The sound of a colony of singing

Tricolored Blackbirds - likened to cats

fighting - and the endless activity on a

cliff of nesting seabirds belies the

vulnerability of colonial birds to myriad

natural and human-related threats. The

latter include introduced predators and

competitors; disturbance to nesting,

feeding or resting areas; loss and

degradation of habitat; and fishery

conflicts. Fortunately, people can easily

reduce these threats by their actions and

choices.

Fight the Invasion

Alien species are those that have been

accidentally or intentionally introduced

into habitats where they are not native.

They are termed "invasive" if they cause

ecological harm, such as resulting in

habitat alteration and degradation, outcompeting or directly harming native

species. Birds gathered in colonies can

be especially vulnerable to invasive

species. Introduced species that prey on

birds, such as rats, cats, and foxes, or

that compete with birds for nesting sites

and food, such as House Sparrows and

Starlings, can depress or even eliminate

populations. Herbivores, such as goats,

and exotic plants can degrade habitat

quality or even eliminate use of sites by

colonial birds. Even insects, such as fire

ants, can kill nesting birds. Others

serve as disease vectors.

Help reduce the impacts of invasive

species:

ï Never release unwanted animals to the

wild, and keep pets under control.

ï Drain water and remove any aquatic

weeds or other hitchhikers on your boat,

diving gear, jet skis, trailers, floatplanes

or other equipment before leaving an

area.

Conserving Colonial Birds

- At Home and Away

ï Use native plants in landscaping.

ï Teach yourself and your children about

the richness of living systems and how

the reduction or removal of invasive

species is necessary to preserve

biological diversity and natural systems.

ï Participate in community groups

designed to restore habitat or to survey,

remove and report sightings of invasive

species.

Learn more at

http://www.invasivespecies.gov/

Do Not Disturb

It is possible for many birds to become

accustomed to human activities, and

some colonies thrive in areas of high

human populations. However, all birds

require "comfort zones" for nesting,

feeding or resting, and intrusion into this

space can threaten the birds' health and

survival. Disturbance at colonies can

have serious results. For example, when

wading birds are frightened from their

large open nests, eggs and chicks may be

scattered and left exposed to the

elements and predators. If disturbed

frequently, adults may abandon breeding

altogether, and the whole colony may

fail. Disturbance can have similar

effects on beach-nesting colonial birds.

On the open sand, exposed eggs and

chicks are subject to intense heat by day

and cold at night. Furthermore, their

coloration makes them practically

invisible on the ground, and people may

walk or drive over them unintentionally.

You can help reduce the harmful effects

of disturbance:

ï Keep your distance from wildlife on

land and on water. Your presence may

keep birds from feeding, resting or

returning to their nests.

International

Migratory Bird

Day (IMBD),

held annually

on the second

Saturday in

May, is an

invitation to

celebrate and

support

migratory bird

conservation.

IMBD Information

web - http://birds.fws.gov/imbd

phone - 703/358-2318

IMBD Materials

web - http://www.BirdDay.org

phone - 1-866/334-3330

February 2004
If your property contains wetlands:

ï Explore alternatives to draining or

filling as means of bringing lands into

production: waterfowl habitat; hay,

forage or wild rice crops; hunting and

trapping leases; and selective timber

harvest.

ï Select upland rather than wetlands

sites for development projects and avoid

wetland alteration or degradation during

project construction.

ï Maintain wetlands and adjacent buffer

strips as open space; there are easement

programs that subsidize these choices.

Learn more at http://www.epa.gov/owow/

wetlands/vital/protection.html

Clean Up Our Act

Colonial birds' dependence on aquatic

habitats makes them to susceptible to

habitat degradation as well as loss.

Pesticides, fertilizers, metals, and

industrial chemicals have added large

nutrient and toxic burdens to freshwater

and coastal wetlands and open oceans.

These contaminants can poison birds

directly or damage the food chains upon

which they rely. Oil is a major

environmental threat: birds affected

annually by spills can number in the

hundreds of thousands in some areas.

Solid waste is also a problem. Colonial

birds, particularly seabirds, ingest

plastics and other artificial debris as a

natural consequence of foraging. They

are also caught in discarded fishing line,

nets and other wastes.

You can help reduce the effects of

pollution on colonial birds:

ï Be a careful user of pesticides,

following application and disposal

instructions carefully, reducing use, and

finding non-toxic or low-impact

substitutes.

ï Produce less waste: Reduce, reuse

and recycle. Look for alternative

materials or avoid excessive packaging

when deciding on purchases.

ï Participate in beach, river and stream

cleanups and monitoring programs.

ï If you fish, carefully dispose of lines,

nets, and hooks. Take the time to

recover miscast or snagged lines. Do not

encourage birds to loiter near fishing spots

by feeding them bait or fish wastes.

ï Do not intentionally force birds to fly,

e.g., while walking the shoreline.

ï Please steer your boats, kayaks, jet

skis, away from shore; this will minimize

habitat damage as well.

ï Keep pets leashed.

ï Honor the signs posted to restrict

entry into nesting areas.

ï Spread the word, sharing your

knowledge about the harmful effects of

disturbance.

Learn more at http://myfwc.com/

viewing/info/disturbance.htm and

http://www.ammpa.org/

Protect Habitat

Most colonial birds live near water, and

these birds' dependence on aquatic

habitats such as river and stream

corridors, wooded swamps, barrier

islands, and coastal estuaries makes

them especially vulnerable to the

numerous threats facing water and

wetland resources globally. As rivers

are altered and wetlands drained and

filled, colonial birds lose places to feed

and nest. The loss and degradation of

coastal wetlands, subject to the greatest

rates of human population growth,

development and associated disturbance,

are especially damaging, since colonial

birds are concentrated on coasts.

You can help protect wetland habitats:

ï Get involved. Find out where wetlands

exist near your home, try to learn more

about them, and support educational and

restoration efforts.

ï Support wetlands and watershed

protection initiatives by public agencies

and private organizations.

ï Purchase federal duck stamps from

your local post office to support wetland

acquisition.

ï Participate in the Clean Water Act

Section 404 program and state

regulatory programs by reviewing public

notices and, in appropriate cases,

commenting on permit applications.

ï Encourage neighbors, developers, and

state and local governments to protect

the function and value of wetlands in

your watershed.

ï Practice good housekeeping. Dispose

of trash and fluids (e.g., motor oil)

properly. This will help reduce the

amount of pollution that is washed into

our waterways from storm drains.

ï Do not release balloons into the

environment and cut the rings of plastic

six-pack holders.

ï Educate others about the harmful

effects of pollution on wildlife.

Learn more at

www.oceanconservancy.com and http://

www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/debris/

Careful Consumer Choices

Great numbers of ocean-feeding colonial

birds (seabirds) are incidentally caught

and killed by longlines, gillnets, and

other gear used in fisheries around the

world (an occurrence called incidental

catch or bycatch). Fisheries can also

have indirect negative effects on seabird

populations, by reducing the availability

of prey or altering the sea bottom

habitat.

By being selective about the fish we buy,

we can influence fishery practices,

reducing the deaths of seabirds and

many other marine animals. Based on

information about fish populations,

fishing techniques, aquaculture impacts,

and bycatch, Monterey Bay Aquarium

produces a consumer's guide to seafood,

categorizing seafood into "Best Choices,"

"Caution" and "Avoid."

Learn more about responsible seafood

choices at http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/

seafoodwatch.asp.

One of the more memorable ways to

contribute to colonial bird

conservation is to volunteer in

monitoring, research and

stewardship programs involving

these birds. The American Birding

Association compiles a directory of

volunteer opportunities for birds.

Programs range from monitoring

local Purple Martins to three-month

studies of seabirds on remote

Central Pacific Islands. Learn

more at http://

www.americanbirding.org/opps/

index.html.