montana audubon - bird conservation
Audubon works to monitor and conserve birds, emphasizing projects that engage volunteers in citizen science or contribute uniquely to the protection of species of conservation concern. Much of our bird conservation efforts occur through our Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program and through policy work on our top tier ISSUES. For information on birds and climate change go HERE.
Below we highlight the current status of birds and a handful of our efforts to conserve birds, learn more, and educate others.
- Featured Bird-of-the-Month - to new page
- Raptors and Raptor Migration - to new page
- State of the Birds
- 2011 - Report on birds on Public Lands and Waters
- 2010 - Report on Birds and Climate Change
- 2009 - State of the Birds
- 2009 -2012 Inventory and Monitoring of Montana's Waterbirds -
Links to new page - Montana Bird Conservation Partnership
- Common Birds in Decline -- 2007 report
State of the birds --
March 2011. This State of the Birds Report from US Fish & Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, Audubon and other partners takes a closer look at birds on public lands and waters in the US. This year's report provides the nation's first assessment of the distribution of birds on public lands and helps public agencies identify which species have significant potential for conservation in each habitat. The state of our birds is a measurable indicator of how well we are doing as stewards of our environment. The signal is clear. Greater conservation efforts on public lands and waters are needed to realize the vision of a nation sustained economically and spiritually by abundant natural resources and spectacular wildlife. Learn all about it HERE >>
March, 2010. This year's State of the Birds Report from the US Fish & Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, Audubon and a host of top-flight conservation organizations and government agnecies calls for conservation action!
The 2010 Report focuses on Climate Change and the species and biomes most vulnerable. For more details head to the global warming section of our website>>
The National Report and news release is HERE >>
March 2009. State of the Birds Report from US Fish & Wildlife Service, Audubon and a host of top-flight conservation organizations calls for conservation action!
This STATE of the BIRDS report, along with accompanying video and details of conservation threats is available HERE >>
This report has garnered a great deal of media attention. For example, the Daily Inter Lake discussed this report in the context of energy development with a "Call to Action".
MOntana bird conservation partnership
The Montana Bird Conservation Partnership (MBCP) is a coalition of representatives from state, federal, and tribal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector dedicated to conserving bird populations and habitats in Montana. Montana Audubon is a leader in this partnership, whose mission is to "keep common birds common" while also conserving sensitive or rare species. The MBCP uses science to direct habitat conservation priorities, and work with landowners and managers to recommend conservation actions that are practical and sustainable for land stewards.
Check out the new MBCP website (September 2011)
The MBCP is chaired by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) Catherine Wightman . Many bird biologists and conservation's from throughout the state have long advocated for the creation of this position, and Montana Audubon played a leadership role in securing this commitment from FWP. With more than 400 species of native birds in Montana, we surely need statewide leadership for “all bird” conservation! Catherine resides in the Montana Audubon office, and we are working closely together on many projects.
THE MBCP also works to facilitate statewide implementation of the four National bird initiatives, Partner’s in Flight, Waterbirds, Waterfowl, and Shorebirds, and the overarching North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI).
montana common birds in decline
In June 2007, the National Audubon Society released a report on the common birds that are declining throughout the United States. In order to understand what this report indicated about birds in our state, Montana Audubon pulled out the information in the report relevant to our state. The data showed that 29 of Montana’s common birds are declining, including American Coot, American Redstart, Baird's Sparrow, Belted Kingfisher, Blue-winged Teal, Boreal Chickadee, Brewer's Sparrow, Cassin's Finch, Chipping Sparrow, Common Grackle, Common Yellowthroat, Dark-eyed Junco, Evening Grosbeak, Grasshopper Sparrow, Great Blue Heron, Horned Lark, House Sparrow, Killdeer, Loggerhead Shrike, Orange-crowned Warbler, Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, Ruffed Grouse, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Short-eared Owl, Snow Bunting, Sora, Vesper Sparrow, and Western Meadowlark. In order to draw attention to this report, Montana Audubon has highlighted five of these species that depend on wetlands and streamside habitat. See Montana Birds Send Warning About Our Water and Wetlands and the Billings Gazette article Report: Common Birds in Decline.
The National Audubon report is based on an analysis of 30 years of data from Breeding Bird Surveys and Christmas Bird Counts. It is available HERE >>.
For information contact: Amy Cilimburg, Director of Bird Conservation, at 406-465-1141