Habitat loss and fragmentation are the most serious threats facing bird populations across America and around the world. BirdLife International, a global coalition of more than 100 conservation organizations, initiated the Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program in Europe in the 1980's to combat these pressures. This key conservation effort has grown into an international endeavor; to date, IBAs have been identified in 156 countries around the globe. As the United States Partner of BirdLife International, Audubon has been administering the program since 1995 via statewide initiatives.
What is an Important Bird Area?
Important Bird Areas, or IBAs, are sites that provide essential habitat for one or more bird species. IBAs include sites for breeding, wintering, and/or migrating birds. IBAs may be a few acres, but they are usually sites or landscapes that stand out from their surroundings.
To qualify as an Important Bird Area, sites must satisfy at least one of the following criteria. The area must support:
Species of conservation concern (e.g., Cerulean Warbler, Henslow's Sparrow, etc.)
Species that are vulnerable because their populations are concentrated in one general habitat or biome type (e.g., Wood Thrush, Dickcissel, etc.); also termed "responsibility species"
An outstanding example of a representative or rare habitat type
Species, or groups of similar species, that are vulnerable because they occur at high densities due to their congregatory behavior
The identification of IBAs in Indiana is an important first step in this bird conservation initiative. A comprehensive list of Indiana species and criteria for site selection are listed here. Species IBA inventories provide a scientifically defensible method for prioritizing conservation action and allocating limited conservation dollars to ensure maximum benefit to birds. The Indiana IBA Program is now beginning the formal process of nominating and identifying Important Bird Areas. Below is just a small sample of sites which may be recognized as Important Bird Areas.
If you are interested in assisting with a nomination for these or other sites in Indiana, please contact James Cole, Indiana IBA Coordinator here or (317) 955-6785.
The Marian College EcoLab — An IBA Test Site
The Marian College EcoLab (a 50-acre wetland restoration located on campus near downtown Indianapolis) has been designated as a test site for the Indiana IBA Program.
The Indiana IBA coordinator, in conjunction with the Amos W. Butler Audubon Society, Marian College, and the Cold Springs Elementary School staff, designs and implements on-site educational and habitat restoration programs. Such outreach events include bird hikes and surveys, owl prowls, restoration work days, and bird identification and natural history workshops. These programs facilitate local engagement of volunteers and docent naturalists in the IBA program.
National Audubon Society and AWBAS Chapter supporters and members: Did you know that you can help us save money, time and trees by becoming a part of our electronic database? By choosing to recieve updates and news via E-mail, you will not only help us to significantly reduce our postage costs but you enable AWBAS to focus more of our resources towards mission-critical tasks and services. -- click here to send your email address to our Membership Chair in order to receive your newsletters and other important updates via E-mail.
Upcoming Events
AWBAS upcoming eventsNovember 13, Tuesday Lecture: The Birds of South Africa
Speaker: Steve Nawrocki, Professor of Biology and Anthropology at the University of Indianapolis
As so many birds have left Indiana for the winter, many birders think about going to other locales to bird. Join Steve Nawrocki at Holliday Park to learn about his nature experiences in a place few of us will get a chance to visit, South Africa. During two recent trips to South Africa he saw about 200 bird species along with many mammals and reptiles, many of which he photographed. His slideshow will focus on the birds of 3 broad ecological zones (thornvelt, high-altitude grassvelt, and marshland) in the northeastern part of the country, including Kruger National Park and the famous Marievale Bird Sanctuary. Break away from Indiana for the night and join us on bird safari.
December 11, Tuesday Lecture: Song-Catcher — Memorable Experiences of a Professional Birdsong Recorder
Speaker: Geoff Keller, Master Song Recorder
It's always a good time to review bird songs and calls while sitting by the fire. Some of the recordings you listen to may have been recorded by our speaker, Geoff Keller, who has recently moved to Nashville, Indiana. Geoff started recording bird songs in 1983 and has worked closely with Cornell University's Laboratory of Ornithology. He has archived almost 3,000 North American bird song recordings with Cornell and has traveled to all the great birding sites from the Florida Keys to Nome, from southern Mexico to Churchill. He is currently working on Bird Songs of the Pacific Northwest. His program will feature some his most memorable recording experiences, such as the Five-striped Sparrow in Sycamore Canyon, Arizona, Mangrove Cuckoo in Sugarloaf Key, Florida, Red-throated Pipit in Nome, Alaska, and Buff-colored Nightjar in the Santa Rita grasslands of Arizona, among others. If you think about how much we depend on the skill of people like Geoff, you will not want to miss his talk on a special Thursday date of December 13.
January 8, Tuesday Lecture: Fall Migrations and Winter Habitats of the Reclusive Northern Saw-whet Owl
Speaker: Ross Brittain, Ph.D. Candidate in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, Bloomington
In 2002, Ross created and continues to coordinate the first study of Northern Saw-whet Owl migration patterns in southern Indiana. He has also surveyed overwintering populations of Saw-whet Owls to assess their habitat use. He is a Master Bird Bander and Wetland Community Ecologist. Ross is currently working on a Ph.D. in Environmental Affairs, studying avian trophic ecology using stable isotopes, and the potential long-term effects of sea level rise and standard management practices on coastal Georgia avifauna. His project is funded by a Graduate Research Fellowship from NOAA and is conducted at the National Estuarine Research Reserve on Sapelo Island, Georgia. The Northern Saw-whet Owls are thinking about starting a family right about now - you should find out what they are up to! Get the New Year started right by joining us at Holliday Park.
February 12, Tuesday Lecture: The Importance of Indiana's Reclaimed Strip Mines for Grassland Birds
Speaker: Peter Scott, Associate Professor of Ecology and Organismal Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute
March 11, Tuesday Lecture: Use of Isolated Wood Lots by Migratory Birds
Speaker: Diane Packett
Diane has been studying how our migrant birds use isolated wood lots. She will update us on her research, which has been supported by funds from the AWBAS Birdathon.
