News from BirdLife International

https://www.birdlife.org/news/2023/09/22/americas-flyways-initiative-birds-connect-us/

WBCP Issues Papers

Members of the Issues Committee of the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Partnership have prepared a series of “Issues Papers” to provide information for WBCP partners and the public. These documents contain an overview of of the topics and sections covering WBCP Goals, Research Findings in Wisconsin and Elsewhere, Recommended Actions, Additional Research Needs, Links, and Additional Literature. See more at http://www.wisconsinbirds.org/issues-papers/

Hawk Migration Association

"The Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA) is committed to the scientific study, enjoyment, and appreciation of raptor migration." Learn more at https://www.hmana.org/

State of the World's Birds 2023 Update

Go to http://datazone.birdlife.org/2023-annual-update to see the 2023 Update from BirdLife International.

Learn about the Midwest Migration Network

The Midwest Migration Network (MMN) facilitates regionally-coordinated migration monitoring and research to address information gaps in the Midwest. Although focused primarily on landbirds, the Network welcomes anyone interested in advancing the study of the migratory ecology of birds and other animals in the Midwest. For the purposes of our Network, the Midwest region includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. See MMN at: https://midwestmigrationnetwork.org/about

Eleonora's Falcon - a very spectacular bird, and accompanying story

Eleonora's Falcon is something extraordinary.

Photo by Charles J. Sharp This species nests around the Mediterranean. But it delays nesting until early autumn. Why? Because the falcon's young are fed on the abundant fall migrant passerines moving through the Mediterranean region in autumn migration. Something else special about it: it is named after Eleonora of Sardinia: the "national heroine of Sardinia, who in 1392, under the jurisdiction conferred by the Carta de Logu, became the first ruler in history to grant protection to hawk and falcon nests against illegal hunters.[4][5][6]" (Wikipedia)

learn a little about re-wilding

Go to https://rewilding.ecologicalcitizen.net/2023/01/11/rewilding-the-southern-great-plains/ to read a RE-WILDING success story.

New Atlas of “Key Habitat Sites” for Seaducks in North America "

" “The Sea Duck Joint Venture (SDJV) was formed to learn more about sea ducks, make information available to stakeholders, and ensure sustainable populations over the long term.” The Sea Duck Joint Venture has produced a new continent-wide atlas of key habitat sites for sea ducks. This 286-page document describes sites of importance to our seaduck species during both breeding and non-breeding seasons across North America. Which species do we consider “seaducks”? Both Common and Barrow’s Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck, both Common and Red-breasted Merganser, all of the eider species, all three scoters, Harlequin Duck and Bufflehead fall within this classification. This is of potential interest to Wisconsin birders because approximately 10 to 12 of these species are found within the Wisconsin portion of the Great Lakes at least some time each year. The Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory did federally-funded research in Lake Michigan between 2010 and 2015, and we contributed data and findings to the Key Sites Atlas. Along with a set of partners, we were part of a Great Lakes Commission project named “Monitoring and Mapping Avian Resources in the Nearshore and Open Waters of Lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan, and St. Clair." "" I wrote one of the Key Sites accounts for the Great Lakes region: Key Site 67 - Sturgeon Bay to Manitowoc: https://seaduckjv.org/atlas/pdf/narrative_site67_508.pdf “In autumn of 2013, a total of 52,704 sea ducks were tallied in this area. More than 100,000 Red-breasted Mergansers pass though this offshore zone during both autumn and spring migration seasons. Use of distribution data from these surveys caused boundaries of a group of Wisconsin Important Bird Areas.” You can access the Key Sites Atlas at: https://seaduckjv.org/science-resources/sea-duck-key-habitat-sites-atlas/