Greater White-fronted Geese Fly Over photo by Larry Jordan

BirdLife International is a global partnership of conservation organizations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources.  How do I know this?  I am a BirdLife Species Champion and besides, their About BirdLife page clearly states this fact.

Since it is spring migration time, I thought that many of you would be interested in exactly what BirdLife International has been doing to provide safer flyways for our migratory birds all over the world.  Did you know that nearly 20% of all bird species migrate?

Migrating birds are especially sensitive to global problems as they traverse international borders their entire lives.  To get all the news on what Birdlife International is doing to help the world’s bird populations, check out the March 2010 BirdLife News Round-up!

Here is an audio of what these Greater White-fronted Geese sound like flying over.  Notice how much higher pitched their calls are than the Canada Goose.  This is a good way to tell which species is flying over when they are too high to identify visually.

[See post to listen to audio] Courtesy of Xeno-Canto,  recorded by Daniel Lane of the United States

This post has been submitted to the Friday Ark.  Go check out the other animals onboard.

Bald Eagle photos by Larry Jordan

Biodiversity is described as the variability among living organisms on the Earth, including the variability within and between species and within and between ecosystems.  In other words, biodiversity is an all encompassing term to describe the variety of all life and natural processes on Earth.

I chose these photos of the Bald Eagle (taken on the Sacramento River during the Anderson Christmas Bird Count  just a few weeks ago) because this species, our national bird, only recently came back from the brink of extinction in the continental United States.  After years of persecution by humans (there was actually a bounty on Bald Eagles in Alaska from 1917 until 1952) and diminished reproduction caused mainly by the use of the pesticide DDT, the Bald Eagle rebounded from its 1967 endangered species status and was de-listed in 2007.

The Bald Eagle’s story exemplifies the importance of human actions in the biodiversity equation.  Everything we do or do not do has an effect on planet Earth and its inhabitants, including its human inhabitants.  Human actions put the Bald Eagle in danger in the first place, then thankfully, restored their numbers to a sustainable level.

BirdLife International is an official partner of the International Year of Biodiversity and I am proud to be part of their organization.

Here is a message from the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon

Here are some links to explore ways you and I can help promote biodiversity in our everyday lives.

• Five Ways to Create Healthier Homes and Habitats
• Take Simple Steps to Live Green
• Make A Difference Today

Here is the complete list of tips from Conservation International (5mb PDF).

Go see the other great SkyWatch Friday photos too!

Sage Grouse photos by Frank Kratofil

Newly announced changes to United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) leasing policies offer enhanced protection for the Near Threatened Sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus, and an innovative model for wildlife-friendly energy development.  “This is a landmark decision for wildlife, and for the return of sound science to federal policymaking, showing that we can have energy development and protect vital habitat at the same time”, said Brian Rutledge, Audubon Wyoming’s Executive Director, and a key proponent of the core area approach.

The Greater Sage-grouse is North America’s largest grouse, inhabiting areas dominated by large sagebrush in the Western United States and Canada.  They are renown for their spectacular breeding displays, caught on camera by my good friend Frank Kratofil.

Like many other animal species, the decline in Greater Sage-grouse numbers are attributed to habitat loss and degradation (see the post on Burrowing Owls).   If we are serious about helping these species in trouble and developing clean, renewable energy at the same time, the wildlife friendly model offered by the United States Bureau of Land Management may be one of the solutions.

Read the full report at BirdLife International.  Thanks to my friend Frank Kratofil for allowing me to use his beautiful shots of this magnificent bird.