Fatal Distraction- How Listing Contributes to the Plight of Birds

I'll begin by saying, I am not trying to twitch-shame with this post. Those who know me know that I have likely consumed more resources chasing birds than the average birder. However, I still think it is important to draw attention to general trends that should disturb all birders.
Everyday we are bombarded with statistics that suggest the world is unravelling, and everyone approaches the problem differently. However, there is a difference between choosing to be blissfully ignorant, choosing to ignore the problem and be apathetic, and recognizing the issues that need to be addressed.

Recently there was an article that circulated social media about the 395 migrant passerines that were killed after colliding into the American National Insurance Building in Houston Texas on one night. Many appalled birders shared the story, lamenting the employees that left the lights on in the building that night, which contributed to the birds becoming disoriented. Some pointed out the distressing fact that those birds had just survived a 600 miles flight across the Gulf of Mexico. And then that was it. There was the Biggest Week in American Birding (don't get me started) to post about. A Bahama Woodstar (Calliphlox evelynae) showed up in Brevard County, Florida. Oh, and New Mexico had its first Swainson's Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii) in nearly 20 years.

Central portion of NRT gradually becoming more open, subsequently intensifying the speed of its apparently inevitable succession back to grassland
May 15, 2017

Roger Clark and I arrived at Melrose Woods (also known as North Roosevelt Trap) at 6:10am on the morning of May 15, hoping the aforementioned Swainson's Warbler was still present. After 7 hours of searching we came up empty handed. Other birders reported it while we were there, but we couldn't find it. The last photos of the bird were taken on May 14 and it appeared as though it had replenished its fat stores and with howling southwest winds, I would not have been surprised if it had left the night before.
Even if we had observed the Swainson's, it was a dismal day. There were all of 8 Wilson's Warblers (Cardellina pusilla) and 3 Yellow-rumped Warblers (Setophaga coronata). We were able to locate a single Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra). Compared to even 2010 or 2011, the number of migrants and species diversity has decreased exponentially.
There are several possible explanations for this phenomenon: timing of migration, lack of drought conditions to concentrate birds, weather conditions the night before. Then there is my personal theory: the birds just aren't there.

Another NRT glamour shot, this one of the slightly less distressed portion
May 15, 2017

With Humans and our associated species (domestic pets, livestock, etc...) now accounting for 90% of Earth's accumulated biomass (compared to a mere 0.1% in 10,000 BCE) it has become obvious that most other groups of organisms on Earth are declining precipitously. There simply is not enough space or resources for most other organisms to thrive with humans consuming so much, and as a result, birds too are declining. Though the evidence presented in this post is anecdotal, a perusal of eBird checklists for NRT from 2010/2011 compared to the same dates in 2016/2017 often reveal a significant discrepancy in numbers of individuals. While the argument that during 2010/2011 NM was experiencing severe drought and birds were more concentrated is certainly valid, the numbers of individuals I have observed in NM this spring have been disturbingly low compared to what I have experienced in the past. This observation has been corroborated by several other birders I have talked to that have noticed a similar trend.

So what does this have to do with listing? Aside from the obvious direct affect of adding Carbon Dioxide and Methane emissions into the atmosphere with the associated travel, the fervor associated with a vagrant also tends to distract birders from the plight of more common birds. As long as every year there is at least one mega-vagrant like the Swainson's Warbler, birders can chase, list, jump up and down, and high-five one another because they continue to add species to their lists. They may lament (as I often do) how there are no longer multiple sexy-warbler days at NRT like there were in 2011 and earlier (or multiple days with multiple eastern vagrants), birders still added a bird to their list. Its great to be able to claim that NM has a site with the second highest Wood-Warbler list in the US (43 I believe at NRT), but what good does that do when the number of supposedly regular migrants have slowed to a mere trickle. Is it really worth gloating over when in 10 years a day with a single Wilson's Warbler is heralded as a "Great Day at Melrose"?

Another less close-to-home example would be the stunning number of vagrants in Florida this year. A spate of Caribbean vagrants have turned up this year, with multiple Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena), Bahama Mockingbird (Mimus gundlachii), and Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola) along with a spattering of Thick-billed Vireo (Vireo crassirostris), Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii), Cuban Pewee (Contopus caribaeus), and the aforementioned Bahama Woodstar. I found it interesting to note that among all of the discussion I saw about these birds, there was very little speculation as to why so many were showing up this year. One birder mentioned Hurricane Matthew, which seems like a plausible explanation considering the damage it likely wrought on what little habitat remains in the Bahamas. Clearly there is something "wrong" that is driving these species to move in such high densities, and while it is wonderful to see these exotic Caribbean species, if their habitat in the Bahamas becomes too degraded, they likely will not persist for very long, and this could be the last spate of Spindalis and Bananaquit to make landfall in the US. But this concern for the well-being of these birds falls to the wayside in favor of excited twitchers gushing about seeing the birds.

With the increased use of social media in birding (which is not inherently a bad thing), listing has taken a greater prevalence in birding. Much of the literature about birding is list-oriented, and it is little wonder young-birders (myself included when I fit into that demographic) are so interested in chasing and ticking species off a list. There are no comprehensive biographies about Ted Parker III or Harold Axtell. Instead there are dozens of books about Big Years, and the even the first "mainstream" birding-related film was about a Big Year. In this fervor to pursue the largest list, it feels we have collectively lost sight of reality. A reality that is no doubt difficult to address, but as someone who is young enough to have to witness the full implications of humanity's apathy in my lifetime, I think it is critical to examine how we can better protect birds or else we risk forcing my generation or the one after to see the devastating loss of most of Earth's avifuana.

Galisteo Creek post-"restoration" One of the best areas for migrants in Santa Fe County, it is private land and the owners decided they wanted it to be more aesthetically pleasing and easier to navigate for horseback riding. Birds were scarce and with the undergrowth largely gone, it has become a much poorer habitat for migrating birds

May 16, 2017

Listing has its place, and most of the best birders I know list religiously. I think chasing is a very good way to increase one's experience and become a better birder if they so choose. But, if we are going to make any headway ensuring a single Wilson's Warbler day at a local migrant trap is never a cause for celebration, birders collectively need to put a greater emphasis on noting the decline of all species, and active conservation will require protecting more habitat.

One way to do this is to use eBird proactively and make an effort to report all species encountered, with numbers, rather than just the life birds to pad your list.

Another is to get involved with initiatives that help to conserve what little habitat humanity hasn't utterly ruined for wildlife.

For example, the American Bird Conservancy works across North, Central, and South America on initiatives to acquire habitat and increase awareness among local peoples for the benefit of birds and ecosystems. This helps to ensure more comprehensive protection for neotropical migrants and resident species alike.
American Bird Conservancy

A stray Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) a long way from home photographed at the Barrow Cemetery, North Slope, AK in June of 2016 by Wyatt Egelhoff