
measure, Audubon, with its Chapters and partners, is advancing restoration projects and water management policies that sustain the wildlife
that defines a healthy Everglades.
THE NETWORK: Georgia’s Augusta-Aiken Audubon Society, Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, and South Carolina’s Silver Bluff
Audubon Center monitor water quality in a stream that provides feeding grounds for endangered Wood Storks.
PRESERVING AND RESTORING
LONG ISLAND SOUND
Species: Saltmarsh Sparrow, Roseate Tern, Piping Plover (bottom), and
other shorebirds
Habitat: Long Island Sound
Our Work: Roughly 10 percent of the U.S. population lives within 50
miles of Long Island Sound. A vital resource for birds and people alike,
this rich estuary faces intense development pressure and recreational
and commercial demands. Audubon is leading an ambitious effort to
improve water quality, restore vital habitats, and promote biodiversity.
Conservation Impact: National Audubon policy staff joined forces with
Audubon Connecticut and Audubon New York to rally federal, state, and
local lawmakers as well as other stakeholders to endorse Sound Vision, a
two-year action plan to protect and restore the Sound. Developed by the
Long Island Sound Citizens Advisory Committee, the plan combines
new and existing restoration projects with unified legislative efforts. Science plays a key role in Audubon’s work to protect and restore the Sound.
This includes an Audubon Connecticut 2011 pilot project to assess
breeding success and identify optimal nesting locations that will ultimately
benefit American Oystercatchers, Piping Plovers, and other shorebirds.
Conservation Outlook: Audubon national and state staff, Chapters, activists, and volunteers will continue working to reduce pollution and
protect and restore habitat in this vital ecosystem.
PRIORITY BIRD
Snail Kite
(Rostrhamus sociabilis)
Range and habitat: Inhabits freshwater marshes and
edges of streams and shallow lakes from peninsular
Florida through southern
Mexico to Argentina. Range
is restricted by specialized
food requirements: Its diet
is almost exclusively freshwater apple snails.
Status: Listed as endangered both federally and
in Florida.
Threats/Outlook: Primary
negative impact is human
alteration of natural water
cycle, causing loss of
foraging habitat. Since
early 1900s, 50 percent of
its habitat has been lost in
southern Florida. Should
benefit from Everglades
restoration efforts.
CONNECT: Audubon of Florida’s Everglades team of science and policy professionals works tirelessly throughout the
year to protect water quality and habitat in the four corners of the Everglades. Learn more at http://fl.audubon.org.
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MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
HE M IS PH ERIC
CO NS ERVAT ION
Argentina
22
Species: Bobolink,
Buff-breasted Sandpiper,
American Golden Plover
Habitat: San Javier and
Santa Fe, Argentina
How We Work: The pampas grasslands of South
America are the winter
home to several important
long-distance migrants
from North America,
including Bobolinks, which
congregate in the town
of San Javier in flocks
exceeding one million.
Audubon’s International
Alliances Program works
with Aves Argentina and
other BirdLife International
partners in the Southern
Cone Grasslands Alliance
to support conservation
planning and improved
management practices for
landowners. The training
of local biologists has supported the development of
bird-friendly cattle ranching
and rice farming practices
that increase economic
gains for local landowners
and ensure safe winter
homes for grassland birds.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
Migration Nearly half of North America’s bird species—and about
40 percent of its waterfowl—spend at least part of their lives on
the Mississippi Flyway. The flyway, with America’s mightiest river
at its heart, connects landscapes from the Canadian Arctic through
America’s heartland to the Gulf Coast and south as far as Patagonia.
Conservation Challenges The Mississippi River and its vibrant grasslands, forests, and wetlands, which support a wide range of birds (including these White Pelicans), have been under sustained assault, enduring
more than a century of abuse and exploitation. Between Minnesota and
St. Louis, the river is managed with a series of 29 locks and dams. The
lower river is straitjacketed by 1,678 miles of levees. It is confined to 10
percent of its historic floodplain, and at its mouth it can deposit barely
any of the sediment needed to sustain its vast delta. As a result, 19 square
miles of deltaic wetlands disappear each year. The BP oil disaster was the
latest blow to a region already reeling from many other challenges.
THE NETWORK: St. Louis Audubon helped prevent development of a casino that would have threatened an Important
Bird Area where 240 species of birds are found. The chapter rallied public opposition, and the proposal was denied.
AUDUBON NETWORK : PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
● Audubon Chapters: 120
★ Audubon State Offices: 5
● Audubon Centers: 9
● Globally Significant IBAs: 59
A
Audubon Minnesota works with
private landowners in floodplain
forest IBAs to improve breeding
habitat.
PRIORITY BIRD
Prothonotary
Warbler
B
Chicago Audubon Society,
Audubon Chicago Region, and
other partners have advocated
for Chicago buildings to dim
their lights during migration to
prevent window collisions.
C
The Audubon Center at
Riverlands promotes stewardship of forests used by Prothonotary Warblers on migration and
during breeding season.
D
Audubon Mississippi, by
partnering with the owners of
bottomland hardwood forest,
promotes bird-friendly forest
management in the state.
(Protonotaria citrea)
Range and habitat: From
bottomland hardwood
forests and other forested
wetlands of U.S. Southeast
to mangrove forests of
Central and northern South
America. Small breeding
population in Canada.
Status: Endangered in
Canada, where population has dropped by at
least 75 percent.
Threats/Outlook: Logging and agriculture
in U.S. and destruction
of mangroves in South
America have hurt. Nestbox programs are increasingly common in regional
and county parks and can
be helpful if wetland forest habitat is maintained.
E
Audubon helps to protect vital
breeding habitat at the West
Pontchartrain-Maurepas Swamp
Important Bird Area.
Points
South
Audubon and Panama Audubon
collaborate to protect wintering grounds.
F
Baton Rouge Audubon’s Peveto
Woods Sanctuary provides a safe
haven for resting and refueling.
OTHER PRIORITY SPECIES Wilson’s Plover, Black Skimmer, Cerulean Warbler,
Swallow-tailed Kite, Indigo Bunting, Henslow’s Sparrow, Least Tern
CONNECT: Mississippi’s Pascagoula River Audubon Center introduces visitors to one of the last free-flowing river systems
in the country, promoting conservation practices they can use at home. Learn more at http://pascagoulariver.audubon.org.
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MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
RESTORING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Species: Swallow-tailed Kite, Indigo Bunting, Least Tern
Habitat: Mississippi River delta and floodplain
Our Work: From moving mud to moving Congress, Audubon is leading an
Field Notes
Name: Dick Riner,
Steward and Leader, Bartel Grassland and Thorn
Creek Audubon Society
Range: Northern Illinois
“
24
More and more volunteers are showing up to
help us with our prairie
restoration, and it warms
the cockles of my heart.
The birds are happy with
what we are doing—we
see more different species,
along with more of the
ones we want to see. Just
yesterday, I pulled into
the grassland to wait for a
group of volunteers. There
was a ground fog, and
the sun was just rising. A
Northern Harrier came and
circled right above me, as if
I was a falconer and it was
my bird. I wanted to ask,
‘Where are your parents?’
as I think it may have been
raised on the site. That
almost never happens in
the Chicago area.
array of innovative efforts to restore the delta ecosystem and reestablish the
natural, life-giving cycles of the Mississippi River, from headwaters to Gulf.
Conservation impact: Audubon’s Mississippi River and Louisiana Coastal
Initiatives, in collaboration with public policy teams, have scored many
victories in the ongoing fight for river and delta restoration. At the Paul J.
Rainey Wildlife Sanctuary (below), a small custom-built dredge is serving as a prototype for wetlands restoration; this year also saw the repair of
water control structures and levees that protect 11,000 acres of Rainey’s
marsh from saltwater intrusion. During the 2011 Mississippi River flood,
Audubon scientists collected fresh data that will inform future restoration
and enable policy makers, conservationists, and the region’s residents to
shape a new model for ecological and community resilience. Audubon’s
policy team and grassroots activists were instrumental in garnering national support for Mississippi River Delta recovery work in the aftermath
of the BP oil disaster. This led to the introduction of federal legislation
that, if passed, will direct billions of dollars to restoration.
Conservation Outlook: Audubon is working to address both immediate and
long-term threats to this vital region, from rethinking obsolete approaches
to river “management,” to advocating for much-needed funding, to marshaling our network in conservation action up and down America’s river.
”
THE NETWORK: Brainerd Lakes, Wild River, Zumbro Valley, and Central Minnesota Audubon chapters organized community-wide “Chimney Swift Sits” in collaboration with Audubon Minnesota to locate and count birds of this declining species.
PRIORITY BIRD
Least Tern
ENLISTING BEACHGOERS
TO PROTECT NESTING BIRDS
Species: Wilson’s Plover, Black Skimmer, Reddish Egret, Brown Pelican
Habitat: Gulf Coast beaches and barrier islands
Our Work: Across the northern Gulf Coast, Audubon energizes volunteers
and partner organizations to conserve, restore, protect, and evaluate a
network of coastal sites for colonial and beach-nesting birds.
Conservation Impact: During the 2011 nesting season, some Gulf Coast
birds got a helping hand from Audubon Chapters and volunteers (above)
who educated beachgoers about the birds and how to keep them, their eggs,
and their chicks safe. Additionally, crowd-scientists collected information
about birds and their coastal habitats throughout the year. The Audubon
Coastal Bird Survey, with support from the Mississippi Coast Audubon Society, Mobile Bay Audubon Society, and Pascagoula River Audubon Center,
enlisted more than 150 volunteers to survey 24 sites in Mississippi and Alabama. These volunteers counted some 65,000 birds representing 160 species.
Audubon scientists are linking hands across the Gulf Coast to standardize
survey efforts from Texas to Florida, adding to our accuracy and impact.
Conservation Outlook: Through innovative outreach and social marketing,
we will reduce human disturbance, increase awareness, and broaden public protections for birds that breed, winter, and migrate along the Gulf
Coast’s shores. Our scientists will build a long-term, credible inventory
for species and habitat sites, ensuring adaptation to changes related to
sea-level rise and human pressures.
(Sterna antillarum)
Range and habitat: Nests
on sandy beaches up
the Mississippi and other
major river systems as
well as along southern
U.S. coasts. Large winter
range across the marine
coastlines of Central and
South America.
Status: Interior (and
California) Least Tern
on federal endangered
species list. Considered
threatened, endangered,
or species of concern in
many coastal states.
Threats/Outlook: Historical declines from feather
hunting and egg collecting, pesticide use, and
habitat destruction. With
increased conservation,
species has been recovering since about 1980.
CONNECT: Audubon activists are a powerful force for sound public policy, from the Gulf to the Arctic. Sign up for access to
lawmakers on issues affecting birds, other wildlife, and habitats. Learn more at http://policy.audubon.org/take-action.
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MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
Field Note
Name: Robin McAlester,
Director, Wildcat Glades
Audubon Center
Range: Western Missouri
After the tornado dev“astated
Joplin, Missouri,
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support from donors
across the country allowed us to offer free
summer camps and programs to families in our
community. I remember
the response from one
of our partners, the local
Boys & Girls Clubs director: ‘This is just the kind
of program our kids—and
staff—need, but with limited funding and no more
capacity for so many
children, we wouldn’t
have been able to provide
it for them.’
”
CONNECTING COMMUNITIES
WITH THE RIVER
Species: Least Tern, White Pelican, Bald Eagle, various ducks
Habitat: Audubon Center at Riverlands (above)
Our Work: Through a partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Audubon opened a new conservation and education center near St. Louis,
at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.
Conservation Impact: The center’s location near a diverse urban center and
within the Great Rivers Confluence Important Bird Area offers unique
opportunities for education, conservation, and connection to nature. The
Center is surrounded by 3,700 acres of prairie marsh and forest, which
form an important wetland complex for migrating, nesting, and wintering
waterbirds. Bald Eagles and King Rails breed within the IBA, and interior
Least Terns nest on an artificial island at Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary. Thousands of waterfowl and shorebirds migrate through the IBA
each year, along with large numbers of neotropical migratory
songbirds, which are found primarily in bottomland forest along the rivers.
The Audubon Center at Riverlands joins other Centers in the Mississippi
Flyway, including Strawberry Plains Audubon Center in Mississippi and
Grange Insurance Audubon Center in Ohio, in connecting local residents
with nature and wildlife and in engaging visitors in conservation action,
including grasslands restoration and watershed cleanup.
Conservation Outlook: The Audubon Center at Riverlands, the newest
addition to our Centers network, will play a key role in Audubon’s Mississippi Flyway conservation efforts and will serve the Greater St. Louis area,
reconnecting its citizens with nature and America’s greatest river system.
THE NETWORK: The Baton Rouge Audubon Society sponsors “Kids Who Bird,” a bird club for kids up to age 16. Monthly
meetings have a theme (like hummingbirds or owls) and include educational activities, field trips, and speakers.
CREATING HEALTHY HABITAT
FOR FOREST BIRDS
Species: Warblers, including Prothonotary, Swainson’s, and Cerulean (below)
Habitat: Forest habitats of the Mississippi Flyway
Our Work: Much of the Mississippi Flyway’s forested lands are privately
owned and managed for forest products and recreational use. Audubon is
partnering with landowners all along the flyway to promote the adoption
of bird-friendly forest management. Our goal is to ensure viable populations of all bottomland hardwood-dependent birds (breeding and migration) along the Mississippi River.
Conservation Impact: Audubon completed a pilot project on 12,000 private acres in western Mississippi. Audubon Minnesota launched a pilot
to promote best management practices to private landowners in floodplain forests in and adjacent to the IBAs along the Upper Mississippi.
Conservation Outlook: As word has spread about Audubon’s collaborative approach to forest management, we have been asked to develop a
landowner learning network. We will bring bird-friendly management
to 50,000 acres of private forest along the Mississippi River by 2014.
PRIORITY BIRD
Indigo bunting
(Passerina cyanea)
Range and habitat:
Breeds in forest edges
from the northern Great
Plains eastward to the
Atlantic seaboard.
Winters from Mexico to
northern Panama.
Status: Still abundant,
though numbers are
declining a bit.
Threats/Outlook:
Common cage bird and
sometimes killed for food
or sport in its tropical
wintering grounds. In
eastern North America its
numbers decrease with intensive agriculture, forest
regrowth, and continued
urbanization. Numbers
improve with increase of
edge habitats.
CONNECT: Most birds migrate at night. Lighted buildings can lure them off course, causing collisions and disorientation.
Audubon Minnesota’s Lights Out Program helps to keep these nighttime fliers safe. Learn more at http://mn.audubon.org.
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CENTRAL FLYWAY
HE M IS PHERIC
CO NS E RVAT ION
Mexico
28
Species: Swainson’s
Hawk, many other
migratory birds
Habitat: Veracruz, Mexico
How We Work: Rampant
deforestation threatens
critical wintering and stopover habitat for millions of
migratory birds that pass
through Veracruz each
year. Cattle ranching and
agriculture have cleared
more than 90 percent of
central Veracruz’s natural
vegetation, leaving little
cover, food, or roosting
sites for birds. Audubon’s
International Alliances
Program is working with
Pronatura Veracruz to build
local stewardship of this
globally significant IBA.
Landowners are developing
plant nurseries and other
sustainable livelihoods
from the forests instead
of cutting them down to
clear farmland. More than
3,000 acres of remaining Veracruz forest has
been officially protected.
CENTRAL FLYWAY
Migration The Central Flyway spans the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains,
the heartland’s wetlands, and the western Gulf Coast. Many of its migratory species winter in Central and South America, some as far south
as Patagonia. In addition, this flyway is home to such iconic western
species as the Greater Sage-Grouse and the Lesser Prairie-Chicken.
Conservation Challenges Water diversion and other habitat loss from
development are taking a toll on the riparian and wetland habitats that
many waterfowl, including the critically endangered Whooping Crane
(above), rely on to prepare for migration and breeding each spring.
Energy exploration and development have ravaged the high plains
and sagebrush of the intermountain West, with grim consequences
for sage-grouse and other wildlife. And grassland birds and habitat
are vanishing. Ninety-eight percent of the Midwest’s native prairie has
disappeared, due to conversion to agricultural uses along with suppression of the natural fire cycle required for renewal.
THE NETWORK: Travis Audubon Society in Texas developed a program-based, adaptive land management plan at Baker
Sanctuary, a 690-acre preserve for the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler and other native wildlife and plant communities.
AUD U BON NETWORK : SANDH I LL CRANE
● Audubon Chapters: 75
★ Audubon State Offices: 7
Audubon Wyoming and three
chapters—Meadowlark, Red
Desert, and Murie—monitor IBAs
that provide habitat for migrating and nesting cranes.
A
● Audubon Centers: 9
● Globally Significant IBAs: 65
Audubon Colorado and state
chapters build a regional constituency for crane conservation
with education, outreach. Black
Canyon Audubon protects cranes
at Fruitgrowers Reservoir IBA.
Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary is
visited each spring by 80% of the
world’s Sandhill Cranes. All state
chapters support crane work.
C
B
PRIORITY BIRD
Sandhill Crane
(Grus canadensis)
Range and habitat: Nests
in various places: across
Canada, Siberia, Alaska; in
Michigan and Wisconsin;
and California to Colorado.
Winters in Texas, Oklahoma, northern Mexico.
Uses various habitats but
always with water.
Status: Currently safe.
Population is about
450,000 and spreading in
northeastern United States.
Threats/Outlook: In the
past, hunting, pesticides,
and habitat loss harmed
this species. To consolidate conservation success,
needs protection, restoration of habitat—the Platte
River in Nebraska and
pine forests and savannahs on the Gulf Coast.
D
The Lahontan and Red Rock
chapters work at three IBAs
to protect, improve, and raise
awareness about habitat for
nesting cranes.
E
Audubon New Mexico and
area chapters address threats
to riparian wintering habitat,
including the Bosque del Apache
National Wildlife Refuge, an IBA.
F
Audubon Texas’s work to protect
wintering habitat on the Gulf
Coast benefits both Sandhill and
Whooping Cranes.
OTHER PRIORITY SPECIES Whooping Crane, Piping Plover, Redhead, Little Blue
Heron, Wilson’s Plover, Greater Sage-Grouse, Lesser Prairie-Chicken, Interior Least Tern
CONNECT: Located amid 800 acres of tallgrass prairie and home to 210 bird species, Nebraska’s Spring Creek Prairie
Audubon Center preserves one of America’s most threatened habitats. Learn more at http://springcreekprairie.audubon.org.
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CENTRAL FLYWAY
BALANCING WILDLIFE
AND GREEN ENERGY NEEDS
Species: Greater Sage-Grouse
Habitat: Sagebrush ecosystem in the intermountain West
Our Work: Energy development poses an enormous threat to the sagebrush
Field Notes
Name: Wes Martel,
Eastern Shoshone Tribe,
Board Member,
Audubon Wyoming
Range: Wyoming plains
You know, it wasn’t that
“many
centuries ago when
30
most everybody believed
how the earth and all of
the things that the earth
provides are important in
our daily lives. Unfortunately, in today’s modern
world, very few people
understand it anymore.
All these living things
have a spirit just like us,
and they are relatives—we
are all related. When
these male sage-grouse
dance, the way they move
and their feet are touching the earth . . . when
we see that dance, that
reverence for the earth,
that’s a very important
part of how we maintain
that connection.
habitat that Greater Sage-Grouse, pronghorn antelope, and other wildlife
depend on. The Greater Sage-Grouse (below) is already under consideration for listing as an endangered species as a result of habitat loss in much
of its range. That’s why Audubon Wyoming and Audubon Colorado
have led the development and adoption of a game-changing strategy that
balances wildlife protection with our nation’s need for energy—especially
green wind energy. This innovative, science-based approach identifies the
best places for wind farms and limits the footprint of oil and gas extraction while protecting core habitat areas for sage-grouse.
Conservation Impact: Fifteen million acres of sage-grouse habitat in
Wyoming are now protected from too much energy and other types of
development, and the Bureau of Land Management has adopted this
core strategy in Oregon. Efforts to expand the approach into Colorado,
Nevada, Utah, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and
the Dakotas are under way.
Conservation Outlook: Both energy extraction sites and transmission lines
are threats to sagebrush habitat. Audubon is playing a key role in assessing
potential impacts on birds and shaping land-use planning and decisions
that meet the needs of both energy and wildlife.
”
THE NETWORK: Kansas’s Topeka Audubon hosted a “bioblitz” on 300 acres of parks on Shunganunga Creek. The survey
included the Warren Nature Area, where Audubon supported the collection of native seeds for grassland restoration.
PRIORITY BIRD
Little Blue
Heron
REST STOP ON THE MIGRATORY CORRIDOR
Species: Whooping and Sandhill Cranes, millions of migratory waterfowl
Habitat: Great Plains wetlands, prairies, Platte River
Our Work: Audubon Nebraska and its partners, including Big Bend Audu-
bon, have a long history as central players in restoring the Platte River
(above), one of the key stops along the Central Flyway. In addition to
hands-on work to maintain this vital river channel, Audubon builds community and national commitment by promoting sustainable ecotourism.
Outreach also fosters grassland stewardship, including some 800 acres of
native (never plowed) tallgrass prairie at the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon
Center near Lincoln, Nebraska.
Conservation Impact: Working with partners, the Lillian Annette Rowe
Sanctuary is clearing nearly 14,000 acres of invasive Phragmites australis,
which will open miles of Platte River channel for birds and other wildlife.
Each spring visitors from around the globe witness the spectacle of Sandhill Crane migration at the sanctuary’s Iain Nicolson Audubon Center.
Audubon Nebraska also leads Audubon’s opposition to the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, which, besides transporting the dirtiest oil produced,
would threaten precious groundwater in Nebraska’s Sandhills.
Conservation Outlook: Audubon will continue to improve the management
of the open channels and wet meadows of the Platte River and expand the
acreage under its protection. We will focus education and outreach efforts to
drive conservation results. By expanding our IBA program and strengthening
our network, from North Dakota into Central America and beyond, we will
shape a healthy future for the flyway’s birds and communities.
(Egretta caerulea)
Range and habitat:
Widely distributed in
marine and freshwater
marshes across the
southeastern United
States and Central and
South America.
Status: Population has
declined more than 50
percent in past 40 years.
Current population is
roughly 150,000.
Threats/Outlook:
Although this species
didn’t meet the same fate
as other egrets back in
the 1800s—it doesn’t have
the plumage coveted by
feather hunters—it faces
threats today largely
from the loss of feeding
habitat. The population is
still in decline.
CONNECT: The Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary in Santa Fe—135 acres of spectacular landscapes and
abundant wildlife—provides sanctuary for plants, animals, and visitors. Learn more at http://nm.audubon.org.
31
CENTRAL FLYWAY
Field Note
Name: Eleanor Wootten,
Board Member, Audubon
New Mexico, and Member
and Past President of
Mesilla Valley Audubon
Range: Mesilla Valley,
New Mexico
32
been coming to
“theI have
Gila River since I was
a child. I’ve camped on it,
birded on it, and fished in
it. Now there are proposals to alter this wildlife
and recreation resource
by diverting some of its
water. I think it’s more important to keep the water
in the river, where it helps
cottonwoods, other trees
and plants, and hundreds
of species of birds thrive.
That’s why I am working with Audubon New
Mexico to protect the
place that is near and
dear to my heart.
”
WATER FOR BIRDS AND PEOPLE
Species: Whooping Crane, Little Blue Heron, many other species
Habitat: The Texas Triangle; Arizona
Our Work: Water, a critical issue in Texas, Arizona, and other western
states, is one of the challenges staff like Iliana Peña (opposite) of Audubon Texas focus on. Texas’s enormous array of birds depend on diverse
habitats throughout the state, while 70 percent of the state’s human
population is concentrated in the “Texas Triangle.” Arizona’s rapidly
increasing population has potentially troubling consequences for the
biologically diverse Sonoran Desert.
Conservation Impact: Audubon Centers and Chapters empower people to
conserve and safeguard water. Dallas’s Trinity River Audubon Center (top)
introduces 45,000 visitors yearly to the Trinity River Watershed, enlisting
many in wetlands restoration; this year the opening of the Dogwood Canyon
Audubon Center, with leadership from Audubon Dallas, significantly
expanded Audubon’s reach. San Antonio’s Mitchell Lake Audubon Center
connects the diverse San Antonio community with the importance of water
conservation, helping to safeguard water quality all the way down to San Antonio Bay. The Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center in Phoenix engages thousands in stewardship of Arizona’s rivers. And the Tucson
Audubon Society mobilizes residents to conserve water in their backyards.
Conservation Outlook: Audubon’s Centers and Chapters are an important
component in our strategy to promote sound water management policies
and practices that support people and wildlife.
THE NETWORK: Arizona’s Sonoran Audubon Society and Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center are partnering with the BLM and local high school interns to survey Yellow-billed Cuckoos at the Agua Fria National Monument.
EXPANDING OUR GREEN ENERGY MODEL
Species: Lesser Prairie-Chicken
Habitat: Plains and wetlands in Colorado and four adjoining states
Our Work: As pressure for much-needed wind energy development mounts
in Colorado and elsewhere, Audubon is working to keep it green for
birds and wildlife. Building on our innovative work with sage-grouse in
Wyoming, Audubon Colorado is playing a key role in ensuring that siting
decisions factor in habitat needs for birds and other wildlife.
Conservation Impact: This year Audubon Colorado helped broker consensus with the wind industry in Colorado on best management practices
(BMPs) for the siting and operation of wind farms. The resulting guidelines, while voluntary, set a precedent for a reasonable level of protection
for many vulnerable birds amid the current regulatory vacuum for wind
energy in the interior West. Lesser Prairie-Chickens, Burrowing Owls,
Mountain Plovers, and Sharp-tailed Grouse are only some of the species
that will benefit from this landmark set of science-based BMPs.
Conservation Outlook: Balancing green energy development with wildlife
needs will be one of the defining environmental challenges of this
decade. That’s why Audubon is expanding our habitat-based model
throughout the United States and into Latin America.
PRIORITY BIRD
Lesser
Prairie-Chicken
(Tympanuchus
pallidicinctus)
Range and habitat: Resident of arid shortgrass or
mid-grass plains, especially
near scrubby patches of
shinnery oak, from southwest Kansas to southeast
New Mexico.
Status: Population down
about 97 percent since
the 1800s. Currently probably fewer than 40,000,
perhaps as few as 20,000.
Threats/Outlook: Mainly
habitat loss and degradation. Remaining habitat
threatened by fire suppression, inappropriate grazing
regimes, and energy installations, including wind, oil,
gas, and transmission lines.
Future depends on protection and management
of remaining habitat.
CONNECT: For 30-plus years Audubon’s Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch in Arizona has protected grasslands and birds
by engaging citizens and policy makers in safeguarding native ecosystems. Learn more at http://researchranch.audubon.org.
33
PA C I F I C F LY WAY
HE M IS PHERIC
CO NS E RVAT ION
Chile
34
Species: Hudsonian
Godwit, Whimbrel
Habitat: Alaska to Chile
How We Work: Audubon
and its Chilean partner,
Centro de Estudios y Conservación del Patrimonio
Natural (CECPAN), work
to protect critical wintering IBAs for Hudsonian
Godwits (99 percent of the
Pacific population winters
in Chile) and Whimbrels.
Agricultural lands provide
essential migratory and
winter habitat. The Chilean
team is using Audubon
California’s Landowner
Stewardship Program
as a model for developing similar programs.
Audubon engages private
landowners to reduce pollution and erosion, restore
riparian habitats, and
protect vital roosting and
feeding grounds. By collaborating with groups like
CECPAN, this approach
can be applied in wintering
grounds throughout the
hemisphere.
PAC I F I C F LY WAY
Migration The birds of the Pacific Flyway depend on a diverse chain
of habitats, from Arctic tundra to tropical beaches and mangroves.
Audubon’s network of Chapters, volunteers, activists, and members is
preserving and restoring the vital links along the way.
Conservation Challenges Each year at least a billion birds migrate
along the Pacific Flyway, which stretches from the Bering Strait to
Central and South America. But these birds are only a fraction of
those that used the flyway a century ago. Some species, such as
the Spectacled Eider, the Steller’s Eider, and the Yellow-billed Loon
(above), are in serious trouble, and even many common birds have
become far less common. Habitat loss, water shortages due to diversion for agriculture and development, diminishing food sources, and
climate change all threaten the birds of the Pacific Flyway.
THE NETWORK: Five California Chapters—Golden Gate, Santa Clara Valley, Mount Diablo, Ohlone, and Marin—were
instrumental in forging an agreement to replace old wind turbines at Altamont Pass with more bird-friendly ones by 2015.
AUD UBON N ETWORK : WESTERN SAN DPIPER
● Audubon Chapters: 1 15
★ Audubon State Offices: 3
● Audubon Centers: 1 1
● Globally Significant IBAs: 161
A
Audubon Alaska preserves
breeding habitat in western and
northern coastal Alaska.
PRIORITY BIRD
Western
Sandpiper
B
Audubon Alaska protects
watersheds and coastal estuaries
in the Tongass National Forest.
C
Gray’s Harbor Audubon sponsors an annual Shorebird Festival
and has created a 739-acre
wetlands.
D
Audubon California, Klamath
Basin Audubon, and the Audubon
Society of Portland preserve key
wetlands.
E
Audubon California restores wetlands habitat in San Francisco Bay.
(Calidris mauri)
Range and Habitat:
Nests in western and
northern Alaska. Migrates
in spring mainly in West,
but fairly common on
Atlantic Coast in fall.
Frequents mudflats.
Status: Like many
sandpipers, its population has dropped; species
was listed as declining
on WatchList 2007.
Threats/Outlook: Loss
of nutrient-rich estuarine
mudflats on migration
routes due to polluted
runoff and other effects
of nearby development.
Key migration, wintering, and staging areas
need to be protected.
F
San Diego Audubon safeguards
crucial habitat in Mission Bay.
Points
South
National Audubon and Panama Audubon
protect winter habitat in Panama Bay.
OTHER PRIORITY SPECIES Long-billed Curlew, Whimbrel, Spectacled Eider,
Kittlitz’s Murrelet, Steller’s Eider, Snowy Plover, Hudsonian Godwit
CONNECT: The Audubon International Alliances Program’s hemispheric partners hail from Mexico, the Caribbean,
Central America, and South America. Learn more about these partners at http://web4.audubon.org/bird/IAP.
35
PA C I F I C F LY WAY
Field Notes
Name: Judy Alles,
Volunteer, Pilchuck
Audubon,
Range: Monroe,
Washington
Our annual Audubon“sponsored
Monroe Swifts
36
Night Out attracts more
people each year, from
families with toddlers
to senior citizens in
wheelchairs—all coming together to witness
10,000 Vaux’s Swifts
swirl into an old school
chimney to roost. But our
efforts go beyond saving
and celebrating this particular chimney ‘habitat’ in
Monroe. We are building
a community of people,
from British Columbia to
Mexico, to monitor and
learn about Vaux’s Swifts
and to identify their
important migratory roost
sites, which we call the
‘String of Chimney Pearls.’
The Audubon Center at
Debs Park recently identified a Vaux’s Swift roost in
downtown Los Angeles.
Now they have their own
swift celebration!
”
WORKING FOR BIRDS ON
AGRICULTURAL LANDS
Species: Long-billed Curlew, Whimbrel, Black-necked Stilt
Habitat: California’s Central Valley
Our Work: Audubon California, with its Migratory Bird Conservation Part-
nership and in conjunction with The Nature Conservancy and Point Reyes
Bird Observatory (PRBO) Conservation Science, enlists farmers who grow
rice, alfalfa, and other crops to manage their farms in bird-friendly ways.
Audubon and PRBO Conservation Science have guided major investments
in public funds this past year to make agricultural lands more bird-friendly.
Conservation Impact: In just three years Audubon California and its
partners have laid the groundwork for farm management practices that
benefit shorebirds, as in the flooded rice field above.
Conservation Outlook: The Natural Resources Conservation Service, a
unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has committed $2.68 million to a three-year pilot program for rice farmers interested in increasing their farms’ value to migratory birds. Seventy-four farms have signed
up, enrolling more than 28,000 acres in the program. Twenty alfalfa and
other forage-crop farmers recently participated in two workshops hosted
by Audubon to identify bird-friendly practices on their farms to be
tested over the next several years.
THE NETWORK: The number of visitors to Seattle’s Seward Park Environmental & Audubon Center doubled in the past
year. Since 2008 student enrollment in the Center’s middle and high school programs has more than quadrupled.
BIRD-FRIENDLY ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
Species: Spectacled Eider, Yellow-billed Loon
Habitat: North Slope of Alaska
Our Work: Audubon Alaska, led by Executive Director Nils Warnock (be-
low), is pursuing permanent wilderness designation for the coastal plain
of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as well as protection of important
“special areas” in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska (NPRA).
Conservation Impact: Audubon Alaska has published a Habitat Conservation Strategy for the NPRA that outlines appropriate protections
for identified “special areas,” with emphasis on the importance of the
Teshekpuk Lake area as a breeding, molting, and staging ground for
various seabirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl.
Conservation Outlook: Audubon is confident energy development can take
place in a way that safeguards areas of critical importance to birds and
other wildlife. This can mean limiting oil and gas drilling in sensitive or
critical habitat areas (e.g., goose molting, caribou calving) and carefully
siting needed infrastructure with wildlife habitat requirements in mind.
PRIORITY BIRD
Kittlitz’s
Murrelet
(Brachyramphus
brevirostris)
Range and habitat:
In North America, found
only in Alaskan coastal
areas in south and west.
Winters coastally, mostly
near breeding-season
foraging areas. One-third
of world population
found in Siberia.
Status: Global population
of 24,000; seems to be declining at rapid rate. New
studies are under way.
Threats/Outlook: Small
breeding and wintering
ranges, low productivity,
and other factors make
species vulnerable to
climate change, oil spills,
gill-netting. Other threats
include habitat loss,
human disturbance, and
retreating glaciers.
CONNECT: A rice farmer in California Audubon’s Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership described his crop rotation as “wild rice, regular rice, and shorebirds.” Learn more at www.audubonmagazine.org/articles/birds/grains-change.
37
PA C I F I C F LY WAY
Field Note
Name: Meg Ruby,
Volunteer, Audubon of
Portland
Range: Northwestern
Oregon
It’s easy to get
“overwhelmed
by the
38
challenges facing our
natural world. Audubon
provides a healthy place
to face those challenges.
It allows me to connect
and make a difference.
Plus, it’s fun,” says Ruby,
who has participated in
many activities for Portland Audubon, including
bird counts and Marbled
Murrelet watches. In her
view, Audubon plays
an important role in her
community. “We can’t
forget we’re part of a
community—not just a
human community but
a natural one.
”
CONSERVATION ON A GRAND SCALE
Species: California Condor, Prairie Falcon, Long-eared Owl, Burrowing
Owl, Horned Lark, Golden Eagle
Habitat: Tejon Ranch, Southern California
Our Work: In 2008 Audubon California and four conservation partners,
working with the owners of Tejon Ranch, reached an agreement to protect
240,000 acres from development. More recently, 60,000 acres covered by
this agreement were placed on permanent conservation easement.
Conservation Impact: Tejon Ranch, one of the West’s most diverse landscapes, encompasses five different ecosystems, including Mojave Desert
grasslands and Joshua tree, oak, and riparian woodlands. Critically important
to many birds, including the highly endangered California Condor (above), it
is also crucial to the San Joaquin kit fox and the blunt-nosed leopard lizard.
Conservation Outlook: Late last year the state Wildlife Conservation Board
announced a $15.8 million grant to purchase easements on 62,000 Tejon
acres. Focusing on landscapes like Tejon’s is crucial to many wildlife species.
THE NETWORK: A two-year, $2.4 million habitat restoration project on Aramburu Island, in Richardson Bay, part of San
Francisco Bay, will include seasonal wetlands for Whimbrels and Marbled Godwits and smooth beaches for sandpipers.
NORTH AMERICA’S RAINFOREST
Species: Kittlitz’s Murrelet, Marbled Murrelet, Bald Eagle
Habitat: Tongass National Forest, southeast Alaska
Our Work: The Tongass National Forest (below), nearly 17 million acres,
includes a significant portion of the world’s last remaining temperate
rainforest. This varied and spectacular region supports abundant wildlife,
including birds, bears, wolves, and salmon. Audubon Alaska, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and with input from dozens
of scientists, has analyzed, mapped, and described the Tongass’s coastal
forests to identify areas of greatest ecological value.
Conservation Impact: To ensure the ecological integrity of the Tongass,
Audubon Alaska and TNC have devised a place-based approach to
preserve and/or restore the most significant watersheds within the forest.
Audubon’s approach protects biodiversity while supporting sustainable
economic development.
Conservation Outlook: Audubon’s work is being used to identify highpriority conservation areas, such as major salmon-producing watersheds
and areas in need of restoration investment while allowing for careful
timber harvest that avoids old-growth and roadless areas.
PRIORITY BIRD
Hudsonian
Godwit
(Limosa haemastica)
Range and habitat:
Breeds at limited locations
from western Alaska to
Hudson Bay. Winters in
marshes and coastal
mudflats in South America.
Status: Population
estimated at 50,000 to
70,000, although data
is insufficient to reliably
determine population
trends.
Threats/Outlook: Energy
development threatens
breeding grounds. Human
disturbance and growing
aquaculture industry—
particularly on Chile’s
Isla Chiloé—could harm
wintering habitats. Species seems stable, though
small global population
increases its vulnerablility.
CONNECT: Information from the Atlas of the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, produced by Audubon Alaska and Oceana,
was used in a USGS report on oil leasing on Alaska’s outer continental shelf. Learn more at http://ak.audubon.org.
39