The Bobolink

Photo: Bobolink, Calvin Borgmann/Audubon Photography Awards

Evelyn Novins

The Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryaivorus, also called the rice bird or rice bunting, is yet another migrating songbird that has declined in population over the last fifty years. People have trapped and sold them as pets in South America, collected them as food in Jamaica and shot them in the US as agricultural pests. The primary reason for the species’ decline, however, is changes in land use, particularly the disappearance of useful habitat in many areas of its historic range. 

The Bobolink, as a ground-nesting bird, looks for large areas dominated by grasses without woody plants or trees. With the loss of prairie land due to development and agriculture, the Bobolink has adjusted to smaller, often flower-rich open meadows and hayfields. In urbanizing areas, of course, that kind of habitat also is disappearing.

The threats are not news to most birdwatchers, but before going into too much detail on the dire circumstances (and some hopeful moves toward conservation), let’s look at the special bird in question. 

The Bobolink is a seed-eater. It passes through northern Virginia in migration, breeds in more northern North America and winters in South America. During their long migration, mostly through Florida and the West Indies although a few migrate through Mexico and Central America, they stop in marshes and rice and other grain fields. In years past when the Bobolink was very abundant, flocks of birds might strip rice fields of seeds, behavior that gave it its common rice bird or rice bunting name and its scientific name “orvaivorus”, which means rice-eater. Once considered a pest, hunting the bird was a common practice. 

Although John James Audubon’s Birds of America was limited to the plates, a separate, companion publication written by Audubon and Scottish naturalist and ornithologist William MacGillivray provides observations on the birds’ migration as well as the damage they caused to crops along the way. See the text for Audubon’s Plate 54, the Rice Bird. It’s interesting to compare their observations with the information in current field guides.

Male Bobolink in breeding plumage, Calvin Borgmann/Audubon Photography Awards

The breeding male Bobolink is easily identified by his stunning black and white “reverse tuxedo” plumage (black below with white above) and his straw-colored nape. The nonbreeding male and female have a yellow/buffy nape and bold, brown stripes on the wings. The breeding female is paler. Many birders, however, recognize the bird by its bubbly call, which some say gave it its name, that is, they hear “Bob O’Lincoln” as part of the song. Listen to the recording on the American Bird Conservancy's website to see if you can hear the name.

Bobolink with nonbreeding plumage, Matt Felperin

After migrating in the spring, the males arrive in the breeding ground first. Females arrive later, choosing a nest site within a male’s territory. The female scratches a depression in the soil and then builds an outer wall of dead grass and weed stems. She lines the inside of the nest with fine grasses and sedges placed directly on the soil about 2-1/2 inches deep and 2 inches across for a clutch of 3-7 eggs.  

Bobolinks are truly social birds. Males mate with several females per breeding season and the eggs in a female’s clutch may represent multiple fathers. Both parents feed the young, and families from several nests form forage flocks. The adults eat seeds, but the nestlings are fed invertebrates exclusively. The young leave the nest unable to fly and hide in the underbrush until their flight feathers emerge fully. Outside the nesting season Bobolinks continue to flock, and the males molt adopting a drabber plumage as they begin their migration to the South American wintering ground. The males molt again on their wintering ground.

The 2025 State of the Birds report lists the Bobolink as an Orange Alert Tipping Point species, a classification that means it has lost more than 50% of its population in the last 50 years, and its decline has accelerated in the past 10 years. The US Geological Survey’s North American Breeding Bird Survey indicates that grassland bird populations have fallen 53%, and Partners in Flight also acknowledges the imperiled status of the Bobolink. 

Conservation efforts focus on maintaining the birds’ breeding ground by refraining from mowing fields until after the young have fledged. Using prescribed burns in natural prairie habitat also prevents encroachments by trees and other woody plants. Locally, Fairfax County has implemented a timed mowing schedule at several capped mounds at the I-95 Landfill Complex. Birders spotted Boblinks there this spring as they made their way north to breed. Because of the dearth of natural, open meadows in an urbanizing area like northern Virginia, managing landfills for these (and other) imperiled birds may be the birds’ best chance for finding a resting and feeding stop on their migrations.

King Rails at the Tipping Point in Northern Virginia

Photo: King Rail, Joshua Galicki/Audubon Photography Awards

Evelyn Novins 

The King Rail, also sometimes called the marsh hen because of its habitat, is a slender chicken-sized bird with a long, slightly downcurved bill and a short tail. It is mostly brown with the upper feathers being mixed with brown and rust. The sides are barred distinctively with white, while its neck and breast are a soft uniform rusty/cinnamon color. Its feet are large with exceptionally long toes. 

King Rails live in the shallow freshwater marshes along the Atlantic coast from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. They also inhabit inland marshes along rivers such as the Mississippi. The birds from Canada and Maine migrate south while the southern birds remain in their general area year round. 

King Rail populations have declined over the last ten years primarily due to habitat loss. King Rails are among northern Virginia birds that BirdLife International’s State of the Birds 2022 identified as at a tipping point for extinction, having lost half of their population in the last 50 years, and on a trajectory to lose another 50% in the next 50 years if nothing changes. I did not find a conservation plan in force for the bird in our area; however, projects to protect and restore area wetlands, such as the expansion of the Crow's Nest Natural Area, are helpful and should be encouraged and supported.

Habitat is important to the King Rail’s survival, because it is particular about the water level of its breeding area, often changing areas when the water levels shift, suggesting that climate change may also influence its dwindling population. The male King Rail constructs the nest in marsh vegetation, generally seeking areas with nearby plants such as sturdy bulrush, cattails, maiden cane, giant cutgrass, sawgrass, or black needlerush, which offer cover. The male often builds a sample nest as well as other nests to shelter the chicks once they have hatched. The simple round platforms sit above the water, made from wet, decaying vegetation and dead, dry grasses, sedges, or rushes. The nest often has a leaf canopy that hides it, protecting the eggs and chicks from flying predators. 

The King Rail is omnivorous, eating crayfish, fiddler crabs, small clams, fish, and frogs, as well as aquatic insects, fruits, acorns, and seeds of aquatic plants, including rice. Rails typically wade though the shallow marsh looking for prey and capturing them with their long bill. If they find food on land they often will go to the water and dunk their prey before eating. They swallow most food whole, but some they will dismember first, such as large crawfish. King Rails regurgitate indigestible parts of their food in pellets, like owls and some other birds.

Clapper Rail, Shayna Marchese/Audubon Photography Awards

King Rail, Seth Honig

I was surprised, given its vulnerability, that King Rail hunting is not prohibited in Virginia, as it is in Pennsylvania, although it is very limited. The King Rail is not officially considered a migratory game bird due to its limited migration behavior, but the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources sets a one per day bag limit on the King Rail. Fairfax County’s migratory gamebird biologist suggests that low limit is meant to protect those hunting for Clapper Rails from a violation from an accidental take of a King Rail. Clapper Rails and King Rails are similar in size and shape (see photo), but they generally prefer different habitat.

The King Rail has been spotted in the following local parks: Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Woodbridge Veterans Memorial Park, Aquia Landing Park, Crow’s Nest Natural Area, and Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve. Spotting this elusive bird is challenging for the novice. Your best chance may be to look for them foraging along the edge of the marsh in the early morning or at dusk.

Proposed Alpine-X Indoor Ski Resort Detrimental to Grassland Bird Habitat

Photo: American Kestrel, David Zieg/Audubon Photography Awards

 Jessica Bigger

People don’t typically think of landfills as birding hotspots, but southeastern Fairfax County’s Lorton I-95 Landfill Complex is one. Phil Silas, who leads bird walks throughout the region for both ASNV and the Northern Virginia Bird Club, observed that, when people think about landfills, they think they will find stinking mounds where there’s lots of noise, dust, and congestion from the trucks dumping garbage. However, he reported that the bulk of this landfill has been closed and capped for more than ten years, and most of the garbage that comes in is burned to produce energy at Covanta's on-site waste-to-energy facility, with the balance buried in other sections.

Because the county is no longer actively burying trash, the capped hills tucked between the Laurel Hills Equestrian Park and Occoquan Regional Park naturally become a meadow-like habitat, a rare oasis for a variety of grassland birds and birds of prey. I had an opportunity to take a tour of the landfill with Silas to see what makes this place such a desirable habitat for certain bird species. As we headed over to the landfill from the Laurel Hills Equestrian Park parking lot, Silas pointed to a tower at the Covanta plant, where a Peregrine Falcon was perched.

Before we could ride or walk on the landfill, we had to stop at the front office to sign the visitor log. It was apparent from the greetings by the staff that Phil is a regular here. During our drive up to the top of the hill, we spotted Wild Turkeys, a Grasshopper Sparrow, an American Kestrel, and a Mourning Dove. That’s only a fraction of the total number of bird species that visit the meadows. Over time, the area has become ideal habitat for grassland birds.

American Kestrel, David Zieg/Audubon Photography Awards

A Disturbing Luxury Ski Resort

Unfortunately, Alpine-X LLC is expected to apply for county permits to build an indoor ski resort on the very spot where Silas and I were standing. In addition to the indoor ski center, Alpine-X has plans to add an upscale hotel, a zip line, and possibly a waterpark. This development would eliminate the habitat these grassland birds depend on for nesting and food.

ASNV has already sent a statement to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors expressing concerns about the environmental impacts of a development project of this size and kind. The developers began their talks with the county officials back in 2016 before submitting a proposal for the ski resort development in 2018. The first public hearing was in October 2020.

The negative impact to the local environment promises to be significant, a point that Alpine-X disputes. The facility could have a high energy demand to make snow and keep it cold year-round. The facility also will need lots of water for the snow, as well as to meet the operating needs of a luxury resort. Alpine-X has asserted that it will offset energy requirements with renewables, but has provided no specific information, and it has not fully explained the source of the needed water. Increased traffic to the site, especially on I-95, will create more greenhouse gas and other pollution. Although county officials maintain that methane gas emissions for the capped landfill have decreased over time, Alpine-X has not explained how it will avoid releases to the atmosphere from construction disturbing the landfill.

From an environmental perspective, one of the most significant adverse effects would be the loss of meadow habitat and the natural resources that depend on it. Since 1970, we have lost more than half of the grassland birds from the US and Canada. Most grassland and meadow habitats have been destroyed or degraded in Northern Virginia, so even though this is a landfill, it represents rare habitat among our increasingly compromised natural resources. 

Meadows and grasslands attract a variety of insects that grassland birds feed on and provide prime nesting habitat and protection from predators. Some grassland insects only feed on specific plants, but there are others, like grasshoppers, that are generalists. Many ground-nesting birds eat these insects.

Judy Gallagher, ASNV’s expert on insects, who writes the monthly “Observations from Meadowood” feature of the Potomac Flier, explained why the landfill is so valuable: “For a meadow to be useful to ground birds you need [at least] 20 acres. That’s why the landfill is pretty cool, . . . [because there] is a fairly good-sized area that is undisturbed in the capped part of the landfill. So, insects thrive there and therefore so do Kestrels and other bird species.” ASNV recently acquired two Kestrel nest boxes that a volunteer will install at the landfill.

The meadows in the Lorton Landfill also attract Monarch Butterflies, which are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The meadow provides them an abundant source of the milkweed that they need for food. The meadow also is a source of plants in the pea family, which sulfur butterflies depend on. 

If this indoor ski resort is allowed to move forward, it will be a great loss to our local grassland birds and the insects who use the meadows, not to mention other forms of environmental degradation a ski resort will bring. ASNV is working to prevent this massive development. ASNV and other natural resource organizations have urged Fairfax County to require a comprehensive environmental impact study, including a survey of existing plant, insect and other natural resources, before approving this controversial project. Watch for alerts from ASNV, and please tell your elected officials now to oppose it.

Help ASNV Save Globally Rare Habitat

Photo: Sweetbay Magnolia, Philip Latasa

Audubon Society of Northern Virginia is urging the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to protect important wetland habitat on South Long Branch, a tributary of Accotink Creek, by realigning the proposed Cinder Bed Road Bikeway, a commuter bikeway that is planned through the area in Lee District of Fairfax County. Please help us by contacting your Fairfax County Supervisor.

ASNV has been working with the Friends of Accotink Creek, Audubon Naturalist Society, and the Virginia Native Plant Society to prevent construction of a bikeway through sensitive wetlands, instead seeking a route away from special habitat. The area the proposed Cinder Bed Road Bikeway would traverse contains Coastal/Piedmont Seepage Wetlands, which have a special status designated by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, near a globally rare Magnolia Bog. Magnolia Bogs are named for the Sweetbay Magnolias (Magnolia virginiana) which grow in them, along with a globally rare plant community. There are only a few dozen Magnolia Bogs in the world. They are only found in the fall zone in the Mid-Atlantic region. Once they were fairly numerous in our area, but most have been extirpated by development.

Sweetbay Magnolia, Philip Latasa

Magnolia Bogs depend upon water flowing through gravel terraces, then running into impermeable layers of clay and emerging in springs and seeps. Their unique hydrology makes them very sensitive to disturbance. Building a bikeway through the area would irreparably alter the hydrology and destroy the Magnolia Bog as well as acres of woods and wetlands. It would also open up the area to the proliferation of exotic invasive plants, such as Japanese stiltgrass, which will further degrade the habitat. 

This large area of important, high-quality wetland and riparian habitat currently supports birds and other wildlife. In fact, workers at the Franconia Metro recently discovered American eels in Long Branch. The project’s harm to wildlife is compounded because the bikeway is proposed to be fully lighted from dusk to dawn for its full length. The harmful and disruptive effect of artificial nighttime lighting on birds, insects, and many species of wildlife is well-documented.

The Cinder Bed Road Bikeway is intended to provide a commuting route for cyclists from Fort Belvoir to Franconia-Springfield Metro. ASNV fully supports reducing the number of commuters who drive their cars, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants. However, we oppose routing the bikeway through this very sensitive area, and favor instead any of the alternative alignments that have been identified. We are asking that the project be paused, and alternatives be evaluated.

It is surprising, and heartening, to find globally rare and healthy habitat, tucked away and hidden amongst the industrial development of Newington, I-95, and the railroad. The survival of this remnant proves that nature is resilient, if given half a chance. Let’s not destroy what remains by building a commuter bikeway through it. Instead, let’s find another location for the bikeway, and preserve and protect this special place. If you live in Fairfax County, please ask your supervisor to support rerouting the Cinder Bed Road Bikeway, to save this important habitat.

#SaveCinderBedWoods

Woodland, Philip Latasa

Hosting Cavity Nesting Birds in your Yard

Annual Audubon At Home Ambassador’s Brunch features Larry Cartwright

Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Larry Cartwright

Encouraging cavity nesting birds in suburban yards requires knowledge of birds and insects and how to support them. Audubon at Home Ambassadors invited Larry Cartwright to share his expertise on February 20th at their Annual  Brunch. AAH Ambassadors are a trained group of volunteers who make personal visits within our region to anyone who asks for advice about how to make their property more wildlife friendly. 

Although Larry Cartwright was formally trained in Russian history, he has been a nature lover most of his life, with a special fondness for birds and bats. In addition, he is the compiler for the DC Christmas Bird Count, ASNV’s Winter Waterfowl Count, the Dyke Marsh Breeding Bird Survey and the Huntley Meadows Eastern Bluebird Nest Box Program. At home, he uses his own suburban yard as a case study in how to transform property to attract nesting birds and other wildlife. Among the lessons he’s learned: 

Avoid manicured monocultures in open spaces by planting a diversity of native plants that attract insects which in turn will attract birds. Reducing the use of pesticides is essential to encouraging a heathy balance of plants, insects and birds.

Native Plantings, Larry Cartwright

Don’t be Overly Tidy and instead, leave the leaves and dead plants for winter foraging, shelter and spring nesting materials. Adding a water source and a brush pile will attract even more birds. Sometimes neighbors or HOAs complain about naturalized landscapes they perceive as unkept. Larry’s solution is to plant colorful flowers, like Zinnias facing the street and talk with his neighbors about the purpose of his yard – to improve habitat. Loss of habitat is the most serious threat facing birds today.

Couded Sulpher with Zinnia, Larry Cartwright

Snags are essential to a healthy habitat. A snag is a dead tree or dead parts of an upright living tree. They are used by cavity nesting birds and many other animals such as Raccoons, Flying Squirrels and Big Brown Bats. Snags also attract insects, mosses and fungi when they decompose. Taller snags are especially useful to raptors such as Red-tailed Hawks as look-outs for prey and to attract potential mates.

Cavities, Larry Cartwright

Learn how to maintain snags by only removing them if they threaten homes or harbor a disease or infestation that could spread. If they do fall to the ground in a wooded area they will return nutrients to the soil which aids the growth of new plants. Even if you must remove a dead tree, you can leave the stump for ground foraging cavity nesters like Pileated Woodpeckers and Northern Flickers. Larry recommends having at least 3 snags per acre.

Understand the two groups of cavity nesting birds. In the U.S. and Canada there are over 85 avian species that use cavities for food, shelter and nesting and 25 of them can be found in Northern Virginia. 

• Primary cavity nesters, including all woodpeckers, excavate their own cavities. Some smaller birds such as Carolina Chickadees and White-breasted Nuthatches can enlarge existing holes if the wood is rotten enough.

Pileated Woodpeckers, Larry Cartwright

• Secondary cavity nesters do not excavate their own cavities but rely on broken off limbs or those created by other birds. Larry’s backyard favorites are the Great Crested Flycatchers who use dried plant material and snakeskins in their nests. The snakeskins are probably used to deter predators. Barred Owls have found homes in his neighborhood too, but not Eastern Screech-Owls even though they are also secondary cavity nesters. Wood Ducks and Hooded Mergansers use cavities but they need to live near water. Another cavity nester that prefers water is the Prothonotary Warbler. They nest along the Potomac, larger tributaries and inland marshes. Other species you might attract if you have enough open space are Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows.

Great Crested Flycatcher, Gary Rasmussen/Audubon Photography Awards

Using nest boxes to attract birds requires the right habitat. Most residential areas do not offer enough foraging areas for birds that need open spaces and often there is severe competition from introduced species like House Sparrows. Larry’s yard does not have enough open space for blue birds and swallows but he does host nesting House Wrens and Mason Bees.

Eastern Bluebird, Hazel Erikson/Audubon Photography Awards

Be aware of what your habitat will support and the challenges for you and the birds. Northern Virginia is a rich home for numerous cavity nesting birds but it is also overrun with non-native plants like Porcelain Berry and English Ivy that degrade habitat. Learning about these invasive plants and removing them is an ongoing effort in Larry’s yard. 

After habitat loss, the 2nd most serious threat to birds is free-roaming cats which kill about 2.4 billion birds per year in the U.S. Discussing your concerns with neighbors is a good beginning. 

The effect of deer browsing on tree seedlings has degraded our woodlands. If seedlings do not grow then there will be no replacement oaks and other large trees to support cavity nesters in the future. 

Read more about Larry’s talk and the value of dead wood in this article by Glenda Booth.

Do you want to make your yard more wildlife friendly and attract to cavity-nesting birds?  Visit our Audubon at Home page and request a consultation with an Ambassador. 

Historic River Farm Property in Peril

Photo: River Farm

River Farm, a historic 25-acre property on the Potomac River, may be sold to private developers. The American Horticultural Society (AHA), the owner of the property, has issued a request for proposals to purchase the property to create an endowment for the organization. 

River Farm includes the historic Manor House, extensive gardens and a four-acre meadow of native plants. Bald eagles frequent Virginia's Potomac River shoreline and observers have documented a number of nests in the area. Despite agreeing with Enid Haupt, who donated the funds to purchase the property and keep it open to the public, the AHA has extended its request for proposals to developers and private parties. AHA’s website has more information on River Farm’s history and gardens.

Virginia Senators Scott Surovell and Adam Ebbin, Delegate Paul Krizek and Fairfax County Supervisor Dan Storck and Chair Jeff McKay are coordinating efforts to keep River Farm open to the public. You can learn more about that effort and sign a petition urging the preservation of River Farm for public use here. 

Plastic is One of the Largest Culprits Harming Birds and Wildlife Today

Photo: Laysan Albatross, Steven Siegel/American Bird Conservancy

Jessica Bigger

Zach Huntington used to guide fishing tours out on the Potomac. While floating along the river in his kayak, he started noticing a significant amount of habitat loss and a glaring volume of garbage washing up on the shores and islands of the Potomac. After four years of watching the river’s native habitat decrease and shoreline garbage accumulate, Huntington decided to take action. “I wanted to take an active role in protecting what I enjoy so much,” he explained.

Huntington is now the Clean Streams Program Manager for Clean Fairfax. Clean Fairfax is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to educate Fairfax County citizens on how to prevent and reduce the amount of litter each person generates. The organization also oversees several cleanups each year. Most recently he has been monitoring ten storm drain sites to keep track of specific trash flowing into our streams and rivers that eventually flows to the Chesapeake Bay and ultimately ends in the Atlantic Ocean.

There are about one million people living in Fairfax County. It is estimated that each person generates 320 bags of garbage each year. That’s 320 million bags of garbage dumped into our landfills. In the entire state of Virginia, where we have a population of 8.5 million people, if each person contributed 320 bags of garbage per year, it would amount to more than 2.72 billion bags of trash.

The biggest culprit is plastics. Plastics, coursing through all our waterways and culminating in our oceans, harm marine animals in a variety of ways. Some of the most harmful trash found in our waterways and oceans is single-use plastics: water bottles, plastic bags from grocery stores, Styrofoam cups and containers, microbeads used in cosmetic products, straws, balloons, wrappers and plastic rings from soda and beer cans. Discarded fishing gear is another gigantic problem.

Per year, Fairfax County’s residents and workers, have used more than 965,000,000 plastic bags (only 2% recycled), 129,000,000 water bottles (23-37% recycled) and 250,000 disposable coffee cups (not recyclable), according to Clean Fairfax who pulled the data from Fairfax County in 2017. And most likely these numbers have increased.

According to the Ocean Conservancy, plastics affect more than 700 marine species. 180 bird species ingest plastic from oceans and beaches and the rate of consumption is only increasing, according to the American Bird Conservancy. In a study published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin in 2018, researchers collected plastics from the stomach contents of 24 American Oyster Catchers between 2007 and 2015. 58% of the birds were juveniles. They found plastic pellets and smaller plastic pieces in the stomach contents of all 24 birds.

Other marine birds have also been found with microplastics in their gut: albatross species, Kelp Gulls, Red Phalaropes, Common Eiders, most shearwater species and petrels. Some researchers believe that these birds, and many others, are attracted to the smell of certain plastics, mistaking the aroma for food. Plastics tend to build up and block a bird’s digestive system, making it difficult to feed, and plastics have contributed to lower body weight and reproductive ability, noted the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Other birds, like Ospreys and Northern Gannets use plastic waste to line their nests, which their young get tangled in.

In particular, single-use plastic bags, 6-pack plastic holders, party balloons and discarded fishing gear have had devastating effects for all marine life but especially sea turtles, whales and most seabirds. These items have caused numerous fatalities, as marine animals get tangled up and unable to free themselves. Even locally at Dyke Marsh, a birder found several dead Great Blue Herons. One Great Blue Heron was found strangled by fishing gear, hanging by its neck in a tree. So, these events aren’t just happening in other parts of the world, they’re happening closer to home.

Although we have environmentally conscious people cleaning up our shores and waterways and reducing their own plastics use; it is impossible to keep up with the plastics output. Huntington believes that the only way to make significant progress is through local and national legislation that forces the plastic producers to not only take responsibility for their output, but to also reduce or eliminate the amount of plastics they push onto the market. “With the amount of waste that we’re creating locally and in our society in general; there is no way we can handle it. We have to cut it from the source,” concludes Huntington.

Litter Free Virginia keeps track of all trash reduction legislation happening right now to help citizens stay informed and encourage them to get involved. Just this year, with the effort of numerous individuals and organizations, the state of Virginia finally raised its litter tax after 43 years. Now municipalities across the state have the option to charge a 5-cent fee for single-use plastic bags.

Want to help? You can do your part by contacting your local, state and federal representatives to express your concerns and push them to write legislation to make large plastic producing companies accountable for their actions. On the local level, you can help by getting involved in cleanups, bringing your own reusable bags, ditching plastic bags to hold your produce and drinking from a reusable water bottle (preferably stainless steel or aluminum). To learn more about getting involved, you can visit ,  and Friends of Dyke Marsh. Let’s work towards a better future for our birds, wildlife, planet and for us.

Non-toxic Mosquito Control

Photo: Eastern Bluebird, Laurie Lawler, Great Backyard Bird Count

It’s summertime and mosquito control companies are once again pushing their services to kill mosquitoes in your yard. Although the companies may claim they target only mosquitoes, the products they use have a broader impact. The products kill mosquitoes but they also kill other insects and insect larvae that birds, reptiles and amphibians rely on as essential food sources.  Over the last 50 years North America has lost over 3 billion birds. Habitat loss is the primary driver of avian decline, but loss of a food source in an area is also loss of habitat. The good news, if you are plagued by mosquitoes, is that there are easy, non-toxic ways to reduce the population in your yard.

Services we contacted in Northern Virginia use sprays containing pyrethrins or their synthetic form, pyrethroids, to kill mosquitoes. The products are not selective for mosquitoes but can kill all insects and arthropods (spiders, mites, centipedes and millipedes). The material safety data sheet (MSDS) for a product one local company uses lists the pyrethroid Bifenthrin as its active ingredient. The MSDS shows that the product can be used to kill not only mosquitoes, but also ants, bees, wasps, hornets, beetles, centipedes, cicadas, crickets, flies, gnats, moths, spiders, spider mites and fruit flies, among other insects and arthropods. The MSDS specifies that the product is extremely toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates and is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment or residues on blooming crops or weeds.     

Fortunately, there are non-toxic alternatives that can control mosquitoes. Removing stagnant water and other materials that can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes is not difficult and doesn’t harm other insects or arthropods.  

• Identify and empty out any outdoor containers that can accumulate water, including saucers under pot plants.  

• Store other containers that could accumulate water such as wheelbarrows, watering cans and recycle bins in a shed or garage.  

• Clean out bird baths and replace the water regularly. Adding an aerator also discourages mosquitoes.

• Fix any leaking outdoor faucets that can cause puddles.  

• Clean out clogged roof gutters.  

• If your yard has any tree stumps with hollowed-out areas, fill them with dirt or mulch. 

• Eliminate flexible downspout extenders, which accumulate water in the corrugations even if they are pointed downhill. Securing window screening around the outflow can work to keep mosquitoes out; make sure to monitor for debris clogging it and replace as necessary. Consider installing a rain garden as an alternative to manage excess storm water runoff. A properly installed rain garden drains in 12 to 48 hours and the absence of standing water prevents breeding mosquitoes.

• Cover any rain barrels with screening to prevent mosquitoes from entering to lay eggs.

If your yard has containers that can’t be emptied out, covered or turned over every week, such as septic tanks, pools not in use, or ornamental ponds without fish or amphibians to eat larvae, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests adding Bti, or Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis. Bti is a bacteria found in soil that produces toxins that kill mosquito larvae, blackflies and fungus gnats when they eat it. See the CDC Fact Sheet on Bti. It comes in a variety of forms, including Mosquito Dunks®. Regardless of the size of container used, you should use at least a quarter of Dunk (do NOT use the Mosquito Bits®). See how to set up a mosquito larvae trap.

Other possible sources of breeding mosquitoes may not be as obvious.

• Thin out heavy ground cover (such as invasive English ivy) which can also provide a mosquito breeding ground.   

• Manage compost piles to discourage mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are attracted to discarded fruit and nectar-containing flowers. Stir in newly-added materials to the middle of a pile to accelerate decomposition and to avoid attracting mosquitoes and other pests. See "Compost Piles and Mosquitoes.”  

Passive mosquito traps can provide additional protection and they do not use pyrethroids. Examples include the Biogents GAT, or the Autocidal Gravid Ovitrap, developed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and marketed as the BioCare AGO.  They lure and trap egg-laying mosquitoes.  

Bringing Peregrine Falcons Back to Virginia’s Mountains

Photo: Peregrine Falcon, Richard Derevan/Audubon Photography Awards

National Park Service biologist, Rolf Gubler, will give a talk on March 1, 2020 at 2:00 PM about the Peregrine Falcon restoration project at Shenandoah National Park.  

Rolf Gubler, National Park Service biologist, with a Peregrine Falcon. Photo courtesty of Friends of Dyke Marsh

A team brings at-risk Peregrine Falcon chicks from bridge nest sites in eastern Virginia to Virginia’s mountains, once part of their historic range. They hope the birds will imprint on the park's cliffs and return as breeding adults. This project boosts mountain peregrine populations and aids in the survival of bridge nest peregrine chicks where fledging is often difficult due to insufficient updrafts.

Peregrine Falcons were used for hunting or falconry as early as 2000 B.C. in China and Egypt and in World War II, both the British/U.S. and the German armies had a falcon corps to intercept their opponent’s homing pigeons.  Peregrines are found in rural and urban environments and on every continent except Antarctica.

This free, public meeting will be at the Mount Vernon Government Center 2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria, near U.S. 1 and a mile from the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

The Friends of Dyke Marsh are sponsoring the program.  Cosponsors are the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia and the Northern Virginia Bird Club. This is a free program and registration is not required.

Cats and Birds – An Unnatural Mix

Photo: stock.xchng

By Lisa Mackem

Last month, the Potomac Flier article “Three Billion Birds” summarized the alarming decline of birds in the US and Canada since 1970.

Habitat loss is the biggest driver of that decline.

The second biggest driver is free-roaming domestic and feral cats.

Cats are not a native American species – the colonists brought the first cats to the US as pets. Free-roaming cats threaten birds and other wildlife, disrupt ecosystems, and spread diseases. The American Bird Conservancy estimates that 100 million cats live in the U.S. and that free-roaming cats kill approximately 2.4 billion birds in the U.S. annually, making cat predation the largest human-caused mortality threat to birds. Researchers estimate that a single free-roaming pet cat kills up to 34 birds annually, and a single feral cat kills 23-46 birds annually.  

ASNV, American Bird Conservancy, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) oppose free-roaming cats and TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) programs for feral cats. PETA opposes TNR programs when the released cats are left to fend for themselves, because in addition to allowing cats to harm native wildlife, living outdoors harms cats. Indoor cats have a substantially longer life expectancy and better quality of life. ASNV has urged all local jurisdictions to initiate public information campaigns to encourage cat owners to keep their cats indoors. ASNV members have met with Fairfax County animal welfare representatives, members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Arlington County’s Joint Natural Resources Committee, and others to discuss this critical issue for birds and small mammals. 

ASNV’s membership materials include messaging about the importance of keeping cats indoors, and the American Bird Conservancy has published ideas for exposing cats to the outdoors without allowing them unlimited roaming. A “catio,” an outdoor enclosure that allows a cat to move outside within a sheltered and secure space, is one such option. Another option is modifying an existing fence to be cat-safe, allowing a cat to roam within a private yard, possibly with visual or audio alerts and mechanical obstructions to protect birds. Some cats can be trained to walk on leashes or with harnesses or can be restrained in a backpack or stroller. Indoor-only cats need entertainment, and there are numerous options for feline indoor play.

For more detailed information about keeping pet cats and wild birds safe, including suggested products and tips to transition an outdoor cat to indoor life, see the American Bird Conservancy’s Solutions for Pet Cats. 

3 Billion Birds

Photo: Songbird Decline, Chris Maynard

By Lisa Mackem

Wild bird populations in the continental US and Canada have declined by almost 30% since 1970, representing a loss of nearly 3 billion birds. This loss astounded Cornell Lab of Ornithology conservation scientist, Ken Rosenberg. Rosenberg led an international team of scientists from seven institutions in the analysis of population trends for 529 bird species. The journal Science published the study results in September. 

The scale of loss is unlike anything recorded in modern natural history. It includes hundreds of bird species across the continent. The research confirming these losses represents the most robust synthesis of long-term population monitoring data ever assembled for animals, said Adam Smith, a study coauthor and biostatistician for Environment and Climate Change Canada. “It’s safe to say that in the natural world, birds are the best studied group of wildlife species,” Smith said. “The data that exist for birds are just so incredible, from 50 years of the North American Breeding Bird Survey and the Christmas Bird Counters from 100 years ago, on to the eBirders of today,” said Smith. 

The study authors say that their work shows a pervasive loss in every North American biome. Forests have lost 1 billion birds and grasslands have lost 700 million, or 50% of their birds. The study authors identify habitat loss as a likely driving factor in these declines. More than 90% of the total bird losses (over 2.5 billion birds) come from 12 avian families, including common birds like sparrows, blackbirds, and finches. A Red-winged Blackbird was the subject of the winning 2019 Audubon photography contest photo. In the last 50 years, Red-winged Blackbirds lost 33% of their population – a severe and unsustainable loss. 

Birds are indicator species, serving as acutely sensitive barometers of environmental health. Their mass declines signal that the earth’s biological systems are in trouble. Other studies have documented similar losses in populations of insects, amphibians, and fish. A 2019 United Nations report warned that approximately one million animal and plant species face extinction – more than ever before in human history.

Fortunately, there is also good news. North American duck and geese populations have grown by 56% since 1970, largely due to US and Canadian laws protecting wetlands and collaboration with Mexico to safeguard migrating waterfowl. Conservation management became increasingly science-driven. Private philanthropy, especially by Ducks Unlimited, generated significant financial support for wetlands acquisitions. Raptor and turkey populations also have been restored. A current bipartisan measure in the US House of Representatives – the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act – would direct $1.4 billion in federal dollars to invigorate underfunded state and tribal wildlife conservation programs. Bird populations that have suffered devastating losses have enough remaining birds to spur a recovery if conservation measures are implemented soon. 

3 billion birds, co-sponsored by American Bird Conservancy, Audubon, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Georgetown University, The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and Smithsonian National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute published 7 Simple Steps to help birds: 

1. Make windows safer 

2. Keep cats indoor

3. Reduce lawn by planting native species 

4. Avoid pesticides

5 Drink bird-friendly coffee

6. Reduce use of plastics

7. Participate in birdwatching citizen science. 

Rosenberg warned that in 10 years, the current losses could be irreversible. The passenger pigeon was once the world’s most abundant bird, but people did not realize how quickly it was vanishing until it was too late. Meaningful action must start now.

You can participate in birdwatching citizen science by attending ASNV’s Project FeederWatch and Christmas Bird Count workshops this November – ASNV Workshops

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/vanishing-1-in-4-birds-gone/ https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/opinion/crisis-birds-north-america.html https://science.sciencemag.org/content/366/6461/120

Bald Eagles Down in the Dumps?

Photo: Bald Eagle, Antonio Busiello/Audubon Photography Awards

By Roger DiSilvestro

Our Waste Sites May Be a Threat to Birds

Even if you have not visited the Prince William County landfill, you may have heard that it is a magnet for Bald Eagles, among other birds, including clouds of gulls. You can stand at a random spot and count more than 20 adult eagles at a time. Bit of a shame, really, that we have pulled Bald Eagles back from the brink of extinction, thanks largely to federal protective laws, only to have then turn into connoisseurs of rubbish. But nature finds sustenance where it can.

Birds in Jeopardy

Unfortunately, the eagle’s adaptability to available food sources may bring harmful effects. Researchers at Argentina’s National University of Comahue, after examining blood samples from 48 adult Black Vultures that foraged in a Patagonian garbage dump, found that the birds were not only heavier than conspecifics that fed only in the wild but also had:

• higher levels of uric acid from eating too much protein,

• excessive levels of blood sugar from eating sweets and cereals,

• an increased likelihood of developing kidney and other diseases because of the diet heavy on protein and carbos, and

• higher levels of immune proteins thanks to the high density of pathogens encountered in the dumps.

The findings are a warning that other birds scavenging on rubbish, including California Condors and our own Bald Eagles, also could be at risk.

Bird of the Month: The “Sparred” Owl

By Elise Brosnan

The Spotted Owl just can’t get a break. Endemic to old-growth forests in the Pacific North west, the endangered owl’s population was already declining due to deforestation, but now they have been forced to accommodate an inconsiderate guest: Barred Owls. Native to the eastern half of North America, the Barred Owl’s territory has been expanding westward since the turn of the last century. By the 1990s, Barred Owls have become a permanent fixture throughout much of the Spotted Owl’s historic range. Larger, more aggressive, and more opportunistic than Spotted Owls, Barred Owls have been identified as a significant new factor driving the Spotted Owl’s population collapse.

However, Spotted Owls hold no apparent ill will towards Barred Owls. The two species occasionally hybridize, or mate, producing an offspring that is half spotted and half barred. As you might expect, “Sparred Owls” look like both of their parents. They have the Barred Owl’s larger size, but the Spotted Owl’s darker coloring. Their breast plumage is a mixture of spots and bars, described as looking like a checkerboard pattern. Their call also reflects their mixed heritage; a series of staccato Spotted Owl-like “hoos” followed by a Barred Owl-like “hoo-ah,” described by a biologist as “sort of like a Spotted Owl being strangled.”

Morgan, a Sparred Owl, is help in captivity at Chintimini Wildlife Center in Corvallis, Oregon. Photo courtesy of Chintimini Wildlife Center

Hybridization is surprisingly common in birds. Up to ten percent of birds are suspected to hybridize with other species, at least occasionally. However, hybridization may be increasing as the historic range of many bird species changes. As we lose grassland in the Great Plains states, eastern forest birds are interacting with western forest birds in a way that has never been seen before. Because of climate change, both western and eastern species are finding northern territories more hospitable. The Barred Owl made its way west by colonizing Canadian forests at the very north of its range, before looping south into Spotted Owl territory.

Great Plains hybridization has threatened species before. The Midwestern Blue-winged Warbler is expanding its range eastward, where it outcompetes and hybridizes with the Golden-winged Warbler.  (However, some biologists argue that Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers are two variants of the same species, and, by definition, cannot be under threat from itself.)

Therefore, what should be done about Barred Owls? Experimental cullings have occurred, with moderate success. However, some environmentalists argue that the arrival of the Barred Owl has provided a convenient scapegoat for another enemy of Spotted Owls: the logging industry. “Competition from Barred Owls may well need to be addressed on an interim basis until Spotted Owls’ populations can be returned to health,” says Bob Sallinger, conservation director of the Audubon Society of Portland, Oregon, “but unless critical habitat needs are adequately addressed, Barred Owl control will be nothing more than a sad and pathetic footnote on the road to Spotted Owl extinction.”

Sources:

Axelson, G. (2016) Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers Are 99.97 Alike Genetically. Living Bird Magazine. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. Retrieved from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/mixed-wing-warblers-golden-wings-and-blue-wings-are-99-97-percent-alike-genetically/