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“Managing and Conserving Forests for Avian Biodiversity.” The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Forest Ecology Working Group, National Conservation Training Center, and Migratory Bird Program have developed a 12-part monthly lecture series to address the 50-year decline of 3 billion birds through partnerships, conservation science and forest management. The series tells a compelling story about forest bird population declines, partnership opportunities, and forest management actions that can support bird population recovery and sustainability. This is webinar # 2 in the series.

In a Guest Editorial for Bird Watcher’s Digest, Partners in Flight (PIF) Coordinator Bob Ford and author Paul J. Baicich describe how the bird conservation community might navigate a novel, impactful way forward in the updraft of an emerging “new normal.” Ford and Baicich extract wisdom and lessons learned from a tumultuous year when a “global pandemic, severe economic distress, calls for social justice, and deepening political divisions” galvanized changes in social behavior and in how and when people interact with birds. The article presents actions the bird conservation community can take to be “deliberate in recrafting” a long-lasting new normal.

The Department of Defense started their Partners in Flight program in 1991, a year after the initial launch of the PIF idea. To celebrate their 30th anniversary, the Spring 2021 natural resource newsletter for DoD is focused entirely on Partners in Flight and thirty years of amazing work.

Partners in Flight (PIF) Awards recognize exceptional contributions to the field of landbird conservation in the Americas in the categories of Leadership, Investigations, Public Awareness, Stewardship, and the David N. Pashley Lifetime Achievement Award. The PIF 2020 Awards were presented by EJ Williams, with an introduction by PIF Coordinator Bob Ford, at the 86th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference on March 11, 2021.

There is a serious disconnect between birder interests, the needs for bird conservation, and public policies for bird conservation in the United States. An estimated 45 million Americans feed and/or watch birds. At the same time, 233 species of birds (22% of all native species) need conservation action. Numerous studies have shown long-term declines in the number of hunters, fishers, and other consumptive users. Despite these megatrends, the policies of public agencies – most importantly state wildlife agencies – are fixated on the past. To better respond to evolving public values and bird conservation needs, it is necessary to gain an understanding of the values, motivations, and behaviors of birders.

With the loss of 3 billion birds over 50 years, we need broad, impactful partnerships more than ever, to help bird populations recover while supporting other human goals such as water quality and availability, improved human health and community well-being, resilient landscapes, and productive working lands. The Field Guide to Developing Partnerships presents both practical guidance for identifying and developing such partnerships, while serving to encourage and empower bird conservation professionals to look outside of their existing communities to pursue unprecedented partnerships with the potential to implement lasting, positive change for birds and people.

The goal of this revised Joint Venture Landbird Habitat Conservation Strategy is to guide regional conservation that results in habitat to support populations of priority landbird species and related social values, consistent with continental bird conservation goals.

The New Breeding Bird Survey Strategic Plan 2020-30. Presented by: Veronica Aponte and Adam Smith (Canadian Wildlife Service). Recorded October 2020.

Includes “New spatial abundance models inform distribution, population, and trends for forest birds in Canada,” presented by Diana Stralberg (Research Scientist, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada and Boreal Avian Modelling Project) and Peter Solymos (Boreal Avian Modelling Project); and “Using species density models to set habitat conservation objectives for declining grassland songbirds in the Canadian Prairie Potholes,” presented by Barry Robinson (Canadian Wildlife Service).

This article highlights the work of N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission biologists and partners to identify threats to bird populations and habitats, and to alleviate these threats whenever possible. Partners in Flight and our 30th anniversary are featured in the article.