Category: Wildlife

Goldfinch

Canada’s Loon Nesting Survey Analysis

There is renewed interest in the nesting success of Common Loons (photos by Mark Peck).

The Canadian Lakes Loon Survey conducted by Birds Canada has analyzed information about a remarkable 35,000 nesting attempts by Common Loon pairs across southern Canada, collected by more than 4,000 volunteer birders. Data collection started in 1981 in Ontario and spread across the rest of southern Canada in the mid-1990s. The huge amount of information provided biologists with an opportunity to test the influence of more than a dozen different factors on Common Loon productivity over an extended period.

The factors included the effect of acid rain, mercury contamination in fish, shoreline development, boating activity, risk of predation by Bald Eagles, competition for forage fish by Double-crested Cormorants, and a suite of weather variables based on temperature and precipitation.

Researchers ruled out shoreline development, human disturbance, eagles, and cormorants as strong factors for the declines in Common Loon productivity across all of Ontario or southern Canada; however, some of those factors certainly play a role on particular lakes. Their analysis suggests that a complex interplay between the effect of acid rain, mercury pollution, and on-going climate heating may be at least partly responsible for productivity declines of Common Loons across southern Canada. Dubbing this the “acid-mercury-climate hypothesis,” biologists are pursuing additional research to test its merits, which will provide much needed guidance about what can be done to best conserve the Common Loon, an impressive symbol of pristine wilderness.

Learn more about the information provided in the Birds Canada report at https://www.birdscanada.org/canadian-lakes-loon-survey-new-report-helps-explain-mysterious-declines/ and view an enjoyable introduction to the Common Loon report on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFEjkiy_IT4

Wildlife

Michigan: West Nile virus survey in ruffed grouse begins third study year

The study of West Nile virus in ruffed grouse will resume this fall in Michigan, after a one-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnership with Minnesota and Wisconsin natural resources departments, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources began this multiyear study in 2018 to better understand the prevalence and distribution of the virus in ruffed grouse in the Upper Great Lakes region.

Results from previous study years suggest that while the virus is present in the Great Lakes region, grouse exposed to the virus can survive and develop antibodies as an immune response. In 2019, 20 of the 281 samples collected tested positive for exposure to the virus. Viral antibodies were confirmed in seven birds and likely in 13 additional birds. Only one juvenile male tested positive for the virus. In 2018, 28 of 213 samples were positive for exposure to the virus, with viral antibodies confirmed in nine birds and likely in 19. Four samples were positive for the virus.

“Though the virus can impact the ruffed grouse population, the impact appears to be minimal in Michigan,” said Julie Melotti, a laboratory technician at the DNR Wildlife Disease Laboratory. “In the Upper Peninsula, the overall health of the grouse population is more dependent on high-quality habitat, such as areas of regenerating aspen stands near stands of mature timber. In these areas, grouse are more likely to be healthier and have stronger immune responses to disease, inclement weather and other limiting factors.”

Sample kits have been distributed to grouse hunters in key West Nile virus surveillance areas to collect samples for viral analysis. The samples will be analyzed for antibodies, which indicate exposure to the virus, and heart tissue will be examined to screen for current presence of it. Sample kits were not distributed in 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but recently have been distributed to Michigan hunters for data collection during the 2021 season. Hunters who have kits remaining from past seasons are welcome to use them and submit additional samples. Hunters who provide email contact information with their samples will be notified of their results next fall.

West Nile virus was first detected in ruffed grouse in Michigan in 2002. Transmitted by mosquitoes, the virus can cause inflammation of the brain, brain lining, and spinal cord and heart lesions in infected birds. Grouse that have contracted the virus may fly erratically, act abnormally, or appear sick, thin and in poor condition. However, these symptoms are not always present in infected grouse. If you find a bird that appears thin or sick, please report your observations to the Wildlife Disease Lab at 517-336-5030 or through the online reporting system Eyes in the Field. Read more

Wildlife

Pittsburgh Joins Lights Out Program to Protect Migratory Birds

Pittsburgh, PA – About one hundred thousand birds pass over the Pittsburgh region each year during migration, and a new initiative is encouraging businesses and residents to join in making birds’ journeys safer. A group of organizations that includes the Building Owners and Managers Association of Pittsburgh, BNY Mellon, BirdSafe Pittsburgh, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, and the National Aviary have joined forces to inspire participation in a movement to mitigate bird window collisions and disorientation of birds caused by bright artificial light in the city at night.

Read more

Wildlife

Michigan: developers seek land agreement modification for solar project in Marquette County

Developers seek land agreement modification for solar project in Marquette County

Superior Solar Project, LLC and the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co. have submitted a land transaction application to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, involving approximately 1,080 acres of land in Sands Township.

The property is owned by Cliffs and is part of a larger land exchange agreement dating to 1979 between the DNR and Cliffs. The original agreement requires that the land be open to the public for recreation uses, except for areas used for active mining operations or those which must be restricted for safety purposes.

Superior Solar Project and Cliffs are asking that the agreement be modified to allow solar energy development on the 1,080 acres and remove the public recreation use requirement because of its incompatibility with solar development. Read more

General, Wildlife

Montana: Hunters Must Expect to See Bears

Grizzly bears have the potential to be found anywhere in the western two-thirds of Montana (west of Billings), and their distribution is denser and more widespread than in previous years. Some areas with dense concentrations of grizzly bears are very accessible to hunters, especially during the archery season. Keep these precautions in mind when hunting in grizzly country:

  • Carry and know how to use bear spray. Keep it within easy reach and be prepared to use it immediately.
  • Stay alert, especially when hearing or visibility is limited. Watch for environmental indicators of recent bear activity. If there is abundant fresh sign of grizzly bears in the area, consider hunting elsewhere. Let other hunters know when bears and/or fresh sign are observed.
  • Travel and hunt in groups whenever possible. This can help you make casual noise to alert bears to your presence, and it may also increase your chances survival in the event of a bear attack.
  • Follow all food storage regulations. Contact the applicable land management agency (i.e. U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, etc.) to learn what food storage rules apply where you’re hunting.
  • Avoid carcass sites and concentrations of ravens and other scavengers.
  • Carry the equipment you need to process a carcass and get it out of the field as quickly as possible.
  • If you harvest an animal, remove it from the field as quickly as possible.

For more tips on staying safe in bear country, visit FWP’s Bear Aware web page.

Hunting, Wildlife

$3.6 million in grants available to target invasive species in Michigan

Proposals accepted through Nov. 1

Michigan’s Invasive Species Grant Program is now accepting proposals for the 2021 funding cycle, with an anticipated $3.6 million available to applicants.

The program – a joint effort of the Michigan departments of Natural Resources; Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; and Agriculture and Rural Development – is part of a statewide initiative launched in 2014 to help prevent, detect and control invasive species in Michigan. Read more

Wildlife

Michigan Offers Holiday Campers Bear-Proofing Suggestions

The Labor Day weekend is an excellent time to squeeze in an end-of-summer camping trip before kids head back to school and the bustling fall begins. While packing for your trip, considering adding a few items to make sure your campsite doesn’t accidently attract bears or other curious wildlife.

Here are a few items to add to your campsite to prevent critters from crashing your weekend:

  • Airtight containers and storage bags – Food and toiletries should NEVER be kept in tents. Store food and toiletries in airtight containers in a vehicle trunk or suspend food from trees in burlap or plastic bags or backpacks.
  • Rope – Hang containers or storage bags 12 feet above ground, 10 feet from the tree trunk and 5 feet from the nearest branch.
  • Cleaning supplies – Wipe away any food debris on eating utensils or spills on camp chairs and tables.
  • Trash bags – Store trash as you would food. Burning or burying waste attracts bears. Read more
Wildlife

California DFW Officers Shoot Mountain Lion After Calabasas Attack

Mountain Lion Dispatched After Attack Near Calabasas

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) confirmed that a mountain lion shot and killed by a wildlife officer was the one responsible for injuring a five-year-old boy Thursday near Calabasas in Los Angeles County. The boy is in stable condition.

On Aug 26, 2021, approximately 10:45 a.m., a 65-lb. mountain lion attacked the boy in his front yard, inflicting wounds to his head, neck and upper torso. The boy’s mother fended off the lion by striking it multiple times. The boy’s parents transported him to a hospital where he was treated for his injuries. He remains in the hospital in stable condition.

Upon learning of the attack, CDFW’s law enforcement division immediately began an investigation both interviewing the victim’s family in the hospital and visiting the scene of the attack. During a protocol clearing of the family’s yard, the wildlife officer at the home discovered an aggressive mountain lion crouched in the corner of the property. Due to its behavior and proximity to the attack, the warden believed it was likely the attacking lion and to protect public safety shot and killed it on site.

Approximately 20 minutes after he shot the mountain lion, two more mountain lions appeared. One was a full-grown adult with a radio collar around its neck. The other was a smaller mountain lion about the same 65-lb. size as the dispatched lion. After confirming with the boy’s mother that the attacking lion did not have a collar, the wildlife officer used a non-lethal tranquilizing rifle to capture the other non-collared lion. Read more

Wildlife

RMEF Supports USFWS Gray Wolf Ruling

MISSOULA, Mont. — The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation strongly agrees with a recent decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) that gray wolves will remain off the federal Endangered Species List. The Biden administration filed on August 20, 2021, in favor of the final rule delisting all gray wolves in the Lower 48.

“Nothing has changed here. This is a matter of science. Scientists and biologists under the Biden administration agree with those under the Trump administration as well as the Obama administration before them, that wolves continue to meet delisting criteria and are successfully recovered,” said Kyle Weaver, RMEF president and CEO. “As a recovered species, wolves will and should be appropriately managed by state agencies in line with the North American Wildlife Conservation Model through regulated hunting and trapping.”

The USFWS reviewed the 2020 delisting rule and concluded it consistent with the ESA and based on the best scientific data available at that time. Read more

Wildlife

16 Tips to Enhance Hummingbird Migration

One of many species of hummingbirds we enjoy seeing in our yards and neighborhoods, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are most common east of the Rocky Mountains.
It may be helpful to add another nectar feeder in your yard as hummingbird numbers increase or if individuals become overly territorial.

Each day it seems there are more hummingbirds coming to our feeder – males, females, and young hummers – with a couple species to watch for daily. Providing the best feeder and flower scenario for hummingbirds, can make the fall hummingbird migration period one to remember for you and your family. Hummingbirds have been on the move for a couple weeks in northern states, with numbers beginning to increase and provide exciting observations throughout September in some states, with sightings continuing through the winter months in some southern areas from Louisiana and south Texas to southern California.

Of course, we’re talking about 15-plus species of hummingbirds in the United States, but it’s a pretty standard procedure to attract any species of hummingbirds – a feeder with fresh sugar and adjacent flowering plants. So hummingbird basics are easily provided for, but there are some other options that can enhance your hummingbird experiences during coming weeks:

– First, you may want to consider adding another nectar feeder, perhaps providing one in a sunny area and one in the shade, or one in the front yard and one in the back; or one at each of two favorite viewing locations?

– A second feeder can be a good option due to the aggressiveness of territorial hummingbirds that intently protect a food source (nectar feeder). The key is to separate the feeders visually, to improve feeding opportunities for the birds during a migration stopover. Read more

Wildlife
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