Ecology and Conservation of Migratory Birds in Canada Garry Donaldson Canadian Wildlife Service National Office Gatineau, Quebec

Canada – a summary

Canada – a summary area - 9,984,670 km 2 coastline - 202,080 km population - 32,507,874 652 species occur regularly

birds we share Pink-footed Shearwater Flesh-footed Shearwater Greater Shearwater Sooty Shearwater Wilson’s Storm-Petrel Blue-winged Teal Cinnamon Teal Ruddy Duck

Puffinus creatopus Puffinus carneipes Puffinus gravis Puffinus griseus Oceanites oceanicus Anas discors Anas cyanoptera Oxyura jamaicensis

birds we share Turkey Vulture Osprey American Kestrel Perigrine Falcon Moorhen

Cathartes aura Pandion haliatus Falco sparverius Falco peregrinus Gallinula chloropus

birds we share Black-bellied Plover American Golden Plover Snowy Plover Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Solitary Sandpiper Willet Spotted Sandpiper Eskimo Curlew

Pluvialis squatarola Pluvialis dominica Charadris alexandrinus Charadrius semipalmatus Charadrius vociferus Tringa melanoleuca Tringa flavipes Tringa solitaria Catopterophorus semipalmatus Actitis macularia Numenius borealis

birds we share Whimbrel Hudsonian Godwit Marbled Godwit Ruddy Turnstone Surfbird Red Knot Least Sandpiper Sanderling White-rumped Sandpiper Semipalmated Sandpiper Baird’s Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Wilson’s Phalarope

Numenius phaeopus Limosa haemastica Limosa fedoa Arenaria interpres Aphriza virgata Calidris canutus Calidris minutilla Calidris alba Calidris fusicollis Calidris pusilla Calidris bairdii Calidris malanotos Phalaroups tricolor

birds we share Pomarine Jaegar Parasitic Jaegar Long-tailed Jaegar Great Skua South Polar Skua Franklin’s Gull Sabine’s Gull Black Tern Common Tern Arctic Tern Stercorarius pomarinus

Stercorarius parasiticus Stercorarius longicaudus Catharacta skua Catharacta maccormicki Larus pipixcan Xema sbini Chlidonias niger Sterna hirundo Sterna paradisaea

birds we share Barn Owl Great-horned Owl Burrowing Owl Chimney Swift Eastern Kingbird Cliff Swallow Bank Swallow Barn Swallow House Wren Bobolink

Tyto alba Bubo virginianus Athene cunicularia Chaetura pelagica Tyrannus tyrannus Hirundo pyrrhonota Riperia riperia Hirundo rustica Troglodytes aedon Dolichonyx oryzivorus

~57 species

Bird Conservation Issues inadequate knowledge base • research • monitoring habitat concerns • wetlands • boreal forest • grasslands • climate change • contaminants

wetlands biodiversity rich water quality enhancement cover 15% of Canada 24% of world’s wetlands

wetlands Goals: Maintenance of functions and values throughout Canada No net loss of functions on federal lands Enhancement and rehabilitation in critical areas Recognition of wetland functions in federal programs, policies and decisions Securement of significant wetlands Wise use of wetland resources by industry http://www.ramsar.org/wurc_policy_canada.htm

boreal forest Canada's boreal region is home to one of the largest remaining intact forest ecosystems in the world 53% of Canada 30% of Canadian birds

boreal forest

boreal forest important for biodiversity carbon sink partnerships with governments, non-government organizations and industry forming

grasslands very heavily impacted 17 species of common concern Grasslands Initiative formed

overarching issues contaminants • agrichemicals • industry • long range transport to Arctic climate change • effects on habitat • effects on distributions

Iniciativa para la concervación de las aves de América del Norte Todas las aves, Todos los hábitats PROPÓSITO: Cooperar para conservar todas las aves silvestres de Norteamérica en sus áreas de distribución y sus hábitat y finalmente colaborar con otras naciones firmantes con relación a la conservación de las aves silvestres.

Iniciativa para la concervación de las aves de América del Norte una coordinación eficaz, basándose en asociaciones regionales existentes, tales como las Empresas Conjuntas fomentando una mayor cooperación entre las naciones y los pueblos del continente

Las regiones para la protección de las aves http://www.nabci.net/

NABCI – Canada Council Emphasizes partnership approach: • Environment Canada – Chair • Canadian Wildlife Service • provincial/territorial wildlife directors • non-governmental conservation organizations • industries

Iniciativa de especies migraorias Hemispherio Occidental la misión: contribuir notoriamente en la conservación de las especies migratorias del Hemisferio Occidental por medio de la consolidación de la cooperación entre las naciones, de acuerdos internacionales y de la sociedad civil y acrecentar la participación de las partes interesadas y de la ayuda política http://international.fws.gov/

Iniciativa de especies migraorias Hemispherio Occidental Se incluye toda la fauna que emigra a través de los países de las Américas: © Dave Matilla © Don DesJardin © Bat Conservation International © Bob Graham © Greg Skomal © Canon Martin Harvey

Canadian Wildlife Service Environment Canada: • Migratory Bird Convention Act • Canada Wildlife Act • Species at Risk Act CWS Strategic Plan • migratory birds (as defined in the act) • habitat • species at risk

Bird Conservation Plans provide the biological information and direction for conservation efforts four plans for species with common life histories: • North American Waterfowl Management Plan • Canadian Shorebird Conservation Plan • Waterbird Conservation for the Americas • North American Landbird Conservation Plan

Habitat Conservation for Birds Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network Ramsar Convention on Wetlands Important Bird Areas

Protected Areas in Canada

Highly Regulatory Regimes Voluntary, Stewardship Models

Important Habitats for Species Shared by Canada and Chile shorebirds (IBA, WHSRN, Ramsar, others): • Bahia Lomas • Maullin • Chiloe • James Bay • Harry Gibbons Migratory Bird Sanctuary links with National Parks • Pacific Rim • Wood Buffalo • Ivavik

Species at Risk Act Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada • arms length from government • reviews petitions recovery team • develops recovery plan • need for greater international efforts Eskimo Curlew (

Numenius borealis)

Pink-footed Shearwater (

Puffinus creatopus)

Canadian Wildlife Service International Program a range-wide strategy for science and conservation for migratory birds originating in Canada under development strategic approach for: • habitat • science • policy

Future Collaboration?

establish communication links through common initiatives • WHMSI • Ramsar • WHSRN • IBA others?