Urge Action on Whooping Crane Shootings

Whooping Cranes are one of our country’s most majestic birds—and also one of our most endangered. Though the species once ranged throughout the Great Plains and Gulf Coast regions, the Whooping Crane population was decimated by hunting and habitat loss, and only 16 birds remained in 1941.

Today, a major captive-breeding effort has helped the population rebound to nearly 600 individuals. But these birds are still under threat. A mated pair of Whooping Cranes was recently shot at a crawfish pond in Louisiana. Sadly, both have died from their injuries. Still worse, this is not unusual: Nearly one-quarter of all Whooping Crane deaths are caused by illegal shooting.

Whooping Cranes deserve the full protection of the law. Please join us in asking U.S. Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement personnel to aggressively pursue those responsible for the Louisiana shooting.

Please take action by clicking this link: https://secure2.convio.net/abcb/site/Advocacy;jsessionid=82016E6F35092830058A46662F402EF9.app261a?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=127&autologin=true&AddInterest=1041

Top Ten Ways to Help Spring’s Migrating Birds

Help during Migration and Breeding Periods Crucial to 200+ Declining Bird Species

Although spring means new life and hope to many people, billions of birds face the tribulations of a perilous migration followed shortly by breeding and the production of scores of newborn birds that will spend several highly vulnerable weeks as they grow and fledge.

According to Dr. George Fenwick, President of ABC, “Spring is a deadly time for birds for three big reasons. Scientists estimate that 300 million to one billion birds die each year from collisions with buildings, many during arduous migrations in unfamiliar environments. Up to 50 million die from encounters with communication towers and up to six million may die each day from attacks by cats left outdoors. These deaths occur year-round, but many occur during spring and fall migration.”

See http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/140320.html for the top ten list.

 Bird Groups Raise Alarms over Wind Industry Installation of Six Giant Wind Turbines in Critical Great Lakes Bird Migration Corridor

American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO) charge that migrating and federally protected birds, including an active Bald Eagle nest, will be threatened by an Ohio wind development currently under construction. The concern was raised in a letter (http://www.abcbirds.org/pdfs/LakeErieBusinessParkLetterUSFWS.pdf) sent to federal officials. See http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/140303.html for more details.

Birding’s “Biggest Week” Announces Partnership with American Bird Conservancy 

The annual birding festival known as The Biggest Week in American Birding (“Biggest Week”) will this year feature a suggested $10-per-person donation to help create a habitat corridor in a key wintering area in Nicaragua for the rapidly declining Golden-winged Warbler.  Celebrating its fifth year, the Biggest Week will take place in northwest Ohio from May 6 to 15 and is hosted and organized by Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO). The “Save the Golden-Wing” project will benefit one of the fastest declining songbird species in North America. Estimates are that since 1966, the Golden-winged Warbler has lost about 76 percent of its total population. BSBO’s long-term migratory bird research in northwest Ohio reflects this decline, as well.

The project will aid not only the Golden-winged Warbler but also other priority migrants and North American songbirds, such as the Wood Thrush, that overwinter close to El Jaguar, Nicaragua. Donations to the Save the Golden-Wing project will provide native shade tree saplings to Nicaraguan coffee farmers in conjunction with a community outreach program that focuses on both improving bird habitat and stabilizing watersheds for sustainable farming. The project aims to serve as a model for programs elsewhere in Nicaragua and in nearby Honduras.

New Study: “Remarkable” Deterioration in Memory Functions of Seniors Infected by Common Parasite Found in Free-roaming Cats

A new study (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159113005783) published in the scientific journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity documents what scientists describe as “remarkable” working memory performance reductions in seniors 65 and older that test positive for infection by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The parasite is believed to infect about one-third of the world’s population. For more details see http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/140220.html

‘Lights Out’ seeks to stem bird carnage caused by city skylines

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/lights-out-seeks-to-stem-bird-carnage-caused-by-city-skylines/2014/03/13/75d6f5c4-933a-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html

“Follow the Frog” Fun Video Promotes Rainforest Alliance Product Certification

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iIkOi3srLo

US Forest Service Mobilizes to Save Cavity Birds

http://blogs.usda.gov/2014/03/18/us-forest-service-mobilizes-to-save-cavity-birds/

Partners Launch “Celebrate Delaware Bay Network”

http://www.whsrn.org/news/article/partners-launch-celebrate-delaware-bay-network