Treesearch

The prioritization scheme identifies those birds at any locality on several geographic scales most in need of conservation action. Further, it suggests some of those actions that ought to be taken. Ranking criteria used to set priorities for Neotropical migratory landbirds measure characteristics of species that make them vulnerable to local and global extinction. Ranking parameters are global abundance, global extent of breeding and non-breeding distributions, threats during breeding and non-breeding periods, population trend, and the importance of the area under consideration for...

We ranked species of neotropical migrant landbirds by decreasing management concern for their viability in the Midwest. This was part of a coordinated effort by regional working groups of the Partners In Flight Program, an interagency program for the conservation of neotropical migratory birds (NTMBs). Species were ranked by seven criteria, developed by working group co-chairs and participants in the Partners in Flight Program. The first four criteria were global and do not change with the region being considered; they were global abundance, extent of winter distribution, threats on...

The Northeast Region encompasses a diversity of habitats, from the coastal plain of Virginia to the boreal spruce-fir forests of northern Maine, with a varied group of neotropical migratory bird species occupying these habitats. The geographic area of concern in this analysis includes the states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, corresponding to Administrative Region 5 of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). These states represent...

A number of programs have been set up to monitor populations of nongame migratory birds. We review these programs and their purposes and provide information on obtaining data or results from these programs. In addition, we review recommendations for improving these programs.

The Breeding Bird Survey shows that certain Neotropical migrant songbird populations have been declining over the past 26 years. Among them are forest birds that require extensive forest on the breeding grounds and also forested habitats on tropical wintering grounds. Other species have shown significant declines only since the early 1980's. Birds with broader habitat tolerance, such as those that winter commonly in agricultural and early-successional habitats as well as primary forest, show fewer consistent declines. Several grassland species have also been declining for more than two...

Faced with major financial and manpower restrictions, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Nongame-Endangered Wildlife Program (NGEWP) is aggressively encouraging the private sector to participate in a broad spectrum of innovative neotropical bird-related research, survey, fund raising, management and educational activities. A key element in this initiative was the passage of landmark legislation that permits the purchase of low cost liability insurance for volunteers.

Merriam's turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) were introduced into South Dakota in the late 1940's and have since expanded to occupy the entire Black Hills. Because little is known of their habitat requirements and the effects of forest management practices on this important game species, macrohabitat selections patterns of Merriam's turkeys in the Black Hills, SD were studied. Habitat units of 3-32 ha were delineated and described with methods used by the Forest Service for assessing impacts of management activities on wildlife. Winter habitats of turkeys were ponderosa pine (Pinus...

Information about packstock use in wilderness in summarized. The results of a survey of managers of all wilderness areas are presented. Sections describe: the amount and composition of packstock use in wilderness, impacts associated with packstock use, methods for monitoring impacts caused by packstock, techniques for managing packstock in wilderness, examples of packstock management programs, and research needs.

Livestock grazing is a widespread and important influence on neotropical migratory birds in four major ecosystems in western North America: grasslands of the Great Plains and Southwest, riparian woodlands, Intermountain shrubsteppe, and open coniferous forests. We have reviewed available literature on avian responses to grazing in these habitats. Among 35 plains species for which data are available, 9 responded positively to grazing, 8 responded negatively, 8 showed a graded response, from generally negative in shorter grasslands to generally positive in taller grasslands, while 8 were...

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) currently participating in Partners in Flight have been monitoring bird populations in North America for decades. These regional organization have strong grass roots and private sector support and are able to conduct truly long term studies by using nontraditional funding sources and staffing with dedicated volunteers and personnel. NGOs are well positioned to provide the expertise needed to implement and maintain long term monitoring programs that are required to document normal and anthropogenic fluctuations in neotropical bird populations. An...