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Scrub Jay Festival 2010

Editor — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 07:59:51 +0000

The Scrub Jay Festival 2010, will take place on 20 February, and is an initiative that is hosted by the Lyonia Environmental Center to raise awareness for the plight of the Scrub Jay. It is a bird that is only found in Florida, and nests in habitats where scrub is in abundance. They are currently a threatened species, with encroachment on their habitat being a major threat, and the festival hopes to educate the public on this unique bird. Guided walks, talks to promote conservation, live music performances and activities for children will keep festival goers entertained and amazed throughout the day.

To find out more about the festival and its activities, contact the Lyonia Environmental Center direct, of visit their website at http://lyoniapreserve.com/LEC1-6-10.htm.

Date: 20 February 2010
Venue: Lyonia Environmental Center
City: Deltona, Florida
Country: United States of America

Trumpeter Swans Might Not Be Endangered Anymore

Editor — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:36:53 +0000

In this day and age of destruction and desolation, it is not often that you find wildlife officials reaching positive milestones. Yet that is exactly what is happening in Wisconsin. It seems that in that part of the United States, trumpeter swan numbers have increased so much that officials are now considering whether or not to remove them from the local endangered wildlife species list.

Trumpeter swans in Wisconsin suffered a dramatic decline in numbers in the past – so much so that they were listed as an endangered species in that area. Their decline was the result of a number of different factors, but mainly through human interference. For starters they were ruthlessly hunted before the turn of the 19th century, leading to a dramatic decrease in numbers. What was left was further affected by the use of the pesticide DDT in the area, with the result that local populations were well and truly decimated. Fortunately the state-run Department of Natural Resources saw the need to take action and the majestic white birds were reintroduced to the state in the 1980s. Trumpeter swans in Wisconsin were also placed on the endangered list in 1986, as part of efforts to further ensure their survival. The original goal was to see 20 breeding pairs firmly established in the area. The Department of Natural Resources and other partner organizations have been hard at work trying to ensure their survival by building artificial nesting platforms and doing whatever else might assist the birds in their attempts to breed successfully. What must have seemed painstaking work back then has now yielded fine results. By 1989, the birds were downgraded from endangered to threatened. Just last year there are estimated to be over 120 breeding pairs in Wisconsin, spread across 20 different counties in the state. Now, it seems that there are about 500 nesting pairs in the area!

Since it seems that local trumpeter swan populations are well and truly on the way to recovery, officials are now faced with the task of deciding whether or not to remove them from their endangered species list. Choosing to de-list the bird species in Wisconsin will not leave it completely unprotected, as it will still fall under the safeguard of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Natural Resources Board will make the final decision whether or not to de-list the bird at its official meeting in January 28, 2009.

Family Tree Gives Clues to Next Endangered Bird Species

Editor — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:36:04 +0000

The recent completion of a new genetic family tree of the United Kingdom’s birds has thrown new light on attempts to assess which bird species might be most at risk of future endangerment. The family tree – or phylogenetic map – provides a clear depiction of how different species are related. It was compiled by Dr Gavin Thomas from the NERC Center for Population Biology, and when compared to existing lists of endangered bird species, Thomas found that most of the birds currently fighting for survival were grouped together on the same branches of the family tree.

The new insight could possibly help conservationists detect which birds might be next to suffer a massive decline and so set in motion preventative measures to avoid having even more species added to the list of endangered birds. Thomas’ research was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences on June 11 and has received quite a lot of attention. The population biologist from Imperial College London found that the British birds that were currently suffering a population decline were always clustered closely together on the same branches of the family tree. This is most likely because these species share a number of physical traits such as specific habitat requirements or low reproductive rates. Their limited ability to cope with changing environments then makes them exceptionally vulnerable when faced with a decline in habitat. Thomas has suggested that these findings can be used as a sort of early warning system for conservationists. However, he also feels that the ultimate decision regarding which birds merit the most attention should be based on a number different factors and not just the phylogenetic map.

Previously scientists and biologists have relied mainly on declining population numbers when trying to determine which species are most in need of conservation. They also look at the bird’s natural environment and try to determine if a particular geographical area is decreasing in size. This is known as ‘range contraction’. By combining all the information together, conservationists could definitely start to protect species that are in danger of suffering massive population decreases before their numbers dwindle too far. Examples of birds that may be at risk of future population declines include the greenfinch and the ptarmigan – both of which are not currently endangered but which are closely related to birds that are experiencing a severe decline in numbers.