A Different Perspective on Spring Migration I have never seen a Yellow-billed Loon in full breeding plumage, which isn't surprising when you consider the range map below. Living in southcentral Alaska, and seeing other species of loons with some frequency, the Yellow-billed Loon piqued my interest. Ten years ago they were a candidate species for [...]
For those of us working and living in sagebrush country, the beauty of this place, its fragility, and its value might not seem like a hard or insignificant story to tell. Unfortunately, there are millions of people who don’t value this ecosystem as we do or even know about its existence. But sagebrush once covered [...]
Recently, the Upper Mississippi / Great Lakes Joint Venture (UMGL JV) announced the unveiling of their new and improved website. The website revision has been a work in progress over the past year for the JV, working closely with the company CryBaby Design. The fruits of these efforts are finally available to the public for [...]
"Alaska’s immense size, diverse habitats, and position at the terminus of several migratory flyways make it a critical region for breeding and migrating shorebirds. Seventy-seven species of shorebirds have been recorded in Alaska—over one-third of the world’s species." - From the Plan's Executive Summary About half of Alaska's breeding shorebirds are thought to be in [...]
Colorado is putting its best foot forward with boots on the ground for conservation. The Bird Conservancy of the Rockies is partnering with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Colorado Parks and Wildlife, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, USFWS-Partners for Fish & Wildlife, Ducks Unlimited, and the Intermountain West Joint Venture (IWJV) in the name of [...]
What drives landowner decisions to re-enroll in or exit the USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)? What happens on fields that are not re-enrolled in the program? A new study report brings together data from 700 survey responses, 3 focus groups in 3 states, 27 landowner interviews, and 3.5 months of observational field research to provide [...]
Hiding deep in the marsh, inaccessible to even the most dedicated birders and researchers, Black Rails have kept much of their ecology a secret for centuries. Now the species is facing alarming declines and solutions are urgently needed to stabilize the population. Given how little is known about the species and their habitat, the Atlantic [...]
For 32 years the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) has been a model of international conservation and a beacon of success for wildlife conservation practitioners and enthusiasts worldwide. As the mechanism that established joint ventures, the Plan focuses on waterfowl, their habitats, and the people who value them. Recently released, the 2018 Update remains [...]
By Amelia DuVall, Seabird and Habitat Restoration Ecologist, California Institute of Environmental Studies This article was originally published by the Sonoran Joint Venture and reposted with permission. Scripps’s Murrelets typically lay two-egg clutches. Chicks spend just two days in the nest before heading out to sea with parents (photo courtesy of Darrell Whitworth). On a [...]
Post by Lynn Fuller and originally published by Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture As a Habitat Joint Venture, Pacific Birds promotes habitat conservation and we often report on exciting new acquisitions, easements or restorations undertaken by our land trust partners. Recently we took a look at what is involved after that to ensure that conservation lands are preserved in [...]