Technology, it seems, infiltrates all of our lives at a rapidly increasing rate. This is also true of bird conservation, as we often look to technology to ease difficulties encountered in field studies or long-term monitoring that we have been unable to overcome in any other way. I am most familiar with the marine environment, [...]
Without winter flooded ricelands, we will be unable to meet the goals of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. For Ducks Unlimited, it’s that simple and that important. Ricelands provide habitat for millions of migratory birds across the country. From California to the Gulf Coast and the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, ricelands overlap perfectly with [...]
You’ve likely read that news that many bird populations are in trouble. The State of North America's Birds 2016 report indicated that one third of North American bird species need urgent conservation action. The problem may be especially acute for Neotropical migratory birds (nearly half of all U.S. species) – those that breed in North America and [...]
I think we all consider the person or persons who pointed us in the direction of conservation and gave us the knowledge we needed to make a difference as some of the most important people in our lives. For me, Bob Singleton is one of the greatest influences in my professional life. He taught me [...]
Increasingly, there have been calls within the bird conservation community to integrate human dimensions (HD) research into conservation efforts to improve outcomes. However, you may be asking yourself, what exactly is human dimensions and why should bird conservation professionals care about it? To start, human dimensions is a field of study that applies the social [...]
Birders represent a large segment of non-consumptive wildlife viewers in the U.S. and elsewhere. According to a 2011 study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, more than 46 million Americans participate in birdwatching either around or away from the home. Governmental agencies and various birding and bird conservation groups are collaborating through NABCI and [...]
I remember the first time I looked out on the Celestun Estuary in 1984. I was amazed at the line of migratory waterfowl running from the Celestun bridge to the end of the estuary, around eight miles. There were nine different species of waterfowl at that time. But things have changed. Human activities, including increasing [...]
I saw the long, yellow-legged bird feeding in the mudflats during a recent work trip. There, Environment for the Americas, fondly known as EFTA, was training interns who would conduct shorebird surveys along the Pacific coast during migration. Our goals were to get them ready for fieldwork and to teach them how to communicate with [...]
What do you do when albatrosses and planes are flying in the same airspace at a naval range? You may say, “Great Scott! Population control!” Laysan Albatrosses have been at risk on the island of Kauai since the early 1900’s due to human impacts and animal predation. However, innovative collaborations with non-traditional conservation partners have simultaneously [...]
I grew up in a part of Ohio where rural vistas and pastoral landscapes were common. As I left for college, developers began slowly buying up large estates and suburban sprawl was creeping into the allure of the rolling pastures and wooded hillsides. The Chagrin River Land Conservancy, now the Western Reserve Land Conservancy and [...]
