Improved tracking for migratory birds
Sandhill cranes breed in the marshes and bogs of North America and northeastern Siberia. The Platte River at the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills is an important stopover for up to 450,000 of these birds during migration. (Photo by FortPhoto)
In our human world, we’ve become stewards to many animal species.
Among the most beloved are the migratory bird species that travel great distances across the globe.
Howell: Where do birds come from and where do they go? That’s a fundamental question that’s intrigued scientists and people from the beginning of time.
That’s Judd Howell, director of the U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Howell told Earth & Sky that bird tracking technology has come a long way. Once upon a time, satellite transmitters were so heavy that only big animals like polar bears could be fitted with them. The bears could be tracked to within several kilometers. Now, birds the size of geese or ducks can carry the transmitters on their global treks, and they can be tracked to within a few meters.
Howell: If we understand what their habitat needs are – a habitat is the place where an animal lives, it gets its food there and its shelter there and it reproduces there – if we can understand what those needs are and make sure that those needs are being met then you can be reasonably assured that you’ll be able to keep that species going in the wild.
Practical applications for humanity include monitoring where wild and domestic birds meet. Howell said one such program in China relates to the spread of avian flu.
Our thanks today to NOAA – the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Our thanks to:
Judd Howell
Director
USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
I lived my early life with robins in Michigan. Here in Florida, there are no native robins. But once a year, usually on George Washington’s birthday, our yard fills with robins on their way back north. The little carnivores love our lawn insects (and my precious night crawlers!), and our birdbath. One year, they got hold of some fermented berries from our palm trees, and made real fools of themselves for a while. Global warming doesn’t seem to have advanced their northward timetable at all. Perhaps it’s the angle of the sun or the length of days that triggers their trips.
We don’t see the robins in the fall, so their southward migration must be along a different path.
Maybe someone in Arizona sees them in November.
Ray
Hello Ray, I live at Walker Lake, Nevada, which is in west central Nevada, close to the California line. Our altitude is around 4300 feet and the winter temperatures range from 50—30 degrees during the day, and 10—20’s at night. The robins migrate here in the fall and hang around through spring, until the temperatures began to warm up. They sure bring cheer to the cold, bleak winter landscape. I love to watch them scurry around the yard, looking for food. They do make a mess at my fishpond, with their droppings all over the rocks! We are in the Great Basin, which is high desert. After I moved to this property, which is about ¾ an acre, I brought in plants that were drought tolerant and would adapt to the cold winters and hot, dry summers. My yard has been certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a habitat for wildlife, especially birds. The plants in my yard that provide food for the robins are: barberries, fruited mulberry trees, Virginia creeper vines, and various junipers. I plan on getting a Red Berry Mahonia plant, which is an evergreen that has berries in the fall. I introduced earthworms to the soil to improve conditions, so the robins have a feast with them.
To view my Backyard Habitat site, follow this link:
http://www.enature.com/backyardwildlife/nwf_bwh_showhabitat.asp?bwhid=51047
Bonnie
Hi, Bonnie!
Now I want to live in Nevada!! It’s not all gambling towns and deserts after all.
But seriously, the yard looks great. We, too, have a butterfly garden with purple sage and various other plants. Lots of monarchs! We may also add a pond to handle the flow from our rain gutter downspouts. No orioles or even hummers (my daughter in Jacksonville has hummers), but cardinals, blue jays, and many others live here year ‘round. Including peacocks. They are actually nuisance birds, but pretty. A huge blue heron visits occasionally, but unfortunately eats our snakes.
Thanks for the link.
Ray
Bonnie, I’m excited about your yard, too! I want to create a wildlife area in my yard …
When I was a kid in Texas (50+ years ago), I remember that we had lots of beautiful bright red cardinals and also blue jays in our suburban yard in the winter. Now we in Texas almost never see a cardinal or a jay … at least I don’t …
Thank you both!
Deborah
Deborah,
Our cardinals seem to be very territorial. We have only one couple a year, and occassionally we see some babies. I love to watch the husband feed his wife, who doesn’t like to sway on the bird feeder. I have read that they mate for life, and it’s a heart-warming sight.
During some parts of the year, she attacks her image in our north window very persistently. Possibly a sign of territorial behavior. Maybe she’s about to nest.
The blue jays, on the other hand, are more like a motorcycle gang.
Ray
Deborah,
I live in the same city as you and have a very active backyard with a variety of birds. I regularly see robins, blue jays, blue birds, cardinals, titmouses, woodpeckers, grackles, doves, falcons, humming birds, etc. I even hear an owl from time to time. There are several feeders in my yard and I scatter the ground with bird feed daily. Maybe the birds are just waiting to discover your yard with a hearty meal provided while on their tour.
Saw a cardinal this morning! In fact, he’s been hanging around lately, and we see him on our morning walks …