“Habitat loss and a changing climate are threatening the habitats of birds and other wildlife across the country, and they need all the help they can get,” said Felice Stadler, vice president of government affairs at the National Audubon Society. “We appreciate Representative Westerman’s engagement in habitat conservation. We hope to see Congress advance legislation with bipartisan support to preserve biodiversity at the scale and urgency that is necessary.”

Palm Warbler, copyright Paul Jones, from the surfbirds galleries

Related legislation introduced in the Senate — the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act — would help ensure more sufficient and reliable resources through dedicated funding to help conserve and recover thousands of at-risk species. That legislation has broad bipartisan support and would help meet the needs for states and tribes to implement wildlife action plans.

“Investing in wildlife not only helps conserve beloved species, it also means investing in our local economies that benefit from outdoor recreation and healthy bird populations—including birdwatching, a $100 billion dollar industry in the U.S., and which 96 million Americans partake in every year according to the latest survey by Fish and Wildlife Service,” said Stadler. “Bird populations are in decline, and they are depending on much greater resources to conserve the places that they – and we – call home.”

American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi, represented by Earthjustice, notified Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) and Maui County that they face possible litigation challenging harm to imperiled Hawaiian seabirds caused by power lines and streetlights on Maui and Lāna‘i. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires the conservation groups to provide this written notice at least 60 days before filing a lawsuit to put an end to HECO’s and the County’s illegal conduct.

Collisions with power lines and interactions with artificial lights injure and kill endangered ‘Ua‘u (Hawaiian Petrels), threatened ‘A‘o (Newell’s Shearwaters) and endangered ‘Ake‘ake (Band-rumped Storm-Petrels). HECO owns and operates power lines and streetlights on the islands of Maui and Lāna‘i, while Maui County owns the streetlights that HECO operates and dictates the terms of their operation. The conservation groups seek to compel HECO and the County to obtain “incidental take” permits for the harm their operations inflict on these species, as the ESA requires. As part of the permitting process, HECO and the County must develop and implement “habitat conservation plans” that include measures to minimize seabird injuries and deaths from their operations and to offset any unavoidable harm.

Band-rumped Storm Petrel, copyright Ian Davies, from the surfbirds galleries

“These native seabirds are part of Hawai‘i’s unique natural and cultural heritage, and we can’t afford to lose any more of them to power lines and streetlights,” said Jonee Peters, Executive Director of Conservation Council for Hawai‘i. “It’s long past time for HECO and the County to take responsibility for the death and injury that their operations inflict on these birds and to do what’s needed to avoid and offset harm.”

The seabirds fly to and from their inland nests at night. While they can detect and avoid natural obstacles like trees and rocky outcroppings, they have a difficult time navigating around power lines strung across their flight paths. Acoustic sensors deployed on high-risk power lines on Maui in 2022 detected over 200 potential collisions with ESA-listed seabirds in less than four months. Lowering power lines, as well as deploying diverters along power lines (similar to what is done to make power lines more visible to aircraft) can reduce the number of collisions. Undergrounding power lines can eliminate collisions.

“HECO has known for decades that its power lines harm these birds, and it’s clear what are some of the most dangerous lines,” said Brad Keitt, Oceans and Islands Director at ABC, which sponsored the 2022 acoustic monitoring project. “We’ve called on HECO to put necessary protective measures in place, but so far, very little progress has been made to stop these unnecessary bird deaths.”

Attraction to bright lights is another major threat to the continued survival and recovery of the Hawaiian Petrel, Newell’s Shearwater and Band-rumped Storm-Petrel. The seabirds, which use the moon and stars to navigate to sea, will fly toward and circle an artificial light source, becoming disoriented and exhausted to the point that they collide with structures or fall to the ground. Once grounded, seabirds are susceptible to starvation, dehydration, predation, and vehicles on roadways.

“The law requires HECO and Maui County to do their best to avoid killing and injuring these endangered and threatened seabirds, and now is the time to do it,” said David Henkin, an Earthjustice attorney who represents the conservation groups. “The ongoing work to reassess and reconfigure utility infrastructure in the wake of Maui’s 2023 wildfires presents a significant opportunity to develop and implement strategies to protect both the public and imperiled wildlife.”

Background

The Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project (MNSRP) and other seabird researchers have documented fourteen collisions of ESA-listed seabirds with HECO’s power lines on Maui and Lāna‘i since 2010, but that number is only the tip of the iceberg. Studies of power line collisions involving these same species on Kauaʻi concluded that, even when there are dedicated searches for downed birds, the searches underestimated total collisions by 78-88% due to injured birds moving outside of the underline search area. There are no dedicated searches on Maui and Lāna‘i, so the actual numbers of collisions are likely orders of magnitude higher than the documented take. Since 2009, MNSRP has also documented scores of unauthorized take of ESA-listed seabirds that likely resulted from attraction to lights at HECO facilities or County-owned and HECO-operated streetlights on Maui and Lāna‘i. Again, due to the lack of dedicated searches, the actual toll on imperiled seabirds is undoubtedly much higher.

“This is a modest win for eagle conservation in the face of the needed renewable energy development boom,” said Michael J. Parr, President of American Bird Conservancy (ABC). “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to be commended for a smart solution, as this rule will likely provide increased stability for eagle populations impacted by the clean energy transition.”

In regard to wind energy development, an estimated 80% of existing land-based turbines in the lower 48 states are eligible for general take permits because the projects are predicted to pose a low risk to eagles. For powerlines, in addition to following best practices that reduce electrocutions and collisions, the rule provides for retrofits that will greatly reduce bird mortality over time.

Golden Eagle, copyright Ron Marshall, from the surfbirds galleries

“The rule didn’t include all of our recommendations to conserve eagles,” said Lewis Grove, ABC’s Director of Wind and Energy Policy. “We would have liked to see more third-party monitoring, data transparency, opportunities for public oversight through regulatory processes, stronger compensatory mitigation requirements, and a shorter time frame for powerline retrofits.”

“Renewable energy is important to a sustainable climate future for humans and birds alike,” said Parr. “At the same time, we at ABC believe that renewable energy can and must be expanded with adequate safeguards for birds and other wildlife, to limit unintended consequences.”

“We remain concerned about eagle populations due to development impacts, as well as inaction to eliminate major threats including lead and pesticide poisoning,” Grove said. “According to recent population estimates, Golden Eagle populations are likely declining in North America. There are serious concerns about population-level impacts from even modest increases in human-caused mortality.”

ABC supports wind energy development when it is bird-smart, and welcomes opportunities to collaborate on effective strategies. Wind energy developers, consultants, and resource management agencies are encouraged to use ABC’s Wind Risk Assessment Map as a tool to inform Bird-Smart Wind Energy development.

To learn how you can help ABC protect habitats for eagles and other migratory birds, click  here.

“This really is a critical milestone as it demonstrates the strength of our partnerships to ensure the long-term survival of our island’s honeycreepers,” said Dr. Earl Campbell, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Field Supervisor for the Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office. “It is made even more momentous as our collaborative efforts occur during Makahiki o Nā Manu Nahele, the Year of the Forest Bird.”

This work is part of the U.S. Department of Interior’s Strategy to Prevent the Extinction of Hawaiian Forest Birds and it is urgent: Hawaiʻi’s forest birds have declined from more than 50 different native honeycreepers to just 17 species remaining today.

Akiapolaau, copyright Bjorn Anderson, from the surfbirds galleries

“Manu (birds) are revered as our ‘ohana (family) and for too long, their songs have been declining,” said Ulalia Woodside Lee, Executive Director, The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i and Palmyra. “We have a kuleana, a responsibility, to give nā manu nahele (forest birds) a chance to nourish Hawaiian culture and spirit, as well as pollinate our forests and keep them growing. We are looking forward to the day when honeycreepers aren’t rare in Hawaiʻi’s forests.”

Mosquitoes are rapidly moving to higher elevations as the climate changes and native forests get warmer and drier. Without significantly reducing mosquito populations, multiple native bird species are likely to go extinct in the wild in less than 10 years,  including the Kiwikiu and ʻĀkohekohe on Maui, and ʻAkikiki and ʻAkekeʻe on Kauaʻi.

“After decades without the tools to solve this problem, this project is our best chance to save the birds and native forests for future generations,” said Dr. Chris Farmer, Hawai‘i Program Director for American Bird Conservancy (ABC). “I am excited and honored to be part of this historic collaboration to address difficult, previously intractable conservation problems, and commit to long-term solutions.”

The male Southern House Mosquitoes, which do not bite or transmit disease, carry a strain of the common, naturally occurring Wolbachia bacteria. When they mate with females in the wild, which carry a different strain of this bacteria, their eggs don’t hatch, causing the mosquito population to decrease. No new species are being introduced to Hawai‘i; both the mosquitoes and the Wolbachia bacteria are already here. This method has been safely used to control the spread of human diseases by mosquitoes around the world.

“This project is our best opportunity to reverse the trend of shrinking bird populations for these species that are found only in Hawaiʻi,” said Dr. Lindsey Nietmann, Forest Bird Recovery Coordinator for the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife. “In addition to protecting the birds that remain in our forests, we hope these efforts will one day lead to the release of captive populations that are currently in conservation breeding facilities and awaiting re-introduction to the wild.”

Monitoring is an essential part of this project. It helps determine if mosquito populations are decreasing, malaria prevalence is decreasing, and native bird populations are stabilizing or increasing. Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project (MFBRP) has been leading implementation on Maui. Landscape-level deployment has begun over a few thousand acres of remote forests on East Maui.

“Our monitoring is driven by science and is designed to gather the best possible data,” said Dr. Christa Seidl, MFBRP’s Mosquito Research and Control Coordinator. “Our field team provides essential boots on the ground and in the air, spending long, often wet days in remote forests checking mosquito traps and collecting data.”

Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project has been leading efforts on Kaua‘i, and has completed small-scale pilot releases to assess how far the male mosquitoes travel. Next steps include releases over a few thousand acres of forest on the Alaka‘i Plateau.

This project could not have happened without substantial state and federal partnership and funding. In particular, the current administration’s Investing in America Agenda committed nearly $16 million through the Department of the Interior to catalyze extinction prevention in Hawai‘i. This funding is part of the broader Hawaiian Forest Bird Conservation Keystone initiative. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is also a major supporter.

“This effort represents the culmination of decades of collaborative research between the Department of the Interior and State biologists, non-governmental organizations, and private enterprises,” said Dr. Dennis LaPointe, Research Ecologist at United States Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center. “The timely development of this safe and effective tool to suppress mosquito populations in forest bird habitats brings new hope for the preservation of the remaining Hawaiian honeycreepers.”

In 2024, the partnership will continue releases on Maui, expand releases on Kaua‘i, and prepare a Statewide Environmental Assessment. The State Department of Health will lead that assessment, which will address application of this method for both conservation and public health.

Before it had even received a name, what would soon be known in English as the Cundinamarca Antpitta, a relatively nondescript, olive-brown antpitta, let out an unfamiliar call that caught the ear of a seasoned birder. That was in 1989. Now, the Cundinamarca Antpitta is protected by a new reserve to ensure a bright future for its small population.

The Reserva Natural Refugio Tororoi is a 446-acre (180.52 hectares) expanse of misty, highland cloud forest situated on the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains, southeast of Bogotá, Colombia. Created through a partnership between American Bird Conservancy (ABC), Fundación Camaná Conservación y Territorio, the direct investment funds of the Conserva Aves Initiative, and the Herrera family whose property borders the reserve, the Reserva Natural Refugio Tororoi (tororoi is the local Spanish name for “antpitta”) protects critical habitat for the Endangered Cundinamarca Antpitta, which numbers only in the hundreds and faces pressure from deforestation that could decimate the habitat of this range-restricted species.

“Much has changed in this area since the species was first documented in 1989, and the small range of habitat where Cundinamarca Antpittas are found is at risk of shrinking further,” said Eliana Fierro-Calderon, International Conservation Project Officer for ABC. “The Reserva Natural Refugio Tororoi provides a safe haven and hope for the future of this species, about which we still have so much to learn.”

An Unfamiliar Call Leads to a First Find

In 1989, the Cundinamarca Antpitta was unknown to science. A knowledgeable birder, Peter Kaestner, heard an unfamiliar “fuit foh feer” call coming from the understory. Intrigued by the mystery singer, he recorded the call, played it back, and waited. After about 45 minutes, out popped an antpitta that left Kaestner puzzled. It was clearly an antpitta with its long legs, hopping gait, and short tail, but it was unlike any antpitta Kaestner had ever seen. Its olive-brown feathers, accented by a white throat and gray underparts marked by thin, white streaks, were unrecognizable.

The bird was unrecognizable because it had never before been described to science. In 1992, the previously unnamed antpitta was officially documented, thanks in no small part to Kaestner’s careful observations and recordings. It was given the scientific name Grallaria kaestneri.

A Family with an Eye on Conservation

The story of the Cundinamarca Antpitta, it turns out, is one with many personal touches, from its documentation to the ongoing efforts to conserve it. The Herrera family arrived in Guayabetal, Cundinamarca in 2008, bringing their two children to the 11 acres of land they had purchased. In 2017, Ariel Herrera took a one-time birding class offered by the Mayor’s office and La Corporación Autónoma Regional de la Orinoquia (Corporinoquia), aimed at finding new locations where the Cundinamarca Antpitta could be spotted. It was that same year that the Herreras first saw one on their property.

Not long after that first observation, the family began working with Fundación Camaná to build out La Herrería Trail and develop their ecotourism operation under the Sendero La Herrería brand. With a focus on birders, drawn to the region by its biodiversity and abundant birdlife, the family have made the Cundinamarca Antpitta a focal species, setting up a worm feeding station where these birds, most often scuttling about on the forest floor in the dense understory, can be observed more closely.

The Herreras have been champions for the creation of the Reserva Natural Refugio Tororoi and the conservation of habitat vital to the Cundinamarca Antpitta. Today, their property is bordered on three sides by protected land, with several miles of maintained trails snaking through the montane forest that surrounds it. It supports both endemic birds like the Sickle-winged Guan and the Slaty Brushfinch, and migratory species including the Blackburnian Warbler and the Swainson’s Thrush. They welcome birders and photographers to enjoy all of the wildlife, but especially ones eager to spot the antpitta.

Para la familia Herrera Quintaco: “Atender turistas es algo muy bonito, porque hemos tenido la posibilidad de conocer personas de otras culturas; también, el cuidado de Grallaria kaestneri se convirtió en parte del diario vivir ya que todos los días ella espera a Ariel y a su vez, Ariel la recuerda todo el tiempo, y eso es una relación muy bonita. La vida de la familia cambio radicalmente; antes era sembrar lulo y mora y de forma permanente, talar árboles para el cultivo. Hoy la vida gira alrededor de la conservación y el aviturimo.”

From the Herrera Quintaco family: “Serving tourists is a very nice experience, because we have had the opportunity to meet people from other cultures. Also, caring for Grallaria kaestneri became part of daily life since every day the birds wait for Ariel and in turn, Ariel always remembers them, and that is a very beautiful relationship. The family’s life changed radically. Before it was planting lulo and berries and cutting down trees for cultivation. Today life revolves around conservation and birdwatching.”

The Road Ahead 

The Cundinamarca Antpitta population, numbering anywhere from 330 to 800 individuals, is small, and so is the range of the antpitta’s habitat. In the time since Peter Kaestner’s first observation of the Cundinamarca Antpitta in 1989, the bird’s habitat has undergone a transformation as deforestation reshapes the densely forested landscape. Initially listed as Vulnerable, the Cundinamarca Antpitta today is considered Endangered.

“Fast forward to 2022, when I returned to the very spot where I first laid eyes on what became the Cundinamarca Antpitta. Instead of a verdant montane forest, I found a cattle pasture. There was no sign of any of the myriad birds that inhabit the forest, and of course, no Cundinamarca Antpittas,” Kaestner said. “But there is an optimistic ending to this story.”

American Bird Conservancy and Fundación Camaná Conservación y Territorio have been working since 2022 to protect the Cundinamarca Antpitta in partnership with the Herrera family. The establishment of the Reserva Natural Refugio Tororoi is a major milestone for the antpitta, and the first protected area dedicated to the species. With the reserve secured, a habitat management plan is being designed and implemented, and ABC is supporting prioritized activities in the plan, including trail improvement, signage installation, and infrastructure to welcome more visitors. Fundación Camaná is looking to the future and the prospect of protecting more acreage of the humid montane forest habitat required for Cundinamarca Antpittas to thrive.

The new reserve partially overlaps the Páramo El Atravesado National Protective Forest Reserve located further upslope, which itself connects to the Quebrada Honda regional protected area. The expansion of contiguous protected habitat is important for more than just the Cundinamarca Antpitta. The Endangered Black-and-chestnut Eagle has also been spotted in the area, in addition to some 300 other species like the Vulnerable Brown-breasted Parakeet and the Solitary Eagle, which is Near Threatened.

The terrain in the immediate area north of the reserve is rough and has mostly been spared the ravages of development and deforestation. The road leading up to the Reserva Natural Refugio Tororoi is dotted with dairy farms and winds its way up gradually until it stops at the home of the Herrera family. Key allies in the effort to conserve the Cundinamarca Antpitta, they are building out their ecotourism operation, adding gorgeous murals, interpretive signage, and amenities like a small restaurant to serve visitors from around the world.

“These kinds of partnerships are essential to protecting the land needed to conserve some of the most vulnerable species,” said Fierro-Calederon. “The threat of deforestation is very real, and if we can work with our partners to create connected habitats we’ll provide the best chance for survival for these birds.”

Conservation takes a community. Peter and Hank Kaestner know this and are proud supporters of ABC’s Bird Habitat Protection Fund. ABC, Fundación Camaná, and the Herrera Family gratefully acknowledge the Bezos Earth Fund, BirdLife International, and Bobolink Foundation for joining Peter and Hank in the effort to conserve the Cundinamarca Antpitta. ABC’s Habitat Protection Fund has helped create a brighter future for the Cundinamarca Antpitta and the dozens of species that share its habitat. Working with 59 partners, ABC has supported the protection of more than 1 million acres of land for nearly 3,000 bird species.

Flaco’s fate is shared by up to one billion birds each year in the United States, making collisions with buildings one of the leading causes of bird mortality. Flaco’s death has spurred action in the New York State Senate, which announced it would rename its Bird Safe Buildings Act the FLACO (“Feathered Lives Also Count”) Act. If passed, the FLACO Act would require new and significantly altered state buildings to adopt bird-friendly designs, especially on windows. This measure would save countless birds’ lives.

Solving a problem of this magnitude requires big thinking, bold ideas, and policy change, but you don’t need to wait for legislation in your state to take action to prevent unnecessary bird deaths. As spring migration approaches, billions of birds will be on the move at night as they migrate to their breeding grounds. Simple actions can make this journey safer.

Eurasian Eagle Owl, copyright Martin Birch, from the surfbirds galleries

During migration, billions of birds navigate difficult human-made environments as they fly to their breeding grounds in the spring. Sadly, many will not reach their destinations. The problem grows in the fall as birds make the return trip south, this time with inexperienced juveniles joining the journey. These birds may not come from as far away as an Eurasian Eagle-Owl, but they are making flights of many thousands of miles, coming from as far away as Brazil.

Why Do Birds Hit Windows?

Most birds, such as the Indigo Bunting, migrate at night, using the stars to navigate. Light pollution at night and reflective glass surfaces during the day disorient them. When birds see plants or the sky reflected in windows, they do not know there is a barrier and think they can fly through it, then they collide with the glass.

The good news is, people can help. Given the loss of nearly 3 billion birds in the United States and Canada since 1970, American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is encouraging the following solutions to help birds survive and thrive.

Preventing Bird Collisions at Home

There are many ways to make your own windows bird-friendly. One of the easiest methods is to use external insect screens. If screens aren’t an option, you can use a range of materials — tape, decals, strings, cords, and paint are options — to create window patterns that birds will interpret as solid objects to be avoided. Netting and shutters can also be helpful. Turning off unnecessary lighting at night during peak migration times each spring and fall can reduce light pollution.

Learn more about these home-friendly solutions, and for information about additional effective products that prevent collisions, visit ABC’s Glass Collisions Products and Solutions Database.

How to Design and Legislate Bird-Friendly Buildings

Glass collisions from taller buildings kill vast numbers of wild birds each year. Yet most people know little about this danger, and even fewer are aware of the easy, attractive, and inexpensive solutions available to help prevent these deaths. Making new and existing buildings safer for birds is possible and can be cost neutral if bird-friendly design is considered from the outset of a project. Whether you want to reduce bird collisions at an existing building, design a new bird-friendly structure, or promote bird-safe building legislation, ABC has top-rated resources available for professionals in facility construction, renovations, operations, maintenance, and real estate development.

For a more in-depth look about bird-friendly building legislation solutions, read ABC and the Yale University Law, Ethics and Animals Program’s newest report here.

Common Species that Collide with Windows

Researchers working in several U.S. and Canadian cities actively monitor bird-window collisions, gathering information on frequent-collider species each year. Certain migratory birds, such as the Black-and-white Warbler, Dark-eyed Junco, and White-throated Sparrow appear to be particularly vulnerable to this threat. For a list of species most likely to die from window collisions, learn more here.

What to Do with an Injured Bird

If a bird does collide with a window, it needs immediate attention. Most people may assume birds can cope and fly away right after a collision. However, birds often end up sustaining serious injuries such as bruising, eye ulcers, and fractures that prevent them from continuing their journeys.

Some common but subtle signs that indicate a bird is injured and in need of medical treatment by a licensed wildlife rehabilitator include the following:

• Allows you to pick it up.
• Cannot stand.
• Is not using both feet.
• Is squinting or shutting its eyes.
• Has open-mouthed or heavy breathing.
• Has puffed up feathers or tucks its head under its wings.

Contact your local wildlife rehab center for advice on how to further help.

Helping Birds Avoid Flaco’s Fate 

ABC has been a leader in the effort to reduce the massive toll of collisions on bird populations by evaluating products to reduce collisions, and providing resources and education for architects, developers, and homeowners. ABC also advocates for bird-friendly building legislation, like New York’s FLACO Act, at the local, state, and federal levels.

Solving the crisis of window collisions requires collaboration. At the recent Multi-Sector Summit to Address Light Pollution and Bird Collisions hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, staff from ABC’s Collisions Team joined partners from across the country to build national momentum to save birds. ABC and partners also continue to advocate for bird-friendly measures under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Flaco’s passing serves as a sad reminder of the fates of so many birds — and it is a call to action to prevent birds from dying in collisions with the built environment. Window collisions are a crisis, but an act as simple as treating windows at home can begin to make a world of difference.

Despite last-minute efforts of far-right and conservative groups, and disinformation from anti-nature lobbies to torpedo the law, the majority of Members of Parliament stayed true to the democratic and legislative process in place, approving the trilogue agreement which they were part of negotiating last year.

The final step in the process is for the agreement to receive the formal approval of Member States, which is expected to take place in March or April this year.

Barn Owl, copyright Glyn Sellors, from the surfbirds galleries

The #RestoreNature coalition, consisting of BirdLife Europe, ClientEarth, EEB, and WWF EU says: “The Nature Restoration Law has always been so much more than a law to bring back nature. It is a symbol that Europe can, and will, commit to fighting for the survival of our planet. We are relieved that MEPs listened to facts and science, and did not give in to populism and fearmongering. Now, we urge Member States to follow suit and deliver this much-needed law to bring back nature in Europe.”

At the end of the Dalmatian Pelican breeding season in 2006, a researcher was searching along the shores of Lake Airag in western Mongolia for signs of the birds, when he happened upon the carcass of a young pelican. According to a report in Birding Asia from the following year, “the head of this bird had been chopped off and was missing.” While we can’t be certain what happened to this pelican in its final moments, or what happened to its severed head, we can take a good guess. Hunting remains a major threat to this magnificent migratory bird in Mongolia.

Dalmatian pelicans are the largest and rarest water bird in Mongolia and East Asia. The population of this species in East Asia consists of less than 150 individuals that nest only in the western part of Mongolia and spend the winter in the coastal areas of eastern China. Poaching, climate change and associated habitat degradation all contribute to the decline of the Dalmatian Pelican population in East Asia. In addition, the birds that nest along the Khar-Us Lake islands face threats from herders that mow the vegetation and graze their livestock on the land in the winter, causing further habitat degradation. The Wildlife Science and Conservation Center (WSCC) has been organizing various outreach and research activities, as well as meetings with the aim to improve the protection of Dalmatian pelicans that breed and summer in Mongolia.

Dalmatian Pelican, copyright Zoltan Baczo, from the surfbirds galleries

Putting an end to poaching with the Federation of Mongolia Horse Racing Sport and Trainers

The use of pelican beaks to make horse sweat scrapers is another major factor driving the Dalmatian Pelican’s population to the brink of extinction. It is a long-held belief that brushing your horse with these combs helps them to perform better and faster in races. However, the hunting of these birds for the use of their beaks has caused undue harm to the pelican population in Mongolia. Since 2014, WSCC researchers have collected information on the sale and purchase of Dalmatian pelican beaks on social media, Facebook groups, and classifieds sites. According to this information, since 2014 there has been more than 150 ads published with offers to buy and sell Dalmatian pelican beaks, showing us that this threat remains pervasive.

To combat this threat, we turned to the organizations with the most influence. The Federation of Mongolia Horse Racing Sport and Trainers is a sports association with many years of history and experience managing and organizing horse races across all provinces and regions in Mongolia. We reached out to them and asked for their help in our conservation activities. After a meeting with the leader of the association, they agreed to help us spread the word to discourage horsemen from using pelican beaks.

We have also collaborated with the General Department of Border Protection, the Ecological Police, and the Department of Professional Inspection to stop the illegal pelican beak trade, from the possession of beaks, importing of them, and the dissemination of information about illegal beaks on social networks.

Collaborating with the Buddhist protectors of all living beings

In Mongolia, 60% of people over the age of 15 follow a religion. More than 90% of them follow the religion of God. Therefore, in our country, one of the most effective outreach methods is to call for nature conservation work through the head of the religion that most of the population worships. We are currently working with the Mongolian Buddhist Association, which is the main association of Buddhism devotees and monasteries in Mongolia. We jointly organized an event called “Let’s protect our Mother Earth with the teachings of the Buddha.” This event covered the illegal trade and poaching of wild animals, illegal use of organs from wild animals and the products derived from them, and called upon event goers to refuse to violate the natural rights of animals. Great representatives of Buddhist monasteries in Mongolia, and religious leaders all attended this event.

Nyambayar Batbayar, the Director of WSCC, as well as myself, gave a talk about nature conservation through Buddhism and called upon all Buddhist temples and monks to join in the protection of the Dalmatian Pelican. At the end of the event, the representatives called on all Buddhist temples and monks to unite their voices and contribute to nature conservation by calling for their parishioners to stop using pelican beaks in horse racing events.

The Dalmatian Pelican Task Force

If we want to ensure the survival of the Dalmatian Pelican in East Asia, international cooperation on conservation and research activities is a must. To do just that, in 2019, Dalmatian Pelican experts convened near one of the last known breeding colonies in Mongolia. Here, they discussed the need for a conservation management plan for the species.

Despite being classified as Critically Endangered by the Animal Law of Mongolia and having a dwindling population in the wild, the Dalmatian Pelican has lacked a dedicated conservation management plan in Mongolia. To address this deficiency, in March 2022, in coordination with the EAAFP Dalmatian Pelican Task Force, we organized another key stakeholder meeting in Mongolia. During this meeting, the stakeholders identified the conservation actions that are required for the successful recovery of the species in Mongolia. These include additional awareness activities, pelican research, and putting an end to poaching.

Taking a lead from these Dalmatian Pelican Task Force meetings, WSCC has started several research projects with its partners to assess the habitat conditions of the Dalmatian pelican at Khar-Us Lake and Airag Lake in western Mongolia. These two lakes are the most critical breeding areas for the pelicans because they support the last breeding pairs and provide a safe place for non-breeding pelicans as well.

Unveiling unknown threats to the Dalmatian Pelican

In 2020, the WSCC team began a study on the migration of Dalmatian Pelicans from their Mongolian breeding grounds. We tracked 5 Dalmatian pelicans using GPS transmitters. From this tracking work, we’ve learned a lot of important, previously missing information about the pelicans, such as migration routes, dates, timing, stopover sites, and wintering sites. GPS tracking work has revealed that the pelicans may be suffering lack of suitable stopover sites throughout Mongolia during their migration. Once the pelicans arrive in China and coastal areas, the birds seem to be safer.

Following the announcement of our initial findings, we were contacted by a government office in South Gobi province. They had learned about the pelican situation and expressed their willingness to assist us in safeguarding one of the vital stopover sites within their jurisdiction. This was a truly remarkable moment. In September 2023, they successfully completed the construction of fencing around spring water sources to establish a secure resting area for pelicans during their migratory journey. We hope that there more people will come forward to help us in this way in near future.

Expanding environmental education and public awareness efforts

Public awareness about the critical situation of the Dalmatian Pelican is important for our success. We have disseminated information about Dalmatian Pelican research and conservation activities to the communities surrounding Khar-Us and Airaq Lakes, as well as conservationists, haymakers, high school students, and decision makers. This helps us attract more people to the conservation of this rare species

Every year on World Migratory Bird Day, we also organize public awareness events for university and high school students. At these events we always highlight the largest and rarest waterbird in Mongolia and East Asia, the Dalmatian Pelican. We utilise printed materials such as posters, leaflets, and illustrated booklets to communicate information and messages related to pelican conservation in Mongolia and East Asia. In addition, we started a Facebook page with the main purpose of improving pelican protection by exchanging information on the protection of the birds and their habitats.

All of these methods of outreach, through sporting associations, religious leaders, conservation practitioners and celebratory community events have proven to be invaluable in reaching the local people who share the landscape with these birds. We hope that these efforts lead to more care and concern for the scarcity of the Dalmatian Pelican and their habitats in Mongolia.

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) marked World Wetlands Day (2 February) with the latest findings from its long-running Heronries Census. First launched back in 1928, the study set out to monitor and estimate the numbers of Grey Herons nesting in Britain. In recent years, the species covered in the census has grown as egrets and other waterbirds formerly restricted to the continent have colonised the UK’s wetlands, considered by many to be a direct result of climate change.

Little Egrets first nested in the UK in 1996 and over the past couple of decades they have been joined by Great Egrets, Cattle Egrets and Spoonbills. Another bird covered by the census is the Cormorant, which has seen a change in nesting behaviour, with some birds now breeding inland in trees as opposed to on traditional coastal cliffs.

Grey Herons have shown ‘boom and bust’ population rises and dips since the census began almost a century ago, with temporary declines often associated with severe winters. However, the current reduction in breeding numbers is showing little sign of recovery and researchers are concerned that this familiar bird may be heading for the Birds of Conservation Concern Amber List .

Great White and Little Egret, copyright Glyn Sellors, from the surfbirds galleries

Ian Woodward, Research Ecologist at the BTO said “This ongoing survey helps us monitor the overall well-being of nesting heron species across the UK. Thanks to the wealth of information gathered by our dedicated volunteers we can see just how these birds are responding both positively and negatively to changes in the environment.”

He continued “It also goes to show just how important the UK’s wetlands are as essential habitats for many of our resident species as well as those already
colonising from the continent, such as Spoonbills, and those showing signs of doing so, such as Glossy Ibis.”

The Heronries Census is a valuable tool in the BTO’s research into the changes occurring within populations of wetland birds and more volunteers are being sought to help fill in some of the missing gaps.

Ian added “Many birdwatchers may be aware of new or small nesting colonies that haven’t yet been recorded by the census, and these could be vital in our
understanding of how these species are adapting to change, or colonising new areas. The more information we can gather, the better we will understand just how our nesting herons and egrets are faring in an ever-changing landscape.”

The threats posed by plastic pollution to marine environments have long been understood but this study sheds new light on the potential problems faced by
freshwater sites. A paper recently published by the Doñana Biological Station, of the Spanish Science Council (CSIC), and in collaboration with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), shows how birds feeding on landfill sites ingest significant amounts of plastic and other debris then later deposit these indigestible fragments while roosting at natural wetlands.

Gulls, like birds of prey and owls, regurgitate pellets often containing fish bones, feathers and other non-edible items. However, those birds feeding on open landfills often ingest plastic, glass and textiles along with human food waste. And while we know that eating these pollutants can cause serious direct harm to birds’ health, this research shows that the problems could have far greater ecological impact than previously expected.

Lesser Black-backed Gull, copyright Glyn Sellors, from the surfbirds galleries

The study focused on Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a common wintering bird in Andalusia, south-west Spain. The birds, which had been fitted with GPS tags at breeding sites in the UK including colonies in Cumbria and Pembrokeshire, were monitored as they fed at the landfills and moved to roost and bathe at the internationally important Fuente de Piedra lake nature reserve in Malaga. Pellets disgorged by the gulls were collected at the lake and 86% of these were found to contain plastics. Researchers revealed that around 400 kg of plastic is deposited by gulls into the lake, famous for its colony of Flamingos, each winter.

Once in the lake, these plastics have nowhere to go and will eventually break down in microplastics, causing possible long-term threats to other wildlife and the wider environment.

Senior author on this research study, Professor Andy Green said, “When we throw plastics away, some of them are likely to end up on being carried by birds into wetlands. It’s another reason we need to reduce the amount of plastic waste we generate.”

Throughout Europe, gulls feed widely on landfills and other waste sites, before heading to roost at wetlands, lakes and other freshwater locations.

Dr Chris Thaxter, Senior Research Ecologist with the BTO said, “This study suggests that the translocation of harmful plastics could be more widespread and problematic than we’d assumed. Gulls are highly mobile and act as highly efficient biovectors, transporting these pollutants considerable distances, posing yet more threats to important wetland habitats across the globe.”