Washington — The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) is excited to announce the recent publication titled “Best Management Practices for Trapping Furbearers in the United States” in Wildlife Monographs. This new publication is a culmination of over two decades of scientific research – by far the largest trap testing study ever conducted. The article is a product of AFWA’s Furbearer Management and Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Trapping Program, a program created to improve animal welfare in U.S. trapping programs by identifying traps that achieve internationally acceptable injury thresholds while remaining efficient and safe, and promoting their use among trappers, researchers, and managers who use traps to capture wildlife.

“We are excited to see the largest trap research ever conducted published in this prestigious journal,” said Sara Parker Pauley, Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation and President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. “The Association is also pleased to see the program’s continuing dedication to address societal concerns of modern regulated trapping and furbearer management.” Read more

Now that you have your feeders stocked and ready for “winter finches” to appear, according to a new article that’s hot off the “electronic presses” of the American Birding Association (ABA), feeding stations in many areas are already experiencing some exciting visits by northern finches, such as Purple Finches, Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Grosbeaks, Red Crossbills, White-winged Crossbills, Hoary Redpolls, and Common Redpolls. Perhaps you are already hosting one or more of these species, as this winter’s “invasion” progresses.

Here is an update from the ABA: Birders in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada are reporting a banner year for irruptive boreal birds, including remarkable records and a “super-flight” of finches. Typically, only some of the irruptive finch species found in the East will undergo an irruption, but in super-flight years, the search for food drives representatives of all 8 species south, An enormous movement of northern finches was recorded from in late summer into fall at migration hotspots like the Tadoussac Bird Observatory in Quebec, Cape May in New Jersey, and Hawk Ridge in Duluth, Minnesota. By mid-fall, a Common Redpoll made it to Albuquerque, New Mexico; Evening Grosbeaks were spotted in the Florida Panhandle; Pine Siskins were reported in northern Mexico and into the Atlantic to Bermuda; and Hoary Redpolls visited Cleveland, Ohio.

These birds rely on the seed production (masting) cycles of trees in the core of their ranges. Entire populations of trees will synchronously produce millions seeds some years, but produce no seeds other years. Irruptive “finch” movements follow these seed cycles, but birders in the United States usually don’t see many finches in years when there is food in the boreal forest. Southward movements correspond with years of mast failure, when these birds must search for alternate foods, including seeds of ornamental plants and well-stocked bird feeders. The latter are particularly popular with Pine Siskins, Purple Finches, Evening Grosbeaks, and Common Redpolls. Read more

Project Snowstorm continues to provide exciting new information revealed by satellite telemetry that shows the movements of individual Snowy Owls. This includes a long-term study of a third-year female Snowy Owl referred to as ‘Stella’ that shows her movements from wintering areas to summer range in the high Arctic, including specific migration routes from 2018 through 2020. This fall, the updated map of her telemetry locations illustrates that this female Snowy began her migration south September 17 after spending the summer on King Edward Island, just north of continental Canada and west of the northern tip of Hudson Bay. After migrating almost directly south, last week her position was in the southeast corner of North Dakota, near the borders of Minnesota and South Dakota.

This interesting Snowy Owl spent the summers of 2018 and 2019 even farther north in Nunavut – on Victoria Island as a yearling in ’18, and on Lougheed Island as a second year bird in ’19 – not far from the North Pole! After taking a pretty straight line series of flights along the west side of Hudson Bay, it continued south through Manitoba, crossing the border into North Dakota November 24.

Where will “Stella” winter this winter? Although this owl migrated to the border between the Dakotas last winter too, for an unknown reason it doubled back north to spend the winter just north of the border in southwest Manitoba. In 2019, this owl wintered in northeast Montana, migrating through Saskatchewan during spring and fall. But to complicate the movement history of this individual Snowy Owl, she was originally observed and fitted with its transmitter in southern Ontario, adjacent to the state of New York. Read more

Winter finches are always a big hit with birders, and to take advantage of this winter’s promise of a big flight of northern finches, you want to be sure you have all the right stuff in your feeding station and yard. If the birds come through, species by species or in mixed flocks, you definitely want to be ready. Overall, we’re talking about such exciting birds as Pine Grosbeaks, Evening Grosbeaks, Red Crossbills, White-winged Crossbills, Purple Finches, Pine Siskins, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Hoary Redpolls and Common Redpolls.

For most of these birds, it’s relatively easy to stock your feeders with foods that will attract them like a magnet – if they make it to your neighborhood. But if one or more of these colorful species stops by, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to try to make them stay, by making your own little oasis with a gourmet table setting. Actually, it’s not gourmet at all, and you may already be providing all they right ingredients. But first of all, a bit of nomenclature discussion. Read more

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has launched a new community science project aimed at learning more about Florida’s skunk populations.

The Sunshine State is home to two species of skunks, the striped skunk and the smaller eastern spotted skunk. Both are thought to be found throughout the state and biologists are hoping to involve the public in collecting observations to learn more about the distribution of both species and the types of habitats in which they are found.

“There’s still a lot we don’t know about skunks in Florida,” said FWC Mammal Conservation Coordinator Terry Doonan. “By reporting skunk sightings, you could make a big difference. Your information will help inform future skunk research and habitat management practices.” Read more

Dec. 9 webinar to launch new platforms for industry, research

In a move that capitalizes on collective forestry knowledge and a commitment to smarter, sustainable use of natural resources, Finland and the states of Maine and Michigan are elevating a cooperative effort in bioeconomy and clean technologies. This week, the team will host a webinar to introduce the formation of working groups open to those in industry, research and governmental sectors.

Maine and Michigan, like Finland, are heavily wooded states with long traditions in the forest industry. All three see great opportunities in working together in the transition toward a modern, sustainable bioeconomy that supports growth while protecting long-term forest health. The cooperation provides many opportunities for companies and researchers on both sides of the Atlantic, and it’s an effort that is moving forward at a fast pace.

On Wednesday, Dec. 9, Finland, Maine and Michigan will host a webinar to launch working groups in key sectors of the bioeconomy. The aim for the working groups is to act as platforms for joint U.S.-Finland research, development and innovation projects. Read more

Outdoor recreationists, pilots, drone operators asked to avoid nesting areas

PHOENIX — Arizona’s bald eagles are back, and they will soon be preparing for the next generation of eagles at breeding sites statewide.

To assist with the state’s continued bald eagle population growth, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) encourages outdoor recreationists, aircraft pilots, drone operators and motorized paragliders to do their part by not disturbing the state’s 92 eagle breeding areas. To protect breeding attempts, some portions of public land and water areas will be temporarily closed to help these majestic animals and ensure even more young eagles take to the skies this spring.

“Arizona’s bald eagles are hard at work preparing their nest for what we hope will be a productive breeding season,” said Kenneth “Tuk” Jacobson, bald eagle management coordinator. “The birds nest, forage and roost at rivers and lakes that are also popular recreation spots. That’s why we must be vigilant to help protect the birds and ensure their populations statewide continue to flourish. That success wouldn’t be possible without the cooperation of outdoor recreationists who respect the closures during the breeding season.”

During the 2020 breeding season, 71 young hatched, and 55 reached the important milestone of their first flight, known as fledging. Read more