Recording lures endangered bird to Wisconsin woods

By Kaley Fech | October 10, 2018

By Kaley Fech

Every day the love song of a Kirtland’s warbler calls throughout the Bayfield County Forest in northwestern Wisconsin.

But it isn’t coming from a bird.

It’s a recording created to lure the endangered species to the forest.

“We had a handful of birds on the landscape, but none of them were finding each other,” said Nick Anich a conservation biologist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. “We thought this technique would be a good way to get all the birds to focus in basically on the same spot.”

He got the idea from Michael Ward, an avian ecologist for the Illinois Natural History Survey at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Ward has done a number of projects using audio playback to lure species from one area to another.

The technique is referred to as conspecific attraction, meaning it is used to lure the same species to a new location using cues relevant to that species.

Anich took the idea a step further. He lures Kirtland’s warblers hundreds of miles away from their main population centers.

Wisconsin’s biggest population of Kirtland’s warblers is in Adams County in the lower center of the state.

The recording has been successful in drawing birds from there to other parts of the state, Anich said.

Continued  

Forest 'islands' offer refuge to wintering birds

February 7, 2017 by Kelly April Tyrrell

The polar vortex of 2013 and 2014 brought the coldest winter many parts of the Midwest had experienced in decades. In Dane County, Wisconsin, it was the coldest it had been in 35 years. 

By coincidence, that same winter, University of Wisconsin–Madison graduate student Christopher Latimer was gathering data in fragments of forests and woodlots throughout the county. He wanted to know whether these forest "islands" created their own unique climates—microclimates—and what that could mean for overwintering birds like the black-capped chickadee.

In a recent study in the journal Ecography, Latimer and his co-author and advisor, UW–Madison forest and wildlife ecology Professor Ben Zuckerberg, show that these forest refuges may mean the difference between life and death for chickadees and their overwintering songbird kin.

"All our predictions about climate change, from shifting temperatures to altered precipitation, play out over small-scale differences in microclimate, and they can be just as big as global climate," Zuckerberg says.

For example, Latimer and Zuckerberg found the microclimate variability was so high within the 30-mile study area—which they call the "fragmentation gradient" in recognition of the mosaic nature of wooded areas in Dane County—that a bird living in one part of the study area might experience a climate similar to Chicago while another might experience conditions more like those found in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, 400 miles to the northwest.

Overall, they found that forests at slightly higher elevations, with more trees, and those closer to urban centers, provide warmer conditions for birds trying to survive frigid winters in southern Wisconsin. This is important, Latimer and Zuckerberg say, because chickadees must double the amount of energy they expend to keep warm when temperatures dip below minus 18 degrees Celsius or about zero degrees Fahrenheit.

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Rescuers come to aid of ailing trumpeter swan on St. Croix River

By Andy Rathbun, St. Paul Pioneer Press on Feb 18, 2015 at 12:53 p.m.

HUDSON, Wis. -- A trumpeter swan was seen on Valentine’s Day helping free a sick swan from ice on the St. Croix River near Hudson. Days later, it was a group of humans’ turn to help the bird in need.

Several people arrived on the bank of the St. Croix on Tuesday afternoon with nets, kayaks and a plan to catch a young swan that appeared to be suffering from lead poisoning.

The cygnet was among Wisconsin’s largest wintering flock of swans, but it had isolated itself from others and displayed other signs of lead poisoning — a common problem for trumpeter swans when they eat lead shot and sinkers from river and lake bottoms.

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Rare duck drawing birders to to Grantsburg, Wisconsin

Posted: May 13, 2014 - 2:11pm

GRANTSBURG, WI - A rare duck has birders in the Midwest flocking to Grantsburg in northwest Wisconsin.

The garganey, a Eurasian species rarely found in North America, was first spotted at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area on April 25, and still could still be seen there Monday, said Kim Wheeler, a natural resource educator for the wildlife area.

“This bird has never been seen in Wisconsin before, and it’s not very often (seen) in the Midwest,” Wheeler said. “Birders from all over the Midwest are coming to see it because they may not ever see it again in their entire life.”

Birds from Eurasia seldom find their way to a far-inland state like Wisconsin, said Ryan Brady with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, adding that even for the lower 48 states as a whole, a garganey sighting is a rarity.

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Eagle crashes into boat shrink wrap on Interstate

Posted: Apr 26, 2014 6:43 PM GDTUpdated: Apr 26, 2014 8:07 PM GDT

MENOMONIE, Wis. (AP) - A couple towing a boat to Minnesota got quite a surprise: a bald eagle crashed through the shrink wrap while on Interstate 94 in Wisconsin.

The Chippewa Herald reports (http://bit.ly/1lTu7T4) the eagle dove across the top of the pickup truck of Scott and Marilyn Kregness as they crossed the Red Cedar River near Menomonie, and crashed through the shrink wrap on Friday.

The couple kept going after only seeing a hole. But another driver told them the eagle was still inside. So Scott Kregness crawled around the back and found the bird between the motors, alive and upright.

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ENDANGERED SPECIES: Reward offered in shooting of Peregrine Falcon

Endangered falcon found shot outside West Allis bar

WAUWATOSA, Wis. —A $5,000 reward is being offered for information regarding a Milwaukee shooting of an endangered Peregrine falcon.

The Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust are offering the reward.

VIDEO: Endangered falcon found shot outside West Allis bar

Officials said the injured falcon was found near 55th and Grant streets on Feb. 27.

Humane Society officials said the bird has seven shot pellets still inside her as well as a broken collar bone which could prevent her from flying.

"This bone is really a critical structural component of her ability to fly, her shoulder system," said Scott Diehl of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

The bird, named Madame X, is in stable condition.

The We Energies Foundation made a $2,500 donation toward the falcon's medical treatments.

Peregrine falcons are native to Wisconsin, but became endangered in the 1960s when the use of the pesticide DDT made their egg shells fragile.

Madame X hatched her first chicks last spring at the We Energies power plant in Wauwatosa.

Read more:

Avian Salmonella blamed for Billings bird deaths

BILLINGS - An unusual number of dead birds have been found in Billings area yards with bird feeders this spring.

Nearly all of the birds are red crossbills, a species of finch that normally feeds on conifer tree seeds.

Wildlife disease specialists at the National Wildlife Health Center in Wisconsin concluded that the deaths are due to avian salmonella, a naturally occurring bacterium, possibly originating from contaminated food. Salmonella spreads among birds through their feces.

Since mid-May, dead birds have been reported around at least eight bird feeders in the Billings and Laurel areas.

One resident had 50 dead birds so far, and it is likely that other die-offs went unreported.

If dead birds are found, the National Wildlife Health Center recommends cleaning bird feeders thoroughly with a solution of warm water and 10 percent bleach, then rinsing and air drying them.

Feeding should not be restarted for two or three weeks to encourage birds to disperse and forage naturally.

An even better solution, the center said, is to not feed birds at all during the warmer months.

Any time birds are concentrated unnaturally, it hastens the spread of diseases such as salmonella.

During the summer months, the birds don't really need our help.

While most of the dead birds have been red crossbills, which are especially susceptible to salmonella, other species also can be affected and may either die or serve as carriers of the bacteria for several weeks.

The NWHC also notes that the salmonella strain usually found in birds may cause illness in people, but that the risk can be minimized by wearing rubber gloves when handling dead birds or feeders or cleaning bird droppings off decks and other surfaces.

The NWHC also says it's a good idea to discourage pets from picking up bird carcasses.

http://www.kxlf.com/news/avian-salmonella-blamed-for-billings-bird-deaths/

Rare Owls Seen in Milwaukee County

The long, late winter has sent three owl species south, looking for food. The DNR has safe viewing tips for people lucky enough to glimpse the great grey owl, hawk owl and boreal owl.

Three species of rare owls have come to Wisconsin from the boreal forests of Canada, looking for food, as the late winter has made it difficult for them in their usual habitat. 

Every few years, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, there is a crash in the population of small rodents that forces owls to move south in search of food. Because of it, three species not normally seen here have moved to the area. The northern hawk owl, great gray owl and boreal owl have all been spotted in the state, as far south as Kenosha County. 

"Unfortunately, long winters and early springs, coupled with unfamiliar landscapes, increased roads and other risk factors, have taken a toll on some of these rare visitors," explained Ryan Brady, natural resources research scientist with the DNR. "Great grey owls and northern hawk owls are prone to vehicle collisions as they hunt over roadside ditches. Boreal owls may begin hunting by daylight to find food, and may turn to backyard bird feeding stations in hopes of finding mice attracted to spilled seed."

Continued: http://wauwatosa.patch.com/articles/rare-owls-seen-in-milwaukee-county-8a1572ce

DNR asks public to clean bird feeders

We know it’s important to clean out the refrigerator once in a while, but don’t forget the bird feeder too.

State wildlife officials have confirmed reports of the death or sickness of small numbers of three bird species linked to salmonella poisonings in southern Wisconsin.

That’s prompted the Department of Natural Resources to ask the public to clean backyard bird feeders and keep an eye out for dead birds, since salmonella not only kills birds, but affects humans as well.

The warmer temperatures are producing ideal conditions for bacteria in bird feeders, the DNR says. Salmonella from the feces of birds is known to lurk in dirty bird feeders.

The DNR said that the deaths of a small number of pine siskins in Dane County have been tied to salmonella. Sick goldfinches and sparrows have been reported in Dodge and Crawford counties, as well.

The birds might be more vulnerable due to stress from their migration.

The National Wildlife Health Center said that salmonella bacteria live in the intestines of birds and are passed through feces. The salmonella strain found in birds can also be passed to humans.

Here’s some recommendations from the DNR:

- Clean bird feeders and bird baths regularly with a 10% bleach solution.
- Throw away empty seed hulls near feeders.
- Consider moving feeders occasionally to avoid a buildup of waste in one area.
- Replace water in a bird bath every two or three days
- Wear disposable gloves when cleaning a birdbath and bird feeder. 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/186463361.html

Wis. couple says pet chicken alerted them to blaze

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Wisconsin couple says clucks, not fire trucks, helped them escape a blaze at their home.

Dennis Murawska, 59, said a pet chicken named Cluck Cluck woke his wife Susan Cotey, 52, with loud clucking from its cage in the basement two floors below about 6:15 a.m. Thursday. The couple's two cats also were running around the main floor.

Murawska said he had been half awake but didn't know about the fire because the smoke alarms hadn't gone off. He realized something was wrong when his wife got up.

"The chicken gets quite vocal when she gets excited," he said.

Cluck Cluck came from a nearby farm in Alma Center, about 135 miles east of Minneapolis, Murawska said. When the chicken began wandering over to his house, his neighbor said he could kill it because it wasn't producing any eggs. But Murawska felt sorry for Cluck Cluck because she had a mutated foot and decided to keep her. He fed the bird and built a coop, and then his wife let Cluck Cluck into the basement on cold nights.

"I spent way more money than I ever should've," Murawska said by telephone. "I guess it paid off."

The couple escaped, and firefighters found the chicken in its cage and one of the cats alive in the basement. Another cat hasn't been found and is presumed dead, Murawska said. The couple and their surviving cat checked into a Black River Falls hotel, while Cluck Cluck is staying with the neighbor who used to own her.

Alma Center Fire Chief Jeff Gaede said the fire started in the attic of the attached garage and was not suspicious. The house was a total loss, but it could have been worse — if not for the chicken.

"We are used to hearing about a dog or cat or something, but we never heard of a chicken waking up a resident for a fire," Gaede said. "That's pretty amazing."

http://news.yahoo.com/wis-couple-says-pet-chicken-alerted-them-blaze-165719848.html;_ylt=AoxsGkHKoADkT56YjQnJ4JztiBIF;_ylu=X3oDMTNxYjVmajVpBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBPZGRVU1NGBHBrZwNkZGY3NjUzNy00MjliLTNjMzctYTIxNS05ZTlkZDFiM2U1ZjAEcG9zAzUEc2VjA3RvcF9zdG9yeQR2ZXIDNGI4OWQ4YzEtNTE0My0xMWUyLWE2YzYtNjRkZjhiYWEwODAx;_ylg=X3oDMTFtOW42ZDltBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lfG9kZARwdANzZWN0aW9ucw--;_ylv=3

Northern, central Wisconsin bird-watchers enjoy fall migration

With its chilly temps and changing foliage, local bird enthusiasts say that autumn is the perfect time to fall in love with birding.

Aside from spring, autumn is the next best time for bird watching since so many birds are moving to and passing through central Wisconsin as they migrate south for the winter, said Lori Schubring, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Rib Mountain.

“Food availability is what really affects birds and drives them down our way,” Schubring said. “If they can’t find enough where they are in Canada or around the Article Circle, they’ll go south where they’ll have a better chance.”

Fall migration begins in late June with shorebirds and warblers, followed by sparrows and water fowl migrating throughout the fall, said 47-year-old Dan Belter of Weston, an avid birder for the past 25 years.

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20121014/WDH04/310140122?nclick_check=1