BIRD TRENDS A report on results of national ornithological surveys in Canada Raptors (Winter 2003)

INSIDE:

Overview Overview of raptor status and conservation in Canada Raptor population trends Population trends in raptors from the Breeding Bird Survey Raptors at risk Raptors at risk in Canada Urban Sharp-shinned Hawk productivity in Quebec Species accounts Population trends of Red-shouldered Hawks in Ontario The recovery of Bald Eagles in Southern Ontario, 1980-2001 The Bald Eagle population in New Brunswick Lessons we can learn from the natural variation in Northern Goshawk population trends Queen Charlotte Goshawk: status, distribution, and population trends Ferruginous and Swainson's Hawks in Saskatchewan: should we worry? Ferruginous Hawk numbers in Alberta: a real decline? Trends in a Migratory Population of Golden Eagle in the Canadian Rocky Mountains Trends in birds of prey in Quebec Owl monitoring North American nocturnal owl monitoring: a volunteer-based initiative Population trends of nocturnal owls in Ontario Estimating Flammulated Owl population trends at the northern range limit Burrowing Owl population trend surveys in Alberta, 1991-2000 Northern Pygmy-Owl inventory of west-central Alberta Status of peregrines Summary of the 2000 Canadian Peregrine Falcon Survey The 2001 Peregrine Falcon survey in interior Labrador Raptor trends in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut: a Peregrine Falcon case study Are northern raptor populations signaling a new collapse? An overview of recovery and trends in Bay of Fundy Peregrine Falcons Volunteer program menu Menu of volunteer- based ornithological programs in Canada

Although the birds of prey are among the largest landbirds, studying raptors is not easy. We still lack basic data on population size and trends for most species. While studies have taken place across Canada, there is no nationally coordinated program to monitor raptor populations, largely because this group of birds falls under provincial jurisdiction in Canada. Efforts to improve raptor monitoring are underway, but until there are enough data from these renewed efforts, much of our information on raptors is generated by work on species at risk. This issue of Bird Trends summarizes some recent studies of this group of birds, but many questions about the status of raptors in Canada remain, for now, unanswered.

Bird Trends is published annually for free distribution by the Canadian Wildlife Service. To save resources, please help us maintain a current mailing list. Bird Trends aims to provide: feedback to volunteers of ornithological surveys; information on trends in Canadian bird populations; a menu of volunteer-based ornithological projects in Canada. Contents may be used without permission with appropriate credit to the source. Additional information may be obtained from: Migratory Birds Conservation Division, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H3, tel (819) 953-4390, fax (819) 994-4445, email: Martin.Damus@ec.gc.ca Illustrations by Kandyd Szuba from Forest raptors and their nests in Central Ontario, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Southcentral Sciences Section Field Guide FG-03, 1998, Queen's Printer for Ontario. Illustrations by Ellaine M. Dickson and David A. Kirk used with permission.