Title: The New York Breeding Bird Atlas: Classroom Lessons in Evolution and Geography Jeremy J' Kirchman, C
1The New York Breeding Bird Atlas Classroom
Lessons in Evolution and GeographyJeremy J.
Kirchman, Curator of Birds, NYSM
2What is the Breeding Bird Atlas?
- A multi-year citizen science project to survey
of all the birds species that breed in NY. - A re-survey, providing a snapshot of 20 years of
change in bird distributions - A book, a website, an exhibit
- An important tool for education, research, and
conservation.
3An interesting tidbit to get you thinking about
range maps and evolution The Red-bellied
Woodpecker
USGS Breeding Bird Survey Map for 2003
4An 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
5And how does this affect a closely related
species, the Red-headed Woodpecker?
- NY BBA Map 1980-85 NY BBA Map 2000-05
6Outline for todays talk
- Introduction to the Breeding Bird Atlas
- Using the BBA in your classroom
- Evolutionary concepts illustrated by the Atlas
- Investigating distribution changes over last 20
years - A fun exercise to think about the causes of
change - Tour of Mapping the Birds of New York
7The Atlas of Breeding Birds in New York State.
1988. R. F. Anderle J. R. Carrol, eds.
Surveys conducted 1980-1985
8Methodology
- Ten regions, regional coordinators
- 5332 blocks, 5km x 5km
9Atlas Region 7 690 blocks
10Data Collection
- Surveyors visited all habitats in their block
- Spend gt8 hours, at least one nocturnal survey
- Record evidence of breeding in all species
- Possible bird seen in likely habitat
- Probable territory, courtship, nest building
- Confirmed nest with eggs, incubation, feeding
young, fledglings
11New York States Second Breeding Bird Atlas
- Field work 2000-05 using same methods as 1980-85
- 1,200 volunteers surveyed 5,333 5x5 km blocks
- 519,562 observations of 253 species ( 3 hybrids)
- Compiled by regional coordinators and sent to
project coordinator Kimberly Corwin at NYSDEC - Sponsored by The New York State Ornithological
Association, NYSDEC (Give a Gift to Wildlife) and
Cornell University Department of Natural
Resources and Lab of Ornithology
12The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in New York
State. 2008. K. J. McGowan K. Corwin, Eds.
Surveys conducted 2000-2005
13What 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
14Changes in bird distributions
253 breeding species
70 (28) increased
125 (49) no change
58 (23) decreased
15Top 20 increases in distribution
16Top 20 increases in distribution
17Top 20 increases in distribution
18Bald Eagle 1164 increase
19Tufted Titmouse 99 increase
20Carolina Wren 308 increase
21Coopers Hawk 145 increase
22Wild Turkey 132 increase
23- Palm Warbler
- New NY breeder in 1st atlas
- Now in 43 blocks (4300)
246 New Species Trumpeter Swan, Common Eider ,
Black Vulture, Merlin, Sandhill Crane, Wilsons
Phalarope
Black Vulture found in 102 blocks!
256 New Species Trumpeter Swan, Common Eider ,
Black Vulture, Merlin, Sandhill Crane, Wilsons
Phalarope
Found in 129 blocks!
26Top 20 Declines in distribution
27Top 20 Declines in distribution
28Henslows Sparrow 80 decrease
29Red-headed Woodpecker 76 decrease
30 2 species were lost Confirmed in first
Atlas, but not in second Canvasback and
Loggerhead Shrike
31 2 species were lost Confirmed in first
Atlas, but not in second Canvasback and
Loggerhead Shrike
32Breeding Bird Atlas in the Classroom
- Use the BBA website (www.dec.ny.gov/cfmx/extapps/b
ba), 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
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37Multiple 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?
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47Block 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
48What 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
49One last example of the evolutionary importance
of distributionsThe case of the hybridizing
warblers
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
5053 Decline in 20 years Uses early successional
habitats
51Long history of expansion into GWW range Uses
early and late successional habitats Is more
aggressive than GWW
52Outline for todays talk
- Introduction to the Breeding Bird Atlas
- Using the BBA in your classroom
- Evolutionary concepts illustrated by the Atlas
- Investigating distribution changes over last 20
years - A fun exercise to think about the causes of
change - Tour of Mapping the Birds of New York
53Thanks for your attention. Any questions?