FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 04 April, 2013

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Dr. Bryan D. Watts, Director
bdwatt@wm.edu
(757) 221-2247 office
(757) 272-4492 cell

Fletcher M. Smith, Biologist
fmsmit@wm.edu
(757) 221-1617 office
(757) 678-6915
Center for Conservation Biology
College of William and Mary
Virginia Commonwealth University

Jennie Rausch, Shorebird Biologist
media@ec.gc.ca
(819) 934-8008
Northern Conservation Section
Canadian Wildlife Service
Environment Canada

(Williamsburg, VA)—Scientists at the Center for Conservation Biology have tracked 3 whimbrels from wintering areas on the coast of Brazil on a nonstop, 4,000 mile (6,400 kilometer) flight to the Gulf of Mexico. This flight represents the third leg of a previously unknown loop migration route and connects four widely scattered locations in the conservation of this declining species.

The three birds named Mackenzie (for the river where they breed), Akpik (named for the cloudberry that the birds feed on in the fall) and Pingo (named for an arctic formation caused by permafrost) left their wintering grounds near Sao Luis, Brazil between 9 and 13 April. The birds flew nonstop for 95 to 100 hours averaging 40 miles per hour (67 kilometers per hour) before reaching the Gulf of Mexico. Originally captured and marked on the breeding grounds along the Mackenzie River in far western Canada in June of 2012, the birds took a bold fall migration route flying 2,800 miles (4,500 kilometers) to the east coast of Canada in mid-July to stage for 2 weeks before embarking on a marathon 4,300-mile (6,900-kilometer) flight out over the open ocean to the northern coast of South America. All three birds have spent just over 7 months in the extensive tidal system of the Gulf of Maranhao before initiating their migration north.

Map of migration route for 3 whimbrels marked on breeding ground in western Canada. Recent flight from Brazil to Gulf of Mexico was previously undocumented. Photo by CCB.

All three birds are currently staging in different locations. Akpik is staging in Laguna Madre within the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico a site known to be a critical wintering area for the closely related long-billed curlew. Mackenzie is near the Demieres Isles in southern Louisiana. Pingo is in and around Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge south of Houston, Texas the site of a recently discovered spring staging area of hemispheric importance to whimbrels. Understanding the connectivity of this site to breeding areas has become a high priority for the research community. The bird appears to be using farm fields that have been managed over the winter for migrating shorebirds.

Mackenzie, Akpik and Pingo, all from the same breeding location, have now linked sites in far-flung, unexpected regions in their orb of conservation. Important in their own right, each of these sites must be considered collectively for conservation efforts to be effective. Mackenzie, the bird fitted with the recycled transmitter of Machi (a bird shot on Guadeloupe in September of 2011) is now staging in the heart of the area impacted by the Deep Horizon Oil Spill. The spill began on 20 April, during the time of whimbrel staging in 2010. Such events highlight the fragility of conservation networks and the importance of locations and cultures working together toward common goals. Through these birds we now know that an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico may impact a breeding population on the Mackenzie River, or a staging area in Nova Scotia, or a wintering area around the mouth of the Amazon. Understanding these linkages is a critical step in protecting these networks and the species that depend on them.

Fletcher Smith with Akpik on breeding ground in the Canadian Arctic. This bird is now staging in Laguna Madre. Photo by CCB.

The three whimbrels are part of a larger project that has included 20 additional birds that have been tracked to better understand migratory pathways and locations that are critical for this declining species. The study has tracked whimbrels for more than 200,000 miles (322,000 kilometers) since 2008. The broader tracking project is a collaborative effort between The Center for Conservation Biology, The Canadian Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, and Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.

Follow the migration routes of these whimbrels and others at the Seaturtle.org Wildlife Tracking page.

DOWNLOAD RESOURCES:
Press Release as PDF
Press Release as Word Doc
Image #1 High Resolution
Image #2 High Resolution

The post Mackenzie whimbrels complete third leg of unknown loop migration route appeared first on .

The three birds named Mackenzie (for the river where they breed), Akpik (named for the cloudberry that the birds feed on in the fall) and Pingo (named for an arctic formation caused by permafrost) left their wintering grounds near Sao Luis, Brazil between 9 and 13 April. The birds flew nonstop for 95 to 100 hours averaging 40 miles per hour (67 kilometers per hour) before reaching the Gulf of Mexico. Originally captured and marked on the breeding grounds along the Mackenzie River in far western Canada in June of 2012, the birds took a bold fall migration route flying 2,800 miles (4,500 kilometers) to the east coast of Canada in mid-July to stage for 2 weeks before embarking on a marathon 4,300-mile (6,900-kilometer) flight out over the open ocean to the northern coast of South America. All three birds have spent just over 7 months in the extensive tidal system of the Gulf of Maranhao before initiating their migration north.

Map of migration route for 3 whimbrels marked on breeding ground in western Canada. Recent flight from Brazil to Gulf of Mexico was previously undocumented. Photo by CCB.

All three birds are currently staging in different locations. Akpik is staging in Laguna Madre within the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico a site known to be a critical wintering area for the closely related long-billed curlew. Mackenzie is near the Demieres Isles in southern Louisiana. Pingo is in and around Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge south of Houston, Texas the site of a recently discovered spring staging area of hemispheric importance to whimbrels. Understanding the connectivity of this site to breeding areas has become a high priority for the research community. The bird appears to be using farm fields that have been managed over the winter for migrating shorebirds.

Mackenzie, Akpik and Pingo, all from the same breeding location, have now linked sites in far-flung, unexpected regions in their orb of conservation. Important in their own right, each of these sites must be considered collectively for conservation efforts to be effective. Mackenzie, the bird fitted with the recycled transmitter of Machi (a bird shot on Guadeloupe in September of 2011) is now staging in the heart of the area impacted by the Deep Horizon Oil Spill. The spill began on 20 April, during the time of whimbrel staging in 2010. Such events highlight the fragility of conservation networks and the importance of locations and cultures working together toward common goals. Through these birds we now know that an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico may impact a breeding population on the Mackenzie River, or a staging area in Nova Scotia, or a wintering area around the mouth of the Amazon. Understanding these linkages is a critical step in protecting these networks and the species that depend on them.

Fletcher Smith with Akpik on breeding ground in the Canadian Arctic. This bird is now staging in Laguna Madre. Photo by CCB.

The three whimbrels are part of a larger project that has included 20 additional birds that have been tracked to better understand migratory pathways and locations that are critical for this declining species. The study has tracked whimbrels for more than 200,000 miles (322,000 kilometers) since 2008. The broader tracking project is a collaborative effort between The Center for Conservation Biology, The Canadian Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, and Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.

Follow the migration routes of these whimbrels and others at the Seaturtle.org Wildlife Tracking page.

Written by
Bryan Watts, bdwatt@wm.edu, (757) 221-2247 &
Fletcher Smith, fmsmit@wm.edu, (757) 221-1617
April 23, 2013

The post Whimbrels complete 3rd leg of unknown loop migration route appeared first on .

Bryan Watts uses Swedish climbing ladders to climb cavity tree to access woodpecker brood for banding. Photo by CCB.

We banded this “old timer” woodpecker as a nestling in 2000 and he has stayed within the same breeding territory ever since. Red-cockaded Woodpeckers are cooperative breeders so a group of birds are typically composed of a breeding male and female along with helper birds that assist in caring for young and cavity excavation. Helper males often act as assistants for several years waiting for an open breeding slot in their natal territory or another nearby location. After fledging in 2000, this “old timer” remained as a helper until 2005 when the disappearance of both his parents provided an opening. Since 2005, this male has successfully fledged 19 young birds. He is also a grandparent, with 3 of his young moving to other sites on the Preserve and fledging 18 woodpeckers of their own from 2010-2012. In fact, it was 3 of the old timer’s direct progeny that paired with other birds to pioneer 3 new breeding sites on the Preserve. This included last year’s new breeding territory that pushed the Preserve total to 10 breeding pairs.

Old male (left) during banding in 2000 at only 5 days of age. Photo by Bryan Watts.

Like the other breeding males in the population, this old timer is currently engaged in season activities such as mating, maintenance of the nesting cavity, and chasing off competitor males vying for his breeding status.

Written by Mike Wilson
April 16, 2013

The post “Old Timer” Red-cockaded Woodpecker’s 13th Season appeared first on .

Marsh complexes in the Chesapeake Bay contain a mixture of diverse habitat components that are essential to different bird species. Habitats for marsh birds are often mediated by physical conditions of elevation, hydrology, and salinity. Marsh birds also respond differently to features such as tidal guts, floristics, and the upland habitat matrix. Photo by Bryan Watts.

Tidal saltmarshes are one of the most characteristic habitats within the mid-Atlantic region and are important to the regional avifauna. The endemic saltmarsh bird community is comprised of two functional groups of species that are separated by their use of the high-marsh versus low marsh zones. Species that are restricted to the high marsh zone include the American black duck, willet, black rail, sedge wren, saltmarsh sparrow, and Henslow’s sparrow. The other group of species includes the clapper rail, Virginia rail, and seaside sparrow that utilize both marsh zones but reach their highest densities in the low marsh. Although there is concern for the population status of both groups, the suite of species that use high marsh habitats are among the most imperiled. Black rail populations in the Chesapeake Bay have declined nearly 90% over the last 15 years. The coastal form of the Henslow’s sparrow may have been extirpated from Chesapeake marshes during this same time. Without management intervention, it is believed that black rails will be extirpated from the Chesapeake Bay as well as from other regions in the Mid-Atlantic.

The vulnerability of the high marsh species suite is likely a combination of factors such as sea-level rise, Phragmites invasion, and nest predation. However, it is difficult to separate the relative contribution of these factors to high marsh species declines without more detailed investigations. High marsh species are considered particularly susceptible to mammalian nest predators because their habitats are easily accessed due to low water levels and the close proximity of the high marsh to an upland source of predators. In general, nest predation rates are inversely related to water levels and possibly distance from the upland.

Flowering saltmeadow hay (Spartina patens) within a high marsh zone of the Chesapeake Bay. Habitats such this are essential to high marsh nesting birds such as the Black Rail, Saltmarsh Sparrow, and Willet. Photo by Bryan Watts.

We will begin a study in the spring/summer of 2013 that is designed to investigate the role of nest predation on reproduction rates for selected high marsh birds by finding and monitoring marsh bird nests and by using artificial nests. The study will also include the examination of factors that may influence nest predator access to nests such as water level, marsh patch size, and proximity of marsh zones to uplands. We expect the results from this study to either highlight the need for abatement of nest predation through management or to indicate the need to explore alternative explanations for the decline of marsh birds. We are also pursuing a separate study on the influence of rising sea levels on high marsh habitats so we may successfully identify the causes of marsh bird population loss from demographic and/or habitat issues.

Written by Mike Wilson
March 29, 2013

The post New Study Investigates Nest Predation on High Marsh Species appeared first on .

Stop #7 along the Dragoon, Nightjar Survey Network survey route in Arizona. This route has been surveyed in multiple years by Janine McCabe and has an average count of 12 Common Poorwills and 3.5 Lesser Nighthawks. Photo by Janine McCabe.

The 2012 survey netted a count of 2,315 birds that included 832 Chuck-will’s-widows, 564 Eastern Whip-poor-wills, 407 Common Nighthawks, 258 Lesser Nighthawks, 248 Common Poorwills, 5 Mexican Whip-poor-wills, and 1 Common Paraque from Texas.

North Carolina participants came out with the greatest force among individual states for 2012 by completing surveys on 54 routes. Much of this effort was made possible with added coordination of Chris Kelly and Scott Anderson of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Chris has coordinated volunteers in western North Carolina for a number of years and recently merged results from the NC Mountains onto the website database.

Chuck-will’s-widow nestlings approximately 10 days after hatching. The Nightjar Survey Network investigates population trends and distribution for species like the Chuck-will’s-widow, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Lesser Nighthawk, and others. Photo by Bart Paxton.

Volunteers in Arizona have also produced another fabulous season with the re-survey of 31 routes. In 2012, Arizona routes documented 247 Lesser Nighthawks, 51 Common Poorwills, 19 Common Nighthawks, and 5 Mexican Whip-poor-wills. Arizona volunteers have provided the most consistent year-to-year coverage of routes among all states since 2008. This has been made possible with the recruitment of volunteers by Carol Beardmore of the Sonoran Joint Venture and Edwin Juarez who is the Arizona Bird Conservation Coordinator at the AZ Game and Fish Department. Volunteers in Arizona have also helped us gain a better perspective on the reliability of survey protocols. Over the past few seasons, volunteers have been conducting surveys in a specific fashion to compare twilight hours and full dark periods. Results allow us to choose the most efficient method of survey to properly monitor a crepuscular species such as Lesser Nighthawk and a fully nocturnal species such as the Common Poorwill.

The 2013 survey season is approaching. Visit the new Nightjar Survey Network website and join in by adopting a survey route or refer the site to others who you think may be interested.

Written by Mike Wilson
March 26, 2013

The post Another Great Nightjar Survey Season Ends with a New Website appeared first on .

Shorebirds flying into a high tide roost. Photo by Bart Paxton.

The Western Atlantic Flyway supports one of the largest near-shore movement corridors of birds in the world. The flyway hosts hundreds of millions of birds annually, many of which are of conservation concern. The assemblage of birds that utilize the flyway is diverse and their relationships to the Atlantic Coast are varied. The greatest volume of birds uses the flyway as a movement corridor between breeding and wintering grounds. Birds funnel through the flyway from a broad geographic area ranging from the high latitudes of northern Europe to Siberia. All individuals from entire populations or species may move through the flyway making the area particularly significant for their survival. In addition to using the coastline as a movement corridor, many species use portions of the Atlantic Coast as migratory staging areas, breeding grounds or wintering grounds.

Bryan Watts measures a dunlin during spring migration along the Virginia coast. Photo by Fletcher Smith.

Shorebirds are among the most migratory groups of animals known to science. Of the 35 species of shorebirds that migrate along the Atlantic Flyway the majority are believed to be declining and several are in desperate need of conservation action. The business strategy attempts to identify critical factors contributing to declines, actions and associated funding needed to curb declines, and metrics of success.

The Center for Conservation Biology is a leader in shorebird research particularly in the mid-Atlantic region and has conducted survey work or focused projects on most species that utilize the flyway. Bryan Watts and Fletcher Smith contributed to this ground-breaking effort.

View a Photo Essay: Students Travel to Panama to Study Birds and Mangroves

Written by Bryan Watts
March 25, 2013

The post The Business of Shorebirds appeared first on .

Map of bald eagle locations within tracking dataset. Tracking data is concentrated within the mid-Atlantic states of Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey though coverage of other northeastern states and eastern Canada is considerable. Map by CCB.

The value of this tracking data set to eagle conservation and our understanding of eagle ecology is immeasurable. Understanding patterns in eagle movement across the landscape is key to the responsible placement of hazards within the airspace such as power lines, wind turbines and cell towers and for avoiding collisions with birds around airports. Hidden within this dataset are migratory pathways that eagles have used throughout the Northeast for thousands of years, seasonal patterns of foraging locations and how birds move along local stream corridors.

Adult eagle with a CCB satellite transmitter. Photo by Robert Lin.

One of the most exciting aspects of the tracking dataset is the movement patterns of young eagles. The cohort of birds includes 20 individuals that were marked as nestlings. Soon many of these birds will have been tracked from the nest where they were hatched to the nest where they will breed covering their entire juvenile period. This period within the eagle life cycle is the one for which we have the least information and understanding. The tracking dataset has the potential to answer many questions about the ecology of eagles in their first 5 years before breeding.

Stay tuned as information from the tracking dataset is used to discover many new aspects of eagle ecology.

Written by Bryan Watts
March 19, 2013

The post Following Eagles appeared first on .

The Carl J. Strikwerda Award for Excellence named for previous Dean of Arts and Sciences of The College of William and Mary recognizes a graduate student for their outstanding scholarship and written papers on thesis research. The recipient is selected by a multidisciplinary panel of William and Mary faculty and advisory board members. Previous award recipients have been commended for original investigation, distinguished excellence in scholarship and potential contribution to the discipline. Courtney Turrin is the 2013 Strikwerda Award recipient.

Courtney with bald eagle chick. Photo by Libby Mojica.

Courtney, a graduate student working with Bryan Watts within The Center for Conservation Biology is studying nesting bald eagles within the lower Chesapeake Bay. Her work is focused on how eagle territory holders cope with birds that are searching and completing for territories. As the population has recovered and breeding space becomes increasingly limited we expect to see dramatic contests between birds reaching breeding age and those with existing territories. This last phase of population recovery is how the population will transition to some equilibrium state. We know very little about how this transition plays out in natural populations. Findings will have applications to how we manage breeding bald eagles as populations across their range reach saturation.

A male eagle stands guard against eagle intruders as the female incubates along the James River. Photo by Bryan Watts.

Written by Bryan Watts
March 18, 2013

The post Courtney Turrin receives Strikwerda Award for Excellence appeared first on .

Survey crew prepares to take off from Williamsburg airport on Saturday, 9 March, 2013. Photo by CCB.

On this day the team would observe the day to day lives of eagles around their nests – adults incubating eggs, eggs just in the process of hatching, females feeding muskrat, shad, and other prey to chicks, nests blown out of trees during the recent wind storm, raccoons sleeping or great horned owls brooding their own young in nests. In some nests, fish waiting to be eaten were stacked like cord wood while other nests were empty. Some nests were built in towering pines or cypress while others were in spindly hardwoods. The survey has recorded more than 25,000 nest checks in the lower Chesapeake Bay since the late 1950s and is responsible for most of what we know about this unique population.

Adult sprawls out in an unusual posture covering small chicks from the sun in Charles City County along the James River. Photo by Bryan Watts.

The 2013 survey represents the 37th survey for Byrd and the 22nd survey for Watts. The pair has teamed up for more than 3,000 hours of aerial surveys and seen the population rise from the ashes to heights beyond what either could have imagined.

Written by Bryan Watts
March 12, 2013

The post 58th annual bald eagle survey launched appeared first on .

Whimbrel Photo by Bart Paxton.

Whimbrels using the Atlantic Flyway are flocking to coastal Brazil. The area around Sao Luis including the broader Gulf of Maranhao appears to be the most significant winter destination for birds throughout the western Atlantic. Of 14 birds tracked for an entire winter season, 11 (78%) have used this location. Identification of sites with high conservation value has been one of the primary objectives for the Center’s tracking program.

Map of territory locations for whimbrel wintering in Brazil. Map by CCB.

The estuary around Sao Luis appears to be a whimbrel paradise. The area has the highest tidal range of any site within the region and supports extensive sand and mud flats fringed with mangrove forest, a tropical combination that typically leads to high densities of fiddler crabs. Fiddler crabs are a winter staple for whimbrels. The location has also been identified as important to several other shorebird species leading to its designation as a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve with hemispheric importance.

Whimbrels within the Atlantic Flyway have experienced dramatic declines in recent years leading to concerns about their future status. Research projects currently conducted by the Center are focused on identifying sites critical to the species and factors that may be contributing to recent declines.

Map of whimbrel migration routes showing the convergence of birds on coastal Brazil. Map by CCB.

Partners in tracking efforts include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Canadian Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, and Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.

Follow the journey of these birds here http://www.wildlifetracking.org/index.shtml?project_id=369.

Written By Fletcher Smith and Bryan Watts
March 8, 2013

The post Whimbrels in Brazil appeared first on .