KBO Biologist on the Cover of The Wildlife Professional
The latest issue of The Wildlife Society’s magazine, The Wildlife Professional, features KBO Research Biologist Sarah Rockwell as its cover girl! The article mentions findings from Dr. Rockwell’s research on one of North America’s rarest songbirds – the Kirtland’s Warbler – conducted when she was a doctoral student at the University of Maryland and Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. It details the story of the recovery of this species from 200 pairs in the 1970s-1980s to over 2,300 today. The article also discusses more recent research efforts to determine the Kirtland’s Warbler’s migratory routes and overwinter habitats, and evaluate whether continued Brown-headed Cowbird control is necessary.
When the Endangered Species Act was passed into law in 1973, the Kirtland’s Warbler was on the initial list of endangered and threatened species. The next challenge facing the Kirtland’s Warbler Conservation Team is to ensure ongoing habitat protection for this conservation-reliant species. This species has been recently proposed for removal from the endangered species list because of successful progress towards population recovery, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will make a decision in 2019.
The Wildlife Professional magazine is available to The Wildlife Society members. CLICK HERE to view this issue’s cover and an issue synopsis.