The FOS Newsletter is published by the Florida Ornithological Society as an information exchange among persons interested in the conservation, research and enjoyment of birds in Florida. Notices or requests for information or assistance and news of interest should be sent to the editor: Tom Palmer, 1805 26th St. NW, Winter Haven FL 33881. W. (863)802-7535. Fax (863) 802-7809. H. (863) 967-4711. E-mail tomp47@yahoo.com Recent issues of the newsletter and other information are available on the FOS website www.fosbirds.org.
by Tom Palmer
There have been informal rumblings in the ranks about updating the Florida Breeding Bird Atlas. Perhaps it’s time to have a more formal, focused discussion.
As many of you know, the field work for the first Florida Breeding Bird Atlas occurred from 1986 to 1991. The results were never formally published, which remains a sore point for a quite a few of the participants, though the results were posted on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission web site.
An update would not be unprecedented.
Ten states--Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New York and Vermont--have completed or are in the middle of updates. Generally, they launched the new atlas within about 20 years of either starting or finishing the first one.
The reasons for updating the atlas seem obvious. The most obvious reason is that the value of any survey is to serve as a baseline for tracking changes over time.
Vermont’s resurvey found the status of Common Loon, Peregrine Falcon and Osprey had improved, while the status of Common Nighthawk and some passerines had declined.
Here are some reasons for the update. Many of you could think of additional reasons.
1. Since the field work on the Florida BBA was completed in 1991, roughly 5 million more people have moved into the state, resulting in the development of thousands of acres of wildlife habitat.
2. The species composition of the state has changed as a result of some exotic species becoming better established and the range expansion or contraction of native species.
3. There are opportunities to survey land that was previously inaccessible because it has gone from private to public ownership. This could fill some gaps that the earlier survey may have left.
Nevertheless, there are some issue that will have to be confronted before a BBA update can occur.
First, who is going to coordinate it? Should the Florida Ornithological Society be the leader, as occurs in some states, or should it fall again to FWC and Audubon?
Second, who will fund it and what kind of budget will be required?
Third, will the results be published this time? If so, an editor and a staff should be identified early in the process and some thought should be given to what the published account should contain.
In some ways, the update could be easier.
There are experienced people who participated in the first BBA and a number of enthusiastic newcomers.
The Internet, which was in its infancy during the last BBA, could make data submission and data entry easier. The BBA could have its own website and I’ve noticed some state BBAs have established blogs for information-sharing and general discussions.
Finally, there is a growing awareness of the environmental impacts of the changes in Florida’s landscape as a result of growth, pollution, exotics and other factors.
An updated Florida Breeding Bird Atlas could provide more current scientific information that could be used to make conservation decisions that will be even more crucial in the coming decades.
I hope this provokes some discussion.
by Richard Poole
After monitoring nest boxes for more than 30 years and building them for about five years, I’ve been wondering how accurate the literature on nest boxes is. The following is a discussion of some of the “facts” about nest boxes that may not be as valid as many think.
Make sure your bird house is designed for a specific bird - not just 'birds'.
My experience with various species (Red-bellied Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Screech Owl, Tufted Titmouse, Purple Martins) has demonstrated that birds will use different size boxes for their own reasons, including boxes supposedly custom-made for other species.
A good bird house should have ventilation holes under the roof overhang.
Except for bluebird and martin boxes, most boxes are placed in the shade. Of the many boxes I have monitored without ventilation holes, no birds have been 'roasted' as some authors have suggested. I did build two boxes with 'ventilation' holes as part of an experiment in my backyard. Two other boxes, identical except for the holes, were placed on posts near the ventilated boxes. Temperature measurements were taken at the bottom of the boxes on six days while boxes were exposed to the sun. The vented boxes averaged 93.2 degrees F, unvented, 94.8.
A good bird house should have cleats or be roughened with a wood chisel beneath the entrance hole to help birds climb out.
OK, sure, for babies just hatched with no feathers, like Wood Ducks. Once again, none of my boxes (except Wood Duck) have been roughened, and no babies have ever been found dead in the boxes. If a young bird cannot get to the entrance hole, it had better wait a day or two before it ventures into the world outside. Cleats or roughened wood could actually be detrimental to the survival of the young if roughening enabled them to leave early.
Putting a nest box on a tree or post is an invitation to a predator for an easy meal.
This can be true, but there are few predators in suburban areas. We have never lost a bird to a predator in town. We have raised many birds in boxes on trees. We did once lose young bluebirds to a snake in a state park, and then a bear ate the snake. The bear will eventually die and be consumed by insects. Bluebirds will eat the insects. The natural world goes on. Cavity nesters have nested in trees and been eaten by predators for thousands of years. Cavity nesters are still with us.
An Ohio woman was injured when a Brown Pelican hit her apparently while diving for fish at Clearwater Beach. The pelican died as a result of the collision. None of the rescue workers could recall a similar incident.
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Scientists expect to have a decision this summer on the direction of Whooping Crane introductions in Florida.. There are two flocks, a nonmigatory flock originally centered in the Kissimmee-Lake Wales area and a migratory flock based at Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge. It was recently reported that the total Whooping Crane population (captive and wild) in North America is now 500 birds.
The Florida Ornithological Society is now offering lifetime memberships. Individual Life Memberships are $400 and Family Life Memberships are $500. Please consider these new options when renewing your FOS membership in 2008 or in future years.
Please send news, requests for assistance and other information relative to Florida bird life to the editor by September 15, 2008.