Red-bellied Woodpecker Jekyll Island, Georgia This Red-bellied Woodpecker looks like he just stepped out of central casting, with his orangish-red accent colors contrasting with its speckled wings. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Eastern Meadowlark Joe Overstreet Landing, Florida An Eastern Meadowlark, which has a beautiful plaintive song and striking coloring, takes flight in a speedy flash of yellow. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Barred Owl Orlando Wetlands, Florida Watching the juvenile White Ibis practicing moves is rich with humor. Clumsy and persistent, they'll fill an afternoon with landings --- like this one -- not to be missed. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal A member of the Falcon family, the Caracara is found only in Florida, Texas and Arizona -- and even then you have to look hard and long to fine one. Joe Overstreet Landing, Florida Crested Caracara Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Belted Kingfisher Fletcher's Boathouse, D.C. This magnificent, hyperactive bird, whose feathers when spread make him look like an admiral in full military dress, prowls the waterways for fish -- and strikes with breathtaking speed and precision when he fiinds it. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Osprey Christmas, Florida An Osprey, one of the great success stories of bird conservation, is a fishing machine as this bird shows as it prepares for a dive. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Valladolid, Mexico Yellow-throated Warbler Assateague Island, Maryland The Yellow-throated Warbler is one of the first to return to its breeding grounds each spring. The striking yellow throat coupled with its habit of creeping along branches makes it one of the easiest warblers to spot. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal American Flamingo Rio Largartis, Mexico They've been demeaned as a bright pink lawn ornament, but Flamingos are in fact an elegant and stylish bird. They breed in just a couple of locations, one on the northern-most tip of the Yucatan. Both their wingspan and length are startling. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Wood Stork chicks Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Florida The White Ibis are community-minded and easy to spot with their distinctive, curved pink beaks. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal White Pelican Merritt Island, Florida The White Ibis are community-minded and easy to spot with their distinctive, curved pink beaks. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal American Goldfinch Tupelo, Mississippi One of the smallest and yet most striking birds with their bright yellow feathers and lightning-fast speed that helps them stand out no matter the setting. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Reddish Egret Fort DeSoto, Florida While egrets are among the most common of large coastal birds, the Reddish Egret is harder to find and thus a special sight. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Bald Eagle Rodanthe, North Carolina The Bald Eagle has been the symbol of our nation since 1782. It seems to have little trouble living up to the honor, as evidenced by this elegant bird on a pass over the Outer Banks. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Purple Gallinule Viera, Florida The White Ibis are community-minded and easy to spot with their distinctive, curved pink beaks. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Turquoise-browed Motmot Valladolid, Mexico The Motmot is like a flying piece of art, decorated with a kite-like tale and its remarkable coloration. Its striking appearance has helped make it the national bird in several Latin American countries. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Prothonotary Warbler Jean Lafitte Preserve, Louisiana The Audubon Society installs and monitors nesting boxes in the Jean Lafitte Preserve to study the threatened Prothonotary Warbler. This lovely male Prothonotary serenaded us for about an hour one sunset in the middle of June. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Northern Cardinal Lorton, Virginia In flight the Northern Cardinal's wings become translucent, its form all about motion. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Magnolia Warbler Granite Village, Nova Scotia This immature Magnolia Warbler displays few adult features -- like the white eye ring -- that makes identification a challenge. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Barred Owl Raleigh, North Carolina The White Ibis are community-minded and easy to spot with their distinctive, curved pink beaks. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Boat-tailed Grackle Viera, Florida Grackles are omnipresent and often obnoxious in parts of Florida, constantly squawking an endless flow of avian commentary. Yet when you look closely, they can be magnificent birds. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Cedar Waxwing Raleigh, North Carolina The White Ibis are community-minded and easy to spot with their distinctive, curved pink beaks. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Tricolored Heron Viera, Florida A medium-sized wading bird, the Tricolored is a study in patience as it stands like a statue in a marsh in Central Florida. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Watching the small, acrobatic bird on a feeding spree is like watching a movie on fast forward. The Tufted Titmouse never seems to stop. Janes Island, Maryland Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Tufted Titmouse Blue Grosbeak Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Kiptopeke, Virginia The Blue Grosbeak sings a loud, incessant song that stand out as much as its unforgettable deep blue coloring. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Baltimore Oriole Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Rock Creek Park, Washington DC The Baltimore Oriole, which can be found all over the eastern United States, has a high and loud whistle of a song that can lead you to this magnificent species. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Black Skimmers Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Outer Banks, North Carolina A Spoonbill, an iconic species that's expanding its reach in the Southern U.S., takes off from a new rookery in Central Florida. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Roseate Spoonbill Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Stick Marsh, Florida A Spoonbill, an iconic species that's expanding its reach in the Southern U.S., takes off from a new rookery in Central Florida. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Common Yellowthroat Warbler Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Eastern Shore, Maryland The Common Yellowthroat is among the easier warblers to spot because of its loud and clear song and distinctive mask. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Hairy Woodpecker Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Prime Hook Wildlife Refuge, Delaware While it's sometimes hard to distinguish between the two relatives, the Downey and Hairy woodpeckers, the Hairy is bigger, with a longer beak. They can be found all over the U.S. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Prairie Warbler Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Cape Henlopen, DE A Prairie Warbler, adorned in its bright breeding colors, sings for a mate during the springtime breeding season. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Roseate Spoonbill Fellsmere, Florida The White Ibis are community-minded and easy to spot with their distinctive, curved pink beaks. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Great White Pelican Haulover Canal, Merritt Island, Florida The White Ibis are community-minded and easy to spot with their distinctive, curved pink beaks. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Florida Scrub Jay Titusville, Florida The White Ibis are community-minded and easy to spot with their distinctive, curved pink beaks. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Red-cockaded Woodpecker Saint Sebastian River State Park, Florida The White Ibis are community-minded and easy to spot with their distinctive, curved pink beaks. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Bachman's Sparrow Saint Sebastian River State Park, Florida The White Ibis are community-minded and easy to spot with their distinctive, curved pink beaks. Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Prothonotary Warbler Raleigh, North Carolina Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal Copyright: Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal
    ConservationResearchSpecies

    Help is on the way for the nation’s most endangered bird

    by Anders Gyllenhaal
    written by Anders Gyllenhaal

    The Florida Grasshopper Sparrow, the nation’s most endangered species, is suddenly getting the kind of support that could turn things around for a bird that a year ago seemed destined for extinction.

    A newly released Florida Grasshopper Sparrow steps from its cage. Top photo of sparrow singing by Tory Hartley-Cox. Others by Anders Gyllenhaal.

    An unusual consortium of players today announced that a huge stretch of the rare grasslands that the sparrows rely on will be set aside permanently for wildlife. The tract is home to nearly half the remaining population of a species that had dwindled down to just a few dozen birds.

    The announcement comes not long after the completion of a breeding season that boosted the population by adding hundreds of sparrows born in captivity. As researchers analyze the results, they’re learning how to fine tune the captive breeding project and possibly expand it for this coming year.

    “These are preliminary results, but they have been very encouraging,’’ said Juan Oteyza, the research biologist with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Research Institute that oversees the campaign to save the sparrow.

    The Florida Grasshopper Sparrow is a symbol of the state’s unique inland prairie that has all but disappeared as rapid growth reshaped the landscape. Over the past decade, the sparrow population dropped to perilously low numbers that gave it the distinction of being the most likely bird in the U.S. to go extinct. Researchers aren’t sure what all is contributing to the bird’s sharp decline, but the loss of habitat is the biggest factor — and the toughest to address.

    That’s the reason today’s announcement by the University of Florida, Ducks Unlimited and the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida is a significant step. The 27,000-acre tract of wetlands and grasslands south of Orlando was donated by the family of the founder of the Subway chain, led by Elisabeth DeLuca, who heads the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation.

    The sprawling tract will serve a long list of conversation purposes.

    Red-cockaded Woodpecker

    The land will be managed not just for the sparrow but for the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker and many species of waterfowl. The University of Florida will use the land to help train future researchers, and the tract will be open for duck hunting, which helps pay for conservation measures.

    The donation of land also shows that the push to gather public support for a small brown bird hardly anyone ever sees is gaining momentum.

    The captive-breeding project costs about $1.2 million a year, half of which comes from non-profit organizations and donations and half from state and federal funds. Much of the private fundraising falls to the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida  an independent non-profit that has raised or arranged donations worth more than half a million dollars in the past seven years.

    Michelle Ashton, who directs communications for the foundation, said that while the sparrow doesn’t have the appeal of eagles or ospreys, the bird is developing a following all over the country.

    “We have a core group of contributors who are personally connected to the cause,’’ she said. “It’s not a group number in the thousands, but it’s the most committed group of repeat donors.’’

    Contributors range from several big companies, such Bass Pros Shop and outdoor retailer Cabela’s that helped cover set-up costs of 27,000-acre land donation, to individual donors. The sparrow has also drawn support from nearly 150 smaller donors over the past three years.

    Ashton loves the story of a couple from Nebraska, Bill and Michelle Cita, who were struck by the sparrow’s plight and began donating every year. Bill, a welder, and Michelle, who does the housekeeping and laundry at a nursing home, say they plan to contribute every year.

    Bill Cita. Photo by Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida

    “I started reading a little bit about it. My wife and I started talking about,” said Cita, who lives in the small eastern Nebraska town of Waverly and say it doesn’t matter that he’s not likely to see this bird. “I’ve always rooted for the underdog and he’s kind of an underdog.’’

    Since the first contributions to the foundation, the Citas have followed the sparrow’s progress and encouraging news from the past year. “It’s nice to feel to be part of something,’’ he said. “People working to save the grasshopper sparrow.”

    The presence of a sparrow population on the land that’s being donated is a boost to the consortium of state and federal agencies, non-profits and university researchers who’ve been working for decades to rebuild the species. The project has focused its captive-bred sparrow release on a site not far from the donated tract. They’ll now work on rebuilding two segments of sparrows and will decide in the coming months how to support both of them.

    Breeding the birds in captivity is a tricky endeavor. If the birds are released too soon, many succumb to the elements. If they wait too long, the birds will struggle to adapt to life as a wild sparrow.

    The project is developing the data to get that timing right. This past year, the younger the released sparrows, the more success they had mating up with wild sparrows, building nests and raising chicks.

    Juan Oteyza checks over a captive-bred sparrow before release earlier this year.

    The younger sparrows seemed to do a better job of blending in with wild sparrows and learning from them. “They move around together. They’re not too territorial yet,’’ said Oteyza. “We think this has important value for the (captive-bred) sparrows to learn to be sparrows.’’

    Over the past year or so, the project had released about 250 captive-bred sparrows into the grasslands, many of which don’t survive. By the end of this breeding season, researchers said the total population was pushed up to 112 sparrows, with 34 breeding pairs and about 85 fledglings produced in the wild.

    The project will release another 45 sparrows in February and March of the coming year. When the next breeding season starts that spring, Oteyza said they hope to see even higher birth rates in the wild between the newly arrived and the higher overall population.

    One of the young captive-bred grasshopper sparrows that helped boost the Central Florida population.

       

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