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Attending
both scientific and general conferences to share findings with other researchers
and the public is a
priority for the Migration Research Foundation. Abstracts and/or
brief notes on conferences at which we have presented are listed below in
reverse chronological order.
McGill Ecology and Evolution Symposium - November 2007 - Mont St-Hilaire,
Quebec
Banding beautiful bitey birds in
Bellevue's backyard
Presented by
Marie-Anne Hudson
Though the alliterative
title (requested by conference organizers) did not quite describe the
purpose of this presentation, it certainly got the audience's attention.
The goal was to introduce McGill Bird Observatory to the audience,
composed largely of faculty and students from the downtown campus of
McGill University. A brief description of the basics involved in banding
and the reasons for it was followed by a description of the banding
site, various protocols, and results to date. An invitation was
issued to all to come visit and volunteer at the station next spring.
Canadian Migration
Monitoring Network Meeting
- October 2007 - Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta
Station report: McGill Bird
Observatory update for 2006 and 2007
Presented by
Marie-Anne Hudson
The Canadian Migration
Monitoring Network meets every two years to share information among
member research stations and other network partners. McGill Bird
Observatory (MBO) was one of several stations from across the country to
present a 20-minute summary of research activities since the last
meeting in 2005. At the time of the presentation, McGill Bird
Observatory was three weeks from the end of its fourth fall season of
migration monitoring. In total, over 12,000 birds of 103 species
have been banded since MBO's inception in 2004, and 191 species have
been observed on site. The fall season has proven to be a much
more productive monitoring period than spring migration, though the two
seasons are somewhat complementary in terms of the key species observed
and banded. In addition to maintaining these seasonal migration
monitoring programs, MBO places a high priority on education,
integrating the fall banding program into the ornithology curriculum at
McGill University and also training other interested volunteers from the
community in banding and other field research techniques. Efforts
are being made to expand the scope of research undertaken at MBO, with
plans to have future graduate students centre their work on data
collected at MBO.
McGill Bird Observatory - August 2007 - Montreal, Quebec
MBO Workshop #2: Advanced
identification techniques: ageing by molt patterns in fall
Presented by
Marcel Gahbauer
Birders and banders
alike are often interested in identifying birds to beyond just the
species level. Many species have widely described sexual
differences, but characteristics indicative of age are less well known,
even though some are also quite distinct. The goal of this
workshop was to demonstrate techniques by which various groups of birds
can be accurately aged by molt patterns during the fall and winter.
Using examples from the online MBO Photo Library, key features were
compared for a variety of species, genera, and families, with a
particular focus on warblers and sparrows. A field session the
following morning at McGill Bird Observatory reinforced the classroom
material, with 65 birds of 20 species providing the 15 workshop
participants with ample opportunity to compare the differences between
hatch-year and older birds, often side-by-side.
McGill Bird Observatory
- December 2006 - Montreal, Quebec
MBO Workshop #1: Deciphering
molts and using the Identification Guide to North American Birds
Presented by
Marcel Gahbauer and Marie-Anne Hudson
Correct ageing and
sexing of birds is a critical skill for banders contributing to
population monitoring research. For most species, a solid
understanding of the process of molt is the basis for being able to
determine the age of individuals. However, familiarity with molt
patterns is only half the challenge - it is equally important to know
how to quickly and efficiently search the Identification Guide to
North American Birds (by Peter Pyle) for key reference material.
This full afternoon workshop provided an introduction to molt and tips
on how to use the Identification Guide most effectively.
Workshop participants then had the opportunity to examine a sample of
the specimens from the Canadian Bird Banding Office's collection,
selected to highlight comparisons between ages within species,
especially for species commonly banded at McGill Bird Observatory.
Ecomuseum
- March 2006 - Montreal, Quebec
(also presented at the Morgan
Arboretum, Montreal, May 2006)
Bird banding as a research tool:
local discoveries at McGill Bird Observatory
Presented by
Marie-Anne Hudson
This presentation
served to introduce members of the Ecomuseum to activities at the McGill
Bird Observatory (MBO), located immediately to the north of the
Ecomuseum. Introductory material included a review of the history
of bird banding, the tools and techniques involved, and the nature of
the data that can be generated through research. The selection of
the site for MBO was explained, highlighting the variety of wetland, old
pasture, and mature forest habitat the comprise the property, and the
rich variety of bird species found to use the area during pilot studies.
The remainder of the presentation focused on some of the discoveries
that have been made at MBO during its first two years of operation.
Among these, the surprisingly large volume of fall migrants (over 3,000
individuals banded), usage of the site by species at risk including
Peregrine Falcon, Bicknell's Thrush, and Rusty Blackbird, documentation
of various plumage irregularities and physical deformities on various
species observed as a result of banding activities, and use of
measurements and photography to advance knowledge about ageing and
sexing of individuals in certain species.
Zoological Society of Montreal - November 2005 - Montreal, Quebec
(also presented to the Montreal Field Naturalists by Marie-Anne Hudson,
winter 2006)
Banding on our doorstep: the
establishment of the McGill Bird Observatory
Presented by
Marie-Anne Hudson and Marcel Gahbauer
Establishing a bird
observatory within a city might seem like a poor choice of location, but
can actually be a very effective site for migration monitoring if chosen
well. The McGill Bird Observatory (MBO) is located at the west end
of the island of Montreal, which acts as a concentration point for
landbirds moving southwest between the two rivers. In addition to
being well located for birds, MBO benefits from the proximity of a large
pool of potential volunteers in both the adjacent Macdonald Campus of
McGill University, and the Montreal birding community. Since being
started in May 2004, over 100 volunteers have been involved in operating
MBO. This level of participation has allowed for the operation of
two pilot seasons of migration monitoring, and a full season of thorough
fall monitoring, from August through October this year. The
results have exceeded expectations, with over 3200 birds of 78 species
banded this fall alone, and a total of 170 species observed since MBO
was established. The value of MBO for migration monitoring has
been clearly established, and the challenge now is to maintain
comparable levels of research effort in the years to come, to permit for
the evaluation of population trends over time.
Society of Canadian
Ornithologists Annual Meeting - October 2005 - Halifax, Nova Scotia
The McGill Bird Observatory:
Establishing an avian research and training facility in Montreal
Poster presented by
Marie-Anne Hudson
The McGill Bird
Observatory (MBO) is located on a 22 hectare property in
Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, at the western tip of the island of
Montreal. Its goals are to monitor migratory and resident birds
through banding and standardized observations, serve as a training
centre for students and others who wish to research birds through
banding, and provide public education on avian research and
conservation. Within its first year of full operation, over 4000
birds were banded at MBO, with the five most abundant species being
American Goldfinch, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Magnolia
Warbler, and American Robin. At the opposite extreme, rarities and
oddities banded include Blue-winged Warbler, Bicknell's Thrush, and
Rusty Blackbird, plus a variety of individuals with physical deformities
or plumage abnormalities, all of which are documented by photo. By
placing an emphasis on training students in banding techniques and
integrating MBO programs with the wildlife biology curriculum, we hope
to ensure that MBO programs continue to be operated in a standardized
manner for many years to come.
Canadian Migration
Monitoring Network - October 2005 - Picton, Ontario
First annual report on McGill Bird
Observatory
Presented by Marcel
Gahbauer
McGill Bird Observatory
(MBO) is part way through its second fall season as a migration
monitoring station, and already over 4000 birds have been banded.
While not directly on a shoreline as most other bird observatories are,
MBO is close enough to the west tip of the island of Montreal that a
migration funnel effect exists, concentrating passerines in particular.
To date, 165 species have been observed, and 90 banded since MBO was
established in May 2004. The spring (April-May) and fall
(August-October) migration seasons are the primary focus for MBO, but
breeding and wintering birds are also monitored to some extent. In
addition to banding, birds are monitored through a standardized daily
census, and supplemental observations by all participants.
Research is underway to explore advanced ageing/sexing techniques for
locally common species. In addition to avian research, MBO places
an emphasis on training students and other volunteers in all aspects of
banding.
Raptor Research
Foundation Annual Meeting - October 2005 - Green Bay, Wisconsin
Genetic origin of
Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) breeding in eastern Canada
Presented by David
Bird; co-authors Marcel Gahbauer and David Bird
Project partners: Avian Science and Conservation Centre, Ontario
Ministry of Natural Resources
ABSTRACT:
Between
1975 and 1996, over 1500 captive bred Peregrine Falcons were introduced
by hacking into nest sites in southern Canada. All the captive breeders
originated from wild nests south of the treeline, considered to be
within the range of the anatum subspecies. Some of the
released falcons returned to breed in southern Canada, while others bred
in the eastern US. Conversely, many of the peregrine falcons
breeding in Canada originated from releases and wild sites in the US,
where several subspecies were used in captive breeding programs. This
is most evident in southern Ontario, where Peregrine Falcons resumed
breeding in 1995 after an absence of over thirty years. From 1995
through 2004, 30 breeding adults were observed, of which nine were of
Canadian origin, 12 of American origin, and nine were unbanded birds of
unknown origin. However, of the Canadian birds, four had at least one
parent originating from the US breeding program. This paper reviews our
knowledge of the origin of Peregrine Falcons that breed in Ontario and
elsewhere in Canada, based on band recoveries.
Province
of Quebec Society for the Protection of Birds - April 2005 - Montreal,
Quebec
Life and death on the
tundra
Presented by Marcel
Gahbauer
Project partners: Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, Ontario Ministry of
Natural Resources
The Ontario Breeding
Bird Atlas is an ambitious 5-year project designed to generate an accurate
summary of the current distribution and abundance of breeding birds across
the province. Each summer, a few teams of volunteers have headed to
remote parts of northern Ontario to survey areas of the province
accessible only by air. In June 2004, MRF Research Director Marcel
Gahbauer was the team leader for a group surveying the Hudson Bay lowlands
near the mouth of the Brant River. Previously known as a stronghold
of the Short-eared Owl, the area proved disappointing in that regard as
the natural population cycle of voles was at an extreme low, and most
raptors had moved elsewhere. It was also an exceptionally cold and
late spring, with an abundance of snow and ice remaining in late
June. This presentation summarizes the wildlife observed during the
trip, and the challenges which the harsh arctic environment imposes on species.
Canadian
Museum of Nature - March 2005 - Ottawa, Ontario
Hands on Science:
Raptor research techniques
Presented by Marcel
Gahbauer
An informal
three-hour session at the Museum of Nature, sharing information with
visitors about the various aspects of raptor research conducted by the
Migration Research Foundation. Banding and telemetry tools were on
display, as well as photos illustrating the research programs.
Raptor
Research Foundation - November 2004 - Bakersfield, California
Nest site
characteristics and productivity of urban Peregrine Falcons (Falco
peregrinus) in southern Ontario
Presented by Marcel
Gahbauer; co-author David Bird
Project partner: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
ABSTRACT: In
1995, two Peregrine Falcon pairs nested in southern Ontario, marking the
first successful breeding in the region in over thirty years. Since
then, 18 sites have been used, including a one-year high of 10 active
nests in 2004. From 1995 to 2004, 217 eggs were documented at 63
nesting attempts. The overall hatching rate was 65.9%, with higher success
at southwest, south, or southeast facing nests (76.8%, n=28) than at
others (56.8%, n=35). Two-thirds of nesting attempts were at sites with
full overhead cover; hatching success at these averaged 76.6% versus 44.4%
at sites with partial or zero cover. Of all chicks hatched (n=143),
95.8% survived to fledging, and 78.3% survived to independence. To
supplement natural productivity, 49 juveniles were hack released at 15
sites between 1999 and 2004. Government
biologists and/or experienced volunteers monitored all nests and releases.
Fledglings were rescued whenever injured, or at risk of injury from ground
predators and/or traffic. Only 8.2% of hack released peregrines were
rescued, compared to 41.6% of wild hatched juveniles. Of young
hatched
between 1995 and 2003, the fate, one year post-fledging, is known for
43.7% (n=119) of wild hatched and 42.2% (n=45) of hack released birds.
First year mortality was 63.5% for wild hatched individuals and 68.4% for
hack released birds. Of the survivors, 15 wild hatched individuals
have produced 101 offspring, while the only breeding hack released bird
has produced five. Two of the breeders displaced one of their parents from
their natal sites, two took over existing Ontario territories, five
established new territories in southern Ontario, and the remaining seven
nested in Michigan, Ohio, or New York. These results from Ontario
suggest that a broader review of the eastern Peregrine Falcon population
could reveal important patterns to better guide future management efforts.
Congrès
des Ornithologues Amateurs du Québec - October 2004 - St-Jean-sur-Richelieu,
Quebec
Le
suivi du Hibou des marais effectué pour la Fondation de la recherche de
la migration (Short-eared Owl monitoring by the Migration Research
Foundation)
Presented by Marcel Gahbauer
In 2003, the Migration
Research Foundation began monitoring the Short-eared Owl population in
southern Ontario. Between April and August, over 40 sites were
surveyed, based on recent sightings reported by birders, data from the
Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, and historical records. Few Short-eared
Owls were found, including only two pairs with fledged young. The
Short-eared Owl population in southern Ontario has been in decline for
decades, and the survey illustrated that even suitable habitat is now
rarely occupied by the species. The results of this breeding season
survey have motivated the Migration Research Foundation to launch a larger
research program to investigate the habitat usage, movements, and
conservation concerns of the Short-eared Owl in southern Ontario.
The species is at least partially nomadic, and there are some sites in
southwestern Quebec which are regularly occupied by Short-eared
Owls. MRF has requested the assistance of ornithologists in Quebec
in documenting the occurrence of Short-eared Owls, and will consider
expanding the overall research program to southern Quebec to evaluate
potential differences between regions.
Congrès
des Ornithologues Amateurs du Québec - October 2004 - St-Jean-sur-Richelieu,
Quebec
Créer et exploiter un poste de baguage conforme aux standards
nord-américains selon l'expérience de l'OOM (Establishing a banding
station to North American standards: the experience of McGill Bird
Observatory)
Presented by Marie-Anne Hudson
In 2004, the Migration
Research Foundation, in conjunction with the Avian Science and
Conservation Centre of McGill University, founded the McGill Bird
Observatory. Situated at the west end of the island of Montreal,
this station fills a significant gap in the migration monitoring network
in the province of Quebec. Our goals are to: 1) monitor the
migratory movements of birds in general and Northern Saw-whet Owls (Aegolius
acadicus) in particular; 2) offer educational opportunities for the
general public through nature walks and banding workshops; and 3) promote
bird-banding as an important scientific tool. Our activities include
spring and fall migration monitoring, winter resident banding to assess
patterns in population dynamics, and a summer breeding monitoring program
to assess the breeding success of the local nesting birds. MRF and
the ASCC depend heavily on the participation of dedicated volunteers such
as amateur birders to ensure the success of this venture. In
return, we commit ourselves to the conservation of birds through habitat
restoration, careful population monitoring, and public education programs.
Richmond
Hill Naturalists - September 2004 - Richmond Hill, Ontario
Life and death on the
tundra
Presented by Marcel
Gahbauer
Project partners: Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, Ontario Ministry of
Natural Resources
The Ontario Breeding
Bird Atlas is an ambitious 5-year project designed to generate an accurate
summary of the current distribution and abundance of breeding birds across
the province. Each summer, a few teams of volunteers have headed to
remote parts of northern Ontario to survey areas of the province
accessible only by air. In June 2004, MRF Research Director Marcel
Gahbauer was the team leader for a group surveying the Hudson Bay lowlands
near the mouth of the Brant River. Previously known as a stronghold
of the Short-eared Owl, the area proved disappointing in that regard as
the natural population cycle of voles was at an extreme low, and most
raptors had moved elsewhere. It was also an exceptionally cold and
late spring, with an abundance of snow and ice remaining in late
June. This presentation summarizes the wildlife observed during the
trip, and the challenges which the harsh arctic environment imposes on species.
Ontario
Breeding Bird Atlas - April 2004 - Ottawa, Ontario
Short-eared
Owl monitoring in southern Ontario
Presented by Marcel
Gahbauer
The Migration Research
Foundation surveyed over 40 sites across southern Ontario in the spring
and summer of 2003, searching for evidence of breeding Short-eared
Owls. Sites visited were selected on the basis of historical
records, reports from the current Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, and
sightings by local birders and naturalists. Most sites were visited
at least twice; those with particularly many previous records were checked
more frequently. Despite the efforts made, breeding was confirmed at
only two sites, on each in the Quinte and Kingston areas of eastern Lake
Ontario. Single birds were observed at three other sites, but
despite follow-up monitoring, no evidence of young could be found at any
of them. The poor results were consistent with a general sense by
birders (and atlas volunteers in particular) that Short-eared Owls were
scarce in the summer of 2003, and also with the overall decline in
occurrence since the first atlas twenty years earlier. The
strongholds of the species appear to be eastern Lake Ontario and the lower
Ottawa River valley; observers are encouraged to monitor these areas
particularly closely.
Hawk
Migration Association of North America - March 2003 - Corpus Christi,
Texas
Patterns in the
migratory movements of North American Peregrine Falcons
Presented by Marcel
Gahbauer; co-authors David Bird, Geoffrey Holroyd
Project partners: McGill University, Canadian Peregrine Foundation,
Canadian Wildlife Service
ABSTRACT: Satellite
telemetry has previously been used to document the movements of Peregrine
Falcons (Falco peregrinus) from breeding grounds in western North
America, winter territories in Mexico, and migratory stopovers along the
Atlantic Coast. This study is the first to focus primarily on the
movements of urban Peregrine Falcons, and to be targeted mostly at
juveniles. Between 1997 and 2002, 27 Peregrine Falcons from Alberta,
Ontario, Quebec, New York, and Pennsylvania were fitted with satellite
transmitters during the summer months. Nine individuals died or were
otherwise lost from communication before the end of summer. Among
the others, nine undertook long-distance migrations of 2000 km or more,
six migrated shorter distances, two moved to locations within 100 km of
their origins, and one did not disperse at all. Time of dispersal,
in number of days post-fledging, was longer for urban juveniles than for
those from rural sites. Similarly, captive-bred juveniles dispersed
more slowly than those raised in the wild. Among urban peregrines,
captive-bred individuals showed a much greater migratory tendency.
Regardless of origin, almost all moved to a coastal location for the
winter. Migratory paths were varied, but many individuals frequented
Florida and the east coast of Mexico. For six birds, both fall and
spring migrations were recorded; all returned to within 50 km of their
points of origin. Those which wintered in North America or Mexico
returned by similar routes, while those which migrated further south
crossed long distances of open water in the fall, but followed terrestrial
routes in the spring.
Argos
Animal Tracking Symposium - March 2003 - Annapolis, Maryland
Peregrine
Falcons: insights gained throughs satellite telemetry
Presented by Marcel
Gahbauer; co-authors David Bird and Geoffrey Holroyd
Project partners: McGill University, Canadian Peregrine Foundation,
Canadian Wildlife Service
ABSTRACT: Previous
researchers have used satellite telemetry to document the migration of
Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) between northern breeding
territories and wintering grounds in Central and South America. The
present study is focused primarily on the dispersal and migration of
juvenile Peregrine Falcons from urban environments. Seventeen such
individuals have been tracked since 1998, in addition to five juveniles
from rural sites and five adults. Birds were fitted with a PTT at or
near their nest sites in Alberta (n = 6), Ontario (n = 14), Quebec (n =
2), New York (n = 1), and Pennsylvania (n = 4). Nine individuals
died or were otherwise lost from communication within three months, and an
additional three falcons died later while still wearing the PTT.
In several cases, the site of death could be located using the telemetry
data, allowing the cause of mortality to be determined; factors identified
include vehicle collisions, predation, and electrocution. Of the 18
individuals tracked for three months or longer, nine undertook
long-distance migrations of 2000 km or more, six migrated shorter
distances, two moved to locations within 100 km of their origins, and one
did not disperse at all. Among the migrants, some departed directly
from their original territory, while others first dispersed locally before
undertaking longer journeys. Time of post-fledging dispersal was
later for urban juveniles than for those from rural sites. Satellite
telemetry has proven to be effective at describing both the spatial and
temporal patterns of Peregrine Falcon movements.
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