Spring 2018 NCC Magazine

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COAST TO COAST For the birds Celebrate the protection of more than 800 species of migratory birds by volunteering to help protect Canada’s habitats Over the last century, a number of legal agreements signed by Canada and the U.S. have helped protect more than 800 species of migratory birds. In 1916, both countries signed the Convention for the Protection of Migratory Birds, which aims to stop the indiscriminate and commercial hunting of migratory birds and protect their nesting sites. Last year marked the 100-year anniversary of Canada’s Migratory Birds Convention Act, and 2018 is the centennial of the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act. All three are among important migratory bird conservation efforts in North America over the last century. You can help lend a hand to manage and restore habitat for migratory birds by becoming a Conservation Volunteer. Show your love! Join a community of Canadians working to protect species and natural habitats. Like they say, birds of a feather flock together! conservationvolunteers.ca ISTOCK. TKTK 4 SPRING 2018 natureconservancy.ca
SONGBIRDS Restore and care for bird habitat ILLUSTRATIONS: LAURA FETTERLEY. PHOTO: NCC. RAPTORS Become a citizen scientist Raptors, or birds of prey, are species that hunt and feed on other animals, including rodents and birds. They have keen eyesight, hooked beaks, and feet with sharp, curved claws or talons. The group includes falcons, ospreys, hawks, vultures and eagles. Last year, NCC volunteers observed migrating golden eagles during an event in Alberta’s Crowsnest Pass. They also learned about raptors from local experts. In British Columbia, volunteers have helped conduct bird inventories to inform the development of NCC’s conservation plans. You can sign up for one of NCC’s bird inventories across the country and learn more about birds of prey like the golden eagle. Apply that knowledge by downloading eBird or iNaturalist — two fantastic citizen science apps — and heading out to the field to collect important bird data. You’ll be contributing to a collective body of information on birds. GRASSLAND BIRDS Make fences safer for birds Hollow metal posts are often used in fences on Canada’s prairies. Since they are small in diameter and have smooth inside walls, the posts can create an unintended hazard for grassland songbirds. Birds can become trapped when they are looking for a hole to nest in, or when they perch at the edge of the uncapped post to explore what’s inside. Young birds are especially at risk, since they can easily fit into pipes. Once they are trapped, there is no way for them to climb out, and they die. The most critical times for birds getting caught in these hollow pipes is during migration and breeding seasons, when more birds are present and searching for shelter and homes. You can show your support for grassland songbirds, like McCown’s longspur, by helping NCC staff cap fence posts with tin cans and other recycled materials at the Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area in Saskatchewan. SHOREBIRDS Keep Canada’s shorelines clean Shorebirds sport long legs for wading in water or on mudflats, and long bills for feeding on hidden invertebrates. This group includes oystercatchers, avocets, stilts, turnstones, sandpipers, yellowlegs, snipes, godwits, curlews, phalaropes and plovers. The piping plover is an iconic yet endangered shorebird. In Atlantic Canada it breeds on sand and pebble beaches. You can support piping plovers and other shorebird species by participating in a shoreline cleanup this year. By volunteering to clean up marine debris and litter, you’ll enhance shoreline health and protect the areas where these birds nest and feed. NCC hosts several shoreline cleanups each year, such as at Holman’s Island in PEI, Brier Island in Nova Scotia and Sandy Point beach in southwest Newfoundland. Songbirds, such as the endangered prothonotary warbler, are perching birds known for their diverse and elaborate songs. Many songbirds, including chickadees, woodpeckers, finches and nuthatches, are often seen at winter feeders. Sadly, many songbirds are disappearing, largely due to habitat loss. Join efforts to restore and maintain the health of native bird habitat by volunteering for a restoration project this year. Whether it’s digging in for a weed pull to remove invasive plants or rolling up your sleeves to plant a tree, you can help ensure songbirds continue to have safe places to nest and rear their young. In Ontario, NCC’s Conservation Volunteers have been supporting restoration work on Pelee Island — a site well known for its spring songbird migration — for more than eight years. This includes collecting seeds and planting native species on the property’s meadows and restored wetlands, creating prime habitat for birds.1 Celebrate the return of migratory birds with NCC’s First Signs of Spring: Early Bird Edition photo contest, now until May 1. Snap these moments and share your photos on our Facebook gallery or on Twitter and Instagram using #NCCEarlyBirds. You could win one of our weekly outdoor gear prizes or even the grand prize: a $1,000 gift card. Upload your photos and vote for your favourites today! #NCCEarlyBirds natureconservancy.ca
Page 1 and 2: SPRING 2018 Against the odds The Ma
Page 3: Contents Nature Conservancy of Cana
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Page 9 and 10: With perhaps only 500 Poweshiek ski
Page 11 and 12: Helping hands In 2011, scientists w
Page 13 and 14: SIZE AND WEIGHT Weighs up to 16 kil
Page 15 and 16: Partner Spotlight Thank you to our
Page 17 and 18: Spanning the lush, vibrant grasslan
Page 19 and 20: Your passion for Canada’s natural

Spring 2018 NCC Magazine

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