Birdwatching

Audubon California has announced that it has reached an agreement with a farmer to safeguard an single colony of about 80.000 Tricoloured Blackbirds nearly a theird of the world's population of this Endangered species.

The estimated global population of Tricoloured Blachbirds is 250000 to 300.000 birds, with at least 95% of these occurring in California.
tricoloured Blackbirds have declined dramatically in the past century as native wetlands habitat has been lost and the species has consequently been classified as Endangered.
Tricomoured Blackbirds form just a few large nesting colonies each year, and in most cases these occur in crop fields. This puts the colonies in grave danger when farmers cultivate the field before young birds are able to fly.

This is really a great victory for conservation, and an example of how consernation and agricultural interests can work together to find real solutions.
The Tricoloured Blackbird is an important part of California's natural beauty, and this agreement combined with other conservation measures, will help to ensure that it has healthy future.

Through a cooperative agreement with Audubon California, the farmer will delay the harvest of 65 hectares where the colony is nesting. This delay will provide enough time for the young to leave the nest, ensuring the success of the state's largest breeding colony.
Because the delay in harvesting will reduce the market value of the crop, Audubon California has agreed to compensate the farmer for any lost value.

This is really a great victory for conservation, and an example of how conservation and agricultural interests can work together to find real solutions.....