Research & Reports

Reports

The Boreal Forest at Risk: A Progress Report

« Previous Page | Table of Contents | Next Page »

PART 4: WHICH SPECIES OR SPECIES GROUPS BEST ILLUSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BOREAL TO LANDBIRDS?

Several characteristics of birds may be used to illustrate the importance of Canada's boreal forest within its own borders, and in the United States, the Western Hemisphere and globally.

• One is the degree of reliance of a species on the boreal; some landbirds are almost completely reliant on boreal habitat during the breeding season.
• Another is the extent of migration; species groups that migrate long distances through many countries demonstrate how important it is to link education and conservation actions in widely separated regions or countries.
• Species that are charismatic, colourful, rare or seen only at certain times of year are often the target of bird-watchers, while birds that are attracted to bird feeders have large followings across southern Canada and the United States.
• Finally, species undergoing long-term declines can become the focus of conservation attention through programs like Partners in Flight.

Here are a selection of birds and bird groups that have some or all of those characteristics:

Warblers

Warblers stand out as a group for all of the above reasons. They are highly reliant on Canada's boreal forest during the breeding season - the boreal produces about half of the world's population of the 27 warbler species that regularly breed there (see Table 6). Warblers are also one of the boreal forest's most numerous birds. Hundreds of millions, possibly even one billion warblers breed there (see Table 2). All warblers are migratory and most are neotropical migrants, so that this bird family forms a significant link to all countries south of Canada, to northern South America (Figure 5f). Warblers are also one of the most numerous bird groups recorded during migration through the southeastern United States in spring and fall (see Tables 10 and 11). The populations of several warbler species are declining in the boreal forest and elsewhere in their range (Table 20). Some of them, such as Bay-breasted Warbler and Canada Warbler, are candidates for Partners in Flight Watch List status.

Moreover, warblers are colourful and charismatic birds of the forest that are sought after by birders during spring migration. They are beautiful emblems of the wildlife of the vast boreal forest.

Dark-eyed Junco and other feeder birds

Canada's "snowbird", the Dark-eyed Junco is perhaps the most abundant breeding bird in the boreal forest (Tables 3 & 7). A short-distance migrant from the boreal that is found at bird feeders in almost all Canadian provinces and U.S. states, according to Project FeederWatch this Junco is observed at more feeders across North America than any other species. Its abundance highlights the economic importance of Canada's boreal forest to the North American birding industry. Several other species of boreal birds, principally finches and sparrows, are also common at feeders in most parts of North America (see Table 18).

The Dark-eyed Junco population has declined in recent years in the northwestern boreal forest and range-wide (Table 20).

« Previous Page | Table of Contents | Next Page »