Hi Joel,
Your points about citizen science are well taken. I would point out that
any science (whether citizen science or by formal researchers) can be
misused by groups that may have interests opposed to conservation. A very
recent example in our own backyard is the recent decision by the ODFW
Commission to reverse the Marbled Murrelet uplisting decision.
Joe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Joe Liebezeit
Avian Conservation Program Manager
Audubon Society of Portland
5151 NW Cornell Road
Portland, OR 97210
971-222-6121
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On Thu, Jun 28, 2018 at 8:40 PM, Joel Geier <joel.geier@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Jim (& all),
I should clarify, "Oregon" vesper sparrow is not currently listed as
either threatened or endangered by the USFWS, though I think they're listed
as endangered in Canada (British Columbia) and, at the state level, in
Washington. The petition by American Bird Conservancy makes a scientific
argument for federal listing as endangered or at least as threatened.
Our separate comments on the Yellow-billed Cuckoo *delisting* petition
must have crossed in the wires. The role of birders as "citizen scientists"
is a thorny issue. I see this as a cautionary tale, as to how
"citizen-science" data can be misused for purposes that voluntary
contributors of data probably never intended.
I agree that documenting "absence in suitable habitat" would be useful,
but this may require a bit of a shift in birding culture. I can think of
birders who looked hard for particular species just to make a point (for
example, Alan Contreras' one-time crusade to show how many Fox Sparrows
could be found in a couple hundred yards of hedgerow). We all get a kick
out of finding birds in "atypical" habitat.
It's fun to find exceptions to the rules. But it's not always helpful for
conservation, especially in an environment when anti-conservation groups
can easily access our birding reports, and use them to argue (as in the
case of Yellow-billed Cuckoos) that designated critical habitat isn't all
that critical.
On Wed, 2018-06-27 at 19:58 -0700, alderspring@xxxxxxxx wrote:
Thank you Joel, the American Bird Conservancy and the handful of other NW
birders who've helped convince USFWS to review the status of the current
threatened listing of Oregon Vesper Sparrow and to consider whether uplisting
to endangered is warranted.
This same Federal Register announcement also finds that multiple petitioners
have convinced USFWS to consider delisting the western population of
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (west of Rockies from B.C. southward).
Documentation from birders, which might include finding--or more especially
not finding--these birds in suitable habitat at the proper season, could help
in future conservation of these species.
Jim Fairchild
