The Need for the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act

Washington D.C. )- Wednesday, the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) published the State of the Birds 2022 Report, highlighting two important trends and revealing an important message. The report reveals that birds are declining overall in every habitat except in wetlands, where decades of investment have resulted in dramatic gains. Comebacks of waterfowl show the power of dedicated conservation funding and policy investments. Passage of proactive conservation legislation, such as the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, is essential to reverse this trend and bring birds back.

“Over 3 billion birds have been lost since 1970- more than a quarter of our birds in the U.S. and Canada. These dramatic bird losses demonstrate the urgent need for increased funding for their conservation,” said Curt Melcher, Director of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. “The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act is a solution to this critical problem.”

Findings included in the report:

• More than half of U.S. bird species are declining.
• U.S. grassland birds are among the fastest declining with a 34% loss since 1970.
• Waterbirds and ducks in the U.S. have increased by 18% and 34% respectively during the same period.
• 70 newly identified Tipping Point species have each lost 50% or more of their populations in the past 50 years, and are on a track to lose another half in the next 50 years if nothing changes. They include beloved gems such as Rufous Hummingbirds, songsters such as Golden-winged Warblers, and oceanic travelers such as Black-footed Albatrosses.

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Bozeman, Montana – The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) has allocated over $1.22 million in conservation grants, most of which will be used to capture, test, GPS collar, and release nearly 600 wild sheep for its fiscal year 2022-23. Some of these captured sheep will be translocated to new habitats.

“We’re upping the game,” said Gray N. Thornton, President and CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation. “Active management is the only way to put and keep more wild sheep on the mountain. With the threat of disease transmission, abundant predators, and low natural reproductive rates, there is too much stacked against our wild sheep to let the chips fall where they may.”

Between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, wild sheep projects in eight states and provinces will take place with several objectives, all aimed at maintaining the health of current populations and, where possible, moving surplus animals to augment struggling herds. One project is a three-state initiative in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington that will capture and sample 275 sheep.

“This is a multi-year, multi-jurisdictional adaptive management project to investigate further “test and remove” as a strategy to clear M.ovi from bighorn sheep populations,” explained Kevin Hurley, WSF’s VP of Conservation. In winter 2021-22, 249 bighorns in four populations were captured and tested in this tri-state project; during winter 2022-23, 275 sheep in seven populations will be tested.

M.ovi is a deadly respiratory pathogen inflicting wild sheep transferred by animal-to-animal contact with domestic sheep or other infected bighorns. Those wild sheep testing positive for the pathogen are often pro-actively euthanized. Read more

Watch for Evening Grosbeaks at feeders along our border states and from southern Ontario to Nova Scotia this fall.

Pine Siskins are fairly common feeder visitors that prefer thistle seeds provided in a tube feeder.

Birders are excited to learn that this fall and winter will produce an active finch migration south, which has actually already begun. The new Finch Forecast describes in impressive detail the species by species potential of seeing such exciting finches as Pine Grosbeaks and Evening Grosbeaks, White-winged Crossbills and Red Crossbills, Purple Finches, Pine Siskins, Common Redpolls, along with popular non-finches such as Red-breasted Nuthatches, Blue Jays, and Bohemian Waxwings. Many should push southward from northern forests to grace backyard feeders and wooded neighborhood settings in southern provinces and northern states soon.

The best information available about migrating finches and selected other boreal birds is provided each fall by the Finch Research Network, produced by Tyler Hoar as the annual Winter Finch Forecast. After considerable research and consultation with biologists and birders across Canada and the northern United States including Alaska, Tyler creates an exciting description of what we can expect, and here we share some of the highlights of his Winter Finch Forecast.

From eastern North America west to northwest Ontario and the Upper Midwest States, there should be a good flight year for several species. In eastern North America, there is good food production along the coastal areas of the Maritime Provinces south into New England, which should hold many finches this fall and winter. Inland from this region to habitat west of Lake Superior, pine cone and berry production is generally poor, with scattered pockets of good production. Read more

Feather River, Middle Fork, on Plumas National Forest in California. National forests supply drinking water to almost 90% of the people served by public surface water systems in the West. (USDA Forest Service photo by Tim Palmer.)

Location, Date – Access to high-quality water will be a defining feature of the 21st century. Record heat waves and drought are not only leading to more frequent and intense wildfires but are also putting one of life’s most valuable resources at risk: the water we drink.

A new Forest Service research report describes how extensively public drinking water systems rely on national forests and grasslands. Read more

AMES, Iowa — Iowa has been steadily adding new habitat for monarch butterflies over the past couple of years. The Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium recently released its Monarch Conservation Effort Report, which offers a snapshot of monarch habitat establishment through 2020 in all 99 counties across the state.

“This report demonstrates the significant impact so far from the combined efforts of the consortium’s broad membership and partners to engage Iowans about monarch butterflies and their importance to Iowa. Its release also underscores the need for continued education, habitat creation and conservation efforts by all stakeholders,” said Daniel J. Robison, holder of the endowed dean’s chair in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University.

The report summarizes the program goals, methodology and habitat acres established through 2020. The data show that over the past six years, more than 430,000 acres of monarch butterfly habitat has been established in the state. The habitat acres already established are over halfway to the consortium strategy’s low-end goal of 790,000 by 2038. Read more

(HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA, October 3, 2022) – WOOX, producer of premium gear for the great outdoorsman, is excited to announce the new Solo axe for hunters, campers and explorers desiring an elegant multi-purpose implement that can withstand the rigors of backcountry adventuring.

The 8.5” wide tempered carbon steel (C45/1045) slip-fit head has two cutting edges, the primary edge measuring 3.5 inches. The opposing side of the head is an adze, proficient in fine point-work and digging tasks. The handle of Appalachian Hickory and available in Brown or Black, each with detailed checkering for a superior grip, measures 19 inches. The Solo weighs 1.85 pounds and every axe includes a genuine Italian leather sheath.

“The Solo is designed in concert with renowned axe maker Benjamin Bouchard specifically for those who make their own path, oftentimes finding themselves alone enjoying a personal experience in the outdoors,” said Danilo Minello, CEO of WOOX. “The dual cutting edges and mattock make the Solo a true multi-tool for those conscientious of the weight they carry and getting every bit of use from that gear.” Read more

An illustration of the 7 feather types – wing, down, tail, contour, semiplume, bristle, and filoplume.

A Red-headed Woodpecker in flight shows black primary wing feathers and white secondary wing feathers; contour feathers cover its body, and its tail feathers are specially adapted to provide support against tree trunks, branches, and other perches (photo by Paul Konrad).

If you are like us, you’ve probably been finding feathers in your yard the past month or so, and we’re betting it’s made you more curious about feathers. You’ve probably also seen some birds with missing feathers – tail feathers are often most obvious, wing feathers too. So much of what makes birds attractive to us is connected to their feathers. Feather colors and shapes catch our attention, and allow us to identify different species, sexes, and ages of birds.

Birds’ ability to fly captures everyone’s attention, and feathers help birds withstand a variety of weather and water conditions, which makes feathers an important part of the maintenance of birds’ physiology. With that in mind, we thought it would be interesting to share an introduction to the topic of feathers and molting, with a more expansive lesson link available for you to study more about feathers any time you wish.

Now, the Bird Academy’s “feather lesson” is expansive and Free, provided online to include information you can download along with a variety of videos to help visualize the diversity of information provided. Here, we provide a sampling of information that should whet your interest in learning more about feathers, plumage, and molting – so important to the life and survival of birds.

– Each feather on a bird’s body is a finely tuned structure that serves an important role in the bird’s activities. Feathers rarely act independently, usually overlap, and work together in a variety of ways that allow birds to fly, keep warm, keep dry, help them communicate, and often help them blend in with their surroundings.

– There are 7 types of feathers: Read more

Michigan is host to plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities, but one species stands tall: The elk. Fall is the best time to catch a glimpse of one of Michigan’s most sought-after viewing experiences.

Elk are massive animals that dwell within the rolling hills and hardwoods of northeast Michigan. Despite weighing between 400 and 900 pounds and standing 5 feet tall at the shoulder, they can be quite elusive throughout much of the year. However, during the fall breeding season, elk are more active while competing for mates. Elk congregate in open fields and bugle loudly this time of year, making for the perfect opportunity to view (and hear!) the wild herd.

The herd can be found only in areas throughout Otsego, Montmorency, Presque Isle and Cheboygan counties. For good locations to spot these stunning animals, there are 13 viewing areas accessible by road throughout the Pigeon River Country State Forest near Gaylord. Road conditions are variable depending on the weather.

When planning your visit, keep in mind that elk gather in forest openings at dawn and dusk to feed and socialize. It is best to arrive just before sunrise or sunset and make sure to listen carefully for males’ bugling. Bring your binoculars, spotting scope or camera for close-up viewing while remaining a safe distance away.

Visit the DNR wildlife viewing page to learn more about this unique Michigan tradition and where to do it.

Questions? Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453.