Blackpoll Warbler
According to Partners in Flight, the Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) is experiencing severe population decline, with estimates suggesting a reduction of up to 92% since the 1970s and an annual decline of approximately 2.5%-5%. This is one of the steepest declines among North American migratory birds. Blackpoll warblers face a number of threats including climate change, habitat loss on the breeding and/or wintering grounds, and increased risks during their long, transoceanic migration in the fall. Bill De Luca and Jill Deppe of National Audubon Society and Mike Hallworth of the Vermont Center for Ecostudies began this work with a grant that was funded by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to assess the risk that offshore wind poses to migrating songbirds using barometric pressure tags that are capable of getting post breeding migration position estimates and altitudinal estimates.
In addition to generating a genoscape for the species through funding support by Julie Hagelin of Alaska Department of Fish and Game, our many partners (listed below) will continue to investigate a number of other questions:
1. Determine the risk offshore wind poses to migrating Blackpoll Warblers.
2. Use Motus and pressure tags to get a better understanding of range-wide post-breeding migration conditions and routes.
3. Combine demography from Churchill, Manitoba with data from other parts of the range, including Alaska, to build an Integrated Population Model. This will help to determine which season(s) are limiting Blackpoll Warbler populations to begin to understand and address the causes for their population declines.
Team
In Newfoundland, we will be partnering with the Miawpukek First Nation.
Bill De Luca, National Audubon Society
Mike Hallworth, Vermont Center for Ecostudies
Julie Hagelin & Lindsey Nietmann, Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Stu Mackenzie, Birds Canada
Ryan Norris, University of Guelph
Junior Tremblay, Environment and Climate Change Canada
Kassie Colson, Alaska Center for Conservation Science
If you are interested in collecting or donating Blackpoll Warbler samples from any location across its range, particularly during the breeding and wintering seasons, please contact Amanda Carpenter to learn more!