Breeding birds is where it is at in Minnesota, I am coming to understand this, and so now I want to try and explain my rationale, to see if this view point can be spread throughout the birding community. There are individuals that do get this and have for years, of course: Jan Green and Bob Janssen are two that come immediately to mind. There are others out there reporting breeding birds on a regular basis, yet they are few in number. Breeding Bird Surveys are done, but they are too far apart and too few in number to significantly assess bird abundance throughout the state.
The MOU, of which I am proud to serve as a President, does little to actively solicit breeding bird records from its members, educate the membership on its importance, and provide the necessary methodology. Last year, there was a single record submitted for Sedge Wren breeding in the state of Minnesota. This sparseness of coverage for breeding birds is absurd. The Electronics Communications Committee of the MOU has developed the online Seasonal Records reporting to a level of excellence, and is working to improve it still. Breeding bird-records management is one action item we hope to improve immediately. We can change our behaviors and begin reporting all birds seen. We should provide details on possible breeding behavior, probable breeding, or confirmed breeding for every bird we see and hear. It will provide much needed data and acquaint birders with behaviors of birds on their home range. Each observation is an opportunity to learn, think what are the causes of these behaviors I am seeing? Could a nest be near? Could this bird be luring me away? Is this territorial behavior? I recommend birders indicate observed possible breeding behaviors in the online Seasonal Report text box for each sighting. We are well into breeding season now -- we can't wait. Start doing this now! Minnesota Audubon is spearheading the Important Bird Area program in the state, a very worthwhile initiative for the conservation effect it can have in the state, yet without the benefit of a Breeding Bird Atlas, how can they take it all into consideration on what to conserve and why? The IBA program in other states relies heavily on the Breeding Bird Atlas data to help target areas of importance for birds, not single species, but groups of regularly occurring species in specific ecosystems. It is our hope that Minnesota Audubon will find a source for the funds we need for seed money. The DNR is also working to collaborate with the MOU to build a plan for a Breeding Bird Atlas. The product of this atlas project will be a document and database that may be used as a reference for Breeding Bird Distribution and Abundance in the state of Minnesota. Minnesota birding festivals schedule around bird migration. Waves of birds come through and are gone. We should focus on the ones that stay here. I contend that a single report of a nesting Sedge Wren last year was more substantial, important and relevant to the study of Minnesota birds than all the reports of extralimital species in Minnesota. Tourists come here to see our breeding birds, so why do so many of our festivals focus on migratory periods? The Boreal Birding Festival, Voyager National Park, and Pine County Festival are examples of events planned for times when birds are on territory. What an enriching experience for birders!=20 I have participated in three state breeding bird atlases. I have learned that birds seen in "safe dates", (when they would be normally on breeding territory), if they are in the right habitat, constitute a possible breeding record. A pair of the same birds seen in the same conditions is a probable breeding record. The MOU does not record these currently as breeding records; we require "confirmed" breeding records.=20 A few people do the due diligence to report, but we need thousands to do this to gather the data we need!=20 I challenge you to use the MOU online Seasonal Report software to enter specific breeding bird records. Do it at home for robins and cardinals and House Finches, do it on weekends in the bog country or the western prairie. Help us figure out where Common Nighthawks are in the summer, How far south Ring-necked Ducks nest, where we can find local populations of sparrows - LeConte's, Lincoln's, or Nelson's Sharp-taileds? You are already seeing the birds; just take the time to document it, in the comments field of the MOU seasonal software. I wish you all good birding.=20 Here are some suggested behaviors to look for and document for your sightings: * Bird Observed (seen or heard) within safe dates but not in suitable habitat and/or not believed to be breeding=20 * Bird seen or heard in suitable nesting habitat within safe dates=20 * Territorial behavior observed=20 * Pair (male and female) of a species observed together=20 * Courtship behavior (ritualized display) or Copulation between two birds observed.=20 * Used nest of species found (only species with very distinctive nests may be assigned this code).=20 * Agitated behavior or anxiety calls given by adults due to observer or predator presence=20 * Adult bird seen Carrying Nest material=20 * Physical Evidence of breeding condition (e.g., brood patch) observed for birds in hand=20 * Nest Building observed at nest site=20 * Distraction Display or apparent Direct Defense of unobserved nest/young=20 * Fledglings observed (very young, dependent downy or stub-tailed juveniles only).=20 * Adult bird seen Carrying Food or Carrying Fecal sac=20 * Adult bird seen Feeding Young out of the nest=20 * Nest with Eggs of species found=20 * Occupied Nest of species found, but exact contents unknown * Nest with Young of species found Good Birding to you all, Mark Alt MOU President Brooklyn Center, MN
