Date: 04/01/10
Contact: Doug Nielsen
Phone: (702) 486-5127 x 3500

STATE OF THE BIRDS 2010

Bird watchers, bird hunters, and wildlife biologists will all be interested to know the details of a new report that warns of troubled times ahead for America’s native birds. Just one year after the original State of the Birds Report was released as part of the U.S. North American Bird Conservation Initiative, a new report entitled The State of the Birds 2010 Report on Climate Change for the United States has been released as a follow-up. The Initiative is a collaborative effort between federal and state wildlife agencies, and scientific and conservation organizations.

“This report is extremely important for seeing possible trends in bird populations, and for indicating where we need to add more monitoring efforts. Because birds are excellent indicators of the health of our environment, we all should be concerned about the report’s findings,” said Cris Tomlinson, supervisory diversity biologist for the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW).

The original report, completed in 2009, was a compilation of data collected over 40 years through bird surveys conducted across the U.S. by biologists and citizen scientists. It documented that there had been a decline of many bird species due to habitat loss and habitat degradation. However, it also showed promising results for birds in habitats that had been restored and conserved.

The 2010 State of the Birds Report analyzes the 2009 data and poses probable scenarios for bird populations in the event of climate change. The main conclusion of the report is that climate change may threaten hundreds of species of migratory birds, already found to be under stress from habitat loss, invasive species and other environmental threats.

Birds in different habitats received a rating which illustrates their vulnerability. The ratings were based on five sensitivity traits, including migration status, breeding habitat affinity, dispersal ability, niche specificity, and reproductive potential. All of these factors determine a bird’s ability to cope with changes in habitat. Most vulnerable are oceanic and Hawaiian birds and birds in coastal, arctic, alpine and grassland habitats show intermediate levels of vulnerability. Finally, most birds in aridlands, wetlands, and forests show relatively low vulnerability to climate change. Still, aridlands and wetlands will be affected more by changes in storm regimes. These are two habitat types that are important in Nevada.

Bird species in aridlands, which include the Great Basin desert to the north and the Mojave Desert in Southern Nevada, are subject to the stresses of drought and hot summer temperatures. They can and have been affected by low water availability as well as a change in their food source and the vegetation they use for cover. Two examples of Nevada species that live in arid habitats are the sage-grouse and the Phainopepla, but there are many others.

Sage grouse are especially vulnerable. Changes in climate and habitat lead to an increase in nonnative plants that ultimately increase fire frequency which can be devastating to sage grouse. Aggravating the situation is the tendency of these birds to have high site fidelity, and a general inability to adapt to changes in vegetation. Phainopepla are dependent on fruits that are found only in certain areas, so habitat changes may force them to move.

Increased heat and drought also may affect small Nevada birds, like hummingbirds and verdins, which can succumb to reproductive failure and finally death. Additionally, the many birds that use Nevada’s aridlands for wintering areas, such as the cactus wren and white-winged dove, may have to move their annual trips northward.

Wetlands, few and far between in Nevada, are extremely valuable to waterfowl and other migratory birds, which may become increasingly stressed from climate change. The State of the Birds Report report identified common bird species such as the northern pintail that are likely to become species of conservation concern as a result.

With danger predicted for many bird species in the face of climate change, the State of the Birds Report suggested three different broad remedies: adjust large-scale land use planning, develop new technological advancements for the protection of habitats or lessen any negative impacts of new alternative energy development.

What can the average citizen do to help? Tomlinson suggests that bird enthusiasts be active in land use planning efforts and continue to participate in citizen-science events such as annual bird counts including the Christmas Bird Count, the Breeding Bird Survey at www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/ and the Nevada Bird Count at www.gbbo.org. To see the entire 2010 State of the Birds Report, visit www.stateofthebirds.org on the Web. More information about Nevada’s wildlife can be found online at www.ndow.org.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, and promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.

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