Beloved songbird no longer needs Endangered Species Act protection

Partners celebrate successful recovery of beloved songbird

Bird enthusiasts from around the world travel to northern Michigan in hopes of catching sight of a Kirtland’s warbler, a small songbird once poised on the brink of extinction. Now the species is thriving thanks to decades of effort by a diverse group of dedicated partners. Due to the species’ remarkable recovery, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that it no longer warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

“The effort to recover the Kirtland’s warbler is a shining example of what it takes to save imperiled species,” said Margaret Everson, Principal Deputy Director of the Service. “Truly dedicated partners have worked together for decades to recover this songbird. I thank them for their efforts and applaud this historic conservation success.”

“The Kirtland’s warbler was one of the first species in the United States to be put on the federal list of endangered and threatened species, and today’s action by the U.S. Department of the Interior marks the latest chapter in a remarkable wildlife success story,” said Michigan Department of Natural Resources Director Dan Eichinger. “The bird’s recovery provides dramatic testimony to what conservation organizations, governments and businesses can accomplish when they come together for the good of the resource. We are grateful for the partnership of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service in this effort. I sincerely believe conservation is a team sport, and today’s announcement is a big win for natural resources in Michigan and for all those involved.” Read more

FWC Python Action Team removes 900th snake, captures record python from Big Cypress National Preserve

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Python Action Team has now removed 900 Burmese pythons from the wild in Florida, including a large 18 foot, 4 inch long female python – the largest ever captured by the team.

FWC PAT members Cynthia Downer and Jonathan Lopez captured the large adult female python weighing 98 pounds, 10 ounces, on Sept. 22 at Big Cypress National Preserve. In addition to being the largest snake ever captured by the PAT team, it is also the largest ever captured in Big Cypress. The snake is also the second-largest python ever caught in the wild in Florida, only 4 inches shorter than the longest wild python ever captured in Florida. Capturing large adult females is critical because it prevents them from potentially adding an average of 30 to 60 hatchlings to the population each time they breed. Read more

NOTE: The following was sent by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Data show that since 1970, the U.S. and Canada have lost nearly 3 billion birds, a massive reduction in abundance involving hundreds of species, from beloved backyard songbirds to long-distance migrants.

September 20, 2019—A study published yesterday in the journal Science reveals that since 1970, bird populations in the United States and Canada have declined by 29 percent, or almost 3 billion birds, signaling a widespread ecological crisis. The results show tremendous losses across diverse groups of birds and habitats—from iconic songsters such as meadowlarks to long-distance migrants such as swallows and backyard birds including sparrows.

“Multiple, independent lines of evidence show a massive reduction in the abundance of birds,” said Ken Rosenberg, the study’s lead author and a senior scientist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and American Bird Conservancy. “We expected to see continuing declines of threatened species. But for the first time, the results also showed pervasive losses among common birds across all habitats, including backyard birds.”

The study notes that birds are indicators of environmental health, signaling that natural systems across the U.S. and Canada are now being so severely impacted by human activities that they no longer support the same robust wildlife populations.

The findings show that of nearly 3 billion birds lost, 90 percent belong to 12 bird families, including sparrows, warblers, finches, and swallows—common, widespread species that play influential roles in food webs and ecosystem functioning, from seed dispersal to pest control. Read more

The fourth loop of the DTE Energy Foundation Trail opened last month in southeast Michigan. The single-track, cutting-edge trail is designed for mountain bikers, but open to runners, cross-country skiers and hikers too.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is applying herbicide treatments over the next few weeks at sites across the northern Lower Peninsula.

The spraying, which will be done from the ground as well as by helicopter, will affect only a very small percentage of state-managed land. The herbicide helps provide favorable conditions for red pine tree plantings by discouraging the growth of other plants.

Spraying already has occurred or will occur in the following counties: Benzie, Clare, Crawford, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Manistee, Missaukee, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Otsego, Roscommon and Wexford. Read more

Biologists from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ cougar team confirmed this week the 40th cougar report in Michigan since 2008.

“This latest cougar confirmation came from a trail camera set up on public land in Delta County,” said Cody Norton, large-carnivore specialist with the DNR’s bear and wolf program.

The trail camera photo was taken at 8:55 p.m. Aug. 17. A black-and-white image from the camera shows a cougar heading away from the camera into a stand of cedar trees.

Norton visited the area and, with the help of members of the cougar team, substantiated the report. Read more