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  3. Group Forums

    1. Sampling Techniques Trapping

      Share trapping techniques that have been most successful for various bird species. 

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    2. Sampling Techniques Transmitter attachment

      Use this thread to discuss newest methods for transmitter attachment. Materials and methods that are tried and true for different species

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    3. Sampling Techniques Blood/Fecal sampling procedures and labs

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    4. R Ornithology Packages

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    6. R Ornithology Mapping/Spatial Analysis

      Creating maps and doing spatial analysis in R. Replacing arcGIS with R.

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      This forum provides support for those using RFID technology to study animal movement and behavior

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  • Posts

    • The Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Enhancements Act (H.R.4389) has been advanced by the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee. The bill, which was introduced in June, would reauthorize the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Grants Program for the next five years and would lower the cost share ratio to two to one, with the goal of making the NMBCA’s competitive grants more accessible to smaller conservation organizations. As introduced, the Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Enhancements Act would have increased the annual funding that is authorized for the program from $6.5 million to $10 million. The committee, however, amended the bill before passing it out of committee, keeping the annual authorized funding at the current level of $6.5 million. The Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Enhancements Act now goes to the House floor for a vote.  The Bill was also introduced during the previous Congress.  Read more about the bill from American Bird Conservancy (and learn how to encourage your Member of Congress to vote for its passage on the floor!). 
    • The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released the 2009-2019 Wetlands Status and Trends national report, the 6th in a series of congressionally mandated reports spanning nearly 70 years. This latest report provides scientific estimates of wetland area in the conterminous United States, as well as changes in area between 2009 and 2019. It also discusses drivers of wetland change and recommendations to reduce future wetland loss.  The report documents a substantial loss and alteration of wetlands between 2009 and 2019. Net loss of wetlands increased more than 50% since the previous study. Overall, 221,000 acres of wetlands (primarily upland) were lost during the report period. As of 2019, wetlands cover less than 6 percent of the conterminous United States, half the area they covered since the 1780s. The report notes that, “up to half of North American bird species and ~80% of protected birds depend on wetlands.” It calls for a strategic adjustment to achieve no net loss of wetlands. Read the report here and the press release from the USFWS below. ***** USFWS Press Release Continued Decline of Wetlands Documented in New U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report: More than half of wetlands in the lower 48 states are gone, and losses continue, mostly in the Southeast, Great Lakes and Prairie Pothole regions. Mar 22, 2024 WASHINGTON — A new report released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reveals wetlands – 95 percent of which are freshwater — covered less than 6 percent of the lower 48 states as of 2019 – which is half the area they covered since the 1780s. The report also identifies that loss rates have increased by 50 percent since 2009 and that without additional conservation actions taken to protect these ecosystems, wetland loss will likely continue, reducing ecosystem benefits for people and habitat for fish, wildlife and plants.  This sixth edition of the national “Wetlands Status and Trends” report to Congress measured wetland change from 2009 to 2019 and builds on data from a series of reports spanning 70 years, highlighting the importance of wetlands.  “The reasons for these losses are multiple, but the results are clear – wetland loss leads to the reduced health, safety and prosperity of all Americans,” said Martha Williams, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “This report serves as a call to action to stop and reverse wetland loss and ensure we continue to provide future generations with clean water, protection against natural disasters, and resilience to climate change and sea level rise, as well as habitat for many plants and animals.”  The report shows wetland loss has disproportionately impacted vegetated wetlands like marshes and swamps. The rapid disappearance of vegetated wetlands between 2009 and 2019 has resulted in a loss of 670,000 acres, an area approximately equal to the land area of Rhode Island. Declines in vegetated wetlands primarily occurred in the Southeast, Great Lakes, and Prairie Pothole regions. Decreases were particularly prevalent in the coastal watersheds of the Carolinas, the Delmarva Peninsula, Florida, Louisiana and Texas, as well as near the Mississippi and Mobile rivers. The main drivers of wetland loss have shifted over time. In the mid-1900s, loss was primarily caused by drainage and fill associated with agriculture. During the 2009 through 2019 study period, loss was associated with development, upland planted forest, and agriculture. However, other drivers also likely contributed to the loss, including climate change and sea level rise, especially along the coasts. To achieve no net loss of all wetlands, including vegetated wetlands, the report concludes that a strategic update is needed to America’s approach to wetland conservation. Conserving and restoring vegetated wetlands will be critical to addressing climate change and threats to biodiversity. Wetlands are one of the most productive and biodiverse habitats, with 40 percent of all plant and animal species living or breeding in wetlands. Threatened and endangered species are no exception, with approximately half of all Endangered Species Act species in the United States being wetland dependent. Wetlands provide stopover and wintering habitats for more than 4 billion birds from Canada as well as breeding habitats for nearly five billion migratory birds en route to the tropics. Wetlands also provide shelter and vital nursery habitat for many species of fish and are an important source of cultural resources for communities and many Native American Tribes. Positioned at the transition between dry land and deepwater systems, wetlands are characterized by unique biological, chemical and hydrological conditions. Wetlands provide a multitude of ecological, economic and social benefits, as well as habitat for fish, wildlife and a variety of plants. Wetlands hold and slowly release flood water and snow melt, buffer against coastal storms, recharge groundwater, act as filters to cleanse water of impurities, recycle nutrients and provide recreational opportunities for millions of people. Wetlands are also nurseries for many salt and freshwater fishes and shellfish of commercial and recreational importance. The Service uses funding sources like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to invest in conservation efforts to combat climate change and restore ecosystems that will provide long-lasting benefits to the American people. Within the Service and many other federal agencies, the Wetlands Status and Trends reports guide the funding, planning and implementation of wetland protection, restoration and enhancement, habitat assessments, strategic habitat conservation, and ecosystem management activities. To read the report, visit https://www.fws.gov/project/2019-wetlands-status-and-trends-report For related images, visit https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq/albums/72177720314317155 ***** About the Ornithological Council The Ornithological Council is a consortium of scientific societies of ornithologists; these societies span the Western Hemisphere and the research conducted by their members spans the globe. Their cumulative expertise comprises the knowledge that is fundamental and essential to science-based bird conservation and management.  The Ornithological Council is financially supported by our member societies and the individual ornithologists who value our work. If the OC’s resources are valuable to you, please consider joining one of our member societies or donating directly at Birdnet.org. Thank you for your support!
    • Thank you, Leah.  I have found and purchased David Stewart's MP3 collection of some 725 species of Australian birds for Android phones (on the Google Play Store app).  It looks (and sounds!) very good and will serve my purposes very nicely. All the best, Ken
    • A bill recently introduced in the U.S. House would provide funding to states for wildlife management and conservation. The America's Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act, would provide $300 million annually for five years, offset by rescinding $1.4 billion in unspent funds, with a focus on state-led conservation efforts. It would also amend some provisions of the Endangered Species Act. The House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the America's Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act, earlier this week. View the recording and read witness statements here.  A representative of the National Audubon Society testified at the hearing, stressing the importance of permanent and dedicated funding for wildlife management and conservation. The bill is similar to the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, landmark legislation that would provide permanent, reliable funding to states and tribes to assist in their efforts to conserve, restore. A key different is that funding from the Recovering America's Wildlife Act would be permanent and dedicated funding. RAWA would amend the Pittman-Robertson Act and provide an additional $1.3 billion per year for states and territories and $97.5 million per year for tribes, allowing them to implement state and tribal wildlife action plans which designed to conserve over 12,000 species of the greatest conservation need.  Currently, Pittman-Robertson program collects about $1 billion a year from excise taxes on sporting goods and related products and distributes it to states. That funding mechanism would remain unchanged by RAWA. RAWA, first introduced in 2016, was passed by the House of Representatives last year and has bipartisan support in the Senate as well, but lawmakers could not decide how to pay for the bill, preventing its passage. About the Ornithological Council The Ornithological Council is a consortium of scientific societies of ornithologists; these societies span the Western Hemisphere and the research conducted by their members spans the globe. Their cumulative expertise comprises the knowledge that is fundamental and essential to science-based bird conservation and management.  The Ornithological Council is financially supported by our member societies and the individual ornithologists who value our work. If the OC’s resources are valuable to you, please consider joining one of our member societies or donating directly at Birdnet.org. Thank you for your support!
    • The Biden Administration has released its budget request for Fiscal Year 2025, which begins on October 1. This proposed budget provides a starting point for the annual federal budget process; actual appropriations are determined by Congress and included in the annual appropriations bills. (Despite the fact that the current fiscal year is half over, Congress is still in the process of finalizing this year’s appropriations.) The administration’s budget request for FY 2025 includes increases for most programs involving bird conservation, research, and management. Under the request, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed budget would include an increase of $113 million above the 2023 enacted level (which is also $163 million above the FY 2024 continuing resolution). The USFWS Migratory Bird Management Program would receive $73.1 million under the request, $19.2 million more than the appropriated amount from FY 2023 enacted amount (and $19.8 million above FY 2024 CR). This would include $8 million to support staff handling migratory bird permitting in the USFWS regional offices. The request would also consolidate funding for the ePermits system into one line item, and includes an additional $6 million for system development activities. The USFWS budget request also includes a $60.8 million increase for the National Wildlife Refuge System, as well as $338.2 million for the Ecological Services program to support conservation of species listed under the Endangered Species Act. While most USFWS programs would see an increase, some grant programs would see reduced funding. For the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund, the 2025 budget request is $33.0 million, $17.0 million less than the FY 2024 level. The FY 2025 USGS budget request is $1.6 billion, an increase of $81.1 million above FY 2024, and includes $326.1 million for the ecosystems programs ($18.9 million above FY 2024). The USGS Cooperative Research Units are funded at $29.8 million, $1.6 million above FY 2024. Learn more about the FY2025 budget request - Read the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service press release. Read the USFWS FY25 Budget Highlights.  Read the USFWS FY25 Budget Justification.  Read the Department of the Interior’s press release here and DOI Budget in Brief for FY2025 here.   About the Ornithological Council The Ornithological Council is a consortium of scientific societies of ornithologists; these societies span the Western Hemisphere and the research conducted by their members spans the globe. Their cumulative expertise comprises the knowledge that is fundamental and essential to science-based bird conservation and management.  The Ornithological Council is financially supported by our member societies and the individual ornithologists who value our work. If the OC’s resources are valuable to you, please consider joining one of our member societies or donating directly at Birdnet.org. Thank you for your support!
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