FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 27, 2004

Contact: Lisa Green (802) 457-2779 ext. 107, lgreen@vinsweb.orglgreen@vinsweb.org

VINS FEATURED AT MAJOR INTERNATIONAL ORNITHOLOGY CONFERENCE IN QUEBEC CITY LAST WEEK

Woodstock, VT -  Several conservation biologists from the Vermont Institute of Natural Science headquartered in Woodstock, VT presented at the 122nd meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) last week, August 17-21, 2004. The meeting took place in Quebec City and was attended by approximately 800 ornithologists from all over the world. The conference featured a special symposium on the ecology and conservation of Bicknell's Thrush, in which VINS played a major role.

VINS' biologist Kent McFarland presented 2 papers. The first, co- authored with Chris Rimmer and other colleagues, was on mercury levels in Bicknell's Thrush and other insectivorous songbirds in montane forests of the Northeastern U.S. and Canada. This paper summarized VINS' and collaborators' data on levels of mercury in the blood and feathers of BITH (Bicknell's Thrush) throughout its North American breeding range and its Greater Antillean wintering range. This is the most extensive dataset available on mercury in a terrestrial bird. Highlights of VINS' findings include the documentation that mercury levels coincide with patterns of regional atmospheric deposition, such that BITH on Stratton Mountain in Vermont, which receives higher loads of mercury from the atmosphere, have significantly higher blood and feather mercury than birds on Mt. Mansfield. Another important (and unexpected) finding is that BITH on Hispaniola and in Cuba have mercury levels 2-3 times higher than in North America. 

The second paper, co-authored with VINS colleague Dan Lambert, projected effects of climate change on Bicknell's Thrush in the northeastern U.S. VINS used two GIS modeling approaches to assess how elevated temperatures could affect BITH habitat in the U.S. Results showed that a 3 degree C increase in mean July temperature could lead to a 88-98% loss of montane forest habitat and the disappearance of BITH from the Catskill Mountains, the southern Adirondacks, the Green Mountains, and the mountains of western Maine. 

Biologist, Sarah Frey (part of VINS' Stratton Bicknell's crew) presented a multi-authored paper on whether ski areas affect Bicknell's Thrush demographics. VINS analyzed its several years of data from Stratton Mountain and Mt. Mansfield to examine BITH in natural forests and ski-developed forests on both mountains. Overall, VINS found few significant differences between developed and natural areas, as both nest predation rates and breeding productivity were similar. In short, it does not appear that existing ski areas act as an 'ecological trap' for BITH, causing adverse population effects.

VINS biologists Chris Rimmer and Kent McFarland also co-authored a paper, entitled "Conservation genetics of Bicknell's and Gray-cheeked Thrushes", presented by one of their Canadian colleagues at the conference. This paper analyzed genetic diversity and population structure of these two closely-related species across their breeding ranges.

VINS' biologist Rosalind Renfrew presented a poster, titled: Wintering Ecology of Bobolinks. There is very little known about the winter distribution and conservation status of Bobolinks, which are declining throughout their North American breeding range. Based on historical records and Roz' Jan-Feb 2004 field surveys in Paraguay, it appears that Bobolink flocks are relatively dispersed in grassland habitats of central South America. No large concentrations were found, highlighting the need for more extensive and refined surveys, which Renfrew is planning in 2005.