For the birds: Birds Need Special Habitats

Snow Geese landing
Photo by Doug Parrott

Birds Need Special Habitats

by Christine Southwick

Birds need good nutrient-rich feeding spots. For most water birds, these areas are flat areas that collect water during part to all of the year. These are the types of land that are easily and frequently filled in and made into parking lots. Since habitat loss is the number one cause of avian deaths and species decline, there needs to be a way to protect these areas important to birds.

Long eared owl
Photo by Doug Parrott

Did you know that Washington State has 74 designated Important Bird Areas? These aren’t large areas of land, most are quite small and may be a combination of public and privately owned, but these parcels are vital to migrating and/or specialized birds.

Important Bird Areas (IBA’s) are areas that have been determined to provide essential habitat for breeding, wintering, and/or migrating birds. To be accepted as an IBA the site must be of unique importance for one or more species of bird. There are three classifications of IBA’s—State, Continental, or Global.

Thirteen of Washington’s Important Bird Areas have been designated as being of “Global Importance”.

Of these thirteen, ten are here in western Washington, and all these areas are vital to birds that need water. Three are needed for the listed Marbled Murrelet; and two areas are used by 90% of the Snow Geese coming from Wrangle Island in Russia. These Snow Geese stop in the Skagit Bay area during their winter migration, with 60% staying here all winter.

Bald eagle
Photo by Doug Parrott

Anywhere there are large quantities of birds, there are predators who feast on these flocks. Since the Skagit area also has great habitat for shorebirds and other wintering flocks, there are lots of raptors that can be seen: Bald Eagles, Peregrines, Harriers, American Kestrals, Merlins, Long-eared and Short-eared Owls, and an occasional Prairie Falcon, or Gyrfalcon all visit this area known for good hunting. And duck and goose hunting season ended Jan 25th.

If you drive up to the Skagit-Fir Island area, be safe and thoughtful. Pull over, off the road. Use your car as a “Blind”, if possible, so as not to disturb the flocks. Every time flocks are startled and forced to fly these birds burn much needed energy. Some farmers have agreed to plant winter crops for the geese. Don’t walk on property without permission—unless marked as “Public”, all property is privately owned.

Now is a good time to go see wintering flocks.