WATCHING BIRDS

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WATCHING BIRDS
AN INTRODUCTION TO ORNITHOLOGY
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TODAYS AGENDA

• MIGRATION
• Origins Conditions - Flight paths
• DISTRIBUTION
• Extremes Factors - Range
• CONSERVATION
• Predation People Birds
• ATTRACTING CARING FOR BIRDS
• FEEDING WATER PLANTING 1ST AID
• BIRDWATCHING

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MIGRATION DEFINED
REGULAR SEASONAL MOVEMENT FROM ONE PLACE TO
ANOTHER, USUALLY ON AN ANNUAL CYCLE DEPARTURE
FROM AND TO A BREEDING AREA
WHY MIGRATE?
NOT ENOUGH FOOD TO GO AROUND ALL YEAR USUALLY
LEAVE COLDER PLACES FOR WARMER ONES WET AND DRY
SEASONS
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• ORIGIN OF MIGRATION NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY
• BEST GUESS
• Made necessary by ice ages millions of years ago
• Northern hemisphere had mild climate without cold
  seasons
• Ice ages forced birds to move south - warming
  caused birds to move north
• Warm cold seasons made migration an hereditary
  annual habit
• ANOTHER THEORY
• Equatorial regions became too crowded some
  species moved north south to nest in areas with
  less competition returned to ancestral homes
  after breeding
• EARLY THEORIES
• Aristotle A robin transformed into a different
  bird in the fall and retransformed in the spring
  swallows hibernated under the ocean
• 1703 swallows went to the moon and hibernated
  until spring
• swallows hibernated in the mud

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HOW DO BIRDS MIGRATE?

• REFLECTS BIRDS NEEDS CAPABILITIES
• SOME SWIM PENGUINS, GREBES SOME GEESE
• HAWKS, STORKS, HERONS, ETC. CAN ONLY
  MIGRATATE DURING
  THE DAY
• MANY MIGRATE BY NIGHT (SAFE FROM PREDATORS)
• MANY BIRDS NEVER ACTUALLY SEEN MIGRATING

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MIGRATION MOST SPECTACULAR ASPECT OF BIRD
BEHAVIOR WHEN DO BIRDS MIGRATE?DIRECTION -
ROUTESMANNER OF FLIGHTWHERE MIGRANTS GO HOW
FAR? - HOW FAST? - HOW HIGH? PREPARATION TO
MIGRATEEFFECTS OF WEATHERHAZARDSCONCENTRATIONS
VERTICAL MIGRATIONS
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GETTING READY FOR MIGRATION
NEED ADEQUATE FUEL (ENERGY) TO MAKE LONG FLIGHTS
INTENSIVE
FEEDING BUILD UP FAT RESERVES UP TO 50 OF BODY
WEIGHT REQUIRED TO FLY ACROSS
GULF OF MEXICO
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WHERE DO BIRDS MIGRATE?
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE NORTHWARD IN SPRING SOUTHWARD
AFTER NESTING SEASON ELEVATION VERTICAL
MIGRATION FOREST TYPES LEAFLESS SOUTHERN HARDWOOD
FORESTS TO NORTHERN PINE FORESTS SOUTHERN
HEMISPHERE SEASONS ARE REVERSED LESS LAND AREA
TO MIGRATE TO IN THEIR SPRING MIGRATION LESS
INTENSE
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SOME MIGRATION DISTANCES ROUTES
LONGEST ARCTIC TERNS 11,000 miles one way
dependent on cold water crustaceans must fly a
route where food is available along way they
avoid warm seas Wilson's Storm Petrel
Antarctica to Labrador FLYWAYS Certain routes
that are used by many different kinds of
birds NORTH AMERICAN FLYWAYS Atlantic Mississipp
i Central Pacific
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NORTH AMERICAN FLYWAYS
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CROSSING OCEANS

• SHORTER BUT MORE DANGEROUS
• Atlantic To Antilles To South America 2400
  miles nonstop
• Florida To Bahamas To Haiti/Puerto Rico To South
  America
• Florida To Cuba To Jamaica To South America 400
  Miles Across Caribbean
• Across Gulf Of Mexico From US Gulf Coast To
  Mexico
• Western Birds Fly Overland To Mexico And Beyond
• HOW FAR? No Farther Than It Has To
• As Far As They Must To Find Adequate Food Supply
  Free Of Excessive Competition

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MIGRANTS CAN OFTEN BE HEARD MIGRATING SMALL
BIRDS CHIRP TO AVOID COLLISIONS INDICATES HOW
MANY BIRDS ARE NEARBY KEEPS FLOCK
TOGETHER WEATHER MIGRATION WIND IS PROBABLY
THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR(COINCIDE WITH
PREVAILING DIRECTIONS OF UPPER LEVEL
WINDS SOMETIMES BIRDS CHANGE COURSE TO UTILIZE
WIND EVEN IF IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION BIRDS TRY TO
MIGRATE WITH A TAILWIND IF POSSIBLE SOARING BIRDS
LIKE A HEADWIND CLOUDS,FOG, RAIN POOR
VISIBILITY
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HEIGHTS AND ALTITUDES
SMALL MIGRANTS FLY BELOW 5000 FEET MOST FLY
BETWEEN 2000 - 3000 FEET SHOREBIRDS HAVE BEEN
FOUND AT 20,000 FEET BLACKBIRDS JAYS MIGRATE AT
TREE TOP LEVEL BAR-HEADED GOOSE FLYS OVER
HIMALAYAS _at_ 30,000 FEET SOME PASSERINES HAVE
BEEN DETECTED AT 53,000 FEET BY AIRCRAFT RADAR
SPEED
TRIP FROM NORTH AMERICA TO TROPICS MAY TAKE FROM
SEVERAL WEEKS TO SEVERAL MONTHS BLACKPOLL WARBLER
- MIGRATES _at_ 30 MILES PER DAY LONG FLIGHTS
USUALLY EQUAL GREATER SPEED GOLDEN PLOVERS -
2400 MILES IN 48 HRS. 50 MPH PERIGRINE FALCON
1350 MILES IN 24 HOURS
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FLOCK COMPOSITION

• IMMATURE BIRDS
• ONLY FEMALES AND IMMATURE MALES
• MALES ONLY
• MIXED FLOCKS - MALES FEMALES
• MIXED SPECIES

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NAVIGATION

• MOST BIRDS USE MORE THAN ONE NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM
• GEOGRAPHICAL LANDMARKS
• SUN - ANGLE LENGTH OF DAY
• STARS GENERAL FIELD NOT A SINGLE STAR OR
  CONSTELLATION
• SOUNDS WAVES, STREAMS, WIND THROUGH TREES,
  ANIMAL LIFE ON GROUND (EARLY BALLOONISTS HEARD
  SUCH SOUNDS)
• MAGNETISM magnetic north
• LEARNED ROUTES FORM ELDERS

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HAZARDS

• PREDATORS MORE VULNERABLE MERLINS, PERIGRINES,
  ACCIPITERS GROUND PREDATORS
• CONFUSING WINDS - KILL JUVENILE BIRDS
• EXHAUSTION RARE CIRCUMSTANCES
• WINDS DRIVE THOUSANDS OF BIRDS OFF COURSE
• RECREATIONAL USE OF BEACHES BY HUMANS AFFECT
  MIGRATING TERNS AND SHOREBIRDS,
• LIUGHTHOUSES SKYSCRAPERS - COMM. TOWERS

CONCENTRATIONS
MIGRANTS TEND TO TRAVL IN WAVES WITH WEATHER
FRONTS FALLOUTS CONCENTRATIONS ON PENNINSULAS -
POINT PELEE SOARERS FIND NARROWS BETWEEN BODIES
OF WATER - CAPE MAY MOUNTAIN RIDGES CREATE
UPDRAFTS FOR SOARING BIRDS - HAWK MOUNTAIN
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GETTING READY FOR MIGRATION
NEED ADEQUATE FUEL (ENERGY) TO MAKE LONG
FLIGHTS INTENSIVE FEEDING BUILD UP FAT
RESERVES UP TO 50 OF BODY WEIGHT REQUIRED TO
FLY ACROSS GULF OF MEXICO
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SOME MIGRATION DISTANCES ROUTES
LONGEST ARCTIC TERNS 11,000 miles one way
dependent on cold water crustaceans must fly a
route where food is available along way they
avoid warm seas Petrels shearwaters Wilson's
Storm Petrel Antarctica to Labrador FLYWAYS
Certain routes that are used by many different
kinds of birds NORTH AMERICAN FLYWAYS
Atlantic Mississippi Central Pacific
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DISTRIBUTION
WINTER HABITS, EXTREMES RANGE

• WINTER IS GENERALLY MORE CHALLENGING FOR BIRDS
• MORE STRESS
• LOCATION CHANGES
• IN TROPICS SEASONAL CHANGES CAUSE BIRDS TO MODIFY
  THE WAY THEY LIVE TO WET DRY SEASONS

WINTER AFFECTS FOOD SUPPLY SHORT DAYS TO LOOK
FOR FOOD 3 ½ HR DAY AVG TEMP -13F TO -58F IN
ALASKA BIRDS USE MORE ENERGY TO KEEP WARM MANY
MIGRATE TO ESCAPE WINTER DIFFERENT LOCATIONS
USUALLY MEANS A CHANGE IN DIET INSECT EATING
PASSERINES CHANGE TO DRIED FRUIT IN
TROPICS REDUCES COMPETIOION FOR INSECT FOOD
SUPPLY CHESTNUT SIDDED WARBLER BRUSHY HABITATS
IN THE NORTH IN TROPICS FEEDS IN TREETOPS
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DISTRIBUTION
MAINTAINING GROUP TERRITORIES CHICKADEES GROUP
TOGETHER TO GUARD A FOOD SOURCE OR FAVORITE ROOST
UP TO 12 INDIVIDUALS HIERARCHY ORDER IN
WHICH A BIRD GETS TO EAT AND HAVE BEST ROOSTING
PLACES NO TWO SPECIES COMPETE FOR THE SAME FOOD
DO NOT REPEL NEWCOMERS FROM OTHER
SPECIES SOMETIMES STAY IN MIXED FLOCKS FLOCKS
ATTRRACT NEW BIRDS EASIER TO DEFEND AND DETECT
PREDATORS LESS ENERGY USED LEARN WINTER SURVIVAL
FROM LOCAL BIRDS
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DISTRIBUTION
FINDING A PLACE TO SLEEP
A PARTICULAR CHALLENGE IN WINTER USUALLY SEEK
ROOSTS OUT OF RAIN WIND IF POSSIBLE HOLE
NESTERS OFTEN ROOST IN HOLES SOME BUILD SPECIAL
NESTS FOR WINTER ROOSTING LONG-BILLED MARSH
WREN CACTUS WRENS
WINTER IRRUPTIONS
IRRUPTIONS HAPPEN WHEN THERE ARE TOO MANY BIRDS
GOOD BREEDING SEASON NOT ENOUGH FOOD TO GO
AROUND BIRDS SEEM TO KNOW THIS IN LATE
SUMMER UNUSUALLY COLD WEATHER DRIVES BIRDS
FARTHER SOUTH
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HIBERNATION
KNOWN IN ONLY ONE BIRD SPECIES 1945 POOR-WILL
FOUND SLEEPING ON ROCK BODY TEMP 60F FOUND IN
SAME PLACE 3 YRS. LATER - HIBERNATING
BIRD MOVEMENT STUDIES
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS FEEDER WATCHING HOW
SPECIES HANDLE FOOD WHO GIVE WAY TO WHOM? HOW
OFTEN DOES EACH FEED?
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DISTRIBUTION
FACTORS FOR DISTRIBUTION SPECIALIZED
HABITS NARROW ENVIRONMENTAL NICHES GEOGRAPHIC
FEATURES LIMIT SPREAD MOUNTAIN RANGES LARGE
BODIES OF WATER DESERTS SOME PRESENT BARRIERS DO
NOT ALWAYS EXIST CHANGES IN OCEAN TEMP AFFECT
FOOD SPECIES EXPANSION OF FOOD SPECIES CAUSES
EXPANSION OF BIRD SPECIES COMPETITION WITH OTHER
SPECIES
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DISTRIBUTION
NICHES VACANT NICHES WILL BE EXPLOITED BROWN
HEADED COWBIRD CATTLE EGRET HUMANS HELP EXPAND
RANGES AND DISTRIBUTION DIRECT INTRODUCTION OF
SPECIES BY HUMANS HOUSE SPARROW STARLING PIGEON
(ROCK DOVE) MONK PARAKEETS HOUSE FINCH
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FEEDERS AND MILD WINTERS ALLOW SPECIES TO EXPAND
RANGES MOCKINGBIRDS CARDINALS TUFTED TITMICE ALL
EXPAND NORTHWARD IN MILD WINTERS
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BIOMES OF NORTH AMERICA
LARGE GEOGRAPHIC AREA WITH SIMILAR OR UNIQUE
PLANTS, ANIMALS CLIMATE
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EACH BIOME CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO SMALLER UNITS
OF HABITAT BASED ON VEGETATION
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CONSERVATION PREDATION, PEOPLE AND
BIRDS CONSERVATION VS. PRESERVATION
WHY CONSERVE BIRDS BIRDS CAN GO FROM NUMEROUS
TO ENDANGERED QUICKLY WE BELIEVE RESOURCES ARE
INFINITE WHOOPING CRANE CALIFORNIA CONDOR ARE
DESCENDENTS OF 50 MILLION YEAR PROCESS EACH
SPECIES IS RESULT OF A LONG EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS
THAT CAN NEVER BE RECREATED BIRDS HAVE
VALUE ECOMOMIC SPORT HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL
INDICATORS
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CONSERVATION
MOST EXTINCTIONS HAVE OCCURRED WHEN HUMANS
ARRIVED IN AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN UNDISTURBED LONG
ENOUGH TO ALLOW EVOLUTION OF BIRDS AND VERY
SPECIAL ECOLOGIES (PREDATOR FREE, LOSS OF FLIGHT,
ETC.)
1ST RECORDED BIRD EXTINCTION - DODO OF MAURITIUS
ISLAND IN INDIAN OCEAN
DISCOVERED IN 1507 USED AS FOOD BY SAILORS HUMANS
LEFT CATS, RATS, PIGS, MONKEYS EXTINCT BY 1680
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THE GREAT AUK EXTINCT BY 1844 USED FOR FOOD,
FISHBAIT, OIL FEATHERS FOR BEDDING PASSENGER
PIGEON SINGLE FLOCK WITH OVER 1 BILLION
BIRDS MORE THAN BIRD POPULATION TO DAY NESTING
COLONIES 100S OF MILES LONG IN UNBROKEN
FORESTS 1861 1 WISCONSIN AREA SHIPPED
14,850,000 TO THE EAST FOR FOOD DECLINE
PARALLELED DEFORESTATION CHESTNUT BLIGHT SEPT.
1, 1914 EXTINCTION, CINCINATTI ZOO
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CAROLINA PARAKEET HUNTING SEEMS TO BE SOLE
REASON FOR EXTINCTION FRUIT EATER PET
TRADE? CAROLINA PARAKEET ( ESKIMO CURLEW)
RETURNED TO SPOT WHERE COMPANIONS HAD BEEN
SHOT LAST WILD SPECIMEN CAUGHT IN 1901 EXTINCT
1914 CINCINNATI ZOO
CALIFORNIA CONDOR REALLY BIG BIRD, EASY TARGET,
ATE MEAT POISIONED TO KILL COYOTES LAYS ONLY
ONE EGG.
MAIN CAUSES FOR BIRD EXTINCTION SHOOTING MANS
PESTS HABITAT LOSS
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EAGLE, BROWN PELICAN, PERIGRINE FALCON D.D.T.
CAUSED SOFT EGGSHELLS,
HAWAII - 60 OF KNOWN SPEICES GONES. MORE THAN
ANY OTHER PLACE IN THE WORLD MOSQUITOS AVIAN
MALARIA NO MOSQUITOS BEFORE 1824
HERONS EGRETS 1880S 1900S LADIES
HATS 32.00/OUNCE BEGINNING OF LAWS TO PREVENT
DEPREDATION
CITIZEN ACTION MAKES A DIFFERENCE NATURE
CONSERVANCY KATY PRAIRE ORG., ETC. REFUGES,
STATE PARKS OUTDOOR MUSEUMS
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ATTRACTING BIRDS
FEEDING PROVIDE APPROPRIATE FOOD BEARING
PLANTS EASIER THAN FEEDERS PROVIDE PLANTS FOR
EVERY SEASON OPEN SPACE FOR GROUND
FEEDERS DONT OVERPRUNE OR REMOVE DEADWOOD
TREES THICK BUSHES ARE GOOD FOR NESTING
SHELTER SEED PRODUCING FLOWERS FOR
BIRDS MARIGOLDS, SNAPDRAGONS, SUNFLOWERS,
ZINNIAS, CHRYSANTHEMUMS, PETUNIAS,
THISTLES RED TUBULAR FLOWERS FOR
HUMMINGBIRDS AVOID INSECTICIDES BUGS ARE GOOD
BIRD FOOD DONT START FEEDING IF YOU PLAN TO
STOP KEEP FEEDERS AWAY FROM TOO MUCH SUN AND
WIND KEEP OPEN AREA AROUND FEEDER TO PREVENT
PREDATOR APPROACH CATS KILL AT LEAST
30,000,000 BIRDS A YEAR IN THE U.S.
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ATTRACTING BIRDS
WATER BIRDS NEED WATER FINDING IT IS NOT
ALWAYS EASY USED FOR DRINKING AND
BATHING WATER BATHS SHOULD NOT HAVE SLIPPERY
SURFACES SHALLOW ON AT LEAST ONE END A FINE
DRIP WILL ATTRACT BIRDS AREA SHOULD BE WELL
DRAINED
DUST BATHS?
BELL YOUR CAT!
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ATTRACTING BIRDS
SHELTER
PLANTING SHRUBS BIRDHOUSES BOXES FOR HOLE
NESTING BIRDS PLASTIC MILK JUGS FOR
NESTING PAINT BLACK TO REDUCE LIGHT CUT
DRAINAGE HOLES CUT APPROPRIATE SIZE HOLE IN SIDE
FOR BIRD MAY ALSO WORK AS A FEEDER
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CARING FOR BIRDS
RESCUE FEATHERED BABY BIRDS TAKE BACK TO EXACT
LOCATION FOUND IF NOT FED FOR SEVERAL HOURS,
ASSUME ABANDONED PARENTS WILL TAKE BIRD
BACK UNFEATHERED BIRDS FELL FROM NEST
(PUSHED?) FIND NEST REPLACE BIRD USE
CARDBOARD BOX LINE WITH SOFT MATERIAL MONITOR

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CARING FOR BIRDS
RAISING BABY BIRDS DONT DO IT TIME
CONSUMING FED EVERY 20 MINUTES FROM DAWN TIL
DUSK KEEP WARM IN BOX KEEP BOX CLEAN
DRY FOOD DONT FEED FINELY CHOPPED EGG YOLK
OR MINCED DOG FOOD HOLD MIXTIRE TOGETHER WITH
EGG WHITE DONT GIVE LIQUIDS
SICK OR INJURED BIRDS DAZED UNCONSCIOUS KEEP
WARM IN A SAFE PLACE FOR A FEW HOURS
BLEEDING OR BROKEN BONES SET VET OR
REHABILITATOR
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RESCUE TIPS
USE CARE WITH RAPTORS, WATCH OUT FOR TALONS USE
CARE WITH HERONS/EGRETS, GRASP NECK COVER BIRD
S HEAD
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BIRDWATCHING
MORE THAN THE MINIMUM
OPTICS BINOCULARS - HOW TO SELCT THE RIGHT PAIR
FOR YOU ROOF PRISM NO VISIBLE MOVING
PARTS PORRO PRISM VISIBLE MOVING PARTS
INTERNAL MIRRORS
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POWER
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EXIT PUPIL
X50
X25
EYECUPS
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HOW TO ADJUST FOR YOUR EYES
DIOPTER
MAIN FOCUS
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SELECTING
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SELECTING THE RIGHT BINOCULARS
WHAT CAN YOU AFFORD? QUALITY VS. QUANTITY WHAT
POWER? LOWER POWER WIDER FIELD OF VIEW
(USUALLY) BRIGHTER IMAGES? MOVEMENT
MAGNIFICATION OTHER FEATURES CLOSE
FOCUSING WEIGHT ERGONOMICS IMAGE
QUALITY STURDINESS EYECUPS TEST
BINOCULARS SIZE IN HAND HOW DO THEY FIT? HOW
CLOSE DO THEY FOCUS? FOCUS ON A STRAIGHT LINE -
LOOK FOR SHARP EDGES
FINAL PRICE
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OTHER STUFF
SPOTTING SCOPES TRIPODS MONOPODS RIFLE
STOCKS WINDOW MOUNTS BINOCULAR STRAPS PACKS,
WATER BOTTLES, FIELD GUIDE CARRIERS HATS, BOOTS,
AUDIO TAPES OF BIRD CALLS ????? COMFORT
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FIELD GUIDES
PHOTOGRAPHS VS. DRAWIGS REGIONAL VS. NORTH
AMERICAN FIELD GUIDES SIZE OF GUIDE TEXT
PICTURES, RANGE MAPS PETERSEN, SIBLEY, NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
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CANADA WARBLER
MAGNOLIA WARBLER
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GETTING STARTED
GET OUTSIDE BOOKS ON WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO
SEE LOCAL PARKS AND BACKYARD REGIONAL AND AREA
PARKS MIGRATIONS CLASSES FIELD
TRIPS ABNC. WEEKEND BIRDING AT BBSP HOUSTON
ARBORETUM O.N.C. FIELD TRIPS BIRDWATCHING
GUIDES BIRDING ORGANIZATIONS HOUSTON OUTDOOR
NATURE CLUB ORNITHOLOGY GROUP AMERICAN BIRDING
ASSOCIATION TEXAS ORNITHOLOGICAL
SOICIETY A.O.U. WORLD BIRDING CENTER
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RARE BIRD ALERT RECORDINGS WILDLIFE
REHABILITATION BIRD BANDING BREEDING BIRD
CENSUSES CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS MIGRATION
CELEBRATIONS WORLD BIRDING CENTER
ETTIQUETTE
BE NICE TO BEGINNERS (your were one once) DONT
TRESSPASS (even in anothers campsite) ASK
PERMISSION OBEY ALL REGULATIONS (you are not
above the rules because you are birding) DONT
DESTROY HABITAT TO GET YOUR BIRD DONT ASK WHERE
THE GOOD BIRDS ARE? (my pet peeve) DONT OBSTRUCT
TRAFFIC (dont get killed) BE TOLERANT OF
OTHERS DONT TAKE (BIRDWATCHING) OR YOURSELF TOO
SERIOUISLY ITS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN
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HAPPY TRAILS