Throughout the year, birders look forward to changing seasons and avian scenes as they explore woods, grasslands, and wetlands: the spectacle of spring migration, the songs of breeding birds, the autumn southward flight of wintering species from northern nesting grounds. Increasingly, though, both casual bird-watchers and ornithologists note a steady decline in numbers—not just of endangered species, but also of common birds not usually considered to be at risk. Study after study, survey after survey show a worrisome downward trend in populations. A National Audubon Society report called “Common Birds in Decline,” for instance, shows that some widespread species generally
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Fragmentation of habitat can be a serious threat to plant communities when it disrupts seed dispersal and limits population connectivity. Corridors can promote seed dispersal over long distances, especially when dispersal is by birds. However, bird habitat use varies seasonally: most birds are territorial in the summer but not the winter, and territoriality leads to less long-distance movement. Therefore, the ability of corridors to promote seed dispersal via birds may change seasonally according to shifts in individual bird movements. In their recent paper in Ecological Restoration, Evans and colleagues tested whether this hypothesis was true at a large experimental corridor
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Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell today announced the release of the State of the Birds 2013 Report on Private Lands. A collaborative effort as part of the U.S. North American Bird Conservation Initiative, involving federal and state wildlife agencies and scientific and conservation organizations, the report shows how private land conservation incentives positively impact bird habitat. “Sixty percent of U.S. land is in private hands, making the efforts of farmers, ranchers and landowners critical when it comes to creating, restoring and protecting bird habitat,” Secretary Vilsack said. “Today’s report highlights the positive impact of voluntary conservation
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Birders in North Carolina are flocking to the recently re-designed N.C. Birding Trail website (www.ncbirdingtrail.org), which provides more detailed information on each of the 327 sites statewide that comprise the trail. The key feature of the new website is a map from which visitors can browse sites by location, using a Google map interface, according to Scott Anderson, the bird conservation biologist for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. When visitors click on a site on the map, they will see a short summary of the site, including a description of the site, birds they might see or hear and the
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A bald eagle soaring high on the Fourth of July. It’s about as American an image as one could conjure. And for Pennsylvanians this Independence Day, the opportunity to witness such a sight firsthand is greater than at any other time in recent memory. In the 30th anniversary year of efforts to restore bald-eagle populations in the Commonwealth, the bird – a national symbol of strength and freedom – not only is continuing its remarkable comeback, but is taking it to new heights. The Pennsylvania Game Commission this week released its preliminary count of bald eagle nests statewide, and the numbers chart yet
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In celebration of the start of summer and the end of the school year, Governor Martin O’Malley today announced the new Guide to Maryland Natural Areas. This online, one-stop travel resource is for anyone looking to experience the State’s most beautiful natural places, as distinguished by their pristine environment and rare plant and wildlife species. “From the tranquil channels of the Chesapeake to winding trails within the Appalachian mountains, Maryland Natural Areas showcase nature in all its beauty,” said Gov. O’Malley. “These ecological gems are right in our backyard, waiting to be discovered and explored.” Developed by the Maryland Department of
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Click here to view and download the 2023 AMJV Partnership Year in Review!
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The 2023 AMJV Impact Report is now available for downloading and sharing! Starting in 2022, this beautiful report has been designed annually by Liz Brewer (AMJV Outreach Specialist) to…
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by Liz Brewer, AMJV Outreach Specialist Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture (AMJV), in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), and the West Virginia…
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