[NatureNS] Snow Buntings

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Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:07:43 -0400
From: Jeff MacLeod <jeffnaturens@gmail.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca, loiscodling@hfx.eastlink.ca
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Hi Lois. I can tell you some about the work I'm hoping to do.

First, I should say that I do have a permit allowing me to trap and band
wild birds (and experience doing this), and that their welfare is of utmost
importance throughout the banding process. During the banding process, the
birds would be lured into ground traps using seed. Typically they would be
in the traps for 15-30 minutes, feeding on the seed inside (unless there is
some stressor present creating a need to remove the birds sooner). All birds
are removed from the traps at once, and put into cloth bags so that they
don't struggle and get further stressed. Birds are removed from the bags one
at a time, several non-invasive measurements are taken (wing length, body
condition, weight), age and sex is determined, and a small aluminum band
with a unique number is put on their leg. The banding/measurement process
takes less than one minute, and the birds are released as soon as it is
over. This handling is stressful for the birds, of course, but this type of
trapping is very safe for the birds and they are able to handle this degree
of stress. Typically many birds end up back in the very same traps, some
multiple times, and often in the same day, suggesting that they are willing
to put up with the associated stress in order to get the food in the traps.

Regarding the project, I'm not sure how detailed a description Dr. Love
would be comfortable with me posting on the internet, given that this is his
research that has not been described in any scientific forums yet. Broadly
speaking, however, I can say that my banding efforts would be part of a
long-term monitoring project to track the reproductive and wintering success
of numerous populations of snow buntings. Metal banding of individuals is
essential to i) avoid re-sampling of previously-caught individuals within
each winter, and ii) to monitor changes in the condition of wintering
individuals across the season and across populations. There has been some
suggestion in the scientific literature that Snow Bunting numbers are
declining quite significantly, and we would like to verify whether this is,
indeed, the case. Part of this process, in the case of this project, also
involves the removal of one wing feather from a number of birds (these
feathers grow back). The feather will allow us to determine where the birds'
breeding grounds are, and make a link between breeding a wintering grounds.
The research ethics board at University of Windsor has review the project
and approved it.

I hope that I have addressed some of your concerns about the stress we will
be putting these birds through. I am certainly sympathetic, and the welfare
of the birds is quite important to me--both the individual birds that I am
handling and the species as a whole. I am not doing this work as part of my
schooling, and don't benefit financially in any way. I think that this work
is important in protecting this species in the long term, as we need to
understand their behavioral ecology and changes in numbers in order to
determine how to protect them.

Sincerely,
Jeff MacLeod




On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 10:22 PM, Lois Codling
<loiscodling@hfx.eastlink.ca>wrote:

>  Hi Jeff,
>
> Could you tell us something about the research you hope to do with Snow
> Buntings?  If we were to help you find and trap these birds, what kind of
> stress (mentioned in the website you gave) do you intend to subject them
> to?  Do you have a license to trap wild birds?  I think most of us on this
> list-serve are concerned with the welfare of wild birds.  Can you convince
> us that you are too?
>
> Lois Codling
>
>
> Jeff MacLeod wrote:
>
> Hello birders. I'm living in Halifax and hoping to band some Snow Buntings
> this winter. This banding effort would be part of a larger research project
> headed by Dr. Oliver Love at University of Windsor (
> http://web2.uwindsor.ca/biology/olove/Home.html).  Currently I'm trying to
> track down a few flocks that I may be able to bait with seed and trap using
> ground traps. I've spent a day on the Tantramar Marsh looking for buntings,
> but found very few. I do have someone up there continuing to try to
> find/attract SNBUs, though. I was in Grand Pre this past weekend, and only
> found a small flock there (about 40 birds).  If anyone knows of an area
> within several hours drive of Halifax that reliably has snow buntings, I
> would be very interested to hear about it. Also, I would be especially
> interested if someone knows of a reliable spot for SNBUs in their area and
> would be willing to help out by regularly baiting a spot (I would provide
> seed). The main hurdle in trapping them is attracting them to a spot where I
> can set traps.
>
> If there is anyone in the Grand Pre area that would like to help out with
> this, I think there is some potential to attract a decent sized flock there.
> I found some birds within a short time this week, so there are probably more
> around. Unfortunately, I can't bait a spot regularly there because I live
> too far away. Certainly other areas within the province could work too.
>
> If anyone has some advice, or is interested in helping out, please send me
> a message (jeffmacleod at dal.ca).
>
> Thanks,
> Jeff MacLeod, M.Sc.
> Ph.D. Candidate, Dept of Psychology, Dalhousie University
>
>

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Hi Lois. I can tell you some about the work I&#39;m hoping to do. <br><br>F=
irst, I should say that I do have a permit allowing me to trap and band wil=
d birds (and experience doing this), and that their welfare is of utmost im=
portance throughout the banding process. During the banding process, the bi=
rds would be lured into ground traps using seed. Typically they would be in=
 the traps for 15-30 minutes, feeding on the seed inside (unless there is s=
ome stressor present creating a need to remove the birds sooner). All birds=
 are removed from the traps at once, and put into cloth bags so that they d=
on&#39;t struggle and get further stressed. Birds are removed from the bags=
 one at a time, several non-invasive measurements are taken (wing length, b=
ody condition, weight), age and sex is determined, and a small aluminum ban=
d with a unique number is put on their leg. The banding/measurement process=
 takes less than one minute, and the birds are released as soon as it is ov=
er. This handling is stressful for the birds, of course, but this type of t=
rapping is very safe for the birds and they are able to handle this degree =
of stress. Typically many birds end up back in the very