Bird Conservation Strategy for region 5 in Canada: bird mortality

Table 26. Conservation objectives and actions associated with bird mortality from collisions, cats and contaminants.
Mortality causes Threats addressed Threat category Objective Objective category Recommended actions Action category Example priority species affected
Collision mortality Collisions with buildings cause bird mortality. 1.1 Housing and urban areas
1.2 Commercial and industrial areas
Reduce incidental mortality from collisions with windows/buildings 2.7 Reduce incidental mortality from collisions Follow beneficial management practices for bird-friendly buildings including using bird-friendly glass, reducing reflection from windows, providing visual markers to enable birds to perceive windows, and reducing light pollution. 2.1 Site/area management
5.3 Private sector standards and codes
All species
Collision mortality Collisions with wind turbines cause bird mortality. 3.3 Renewable energy Reduce incidental mortality from collisions with wind turbines 2.7 Reduce incidental mortality from collisions. Follow beneficial management practices for reducing bird mortality when designing and locating wind turbines.

Ensure that offshore wind energy developments will not present significant migration barriers.

Locate offshore wind energy developments away from seabird breeding colonies and important waterbird foraging areas.

Utilize techniques such as radar monitoring to determine pre-construction flight paths and assess the degree to which wind farms present migration barriers, and infrared camera systems to quantify strike rates.
2.1 Site/area management
5.3 Private sector standards and codes

1.2 Resource and habitat protection

8.2 Monitoring
All species
Collision mortality Collisions with communications towers cause bird mortality, particularly during migration. 1.2 Commercial and industrial areas Reduce incidental mortality from collisions with man-made structures 2.7 Reduce incidental mortality from collisions. Follow beneficial management practices for reducing mortality to birds when constructing new communications towers.

Switch off solid lights on existing towers and ensure that remaining lights have a synchronized, complete dark phase.

Take steps to ensure that new towers avoid guy wires and minimize height, and avoid topographic locations where migrating birds are likely to be found in abundance.

Retrofit existing towers to adhere to as many guidelines as possible.
2.1 Site/area management
5.3 Private sector standards and codes
All species
Collision mortality Collisions with power lines and accidental electrocution cause bird mortality. 4.2 Utility and service lines Reduce mortality from collisions with utility lines / transmission towers 2.7 Reduce incidental mortality from collisions. In high-risk areas, retrofit power lines so that the risk of electrocution of raptors is minimized. In new developments, locate transmission lines underground.

Use markers or paint to increase visibility of power lines in high-strike areas. Avoid siting lines over or near wetlands.
2.1 Site/area management Waterfowl, herons, raptors
Collision mortality Collisions with vehicles cause bird mortality. 4.1 Roads and railroads Reduce mortality from collisions with vehicles 2.7 Reduce incidental mortality from collisions. Erect road signs or speed bumps to lower vehicle speeds where bird activity is frequent.

Remove plants that attract birds from roadsides and medians. Landscape along roads using taller trees and bushes to cause birds to fly higher.

Encourage the use of salt management plans to avoid unnecessary use of particulate salt (a bird attractant) on roads.

Avoid locating roads in valuable bird habitat.
2.1 Site/area management

1.1 Site/area protection
Bald Eagle, Barn Owl, Barn Swallow, Common Nighthawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl (acadicus), Northern Saw-whet Owl (brooksi), Pine Siskin, Red Crossbill, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Rough-legged Hawk, Short-eared Owl, Snowy Owl, Western Screech-owl (kennicotti)
Collision mortality Population effects of collisions are unknown. 12.1 Information lacking Improve understanding of population effects of mortality from collisions 7.4 Improve understanding of causes of population declines. Assess the biological importance of bird kills from all sources of collisions. 8.1 Research All species
Predation by domestic cats Predation by domestic and feral cats. 8.1 Invasive non-native/ alien species Reduce mortality from domestic and feral cats 2.4 Reduce incidental mortality. Implement a "Cats Indoors!" Campaign following the guidelines of the American Bird Conservancy.

Work to reduce feral cat overpopulation through cat control regulations.
5.3 Private sector standards and codes

5.2 Policies and regulations
Ground nesting or ground foraging species; species attracted to feeders; species inhabiting suburban or urban areas
Predation by domestic cats Population effects of cat predation are unknown. 12.1 Information lacking Improve understanding of population effects of cat predation 7.4 Improve understanding of causes of population declines. Evaluate which species are most vulnerable to cat predation.
Investigate the population-level effects of cat predation through better monitoring of kill rates and the number of feral cats.

Continue to monitor bird populations so changes in numbers and distributions can be identified and management of cats can be altered to reflect these changes.

Conduct effectiveness monitoring to evaluate if mitigation activities are achieving the desired results.
8.1 Research

8.2 Monitoring
Ground nesting or ground foraging species; species attracted to feeders; species inhabiting suburban or urban areas
Environmental Contaminants Mortality, sub-lethal effects, reductions in prey populations and habitat alteration caused by exposure to/use of pesticides. 9.3 Agricultural & forestry effluents Substantially reduce the use of herbicides, insecticides and redenticides in Canada. Where elimination is not possible, they should be used as part of an integrated pest management system. 2.1 Reduce mortality and/or sub-lethal effects from pesticide use.

5.1 Maintain natural food webs and prey sources.
Substantially reduce the use of pesticides/rodenticides/herbicides in Canada. Where elimination is not possible, they should be used as part of an integrated pest management system.

Improve regulation of pesticides/rodenticides/herbicides in Canada to reduce bird mortality.
5.2 Policies and regulations
5.3 Private sector standards and codes
Direct or indirect poisoning by pesticides:
American Wigeon, Bald Eagle, Band-tailed Pigeon, Barn Owl, Black-crowned Night Heron, Canada Goose (Pacific), Common Tern, Cooper's Hawk, Double-crested Cormorant, Green Heron, Heermann's Gull, Laysan Albatross, Leach's Storm-Petrel, Lewis's Woodpecker, MacGillivray's Warbler, Northern Harrier, Pelagic Cormorant, Peregrine Falcon (anatum), Peregrine Falcon (pealei), Pine Siskin, Rough-legged Hawk
Reductions in prey due to pesticide use:
Barn Swallow, Black Tern, Common Nighthawk, Northern Harrier, Vaux's Swift, Violet-green Swallow
Environmental Contaminants Mortality from ingestion of lead shot or tackle. 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals
5.4 Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources
Reduce mortality and sub-lethal effects of lead shot and fishing tackle on birds 2.2 Reduce mortality and/or sub-lethal effects from exposure to contaminants. Work with hunters, anglers and industry to eliminate the exposure of birds to shot, sinkers and jigs made of lead.

Continue to enforce the use of non-toxic shot in waterfowl hunting, and encourage adoption of non-toxic alternatives in target shooting, upland game bird hunting, and fishing.
4.3 Awareness and communications

5.4 Compliance and enforcement
American Wigeon, Bald Eagle, Black Scoter, Blue-winged Teal, Cackling Goose, Canada Goose (Dusky), Canada Goose (Pacific), Canvasback, Common Loon, Greater Scaup, Greater White-fronted Goose, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, Lewis's Woodpecker, Lesser Snow Goose, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan
Environmental Contaminants Mortality from heavy metals and other contaminants. 9.2 Industrial & military effluents Reduce mortality from heavy metals and other contaminants 2.2 Reduce mortality and/or sub-lethal effects from exposure to contaminants. Work with industry and policy makers to reduce the quantity of heavy metals and other contaminants released into the environment. 5.3 Private sector standards and codes
5.2 Policies and regulations
Heavy metals:
Band-tailed Pigeon, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye, Common Loon, Northern Harrier, Surf Scoter

PCBs:
Band-tailed Pigeon, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye, Caspian Tern, Common Tern, Double-crested Cormorant, Glaucous-winged Gull, Greater Scaup, Heerman's Gull, Laysan Albatross, Leach's Storm-Petrel, Pelagic Cormorant
Other contaminants:
Ancient Murrelet, Black-footed Albatross, Cassin's Auklet, Common Murre, Horned Grebe, Marbled Murrelet, Peregrine Falcon (anatum), Peregrine Falcon (pealei), Pigeon Guillemot, Pink-footed Shearwater, Short-tailed Albatross, Tufted Puffin, Western Grebe, Xantus's Murrelet
Environmental Contaminants Mortality of waterbirds from oil pollution. 9. Pollution Reduce mortality from oil pollution 2.3 Reduce mortality and/or sublethal effects of oil pollution.
5.1 Maintain natural food webs and prey sources.
Improve monitoring and enforcement capacity to reduce chronic oil pollution from illegal dumping of bilge waste and cleaning of oil tanks.

Improve education/outreach to make sure that the oil industry and its regulators are aware of the potential impacts on birds and take measures to prevent exposure of birds to oil.
5.4 Compliance and enforcement

4.3 Awareness and communications
Lethal and sublethal effect of oil exposure:
American Golden-Plover, Ancient Murrelet, Bald Eagle, Barrow's Goldeneye, Black Oystercatcher, Black Scoter, Black Turnstone, Brandt's Cormorant, Brant (Black), Brant (Western High Arctic), Bufflehead, Buller's Shearwater, Cackling Goose, California Gull, Canada Goose (Dusky), Cassin's Auklet, Common Goldeneye, Common Loon, Common Murre, Double-crested Cormorant, Flesh-footed Shearwater, Glaucous-winged Gull, Great Blue Heron (fannini), Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Heerman's Gull, Horned Grebe, Horned Puffin, Laysan Albatross, Leach's Storm-Petrel, Lesser Scaup, Manx Shearwater, Marbled Murrelet, Northern Fulmar, Pelagic Cormorant, Pigeon Guillemot, Pink-footed Shearwater, Red Knot, Red-necked Phalarope, Rhinoceros Auklet, Rock Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Short-billed Dowitcher, Short-tailed Albatross, Surf Scoter, Surfbird, Thayer's Gull, Thick-billed Murre, Tufted Puffin, Wandering Tattler, Western Grebe, Whimbrel, White-winged Scoter, Xantus's Murrelet, Yellow-billed Loon

Declines in prey due to oil spills:
Peregrine Falcon (pealei)
Environmental Contaminants Population effects of pollution are unknown. 12.1 information lacking Improve understanding of population effects of pollution 7.4 Improve understanding of causes of population declines. Evaluate the affects of PBDEs and other chemicals on vital rates in birds.

Evaluate the extent to which pesticides are reducing prey availability for aerial insectivores.

Improve the ability to monitor and understand the effects of contaminant concentrations in birds.

Continue to acquire information on oiling of waterbirds through programs like Birds Oiled at Sea.
8.1 Research

8.2 Monitoring
All species

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