Protecting Florida's Migrant Birds: For Many the Trip Begins in Canada
Posted
May 6, 2014 12:50 pm
Public News Service
TALLAHASSEE,
FL - Most of Florida's "snowbirds" have hopped on I-95
for the drive north. Meanwhile, birds of the feathered
variety have done the same, but it's what is greeting
them at home that has scientists concerned.
A report released today by the Boreal Songbird
Initiative and Ducks Unlimited underscores the
importance of protecting the birds' "summer homes" in
the North American boreal forest in Canada. Julie
Wraithmell, director of wildlife conservation for
Audubon Florida, says the report describes important
connections for Florida.
Boreal Birds Need Half: Maintaining North America's
Bird Nursery and Why It Matters: (pdf)
"An investment in protecting Canada's boreal forest is
also an investment in Florida's winter birds, because
they're the same birds," says Wraithmell. "The birds
that are breeding in northern Canada are the ones that
are wintering here in Florida for us to enjoy."
She says species of popular "boreal" birds found in
Florida during the winter include the palm warbler,
common loon and ruby-crowned kinglet.
Weighing up to just a half an
ounce, the
Palm Wabler flies from Canada to Florida, the
Caribbean, and Central America. It is a popular bird in
Florida.
Canada's boreal forest encompasses 1.5 billion acres
from Alaska to Newfoundland, and the report, Boreal
Birds Need Half, emphasizes the need for at least 50
percent of that area to remain free of industrial
development.
Jeff Wells, science and policy director for the Boreal
Songbird Initiative, says the goal is achievable,
despite all the logging, mining, oil and gas development
also taking place in parts of the forest.
Links:
•
Boreal Songbird Iniative
•
Boreal Birds Need Half
•
Audubon Society
"Fortunately, in the boreal forest we have one place
where that's much easier to do, because it's still 70
percent intact," explains Wells. "Most of the world is
nowhere near even 50 percent intact, in the ecosystems
that you're looking at."
When boreal birds winter in the Sunshine State, they
play a role in Florida's ecosystem by moving organic
matter from the wetlands to the uplands and pollinating
various plants, but Wraithmell says they do much more
than that.
"The biggest thing that comes to my mind immediately is
actually an economic issue, which is that Florida is a
tremendous destination for ecotourism," she says.
Every fall, 3 billion to 5 billion birds leave Canada's
boreal forest and migrate south. In total, more than 300
bird species rely on the region.
Photos/graphics, layout added by the Observer; top photo - ©Jeff Nadler
Original title: Something to Tweet About: Protecting Florida's Migrant Birds
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