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Mt. McKinley National Park was created in1917, mainly because of its rich wildlife resources.With the passage of the Alaska National InterestLands Conservation Act (commonly referred to asANILCA) in 1980, nearly 4 million acres were add-ed to the original park, and the new complex ofpark and preserve lands was designated as DenaliNational Park and Preserve. Denali is well knownfor its diversity of wildlife and scenery. Thirty-ninespecies of mammals, 165 species of birds, 10species of fish, and one amphibian have beenrecorded in Denali. Of the bird species, 149 occurregularly and 119 are recorded as breeders (nest-ing in the park and preserve).

Naturalist Charles Sheldon and scientistsJoseph Dixon, George Wright, Olaus Murie, andAdolph Murie, who worked in Denali from 1906through the early 1930s, were the first scientists tostudy and understand the ecological significanceof birds in Denali. These early studies were fol-lowed by more in-depth and long-term studies byAdolph Murie extending from the late 1930s untilabout 1970. The valuable contributions of thesescientists are published in several books. Thetravels and field observations of Charles Sheldonwere published in 1930 in The Wilderness of Dena-li. In 1938, Joseph Dixon published the findings ofhis field studies in the notable book Birds andMammals of Mount McKinley National Park,Alaska. Adolph Murie made significant contribu-tions to understanding many northern specieswith his landmark books The Wolves of MountMcKinley published in 1944, The Mammals ofMount McKinley published in 1962, The Birds ofMount McKinley, Alaska published in 1963, andThe Grizzlies of Mount McKinley published in1985. In The Birds of Mount McKinley, Alaska,Murie states…

“In McKinley Park the visitor has the rare opportu-nity to enjoy northern landscapes, a variety of lichensand flowers, and grizzlies, caribou, Dall sheep, per-haps a wolf or a wolverine, and a number of birds in

their northern breeding grounds. Of special interestamong the birds are three species of ptarmigan, eachwith a specialized voice and an inclination to use it.There are shorebirds, two of which, the surfbird andthe wandering tattler, are of special interest becausemost of the nesting data on them have been gatheredin the park. The arctic warbler and the wheatear, visi-tors from Asia, are relatively common. The goldeneagle, unmolested and free, may frequently be seensoaring in the blue sky over its mountain home. Maythis magnificent bird and other migrants, survive themany new hazards in the south and continue return-ing each spring in the future, to contribute beautyand spirit to this northern wilderness.”

The foresight of Adolph Murie is evident inthis passage from his book. Murie and others real-ized that Denali is not isolated from the environ-mental hazards created by humans and that its mi-gratory birds face an increasing number of threatson their migratory journeys and winteringgrounds. Murie, along with other naturalists andscientists including Charles Sheldon, Joseph Dix-on, and George Wright, all realized the importanceof preserving the ecosystems and wildlife of De-nali in the rapidly changing world.

Denali’s bird life is made up of migratory birdsfrom all over the globe and a hardy group of birdsthat remain in the area year-round. The abundanceof birds in Denali ebbs and flows across the sea-sons, increasing significantly as migrants return toDenali in spring and decreasing when they departin autumn. Summer birding in Denali rewards visi-tors with opportunities to view many species inthis spectacular northern environment. Birding inwinter is slim by numbers but great in rewards, asobservations of pine grosbeaks, mixed flocks ofptarmigan, or perhaps a northern goshawk or gyr-falcon await the hardy winter birder.

Visitors are drawn to Denali to search for manynorthern species of birds. The beauty and theunique lifestyles of these northern breeders rousethe curiosity of many naturalists, scientists, andvisitors. While we revere the beauty of Denali’s

Birds, Bird Studies, and Bird Conservationin Denali National Park and Preserve

This article was preparedby Carol L. McIntyre,

Wildlife Biologist,Denali National Park

and Preserve.

This document has been archived.

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birds, we must also acknowledge the threats totheir existence. Denali’s migratory birds face a mul-titude of hazards during their migratory journeysand on their wintering areas. Even in the seem-ingly pristine environments of Denali, year-roundresidents face changes in habitat, climate, and thepresence of chemical contaminants. Broad-scalethreats such as chemical pollutants that remain inour environment (known as persistent organicpollutants) and global climatic changes may havelong-lasting and far-reaching effects on Denali’sbirds. On a local scale, increases in human activi-ties may alter the habitats and habits of differentspecies as more humans visit Denali.

The goal of this article is to introduce you tothe birds of Denali, describe some of our historicand recent bird studies, and discuss some of theconservation issues facing Denali’s birds. Bylearning more about Denali’s birds and how theyconnect Denali to the world, we can better under-stand the role that Denali and its bird life play inglobal ecosystems. By understanding these eco-logical connections, perhaps we can more clearlysee our role in preserving global ecosystems forbirds—and for ourselves.

The BirdsThirty-five species of water birds (loons,

grebes, swans, and ducks) occur in Denali, and 23

species are recorded as nesting in Denali. Threespecies of loons—red-throated, Pacific, and com-mon—and two species of grebes—horned andred-necked—nest in Denali. Geese are most oftenseen during migration and are not common breed-ers, except for white-fronted geese, includingTule’s white-fronted geese, which nest in Denali.Over 400 pairs of trumpeter swans nest in the pro-ductive wetlands in the northwestern portion ofDenali and along Denali’s southern borders. Tun-dra swans do not nest in Denali but are commonlyseen during spring and autumn migration. Twenty-three species of ducks, including 15 nestingspecies, occur in Denali. Nesting species includeAmerican wigeon, mallard, northern shoveler,northern pintail, green-winged teal, greater andlesser scaup, harlequin, surf scoter, white-wingedscoter, black scoter, long-tailed duck, bufflehead,Barrow’s goldeneye, and red-breasted merganser.Ducks seen during migration include gadwall,Eurasian wigeon, blue-winged teal, canvasback,redhead, ring-necked, common goldeneye, andcommon merganser. All of the water birds thatoccur in Denali are migratory. Some species, suchas the long-tailed duck and surf scoter, spend theirwinters at sea. Other species, such as the white-fronted goose, may winter as far south as centralMexico.

Predatory birds (or raptors), including harriers,hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls, are well repre-sented in Denali. Species nesting in Denali includeosprey (rare), northern harrier, bald eagle, sharp-shinned hawk, northern goshawk, red-tailed hawk,golden eagle, gyrfalcon, peregrine falcon, merlin,American kestrel, great-horned owl, northern hawkowl, great gray owl (rare), short-eared owl, andboreal owl. Migrants and occasional visitorsinclude rough-legged hawk and snowy owl. Mostof the diurnal raptors—the harriers, hawks, eagles,and falcons—are migratory. Exceptions to thisinclude gyrfalcons and northern goshawks. Gyr-falcons are the largest falcon in the world, andthey nest only in Arctic regions. Adult gyrfalconsusually remain on or near their nesting groundsthroughout the year unless they can’t find food.Juvenile gyrfalcons are more likely to move awayfrom the nesting grounds during the winter insearch of food. Northern goshawks are usuallyyear-round residents but will leave this area whenfood is scarce. Most of Denali’s owls are year-round residents, with the exception of short-earedowls. These beautiful owls are migratory, but wehaven’t identified their wintering areas. Northernhawk owls and great gray owls are nomadic, and

Opportunities to see thestrikingly handsome

northern hawk owl luremany birdwatchers to

Denali.

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they move long distances in search of food.The wintering range of Denali’s migratory rap-

tors and owl spans a large area from central Alber-ta to South America. Within a species, individualsin a population may also be spread over a largegeographic area in winter. For instance, goldeneagles from Denali winter from central Alberta tonorth-central Mexico and merlins from Denali maywinter from the southwestern United States(including southern California) to central SouthAmerica.

Ruffed and spruce grouse and all three speciesof North American ptarmigan (willow, rock, andwhite-tailed) are year-round residents in Denali.Grouse are found in the forested regions of Denali.The smallest and least abundant white-tailed ptar-migan is usually found at higher elevations. Thelarger and more abundant rock ptarmigan is a biteasier to find and occurs in alpine tundra. Themost common and largest of the three species,the willow ptarmigan, occurs in shrubby areas,usually at or below tree line. All three species flocktogether in winter.

One of the greatest birdwatching experiencesin Denali is the spring and autumn migrations ofsandhill cranes. In late August the snowlines andtemperatures creep down, the tundra turns crim-son and gold, and large flocks of sandhill craneswhirl overhead on their way south. From lateAugust through mid-September, the loud, resonat-ing “garroo-garroo-garroo” of the adults and thehigher-pitched shrill calls of the juveniles are com-mon sounds near Wonder Lake. The return ofsandhill cranes in May is a sure sign of spring.

Many visitors are surprised to learn that Denaliis home to nesting shorebirds. At least 21 speciesof shorebirds nest in Denali, and six other speciesoccur during migration. All the shorebirds are

migratory, and most migrate long distancesbetween their breeding and wintering grounds.Shorebirds nesting at higher elevations includeAmerican golden plover, upland sandpiper, surf-bird, and Baird’s sandpiper. Shorebirds nesting atlower elevations include semipalmated plover,greater and lesser yellowlegs, solitary sandpiper,wandering tattler, spotted sandpiper, whimbrel,least sandpiper, long-billed dowitcher, commonsnipe, and red-necked phalarope. These globe-trotters are a delight to watch in Denali. Birds withintriguing names and habits, like the wanderingtattler, attract birdwatchers by the score. TheAmerican golden plover has exquisite plumage, anevocative voice, and a globe-spanning reach (theywinter in South America). Surfbirds, who spendmost of their lives along coastal areas, nest in themountainous regions of Denali.

Several species of birds that spend a portion oftheir lives at sea come inland to nest in Denali.Two elegant species—the long-tailed jaeger andthe arctic tern—grace the summer skies of Denali.The beautiful long-tailed jaeger nests on thetundra, and these lithe, aerial hunters patrol thetundra in search of prey. As agile and elegant asjaegers, arctic terns nest near the numerous lakesand ponds in Denali. They hover seemingly effort-lessly over ponds in search of prey. The winteringgrounds of long-tailed jaegers are not well-described, and the wintering grounds of arcticterns include the oceanic regions of Antarctica.

Of all the animals on earth, arctic terns proba-bly enjoy the highest percentage of daylightthrough the year. Many visitors remark about thepresence of “seagulls” in Denali. The term“seagull” is deceptive; the two species that nestin Denali—the mew gull and Bonaparte’s gull—are inland nesters. Most visitors quickly becomefamiliar with mew gulls, as this species is oftenseen begging for food at areas where people con-gregate. Bonaparte’s gulls, with their black heads,are often confused with arctic terns, with whichthey share similar habitat.

The habitat bordering the many streams inDenali (known as riparian habitat) supports manyspecies of birds. The belted kingfisher, which isfamiliar to many Denali visitors, lives alongstreams in Denali. Like bank swallows, belted king-fishers dig into dirt or clay banks to form a nestingcavity. Streams are also home to colorful harlequinducks, wandering tattlers, northern waterthrushes,and blackpoll warblers.

Denali’s forested regions are home to five spe-cies of woodpeckers: the downy, hairy, three-toed,

The loud haunting calls ofthe American golden

plover are commonlyheard in alpine areas of

Denali in the summer.

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and black-backed woodpeckers, and the northernflicker. All but the northern flicker are year-roundresidents. Black-backed woodpeckers are ratherrare and usually occur in areas after a wildfire.

Flycatchers make a good showing in Denali,and all are migratory. The Hammond’s flycatcher,with its characteristic raspy call, is the first fly-catcher to arrive on the breeding grounds, usuallyin early May. Alder flycatchers only spend about48 days a year in Alaska. They arrive just after thelast freezing temperatures in spring, breed, raiseyoung, and leave just before the first freezing tem-peratures in late summer. Olive-sided flycatchers,with their unique “quick-three-beers” song, andSay’s phoebes, which build their nests in cracks ofcliffs and rock outcrops, often near golden eaglenests, also occur in Denali.

The northern shrike is another bird that piquesthe curiosity of birdwatchers in Denali. The mostnorthern and most widely distributed of allshrikes, it breeds throughout the Arctic. Thisspecies belongs to the group of birds known aspasserines, or perching birds. Unlike most otherpasserines, shrikes have a unique predatory life-style, and their foods include everything frominsects to small birds and small mammals. Oftenreferred to as butcherbirds, northern shrikesimpale prey that is too large to swallow on pointedobjects. While northern shrikes live a predatorylifestyle, these strikingly beautiful and tenaciouspasserines lack many of the specialized adapta-tions of raptors, including large and powerful feet,talons, and a crop.

In winter, ravens, gray jays, and black-billed

magpies are some of the most common birds inDenali. All three species are year-round residents,and all three are hardy survivors. Ravens and grayjays seem to magically appear no matter whereyou travel during winter. Gray jays are constantcompany at winter camps and campgrounds, andtheir behavior of begging and stealing food scrapsfrom people and dogs has earned them the well-deserved name of “camp-robbers.” Ravens are abit more elusive around people, but they often fol-low wolves on their hunting trips during winter.Ravens are more predatory than either gray jays ormagpies, and they will seek out and kill live preywhen the opportunity arises. Ravens also occur athigh elevations, and it is not unusual for mountainclimbers to see ravens at altitudes exceeding17,000 feet. Ravens swagger, strut, stroll, hop, anddash in and out of contact with humanity, exhibit-ing no dependence but a willingness to exploit.They treat people much like wolves or bears,always quick to pick up our scraps.

A variety of other passerines occur in Denali,ranging from swallows to sparrows to longspurs.Horned larks, American pipits, and Lapland long-spurs are the characteristic passerines of the tun-dra. Each of these species has a highly specializedflight display or characteristic vocalizations. Lap-land longspurs are one of the most common sum-mer tundra inhabitants in Denali. The handsomemales usually find a prominent perch to sing theirsparkling jumble of notes throughout June.

Six species of warblers, including orange-crowned, yellow, yellow-rumped, blackpoll, andWilson’s warblers and northern waterthrush, nest

The agile long-tailedjaeger graces

Denali’s skies andtundra in the summer.

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in Denali. Most of these species spend the winterin Central and South America. Sparrows, includingsavannah, fox, Lincoln’s, white-crowned, andgolden-crowned, are well represented in Denaliand occur in a variety of habitats. Denali’s spar-rows usually winter at lower latitudes in NorthAmerica. These species combine their voices eachJune to create glorious sunrise symphonies.

Gray-cheeked, Swainson’s, and hermit thrushesnest in Denali, and their unique songs are charac-teristic sounds of summer. The familiar Americanrobin also occurs regularly in Denali and is a com-mon nester. The varied thrush, one of the earliestspring migrants, nests in the forested regions of

Denali and has a unique extraterrestrial voice. Anevening or early morning visit to shrubby or for-ested areas in Denali will leave you with mixedemotions and probably a stiff neck—while you’llenjoy listening to the calls of all these thrushes,you’ll strain to get a good look at any of thesespecies.

Several species of passerines are true globe-trotters, attracting much interest from birdwatch-ers and scientists alike. Northern wheatears aresummer visitors that nest in the tundra in Denaliand spend their winters in sub-Sahara Africa. Arc-tic warblers are common nesters in willow thickets,and their harsh calls are difficult to ignore. ThisOld World warbler winters in southeastern Asia(China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Borneo).Blackpoll warblers are tiny birds that breed acrossthe boreal regions of North America. This tiny birdis a celebrity in the migration world. Their annualjourneys between North America and South Amer-ica are among the longest of passerine birds.

Perhaps some of the most interesting passe-rines in Denali are those that stay in the area year-round. In addition to ravens, gray jays, and black-billed magpies, the passerines of winter includeAmerican dipper, black-capped and boreal chicka-dees, pine grosbeak, white-winged crossbill, andcommon and hoary redpolls. These small birds arehardy. Black-capped chickadees weigh just a half-ounce (12 grams), yet they survive temperaturesdropping to –40°F and lower. Chickadees living innorthern areas are nearly 25% larger than thoseliving in the temperate regions of North America.They store more fat in winter to provide greaterinsulation from the cold and store more fuel forkeeping warm. They also cache food to ensurethat they have an ample supply of food throughthe winter and can lower their body temperature tosurvive the long subarctic nights. Northern black-capped chickadees are extremely efficient at modi-fying an enzyme (lipoprotein lipase) to providefree fatty acids for metabolism by muscles andstorage by fat. Redpolls are even smaller thanchickadees. They store food in a pouch in theiresophagus and can take on large amounts of high-caloric foods before nightfall and digest theseseeds after they go to roost. American dippers areNorth America’s only truly submersible songbirds.Even in the depth of winter, they forage in the fewopen leads along streams, feeding mostly onaquatic insect larvae. To survive in these harshenvironments, American dippers have low meta-bolic rates, extra oxygen-carrying capacity in theirblood, and a thick coat of feathers.

Over 400 pairs oftrumpeters swans nest

each year in DenaliNational Parkand Preserve.

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The Bird StudiesBird studies in Denali are as diverse as the spe-

cies themselves. Most historic studies focused ondescribing the birds occurring in the area and, inlimited cases, describing the natural history of aspecies. In more recent years, studies were devel-oped to determine population trends, identifynesting area, and describe nesting habitat inresponse to management needs and to understandhow birds respond to changes in their environ-ment. Over the years, many scientists have madesignificant contributions to our knowledge ofnorthern nesting species by studying birds inDenali.

In 2001 the American Bird Conservancy, anorganization dedicated to conserving wild birdsand their habitats throughout the Western Hemi-sphere, recognized Denali for its significance inthe ongoing effort to conserve wild birds and theirhabitats and designated Denali a Globally Impor-tant Bird Area. The American Bird Conservancy’sImportant Bird Areas Program was launched in1995 and has concentrated on identifying anddocumenting the bird conservation sites through-out all 50 states—those of significance on a globallevel.

Historic StudiesThe first scientific investigations of birds in

Denali were those made by Charles Sheldon,Joseph Dixon, and George Wright. The field stud-ies conducted by these men provided the firstscientific information on the birds present inDenali. Adolph Murie probably made the first sci-entific study of a single species of bird in Denali inthe late 1930s. Murie studied the food habits ofgolden eagles by collecting pellets that the eagleshad regurgitated and by noting the remains offood in eagle nests, with special effort to findremains of Dall’s sheep lambs.

The period from 1940 through the late 1970ssaw few bird studies in Denali. While many birdersvisited the area, only a few bird studies were con-ducted. These included cooperative studies,which continue today, with the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service to determine population trends ofwaterfowl and trumpeter swans. In the early 1980sseveral studies on the nesting ecology of northernhawk owls (by Kenneth Kertell) and merlins (byKaren Laign) marked the beginning of more inten-sive studies on single species in Denali. Kertellalso conducted several inventories of birds in thenew additions to Denali in the early 1980s. From

1984 to 1994 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service andthe National Park Service conducted field investi-gations of the nesting ecology of merlins inDenali. In 2000 and 2001 the National Park Serviceand Boise State University conducted field inves-tigations of the nesting ecology of northern hawkowls in Denali.

In 1987 the National Park Service began tostudy the reproductive characteristics of goldeneagles and gyrfalcons and conduct raptor surveysin many of the areas added to the original park in1980. The study of the nesting ecology of goldeneagles and monitoring of the reproductive successof gyrfalcons continue today. Our golden eaglestudy has spawned research into many aspectsof golden eagle ecology, including migratorybehavior, food habits, and survival of both breed-ing birds and juveniles. Using satellite telemetry,we recently identified the migration corridors, win-ter ranges, and summer ranges of juvenile goldeneagles.

In 1991 the National Park Service published itsVail Agenda, a comprehensive strategy for servingAmerica’s noble trust into the 21st century. Tomeet our resource stewardship responsibilities,the Vail Agenda action plan calls for park manag-ers and superintendents to have solid naturalresource information at their disposal. Providingnatural resource information in a comprehensiveand timely manner is the Vail Agenda’s mandate tothe National Park Service’s Natural ResourceInventory and Monitoring Program. The goal ofthis national program, launched in 1991, is toacquire the information and expertise needed bypark managers in their efforts to maintain eco-system integrity in the approximately 250 NationalPark System units that contain significant naturalresources.

With the launch of the Inventory and Monitor-ing Program, Denali began several monitoringprojects focused on birds other than raptors andwaterfowl, with an emphasis on passerines. Oneproject, run cooperatively with the Alaska BirdObservatory from 1993 to 2001, developed andimplemented field techniques to assess populationtrends in selected species of songbirds in spruceforests along the Denali park road. The otherproject, run cooperatively with the Institute forBird Populations, assesses productivity and survi-vorship of selected passerines. This program,known as Monitoring Avian Productivity and Sur-vivorship, or MAPS, is a continent-wide monitor-ing program and continues today. In 1993 a localnaturalist, Nan Eagleson, reinstated the Audubon

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Christmas Bird Count on the very eastern edge ofDenali. The Christmas Bird Count, a volunteer-based, continent-wide monitoring program, pro-vides information on the broad trends of winterbirds in the count area. In 1994 the National ParkService reinstated the two Breeding Bird Surveyroutes in Denali that were run opportunistically inthe 1980s by various volunteers. The BreedingBird Survey is another continent-wide monitoring

program that is used to assess trends in bird pop-ulations across North America.

More recently, Denali’s scientist were taskedwith developing studies to better understand thedistribution of birds in areas slated for develop-ment or increased human activities. In the late1990s, Denali’s scientists designed and imple-mented studies to identify the nesting habitat oftrumpeter swans, other waterfowl, and raptors inareas slated for increased human activities in thesouthern portion of Denali. Few studies had beenconducted in these areas, and the pressure todevelop visitor services and the possibility ofincreased human activities in previously undis-turbed areas prompted local citizens, state manag-ers, and park managers to develop a strategy forprotecting Denali’s resources in this area.

Recent surveys show that many of the wet-lands on the south side of the Alaska Range areused by nesting trumpeter swans and other water-fowl, including the Tule white-fronted goose.Nesting bald eagles are commonly observed alongmany of the waterways in the study area, andnesting golden eagles and gyrfalcons are commonin the mountainous regions of this area. Park man-agers will use information from this study to planthe development of future visitor services withoutdisturbing or destroying nesting habitat of theseimportant park resources.

New StudiesTwo new birds studies were designed and

implemented in 2001 to monitor the long-termchanges of park resources. The first study, con-ducted cooperatively with the molecular geneticslab of the Alaska Science Center, involves using anoninvasive monitoring technique to estimate thesurvival of adult golden eagles. One of the mostimportant aspects of the population dynamics oflong-lived species is adult survival rate. Determin-ing the survival rates of animals usually requirescapturing and marking the animal with a markerthat can be identified remotely (such as a radio-transmitter) or when the animal is recaptured (suchas a band). These marking techniques are com-monly used on many animals in Denali, but captur-ing adult golden eagles is extremely difficult.Therefore, we are using molecular genetic tech-niques to identify individual golden eagles atselected nesting areas to determine if eagles usethe same nesting areas in consecutive years andto estimate the probability of eagles living fromone year to the next. By collecting shed feathers atnesting areas over a series of years and extracting

Arctic terns nest travelover 25,000 km each

year between their breed-ing grounds in Denali

and their winter groundsin Antarctic waters.

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DNA material from these feathers, we can deter-mine whether the same eagles occupy the area inconsecutive years. Using these data we can calcu-late the probability of an eagle surviving from oneyear to the next. After the DNA material has beenextracted from the feather, all feathers are depos-ited in the National Eagle Repository near Denver,Colorado.

The second study focuses on describing anddetecting changes in the distribution and abun-dance of passerines across Denali. Until the imple-mentation of this study, passerine studies inDenali were focused on a narrow corridor alongthe Denali road, which runs approximately 90 milesthrough the north-central portion of Denali. Whilethese studies provided data to track the popula-tion trends of a few passerines, they were notdesigned to provide information on a park-widescale. In 2001, scientists working with the long-term monitoring program in Denali adopted a newstrategy and initiated projects to better under-stand and assess changes in park resourcesacross the entire park. Our new approach uses asampling design that allows us to make inferencesacross the entire six million acres of Denali. Thenew study design also integrates several monitor-ing components, including passerines, vegetation,soils, and permafrost. This integration allows us tostudy changes in passerine populations and howthey responsd to these other measurable environ-mental attributes. This study is conducted withassistance from the Alaska Bird Observatory.

The Future of Denali’s BirdsAt least 80% of the breeding species in Denali

are migratory. Each spring the migratory birds, rep-resenting six continents, join the hardy year-roundresidents on this rich subarctic landscape to breedand raise young. The migratory behavior of somany of Denali’s birds presents a complex conser-vation challenge to Denali’s managers. The winterranges of Denali’s birds range from southernAlaska to the tip of South America, extends acrossAsia and into Africa, and includes much of thePacific Ocean region. With so many birds spreadover such a vast area, it is impossible to identifymany of the forces that shape the long-term sur-vival of Denali’s birds. While most of these spe-cies are fully protected under the Migratory BirdTreaty Act of 1918, habitats along migrationroutes and on wintering areas of many of the spe-cies that breed in Denali are changing rapidly.Native habitats are being converted to morehuman-dominated landscapes through urbaniza-tion, agriculture, industry, forestry, and otheractivities. Other obstacles to survival, includingcommunication towers, energy transmission lines,and mortality caused by domestic cats, are alsoincreasing. One only needs to look around theirown neighborhood to note the changes that areoccurring around the world.

Most of the historic and ongoing bird studiesin Denali occur on the breeding grounds. So far,only the golden eagle work has focused on identi-fying migratory routes, wintering areas, and areasused by non-breeding birds. We are working withscientists from the Alaska Bird Observatory, theInstitute for Bird Populations, the U.S. GeologicalSurvey’s Alaska Science Center, the U.S. Geologi-cal Survey’s Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Sci-ence Center, the Department of Fisheries andWildlife of the University of Alaska Fairbanks,Oregon State University, Boreal Partners in Flight,and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game onmany projects developed to better understand andprotect birds in Alaska.

We have only begun to scratch the surface indeveloping our understanding of the bird resourcesof Denali. Our task is to describe the ecology,identify the threats, and protect Denali’s birds.These tasks are challenging, and our responsibil-ity to protect park resources becomes more diffi-cult as funding opportunities and park prioritieschange and threats to park resources increase. Tomeet this challenge, we are developing an AvianConservation Plan for Denali. Its goal is to provide

Gyrfalcons beginincubation in mid-March,

often when mean dailytemperatures hover

around freezing.

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park managers, scientists, and the public withcomprehensive information about the nature andcondition of the bird resources placed under ourstewardship. The plan will outline what we knowabout Denali’s birds, describe our existing studiesand conservation efforts, and identify the conser-vation and research needs of Denali. It will alsoinclude strategies for securing funding forprojects and developing new partnerships withother scientists.

Education and OutreachOne of the best ways to protect birds and their

habitats across the earth is through education.Denali’s scientists actively engage in many formsof science education and public outreach to teach

Golden eagle productivityin Denali is influenced by

spring prey resources.Triplet eaglets are

common only in yearswhen prey resources are

abundant.

people about birds and Denali’s science programs.Throughout the year we give many public presen-tations on the birds of Denali. We also work withlocal schools to help teachers, students, and localresidents better understand the birds in their back-yard. Our recently developed educational web site(www.nps.gov/dena/home/resources/wildlife/birdweb/ index/homebirdpage.htm) provides userswith comprehensive information about Denalibirds, our bird studies, and our many partnershipsand cooperative efforts.

We also worked with staff at the National ParkService’s Alaska Support Office to create a web-based science curriculum for the program Park-Wise using data from our long-term golden eaglestudies in Denali. ParkWise was developed by theAlaska region of the National Park Service toteach school children around the country aboutthe National Park Service and the valuable culturaland natural resources of Alaskan parks. We alsowork closely with local non-profit groups, includ-ing the Denali Foundation with Elderhostel pro-grams, ecology-centered community events, andother scientific presentations, and the Denali Insti-tute with field seminars, workshops, and anautumn passerine migration banding station.Denali staff are active members of Boreal Partnersin Flight, a coalition of individuals who are work-ing together to help conserve bird populationsthroughout the boreal regions of North America.Boreal Partners in Flight is the official Alaska stateworking group of the international Partners inFlight program.

We also work with the Alaska Natural HistoryAssociation (ANHA), a non-profit organizationdedicated to enhancing the understanding andconservation of the natural, cultural, and historicalresources of Alaska’s public lands to provide edu-cational materials for the public. ANHA has collab-orated with Denali to publish the Denali NationalPark Bird Checklist and a recently released book,Birds of Denali. We also worked cooperativelywith the American Birding Association on anothernew book, A Birder’s Guide to Alaska. Denali’sscientists also publish results of their research inpeer-reviewed scientific journals and presentresults of their studies at meetings of scientificorganizations.

The future of Denali’s birds depends on all ofus to be good stewards of the earth. Denali’savian conservation program hopes to lead the wayin conserving these valuable park resourcesthrough scientific studies and science educationfor many generations to come.


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