The New York Breeding Bird Atlas: Classroom Lessons in Evolution and Geography

Jeremy J. Kirchman, Curator of Birds, NYSM

What is the Breeding Bird Atlas?

• A multi-year “citizen science” project to survey A multi-year “citizen science” project to survey of all the birds species that breed in NY.of all the birds species that breed in NY.– A re-survey, providing a snapshot of 20 years of A re-survey, providing a snapshot of 20 years of

change in bird distributionschange in bird distributions

• A book, a website, an exhibitA book, a website, an exhibit

• An important tool for education, research, and An important tool for education, research, and conservationconservation.

An interesting tidbit to get you thinking about range maps and evolution

The Red-bellied Woodpecker

USGS Breeding Bird Survey Map for 2003

• NY BBA Map 1980-85 NY BBA Map 2000-05

An interesting tidbit to get you thinking about range maps and evolution

The Red-bellied Woodpecker

• NY BBA Map 1980-85 NY BBA Map 2000-05

And how does this affect a closely related species, the Red-headed Woodpecker?

Outline for today’s talk

• Introduction to the Breeding Bird AtlasIntroduction to the Breeding Bird Atlas

• Using the BBA in your classroomUsing the BBA in your classroom– Evolutionary concepts illustrated by the AtlasEvolutionary concepts illustrated by the Atlas– Investigating distribution changes over last 20 yearsInvestigating distribution changes over last 20 years– A fun exercise to think about the causes of changeA fun exercise to think about the causes of change

• Tour of Tour of Mapping the Birds of New YorkMapping the Birds of New York

The Atlas of Breeding Birds in New York State. 1988. R. F. Anderle & J. R. Carrol, eds.

Surveys conducted 1980-1985

• Ten regions, regional coordinatorsTen regions, regional coordinators• 5332 blocks, 5km x 5km5332 blocks, 5km x 5km

Methodology

Atlas Region 7: 690 blocks

Block 5486A

Data Collection

Surveyors visited all habitats in their blockSurveyors visited all habitats in their block

Spend >8 hours, at least one nocturnal surveySpend >8 hours, at least one nocturnal survey

Record evidence of breeding in all species:Record evidence of breeding in all species:

Possible: Possible: bird seen in likely habitat bird seen in likely habitat

Probable: Probable: territory, courtship, nest building territory, courtship, nest building

Confirmed: Confirmed: nest withnest with eggs, incubation, feeding eggs, incubation, feeding young, fledglingsyoung, fledglings

New York State’s Second Breeding Bird Atlas

•Field work 2000-05 using same methods as 1980-85Field work 2000-05 using same methods as 1980-85

•1,200 volunteers surveyed 5,333 5x5 km blocks1,200 volunteers surveyed 5,333 5x5 km blocks

•519,562 observations of 253 species (+ 3 hybrids)519,562 observations of 253 species (+ 3 hybrids)

•Compiled by regional coordinators and sent to project Compiled by regional coordinators and sent to project coordinator Kimberly Corwin at NYSDECcoordinator Kimberly Corwin at NYSDEC

•Sponsored by The New York State Ornithological Sponsored by The New York State Ornithological Association, NYSDEC (Give a Gift to Wildlife) and Association, NYSDEC (Give a Gift to Wildlife) and Cornell University Department of Natural Resources Cornell University Department of Natural Resources and Lab of Ornithologyand Lab of Ornithology

The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in New York State. 2008. K. J. McGowan & K. Corwin, Eds.

Surveys conducted 2000-2005

What changed in New York since 1980?

• Human population grew 7.5%, but also shifted (18/62 counties lost population)

• Freshwater wetlands increased and tidal wetlands decreased

• Agriculture and associated grasslands continued to decline

• Forest cover stayed the same (62%), but matured

• Human population grew 7.5%, but also shifted (18/62 counties lost population)

• Freshwater wetlands increased and tidal wetlands decreased

• Agriculture and associated grasslands continued to decline

• Forest cover stayed the same (62%), but matured

Changes in bird distributions

253 breeding species

70 (28%) increased

125 (49%) no change

58 (23%) decreased

Top 20 increases in distribution

Palm Warbler 4,300% Osprey 145%

Bald Eagle 1,164% Cooper’s Hawk 145%

Boat-tailed Grackle 845% Hooded Warbler 144%

Double-crested Cormorant 709% Common Merganser 134%

Peregrine Falcon 549% Wild Turkey 132%

Common Raven 497% Red-bellied Woodpecker 122%

Carolina Wren 308% Hooded Merganser 110%

Canada Goose 273% Ring-necked Duck 105%

Pine Warbler 218% Tufted Titmouse 99%

Clay-colored Sparrow 190% Mute Swan 86%

Top 20 increases in distribution

Palm Warbler 4,300% Osprey 145%

Bald Eagle 1,164% Cooper’s Hawk 145%

Boat-tailed Grackle 845% Hooded Warbler 144%

Double-crested Cormorant 709% Common Merganser 134%

Peregrine Falcon 549% Wild Turkey 132%

Common Raven 497% Red-bellied Woodpecker 122%

Carolina Wren 308% Hooded Merganser 110%

Canada Goose 273% Ring-necked Duck 105%

Pine Warbler 218% Tufted Titmouse 99%

Clay-colored Sparrow 190% Mute Swan 86%

Top 20 increases in distribution

Palm Warbler 4,300% Osprey 145%

Bald Eagle 1,164% Cooper’s Hawk 145%

Boat-tailed Grackle 845% Hooded Warbler 144%

Double-crested Cormorant 709% Common Merganser 134%

Peregrine Falcon 549% Wild Turkey 132%

Common Raven 497% Red-bellied Woodpecker 122%

Carolina Wren 308% Hooded Merganser 110%

Canada Goose 273% Ring-necked Duck 105%

Pine Warbler 218% Tufted Titmouse 99%

Clay-colored Sparrow 190% Mute Swan 86%

Bald Eagle 1164% increase

Tufted Titmouse 99% increase

Carolina Wren308% increase

2000 – 2005 Data

Cooper’s Hawk145% increase

Wild Turkey132% increase

Palm WarblerNew NY breeder in 1st atlasNow in 43 blocks (4300%)

Black Vulture found in 102 blocks!

6 “New” Species Trumpeter Swan, Common Eider , Black Vulture,

Merlin, Sandhill Crane, Wilson’s Phalarope

Found in 129 blocks!

6 “New” Species Trumpeter Swan, Common Eider , Black Vulture,

Merlin, Sandhill Crane, Wilson’s Phalarope

Top 20 Declines in distribution

Loggerhead Shrike -83% Red Crossbill -64%

Gray Partridge -81% Blue-winged Teal -63%

Henslow’s Sparrow -80% Whip-poor-will -58%

Yellow-breasted Chat -78% Golden-winged Warbler -53%

Barn Owl -78% Vesper Sparrow -50%

Red-headed Woodpecker

-76% Green-winged Teal -45%

Kentucky Warbler -72% Grasshopper Sparrow -42%

Northern Pintail -72% Purple Martin -40%

Common Nighthawk -71% Ring-necked Pheasant -37%

Upland Sandpiper -66% Horned Lark -37%

Top 20 Declines in distribution

Loggerhead Shrike -83% Red Crossbill -64%

Gray Partridge -81% Blue-winged Teal -63%

Henslow’s Sparrow -80% Whip-poor-will -58%

Yellow-breasted Chat -78% Golden-winged Warbler -53%

Barn Owl -78% Vesper Sparrow -50%

Red-headed Woodpecker

-76% Green-winged Teal -45%

Kentucky Warbler -72% Grasshopper Sparrow -42%

Northern Pintail -72% Purple Martin -40%

Common Nighthawk -71% Ring-necked Pheasant -37%

Upland Sandpiper -66% Horned Lark -37%

2000 – 2005 Data

Henslow’s Sparrow80% decrease

Red-headed Woodpecker76% decrease

2 species were “lost” Confirmed in first Atlas, but not in second

Canvasback and Loggerhead Shrike

2 species were “lost” Confirmed in first Atlas, but not in second

Canvasback and Loggerhead Shrike

Breeding Bird Atlas in the Classroom

• Use the BBA website (www.dec.ny.gov/cfmx/extapps/bba), and other sites with facts about birds (www.dec.ny.gov/animals/271, www.birds.cornell.edu)

– Compare maps for species with habitat or elevation requirements

– Compare maps from 1985 and 2005– Generate lists of species for individual blocks to

investigate changes in your own backyard

Multiple choice habitat questions:

Which of these species nests on cliffs and tall buildings?

Which of these species requires large bodies of water?

Which of these species nests only where humans live?

Block 5872B

• 8 species lost since 1980-85– Ring-necked Pheasant– Roughed Grouse– Great Horned Owl– Killdeer– Whip-poor-will– Common Nighthawk– Chimney Swift– Eastern Meadowlark

• 24 gained since 1980-85– Wild Turkey, American

Woodcock, Broad-winged Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Black-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Great-crested Flycatcher, Eastern Wood Peewee, Alder Flycatcher, Willow Flycatcher, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Carolina Wren, Purple Martin, Blue-headed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Blue-winged Warbler, Nashville Warbler, American Redstart, Pine Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Ovenbird, White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco

What can your students learn from studying the atlas?

• Vocabulary: biogeography, topography, population, niche, breeding-range, distribution, data, trend, habitat specialist/generalist, extirpation, colonization, competition, land-use…

• How to read and compare maps• Species evolve in a response to

environmental changes• Evolution happens all the time, and can be

seen on timescales as short as 20 years

One last example of the evolutionary importance of distributions:

The case of the hybridizing warblers

Blue-winged Warbler Golden-winged Warbler

53% Decline in 20 years

Uses early successional habitats

Long history of expansion into GWW range

Uses early and late successional habitats

Is more aggressive than GWW

Outline for today’s talk

• Introduction to the Breeding Bird AtlasIntroduction to the Breeding Bird Atlas

• Using the BBA in your classroomUsing the BBA in your classroom– Evolutionary concepts illustrated by the AtlasEvolutionary concepts illustrated by the Atlas– Investigating distribution changes over last 20 yearsInvestigating distribution changes over last 20 years– A fun exercise to think about the causes of changeA fun exercise to think about the causes of change

• Tour of Tour of Mapping the Birds of New YorkMapping the Birds of New York

Thanks for your attention.

Any questions?