New Study on Birds, Mercury, Acid Rain

After discovering that acid rain may be contributing to declines in Wood Thrush populations (BirdScope, Autumn 2002), scientists at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology joined forces with researchers at the Biodiversity Research Institute in Maine, Syracuse University in New York, Texas Tech University, and the Vermont Institute of Natural Science to search for additional links among acid rain, calcium depletion in the soil, mercury contamination, and declining bird populations. For the first time, we hope to determine whether these multiple human-caused factors are acting together to cause reproductive problems and regional population declines in northeastern thrushes. We have submitted a major collaborative proposal to the National Science Foundation for work beginning this summer.

Although unraveling these mysteries will involve some intensive field sampling and laboratory analysis, we will continue to rely on Birds in Forested Landscapes participants to provide extensive data on the distribution of breeding thrushes and the abundance of the calcium-rich prey organisms that may be affected by acid rain. Data from the Northeast will be used to extend our inferences from local studies in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, whereas data from other areas will provide information on potential threats to forest birds from acid rain throughout the continent.

Looking beyond thrushes, we now have enough data to begin to examine landscape and habitat relationships in additional species of conservation concern, based on data collected by participants over the last four years (see the Spring 2005 Birdscope article entitled "A Species-by-Species Look at Forest Fragmentation" by Stefan Hames and Jim Lowe.

Amid this exciting news, we encourage all participants to renew for 2005. New participants will receive only a project CD, not the full kit as in past years. All protocols are posted on our newly revised web site at www.birds.cornell.edu/bfl. Many thanks for your support!

—Birds in Forested Landscapes staff

For permission to reprint all or part of this article, please contact Miyoko Chu, editor, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd., Ithaca, NY, 14850. Phone: (607) 254-2451. email: mcc37@cornell.edu