Connecticut Audubon Society

Press Release
For Release: Feb. 27, 2007

Contact: Mara Neville
203-259-6305 ext.103
mneville@ctaudubon.org

Connecticut Audubon Issues New Connecticut State of the Birds Report --
Identifies Man-made Activities That Kill Millions of Birds Every Year

Hartford, CT, February 27, 2007 – Connecticut Audubon Society’s (CAS) second annual Connecticut State of the Birds report, issued today, identifies specific man-made activities that are taking a significant toll on Connecticut’s already-stressed native bird populations (see CAS’ 2006 Connecticut State of the Birds). CAS President Robert Martinez and Senior Director of Science and Conservation Milan Bull are presenting the report’s major findings and CAS’s recommendations for urgent conservation actions at a joint press conference with State Senator Bill Finch and State Representative Richard Roy (the Chairs of the Environment Committee), and Commissioner Gina McCarthy of the CT Department of Environmental Protection. The press conference is being held on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. in the Legislative Office Building, Room 2A, in Hartford, CT.

“Our report describes and analyzes specific human activities that have the greatest negative impacts on bird populations in Connecticut,” said Milan Bull, Editor-in-Chief of Connecticut State of the Birds. “These factors kill an astounding number of birds in our state, and this number will continue to grow unless we take action.” The full 2007 report is available at www.ctaudubon.org/SOTB/2007.html.

The five specific, man-made threats identified in this year’s Connecticut State of the Birds report are:

Birds killed by striking glass surfaces,
Birds killed by striking communications towers and other tall structures,
Birds killed by feral and free-roaming cats,
Bird habitat destroyed by White-tailed Deer over browsing, and
Bird habitat destroyed by introduced Mute Swans and other invasive waterfowl.

“The first three of these man-made threats (glass strikes, tower strikes, cats) kill, at a minimum, many millions of birds annually in Connecticut,” said Milan Bull. “Some would argue that there are tens of millions of birds in our State, many of which are common and not declining in number. But windows, towers and cats do not distinguish between common and declining bird species. Similarly, the habitat destruction created by deer over browsing and invasive waterfowl affects a wide range of bird species.”
“Documenting and publicizing these man-made threats to Connecticut’s bird populations are important steps for us,” said CAS President Robert Martinez, “but equally important is the question, ‘what do we do?’ In order to reduce the unnecessary deaths of millions of birds in Connecticut each year, Connecticut Audubon Society is making recommendations. Our organization stands ready, once again, to work with State legislators, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, other state agencies and other conservation organizations to develop the specific actions required to implement our recommendations and make progress in achieving our common goal of conserving Connecticut’s birdlife and protecting our natural environment.”

"Birds are the ‘canary in the cage’ for a healthy environment,” said Senator Bill Finch, Senate Chair of the Environment Committee. “A healthy bird population is synonymous with a healthy natural environment. The Environment Committee is committed to helping the bird population of Connecticut by bringing the feral cat population under control, working on control of invasive species, controlling the deer population and combating climate change. Connecticut Audubon is to be commended for the work they have done to provide this valuable information that outlines how we can do even more to protect our feathered friends and our natural environment."

“We will never stop the technological advances that add to our quality of life, nor should we,” said Representative Richard Roy, House Chair of the Environment Committee. “At the same time, we should find ways to mitigate the possible damage such advances pose to the environment around us. We already must prepare impact statements before development proposals are approved. This includes the effects on the habitat of plants and animals. We will have to make specific reference to changes that immediately or will in the future cause harm to our native bird populations.”

"We all know that human activity adversely and directly affects wildlife populations," said DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy. "The key is to find ways for Connecticut to continue to grow and prosper while protecting our diverse wildlife and the habitat it needs to survive. Through education and outreach programs and by encouraging sound land use planning the DEP is working to increase the public's awareness of critical wildlife issues. This year's report only further demonstrates the need to foster a sense of environmental stewardship in the residents of our state."

Based on the findings of the expert authors contained in the 2007 Connecticut State of the Birds, the Connecticut Audubon Society recommends a number of steps to mitigate human activities that are negatively impacting the state’s bird populations:

Glass Strikes: To reduce glass strikes at large buildings during night migration, the Department of Economic Development should adopt and promote the Fatal Light Awareness Program being successfully used in Toronto. The use of CollidEscape film in homes to reduce window strikes should also be promoted.
Tower Strikes: To reduce tower strikes, the Department of Public Utility Control should limit the size of lighted and guyed structures in bird migration routes consistent with public safety.
Feral Cat Predation: To reduce feral cat predation of native birds, a state agency should be designated to remove and control feral cat colonies on state land and beaches. In order to determine if trap, neuter and release programs (TNR) reduce feral cat colonies, require those receiving state funds for TNR to report the number and location of colonies.
Invasive Waterfowl: Ask the Legislature to authorize the Department of Environmental Protection to remove Mute Swans from areas that DEP identifies as biologically significant. Urge municipalities to enact and enforce prohibitions on feeding waterfowl.
Deer Over Browsing: Ask the Legislature to work with the Department of Environmental Protection to develop practical programs to reduce deer herds in heavily browsed areas. Expanded hunting seasons and Sunday hunting on private lands should be considered.

“Windows, glass surfaces, communication towers and other tall structures are obviously man-made. Less obvious is the human connection to feral and free-roaming cats, Mute Swans and White-tailed Deer. Connecticut is faced with a large and growing feral cat population, and human beings are the culprits,” said Milan Bull. “Irresponsible owners continue to abandon pet cats to their fate outdoors – to injury, disease, parasites, attacks by other animals and starvation. Those cats who survive and their offspring form feral colonies that pose hazards to humans as well as birds.”

“The Mute Swan is an introduced species, originally imported from Europe to adorn ornamental ponds,” Milan Bull explained. “The damage that Mute Swans do to underwater vegetation and aquatic ecosystems is not readily apparent until the situation is critical. And in contrast to many of our native waterfowl species, Mute Swans in the wild are long-lived and highly territorial, have few predators and a very high reproductive rate.”

“Once scarce in number, today some populations of White-tailed Deer are eating everything in sight,” said Milan Bull. “The White-tailed Deer is a native species that has managed to adapt to human development. But deer over browsing is actually altering the vegetation structure, at the expense of ground-nesting birds.

These man-made threats are each covered in an article by an independent author who is a specialist in the field:
* Dr. Daniel Klem, Jr. (Windows), Muhlenberg College.
* Dr. Albert Manville II (Man-made Structures), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
* Linda Winter (Cats), American Bird Conservancy.
* Min T. Huang (Invasive Waterfowl), CT Department of Environmental Protection.
* Kenneth Metzler (White-tailed Deer), CT Department of Environmental Protection.

“There is still more we need know about threats to native birds,” said CAS President Robert Martinez. “However,” he continued, “this report is based upon the best scientific information available today and at CAS we support research efforts to continue to learn more. But one thing we do know is that leaving nature alone to take its course doesn’t work to protect threatened birds or any other threatened wildlife. Failure to act has resulted in millions of birds killed each year in our small state alone. We believe the key to acting on these issues, and on many other conservation issues, is our ability to strike a reasonable balance between competing interests, for the greater good of our environment and our native birds.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Founded in 1898 by pioneering conservationist Mabel Osgood Wright, Connecticut Audubon Society conserves Connecticut’s environment through science-based education and advocacy focused on the state’s bird populations and their habitats. Connecticut Audubon Society operates nature facilities in Fairfield, Milford, Glastonbury and Pomfret, an EcoTravel office in Essex and an Environmental Advocacy office in Hartford. Connecticut Audubon Society manages 19 wildlife sanctuaries around the state, preserves over 2,600 acres of wildlife habitat/open space in Connecticut, and educates over 200,000 children and adults annually. An estimated 20,000 visitors participated in Connecticut Audubon’s 8th Annual Eagle Festival™, held February 17-18, 2007 in Essex, CT. Web site: www.ctaudubon.org.