Hi BCNnet friends. =

The = following is a summary report of some of the major national activities regarding bird conservation, from last week’s meeting of the Policy Council of = the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) as well as the Board of Directors meeting. =

As you know, for = shorebirds migrating to their arctic breeding grounds, horseshoe crab eggs are a = crucial energy source. ABC has found a way to cut demand for horseshoe crabs = as conch bait in half, further reducing the strain on crab populations in the = Delaware Bay. The use of durable plastic bait bags enables conch fishermen to = use only half a crab -the bag prevents other predators from devouring the bait = so it lasts longer and attracts just as many conch. The bags themselves may = last years and cost less than two dollars each. As each horseshoe crab = costs one dollar, the bags will even save money for the conch fisherman. Thanks = to ABC's continuing efforts, Virginia now mandates that all Virginia = conch fishermen use these bait bags. ABC is pushing for similar legislation = in all East Coast states, and last week ABC sent informational packets and a = free sample bait bag to all licensed conch fishermen in New Jersey, = Delaware, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maryland. The packets included an = offer of 25 additional bait bags free to the first 50 conch fishermen who respond. = Within three days of the mailing, 24 fishermen had already responded to the = offer.

ABC has provided $50,000 to complete a land purchase in southern Ecuador. = The funds will be matched by $170,000 raised by the locally-based = Fundacion Jocotoco to purchase 1,100 acres of cloud forest. The land will expand = a private reserve already owned by the Foundation to protect nine = globally threatened species. These include the endemic EI Oro Parakeet and the spectacular Pacific Royal Flycatcher.

Thanks to support from ABC and its partner the American Zoo and Aquarium = Association (AZA), the first round of tests for developing a West Nile vaccine for = birds are complete, and an effective injected form of the vaccine have = developed. At this point, the vaccine is approved only for research purposes but = steps are being taken to make the vaccine available to veterinarians, zoo = and reserve managers to protect captive breeding populations of endangered birds. Additional = testing is being done to develop an oral vaccine for wild birds. =

Channel Islands National Park has planned a program to restore one of its = islands, Anacapa Island, by eradicating introduced black rats. The most = significant cause of bird extinctions on islands are introduced species, = especially rats. Anacapa Island is = a globally important seabird island and the program to reduce rats is = designed to protect breeding habitat for the declining Xantus Murrelet, endemic = to these islands, as well as the Ashy Storm Petrel. This project is the result of over 5 years of = planning and research and will significantly benefit the island ecosystem. This = project is modeled after many successful projects worldwide. It is supported by a = number of government agencies (including EPA, NOAA, USFWS, Channel Islands = National Marine Sanctuary, USGS BRD, = California Fish and Game, and California Coastal Commission). Meanwhile, the Fund = for Animals and other animal rights groups has filed legal action in = defense of the rats, which has lead to the postponement, and possible = cancellation of this project. Additionally, the cancellation of this project may = inhibit similar conservation actions in other parts of the United = States and its territories. = ABC along with other conservation groups has filed a brief in support of the eradication plan. =

Important Bird Areas: ABC has identified and documented more than five hundred = sites throughout the U.S. that are of global significance for bird = conservation. This program aims to protect the most important places for bird = conservation by engaging local support, federal and state funding, and = public-private partnerships for conservation. This program complements state IBA = programs run by National Audubon and has been a resounding success. Many sites = have celebrated their designations with local press, government officials, community ceremonies and parties. One site even had an IBA = sign-inspired cake created! ABC will set up a national website providing easily = accessible information on each IBA and establish an email network of local = volunteer groups to support protection efforts.

Cats Indoors!: The Cats Indoors! Campaign has just begun a = partnership with the Golden Gate Audubon Society in San Francisco, California. = Together, we are launching a city- centered campaign based on ABC's national one. = The Bay area's explosive human population growth and development over the past = twenty years and mild temperatures have created a devastating overpopulation = of stray and feral free-roaming cats. Numerous threatened and endangered species, with populations already stressed by human development, are threatened by cat predation, including: California Clapper Rail, = Western Snowy Plover, California Least Tern, and California Quail. Eventually, = ABC hopes to expand the San Francisco campaign = statewide.

In addition there are activities = on Communication Towers, Blackbird Poisonings, action on Snow Geese, = Seabird By-catch, and much more. For further details either contact me directly or see ABC’s excellent = website, www.abcbirds.org. =

Donald R. Dann

60 Ravinoaks Lane,

Highland Pk. IL 60035

Ph/fx: 847 266 2222

Email: donniebird@yahoo.com =