Riparian songbird surveys
They say the early bird catches the worm but for YERC field biologist Paige Cresswell the early bird watcher catches the songbird calls. While most of us are still sound asleep, Paige is up at 4:00am, preparing for a morning of birding in Paradise Valley.
It may be difficult for all of us to notice but there has actually been a decline in bird populations across the country. In October 2022, the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) released their annual State of the Birds Report showing that in the last 50 years we have lost approximately 3 million birds in the US and Canada. Recently, avian flu virus is decimating some species.
These trends raise concern when considering birds’ status as an indicator species, or a species that is responsive to changes in the environment. They also serve as a bellwethers for overall ecosystem health. Migratory songbirds are sensitive to changes in habitat and the resources necessary for survival and reproduction. By understanding how their numbers respond to change in habitat, climate, and human impacts, we can understand how to protect them and at the same time learn about the health of a given ecosystem.
YERC’s song bird study addresses these issues by monitoring the abundance of song bird species in riparian habitats that are particularly sensitive habitats in the Yellowstone region. Because this region is semi-arid, riparian and wetland habitats harbor the highest levels of biodiversity often measured by the total number of species. Riparian ecosystems are often linear and found where land meets rivers or streams and in Paradise Valley they are plentiful along the Yellowstone River and the myriad of streams stemming from it. It is also where humans often impact species the most.
In this study area, six transect lines were selected with each being surveyed at least twice per season. Paige begins at one end of the transect, spending ten minutes noting any sounds, calls, sights, and flyovers while recording audio on the Merlin app. Merlin provides a feature that will actively show you the species of bird call recorded but it doesn’t always yield accurate results. Luckily, this is no issue for Paige who is skilled in identifying a multitude of songbirds’ calls by ear, using the Merlin app as more of a crutch for double-checking her ear in some instances.
With the first point finished she proceeds 100 meters along the transect and stops at her next point to repeat the collection process again. Continuing this method, she will complete a total of ten points to fully assess the song bird abundance of the location. Since this is a long term study, the data can be compared to previous years to monitor the changes in bird populations and their habitat.
Paige was the perfect candidate for this study given her personal love and connection to birds. In her words: “Birds can tell you a massive amount of information about habitat health, predator proximity, weather patterns, and even neurogenesis”. However, out of them all, Sandhill cranes are by far her favorite bird. With their ability to overcome threats such as overhunting and habitat degradation, Paige has found these qualities to be a symbol of inspiration, strength, and resilience. The importance of these cranes especially helped her when she had to navigate difficult personal experiences in her life.
Paige also notes how enriching it has been to share her birding with the private landowners who have generously offered up their properties for us to create transects on. Some of these property owners were eager to join Paige on her bird walks where she was able to showcase the habitats their land has created for songbird species. Through experiences like these, Paige seeks to increase engagement with the community and project in the hopes that it will contribute to greater awareness of topics surrounding birds and their habitats.
References:
North American Bird Conservation Initiative. 2022. The State of the Birds, United States of America, 2022. StateoftheBirds.org