While reading Blake Mann's blog, I noticed that he mentioned the decline of grassland species. A recent article in The Toronto Star also eluded to this concern after the results of the latest Ontario Breeding Bird Survey indicate a drop in grassland and insect-eating species due to habitat fragmentation and pesticides (and possibly climate change, as suggested in the Star article). I'm looking forward to there being more information presented at the Atlas launch this Sunday at the ROM and I can't wait to get my hands on my copy. I'm also planning on reading Silence of the Songbirds, which also provides evidence of farming, pesticides, and habitat fragmentation as the key problems affecting songbird populations.
On the other hand, apparently there has been an increase in species such as Peregrine Falcon and Bald Eagle, which have benefited greatly from conservation programs and the banning of DDT. It should be no surprise that other species that are on the rise include the swans (great effort has been put into the reintroduction {introduction?} of Trumpeter Swan into its proposed historical range) and the Wild Turkey, another species showing success after numerous reintroduction programs. Undoubtedly, hardy species that adapt quickly to the presence of humans will flourish in the next century.
Perhaps most worrisome is the drop in insect-eating species, particularly the Chimney Swift and Common Nighthawk, which are now considered threatened species in Ontario.
From the article:
Top 10 decreasing bird species in Ontario:
Common nighthawk
Chimney swift
Bank swallow
Blue-winged teal
Red-headed woodpecker
Barn swallow
Cliff swallow
Brown-headed cowbird
Spotted sandpiper
Killdeer
Top 10 increasing bird species:
Canada goose
House finch
Blue-headed vireo
Turkey vulture
Wild turkey
Merlin
Eastern bluebird
Pine warbler
Bald eagle
Sandhill crane
Some interesting finds include Pine Warbler and House Finch being in the top ten increasing species list (particularly the House Finch after the breakout of fatal diseases in some finch species), Brown-headed Cowbird on the decline (a grassland species that replaces other songbird eggs with its own), and Blue-winged Teal in the top 10 declining species. The Blue-winged Teal is one of my favourite birds and to see it on this list is disheartening (mind you, to see that any of these species are showing significant declines is worrisome). To me, this demonstrates the importance of bird counts such as Christmas Bird Counts, feeder watches, and the Breeding Bird Survey in pushing for conservation and providing the 'canary in the coal mine' with birds as environmental indicators.
1 comment:
I read "Silence of the Songbirds" a few months ago. It is frightening how many bird species have declined drastically due to a number of reasons. The future does not look good for some. Many people simply do not care about the natural environment and will continue on their reckless paths. People like us try to make a difference, but it is frustrating when others seem to take two steps backward!
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