Gulf Crossings

Ivory-billed Woodpecker in Texas?

The Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, with a grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, is leading the search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in Texas this winter (check the GCBO website to read the "chronicles" of last year's initial efforts by John Arvin, GCBO's Research Coordinator).  Most have heard of the still-controversial rediscovery of this long thought-to-be-extinct woodpecker in Arkansas in 2004.  Here we'll give some insight into the overall effort, and how the work is done.

There is an overall umbrella organization comprised of researchers, conservationists, woodpecker experts, and ornithologists which is coordinating the search for this majestic bird throughout the southeastern U.S.  This "team" meets regularly via conference calls and in-person sessions to hammer out the strategy for the search for definitive proof of the Ivory-bill's existence.  Currently, there are teams of scientists and volunteers from this organization working in eight southeastern states - TX, LA, MS, AL, FL, SC, NC, and AR.  There is a separate Ivory-billed Recovery Team, composed of many of the same people, whose responsibility it is to plan for the ongoing management of the species if and when its presence is documented.

Contrary to what most people think, the search for the Ivory-bill does not consist of a bunch of birders scouring the woods for days on end in hopes of glimpsing the bird.  There is an established, fairly complex methodology that each search team must follow.  Part of that methodology involves the random selection of 2 sq. km plots of suitable habitat, which must be searched for 4 hours at least 3 times.  Of course, still and video cameras and sound recorders will be the primary means for documentation.  The teams are also resourceful - an ornithologist has demonstrated that the distinctive double-rap sound the bird makes can be imitated closely by two drumsticks of a certain thickness.  John has a pair.

In Texas, the search is centered around remaining bottomland hardwood forests along the Trinity, Neches, and Sabine Rivers in southeastern Texas.  Historically, this was the westernmost occurrence of the species.  John Arvin has a team of three paid biologists (along with assorted volunteers) to conduct the work between Nov. 1, 2006 and March 31, 2007.  As I write this, the lead biologist is finalizing the plan for the application of the methodology in the Big Thicket, the name for this area in southeast Texas.  The actual searching will begin in a matter of days.  Unfortunately, there is no concrete funding for this search beyond March - we hope that Congress approves more money, or that generous donors step up and help. 

Be sure to check the GCBO website periodically for John's chronicle updates.  And we'll post again here with updates from the field.

Bill and John

How important is this habitat?

One of the main objectives of the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, and many other conservation organizations, is the preservation of critical wildlife habitat. In our case, we concentrate on bird migration stopover habitat around the Gulf of Mexico. There is some confusion in the conservation community about the value of this land (although the science is not in question) - the concept of "bang for the buck". If you have $50,000 to spend on land, should you buy 50 acres of woods 200 miles inland, or a 0.25 acre wooded lot on the coast, or on a barrier island along the coast?

Most ornithologists realize that many nearctic-neotropical migrants cross the Gulf of Mexico during spring migration on their way to their breeding grounds in North America. This journey is the most perilous part of a bird's life cycle. Migrants try to time their departure from the Yucatan, Caribbean, or Central America to correspond with strong southerly winds. However, occasionally birds encounter storms over the Gulf, and look for the first place on the coast to make landfall. Birders know this phenomenon as a "fallout". Birds can fallout anywhere, especially if they are weak, or the weather is bad enough. The best case is a wooded area, which provides cover, water, and food, so the birds can rest, refuel, and avoid predators while they ready themselves for the rest of their trip north. These wooded areas are referred to as "fire escapes" by ornithologists. The value of this habitat for migrants is incalculable.

Back to land protection. Most foundation boards and funding agencies will balk at giving big money for that 0.25 acre lot on Dauphin Island, Alabama, which is coveted by developers to build someone a summer home. It's an uphill battle for us - there's not much of that habitat left. It's brought home even further when you've seen 500 dead Swainson's Warblers on a Louisiana beach after a storm.

GCBO currently is submitting two grants to purchase two quarter-acre lots on Dauphin Island, and a 50x100 ft. on Grand Isle, Louisiana. The total needed for this little over a half acre of land is $123,000. It's an uphill battle. But it's continued presence as wood lots will help save hundreds of thousands of migrants each year. Wish us luck.

Bill

I and the Bird

If you love birds (which you do, or you wouldn't be here), you should check out "I and the Bird", the blog carnival about birds.  A blog carnival is when someone takes the time to find really good blog posts on a given topic, and then puts all those posts together in a blog post called a "carnival".  Mike at 10,000 Birds is the source for everything "I and the Bird" - for more info, check this page on his blog.  You can look for GCBO to participate in "I and the Bird" soon.  There are thousands of blog carnivals on the web.  You can find a list here.

Bill

Welcome to GCBO's Blog

The Gulf Coast Bird Observatory now has a blog, where we will post happenings, thoughts, and information on the birds of the Gulf Coast.  Cecilia, Bill, Carol, and John will be sharing their ideas, interesting conservation work, research, and public events.  We are involved in a lot of interesting projects that we'll tell you about, and you can comment or send suggestions.  We will often post interesting bird-related information we've come across, or maybe our opinion about some conservation issue.  And we may be tempted to speculate about some aspect of bird biology.  We hope you'll come back often, and share your thoughts with us.

Bill