Download Species of Greatest Conservation Need Priority Species for NYC

Species of Greatest Conservation Need
Priority Species for NYC Audubon
May 12, 2011
Susan Elbin
Director of Conservation and Science
Working List of Species
Species on the current federal or state list of
endangered or threatened species that occur in New
York
Audubon Watch List
Partners in Flight Concern Species
U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan
North American Waterfowl Management Plan – list of
managed species for the Atlantic Flyway
Mid-Atlantic Bird Conservation Initiative, ranks for
Bird Conservation Region 30
Harbor Herons Conservation Plan
Prioritization Process
Process of Identifying NYC Priority
Species
Process of Ranking …Species
Prioritization for NYCA
Process of Habitat (IBA) Prioritization for
NYCA
Results
Ranking Process
Biological Significance (1-4)
Importance of the NYC individuals to
the rest of the population
Part of an individual's life cycle spent
here (breeding, wintering, migration)
Percentage of the population is
dependent on NYC
Ranking Process
Threat Score (1-5)
How likely is the threat* to occur
Are there multiple threats
*sea level rise, global climate disruption, breeding
habitat loss; wintering habitat loss; predation;
hunting; collisions with man-made structures;
pesticides; migration stop-over habitat loss;
human disturbance; hybridization; food
limitation; pollution; competition; invasive
species; water level regulation.
Ranking Process
Opportunity Score (1-3)
Opportunity for NYC Audubon to work
on the conservation need
Other agency already managing the
threat/population in NYC
Ranking Results
105 species of conservation need in NY
35 Different Ranking Scores
American Oystercatcher, Red Knot = 10.25
Olive-sided Flycatcher = 4.0
Top 10 Ranks (including ties) = 32
species
Species
Ranking
1 American Oystercatcher
1 Red Knot
2 Ruddy Turnstone
2 Semipalmated Sandpiper
3 Short-billed Dowitcher
4 Greater Yellowlegs
4 Dunlin
4 Sanderling
10.25
10.25
9.75
9.75
9.50
9.25
9.25
9.25
5 Saltmarsh Sparrow
6 Piping Plover
6 Whimbrel
7 American Golden-plover
7 Black-bellied Plover
7 Buff-breasted Sandpiper
8 Black-crowned Night-Heron
8 Glossy Ibis
8 Snowy Egret
8 Willet
8 Hudsonian Godwit
8 Marbled Godwit
8 Purple Sandpiper
8 American Woodcock
9.08
9.00
9.00
8.75
8.75
8.75
8.50
8.50
8.50
8.50
8.50
8.50
8.50
8.50
NYC Audubon
Top 10 Ranking
Results
(32 Species)
9 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
9 Great Egret
9 Seaside Sparrow
9 Red-necked Phalarope
10 Little Blue Heron
10 American Kestrel
10 Black-throated Blue Warbler
10 Canada Warbler
10 Cape May Warbler
10 Bay-breasted Warbler
8.25
8.25
8.25
8. 25
8.00
8.00
8.00
8.00
8.00
8.00
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Average Rank
12.00
10.00
8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
Migratory Shorebird
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Over harvest of
horseshoe crabs
Important staging area in
DE
<50% migrate through
US
Declining population
Migratory Shorebird
Sanderling
credit: Don Riepe
Over harvest of
horseshoe crabs
Important staging area in
DE
<50% migrate through
US
Declining population
Individuals seen in each Jamaica Bay location: 2010
1200
2519 3355
1000
800
600
400
200
0
BBPL
SEPL
KILL
AMOY GRYE LEYE
SOSA
WILL
SPSA RUTU REKN SAND SESA LESA WRSA PEEP DUNL SBDO WISN
Plum Beach
Big Egg
Bay Dunes
West Pond
WIPH
Greater Yellowlegs
Beach-nesting
Shorebird
American Oystercatcher
Conservation Plan in place, with
gaps in NY
30-40% AMOY breeding in MA to NJ
winter in the Gulf of Mexico
Business plan to increase species by
30% over next 10 years
Willet
Long-legged Wading Bird
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Declining regionally (by 50% since
1970)
Declining in NYC (884 pair)
State threatened in NJ
Monitoring needed
21% of NA are in BCR 30; 37% in
NYC
NYC population used as indicator
for Long Island Sound
Long-legged Wading Bird
Snowy Egret
Declining regionally
Doing well in NYC (274 pair)
Fledgling success unknown*
High priority for MANEM
Monitoring needed
11% of NA are in BCR 30; 36% in
NYC
Aerial Insectivore
Chimney Swift
•Widespread declines.
•1.6% per year in NYS
•Geographical gradient
in NE North America
•Declines linked to
changes in populations
of flying insects
Secretive Marsh Bird
Saltmarsh Sparrow
Regional decline
PIF watchlist
Species is not easliy
surveyd
Small populations at
risk
Atlantic coast
program initiative
started 2010
Migratory Landbird
Canada Warbler
Breeds from
southern Canada to
northern United
States east of
Rockies, and in
mountains to
northern Georgia.
Winters in tropics.
New York City’s IBAs
What is an IBA?
NY Legislation in 1997
Integrate bird conservation into
management of IBA sites
Includes habitat critical for
Breeding, stopover, feeding, over-wintering
Significant native bird concentrations of
SGCN
Sites that are representative or unique
habitats
Sites important for long-term bird
monitoring and research
Western Long Island Sound
Staten Island
Jamaica Bay
Urban Oases Important for Birds