Concerns for potential disruptions to rare bird’s habitat
By John Thaxton
When I heard the Olympic Regional Development Authority planned to start cutting trees at Whiteface Mountain to create new ski trails, connector trails between the existing trails and the new ones, and to cut more trees for a path for a new lift, I wanted to learn more.
I contacted the authority and received its proposed Unit Management Plan, 169 pages with charts and graphs that stunned me, particularly because the text discussed the Bicknell’s thrush and its breeding schedule. I breathed a sigh of relief but wondered how thoroughly ORDA understood the Bicks’: “Tree cutting operations above 2,800 feet in terrain identified as suitable Bicknell’s habitat shall be prohibited between the dates of 15 May and 01 August to minimize impacts during the active nesting cycle.”
The Vermont Institute of Natural Sciences wrote that it found “no significant difference in adult survivorship or breeding productivity of Bicknell’s thrushes between ski areas and natural forests.”
The Bicknell’s thrush has an extremely limited amount of nesting habitat—it nests in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Quebec and some of the Canadian maritime provinces. About 98% winter in the Dominican Republic, with the rest in Haiti, Jamaica or Puerto Rico.
The Bicknell’s thrush probably ranks as the most endangered songbird in North America—it has extremely limited areas of viable habitat, exacerbated by the relentlessly increasing movement upward in elevation among all the thrushes.
The Swainson’s thrush, a larger and more aggressive bird than the Bicknell’s, has obviously started breeding at higher elevation and represents an existential threat to the future of the Bicknell’s population.
Though I’m pleased with ORDA’s tree cutting schedule I worry that when a newly fledged Bicknell’s hears the chain saws it will try to get back into the egg from which it hatched.
A little less than seven inches from beak to tail, light brown on its back with a slightly reddish tail, the Bicknell’s has a white belly and chest with small black dots on the upper half of the chest. Its song sounds nasal and wiry, and its call sounds like a loud “weeeir.”
For years my wife and I have been leading groups up the Whiteface Highway to show them the bird, and at one of the birding festivals I remember two tour guests signing up for all three dates we scheduled. I asked them why and it was because they wanted to see a Bicknell’s thrush.
When we pulled into the parking area I stepped out of my car and heard a Bicknell’s singing, then immediately saw it—perched at eye level 40 feet away.
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We are lucky to currently have Bicknell’s Thrush and Spruce Grouse in the Adirondacks. But this is indeed luck – due to elevation, habitat, and past human habitation patterns. But changing climate and expanding ranges of competitors is obviously going to stress the existing populations – and likely push them out of NYS entirely within the century. They won’t go extinct any time soon, but with diminishing habitat, it is certainly possible.
WRT habitat loss in NYS at Whiteface, I do not believe we are getting an accurate assessment of the likely impact to Bicknell’s breeding – especially if the changes benefit competing species moving into the higher-elevation territory. Should this stop ongoing development on Whiteface? Depends on how much NYS residents want to provide habitat for these birds. That should be left up to NYS taxpayers and not wishful ORDA/DEC tree-cutting schedules. We need to be voting as if Adirondack Park protections depends on the outcome.
Did people actually read the information in the permit application on this before writing this article or commenting? Apparently the bird experts that worked on this said the project would have NO negative impact on these birds and possibly it could have a positive impact by increasing habitat that the birds prefer for nesting. Creating these “edges” apparently is good for them. What people should do is stay out of these areas during the nesting season. Leave them alone, luckily this is when there are not skiers there. I am sure that hikers in the high peaks stay out of these high elevation areas to protect these birds rather than trying to get a “look” at them…..
Paul,
One should always get more than one opinion, and rely on independent scientific scrutiny to evaluate the statements/opinions for accuracy. A single non-profit acting as “experts” are not always reliable advocates for wildlife. Has the VINS statement quoted in the article passed independent scientific scrutiny? Opening up “edges” is good for many species short term, but what are the LONG-TERM implications of this type of management to Bicks in the HPW? Can we see the data on that?
When debating endangered species protection, we need to be even more careful to evaluate opinions, as lack of vetting could ultimately cost us a species. I have even grown more skeptical of various environmental statements from Audubon Society of late. We need to ensure these organizations are protecting wildlife and not donors’ wishes.