FOR RELEASE: May 20, 1994 CONTACT: Jamise Liddell 202-482-3048
The National Biological Survey (NBS) has completed the first comprehensive analysis of winter bird population trends using 30 years of the National Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count (CBC) data. The analysis shows severe decreases in Bobwhite populations which, for the entire North American continent, are declining at an average annual rate of 2.5 percent. At that rate, over a 20-25 year period, the population would be half of what it is today.
"This information can help prevent the dwindling of this important species to desperate levels," said F. Eugene Hester, Deputy Director of the NBS. "By providing this kind of analysis to agencies, researchers, birders, hunters, and others concerned with the resource, remedial solutions can be reached collaboratively."
The National Biological Survey gathers, analyzes, and disseminates biological information helpful for good stewardship of natural resources. The information is useful to wildlife and fisheries managers interested in protecting resources and avoiding costly environmental "train wrecks" that can stymie development projects. The NBS is designed to serve as an information clearinghouse for use by local communities, development interests, wildlife managers, land owners, and private and nonprofit groups.
Until recently, the technological ability to analyze such a large volume of Christmas Bird Count information -- collected from 1959 to 1988 -- was not available. NBS researchers created a special computer program in order to provide the analysis, which will be made available to Federal and State agencies and conservation societies.
Bobwhites, a popular game bird, are declining throughout the nation due to several factors, including loss of habitat and severe weather.
Grassland and scrub habitats so necessary to the Bobwhite are disappearing through urbanization; houses and apartment complexes are being constructed on former farmlands. Additionally, grasslands traditionally used for grazing cattle or growing hay are being cultivated for more profitable crops such as corn and soybeans. Finally, allowing grassy fields to transition into woods and forests -- a process called "succession" -- adds to the loss of Bobwhite habitat.
Birds can be indicators of the health of the environment as a whole. When statistics indicate a bird population is declining, it may provide a general warning about the health of an entire ecosystem. The CBC data analysis done by NBS will help researchers better understand shifting bird populations and their relation to the ecosystems in which quail live.