BIRDS ETCETERA

Orthoptera of Berrien County, Michigan, and Vicinity

2010-10-25T16:14:00.028-04:00

The insect order Orthoptera includes the crickets, grasshoppers, and katydids and allies. The species in this order are commonly referred to as "singing insects" because of their loud, distinctive, and often repetitive vocalizations.

The primary source for this list was Theodore H. Hubbell’s (1922) The Dermaptera and Orthoptera of Berrien County, Michigan, supplemented by Roger G. Bland’s (2003) The Orthoptera of Michigan and Thomas J. Walker and Thomas E. Moore’s (2004) Singing insects of North America. The Orthoptera Species File Online was used to sort out synonyms.

According to Bland (2003), more than 25,000 species of Orthoptera are known worldwide, an estimated 1,210 species have been documented in North America north of Mexico, and 137 species are known in Michigan.

The 98 species known or likely to occur in Berrien County (85 documented from Berrien County, plus an additional 13 from neighboring Cass and/or Van Buren counties) represent 44 genera, 18 subfamilies, 8 families, and 2 suborders. Another 10 species (shown in square brackets below) may possibly occur in Berrien County or vicinity based on presumed ranges depicted by Walker and Moore (2003).

In the following list, scientific and common names follow Bland (2003), with alternative common names (if any) in curly brackets. One or more of the following symbols appear after the species name, where * = specimen(s) reported from Berrien County by Hubbell (1922); # = specimen(s) documented from Berrien, Cass, or Van Buren counties by Bland (2003); + = the known or presumed range of the species, as depicted by Walker and Moore (2003), includes Berrien County; and ^ = a species reported from Michigan by O’Brien (2004).

Counties with documented specimen records are shown in square brackets, where B = Berrien, C = Cass, and V = Van Buren.

For each species collected in Berrien County by Hubbell (1922), the number of specimens/collecting localities is shown in parentheses.

The one non-native Introduced species is indicated as such.

SUBORDER CAELIFERA (grasshoppers)

Family Acrididae (short-horned grasshoppers):
Subfamily Acridinae (slant-faced grasshoppers):
Metaleptea (=Tryxalis) brevicornis, SHORT-HORNED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (53/3)
Stethophyma lineatum (=Arcyptera lineata), STRIPED SEDGE GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B] (21/2)
Subfamily Cyrtacanthacridinae (bird grasshoppers):
Schistocerca alutacea, LEATHER-COLORED BIRD GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C] (43/4)
Schistocerca americana (=serialis), AMERICAN BIRD GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B] (2/2)
Schistocerca emarginata, PRAIRIE BIRD GRASSHOPPER#^ [B,C,V]
Subfamily Gomphocerinae (slant-faced grasshoppers):
Ageneotettix deorum, SAND GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,V] (1/1)
Chloealtis conspersa, SPRINKLED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,V] (86/4)
Chorthippus curtipennis, MARSH MEADOW GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (63/6)
Dichromorpha viridis, SHORT-WINGED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B] (16/1)
Orphulella pelidna, SPOTTED-WINGED GRASSHOPPER#^ [B,V] {SC}
Orphulella speciosa, PASTURE GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,V] (27/3)
Pseudopomala brachyptera, BUNCHGRASS GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C] (10/1)
Syrbula admirabilis, HANDSOME GRASSHOPPER#^ [B,C]
Subfamily Melanoplinae (spur-throated grasshoppers):
Melanoplus angustipennis, NARROW-WINGED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (72/4)
Melanoplus bivittatus, TWO-STRIPED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (105/4)
Melanoplus borealis, NORTHERN GRASSHOPPER#^ [C]
Melanoplus confusus, LITTLE GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (82/1)
Melanoplus differentialis, DIFFERENTIAL GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (25/6)
Melanoplus fasciatus, HUCKLEBERRY GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B] (10/1)
Melanoplus femurrubrum, RED-LEGGED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (63/5)
Melanoplus flavidus, BLUE-LEGGED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B] (3/1) {SC}
Melanoplus gracilis, GRACEFUL GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B] (32/4)
Melanoplus keeleri, BROAD-NECKED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,V] (56/3)
Melanoplus punctulatus, GRISEOUS GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C] (4/2)
Melanoplus sanguinipes (=mexicanus), MIGRATORY GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (296/5)
Melanoplus scudderi, SCUDDER'S SHORT-WINGED GRASSHOPPER#^ [C]
Melanoplus viridipes, GREEN-LEGGED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [V] (58/3)
Melanoplus walshii, WALSH'S GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B] (4/2)
Paroxya hoosieri (=clavuliger), HOOSIER GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B] (102/3) {SC}
Subfamily Oedipodinae (band-winged grasshoppers):
Arphia pseudonietana, RED-WINGED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (12/2)
Arphia sulphurea, SPRING YELLOW-WINGED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (48/3)
Arphia xanthoptera, AUTUMN YELLOW-WINGED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B] (34/2)
Camnula pellucida, CLEAR-WINGED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (58/2)
Chortophaga viridifasciata, GREEN-STRIPED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (19/3)
Dissosteira carolina, CAROLINA GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (38/4)
Encoptolophus sordidus, DUSKY GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,V] (19/3)
Pardalophora haldemanii, HALDEMAN'S GRASSHOPPER#^ [B,V]
Psinidia fenestralis, LONG-HORNED GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,V] (30/2) {SC}
Spharagemon bolli, BOLL'S GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (42/3)
Spharagemon collare, MOTTLED SAND GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (82/7)
Spharagemon marmorata, NORTHERN MARBLED GRASSHOPPER#^ [B]
Trimerotropis maritima, SEASIDE GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,V] (56/3)

Family Tetrigidae (pygmy grasshoppers):
Subfamily Batrachideinae:
Tettigidea armata, SPINED PYGMY LOCUST*#^ [B] (25/3)
Tettigidea lateralis, SEDGE PYGMY GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (24/3)
Subfamily Tetriginae:
Nomotettix cristatus, NORTHERN CRESTED PYGMY GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,V] (2/1)
Paratettix cucullatus, HOODED PYGMY GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,V] (85/4)
Tetrix arenosa (=Acrydium arenosum), OBSCURE PYGMY GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (48/2)
Tetrix ornate (=Acrydium ornatum and hancocki), ORNATE PYGMY GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,C,V] (14/1)
Tetrix subulata (=Acrydium granulatum), SLENDER PYGMY GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B,V] (9/2)

Family Tridactylidae (pygmy mole grasshoppers):
Subfamily Tridactylinae (pygmy mole grasshoppers):
Ellipes minutus (=minuta), MINUTE PYGMY MOLE GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B] (35/1)
Neotrydactylus (=Tridactylus) apicalis, LARGER PYGMY MOLE GRASSHOPPER*#^ [B] (9/2)

SUBORDER ENSIFERA (crickets, katydids, and bush katydids)

Family Gryllidae (true crickets):
Subfamily Gryllinae (field crickets and house crickets):
[Acheta domesticus, House Cricket+^ (Introduced)]
Gryllus pennsylvanicus (=assimilis), FALL FIELD CRICKET*#+^ [B,C] (102/5)
Gryllus veletus, SPRING FIELD CRICKET#+^ [B,C,V]
Subfamily Nemobiinae (ground crickets):
Allonemobius allardi, ALLARD'S GROUND CRICKET#+^ [B,C,V]
Allonemobius (=Nemobius) fasciatus, STRIPED GROUND CRICKET*#+^ [B,C,V] (76/4)
Allonemobius griseus, GRAY GROUND CRICKET#+^ [C]
Allonemobius maculatus, SPOTTED GROUND CRICKET#+^ [C]
[Allonemobius tinnulus, Tinkling Ground Cricket+^]
Eunemobius (=Nemobius) carolinus, CAROLINE GROUND CRICKET*#+^ [B] (10/3)
[Eunemobius confusus, Confused Ground Cricket+]
Eunemobius melodius, MELODIOUS GROUND CRICKET#+^ [B]
Neonemobius (=Nemobius) palustris, MARSH GROUND CRICKET*#+^ [B,C] (4/1)
[Neonemobius variegatus, Variegated Ground Cricket+]
Subfamily Trigonidiinae (sword-bearing crickets):
Anaxipha exiqua, SAY'S BUSH CRICKET#+^ [B,C]

Family Gryllotalpidae (mole crickets):
Subfamily Gryllotalpinae (mole crickets):
Neocurtilla (=Gryllotalpa) hexadactyla, NORTHERN MOLE CRICKET*#+^ [B,C] (12/2)

Family Oecanthidae:
Subfamily Oecanthinae (tree crickets):
Neoxabea bipunctata, TWO-SPOTTED TREE CRICKET#+^ [C]
[Oecanthus exclamationis, Davis's Tree Cricket+^]
[Oecanthus forbesi, Forbes’s Tree Cricket+]
Oecanthus fultoni, SNOWY TREE CRICKET#+^ [B]
[Oecanthus latipennis, Broad-winged Tree Cricket+]
Oecanthus nigricornis, BLACK-HORNED TREE CRICKET*#+^ [B,C] (30/4)
Oecanthus niveus, NARROW-WINGED TREE CRICKET*#+^ [C] (1/1)
Oecanthus pini, PINE TREE CRICKET#+^ [B] {SC}
Oecanthus quadripunctatus, FOUR-SPOTTED TREE CRICKET*#+^ [B,C] (27/4)

Family Rhaphidophoridae (cave and camel crickets):
Ceuthophilus divergens, DIVERGENT CAMEL CRICKET#^ [B]
Ceuthophilus guttulosus (=nigricans), THOMAS'S CAMEL CRICKET*#^ [B] (5/2)
Ceuthophilus latens, BLACK-SIDED CAMEL CRICKET*#^ [B] (58/2)

Family Tettigoniidae (katydids):
Subfamily Conocephalinae (meadow katydids):
Conocephalus attenuatus, LONG-TAILED MEADOW KATYDID#+^ [C]
Conocephalus brevipennis, SHORT-WINGED MEADOW KATYDID*#+^ [B,C,V] (46/4)
Conocephalus fasciatus, SLENDER MEADOW KATYDID*#+^ [B,C,V] (32/5)
Conocephalus nemoralis, WOODLAND MEADOW KATYDID*#+^ [B,V] (11/1)
Conocephalus nigropleurum (=nigropleurus), BLACK-SIDED MEADOW KATYDID*#+^ [B,C] (22/3)
[Conocephalus saltans, Prairie Meadow Katydid+^]
Conocephalus strictus, STRAIGHT-LANCED MEADOW KATYDID*#+^ [B] (31/3)
Orchelimum campestris, DUSKY-FACED MEADOW KATYDID#+^ [B,C,V]
[Orchelimum concinnum, Stripe-faced Meadow Katydid*+^ (6/2) {SC}]
Orchelimum delicatum, DELICATE MEADOW KATYDID#+^ [C] {SC}
Orchelimum gladiator, GLADIATOR MEADOW KATYDID*#+^ [B] (20/6)
Orchelimum nigripes, BLACK-LEGGED MEADOW KATYDID*#+^ [B,C,V] (15/2)
Orchelimum volantum, NIMBLE MEADOW KATYDID#+^ [B]
Orchelimum vulgare, COMMON MEADOW KATYDID*#+^ [B,V] (60/5)
Subfamily Copiphorinae (conehead katydids):
Neoconocephalus ensiger, SWORD-BEARING CONEHEAD KATYDID*#+^ [B,C,V] (14/2)
[Neoconocephalus lyristes, Slender Conehead Katydid+^ {SC}]
Neoconocephalus nebrascensis, NEBRASKA CONEHEAD KATYDID*#+^ [B] (4/1)
Neoconocephalus retusus, ROUND-TIPPED CONEHEAD KATYDID#^ [C] {SC}
Neoconocephalus robustus, ROBUST CONEHEAD KATYDID*#+^ [B,C] (3/2)
Subfamily Phaneropterinae (bush katydids and others):
Amblycorypha oblongifolia, OBLONG-WINGED KATYDID*#+^ [B,C,V] (26/2)
Amblycorypha rotundifolia, ROUND-WINGED KATYDID#+^ [C]
Microcentrum rhombifolium, ANGLE-WINGED KATYDID#+^ [C]
Scudderia curvicauda, CURVE-TAILED BUSH KATYDID*#+^ [B,C] (9/2)
Scudderia fasciata, HEMLOCK BUSH KATYDID#+^ [B] {SC}
Scudderia furcata, FORK-TAILED BUSH KATYDID*#+^ [B,C,V] (31/4)
Scudderia pistillata, BROAD-TAILED BUSH KATYDID*#+^ [B,C,V] (13/5)
Scudderia septentrionalis, NORTHERN BUSH KATYDID#+^ [B,C]
Scudderia texensis, TEXAS BUSH KATYDID*#+^ [B,C] (15/3)
Subfamily Pseudophyllinae (true katydids):
Pterophylla camellifolia, NORTHERN TRUE KATYDID*#+^ [B,C]
Subfamily Tettigoniinae (shield-backed katydids):
Atlanticus testaceus, SHORT-LEGGED SHIELD-BACKED KATYDID*#+^ [B,C] (6/2)

Sources:

Alexander, Richard D., Ann E. Pace, and Daniel Otte. 1972. The singing insects of Michigan. Great Lakes Entomologist 5: 33-69.

Bland, Roger G. 2003. The Orthoptera of Michigan—biology, keys, and descriptions of grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets. Michigan State University Extension Bulletin E-2815, 220 pp.

Hubbell, Theodore H. 1922. The Dermaptera and Orthoptera of Berrien County, Michigan.

O'Brien, Mark. 2004. Checklist of Michigan orthopteroids.

Otte, Daniel, David C. Eades, Maria Marta Cigliano, and Holger Braun. 2010. Orthoptera Species File Online (Version 2.0/4.0).

Walker, Thomas J., and Thomas E. Moore. 2004. Singing insects of North America.

Bracket Fungi of Berrien County, Michigan: A Preliminary List

2010-10-12T09:18:00.017-04:00

Bracket fungi are a diverse group named more for their similar external morphologies (specifically, bracket- or shelf-like growth habits on dead or living tree trunks, and woody textures) than for their close relationship. The so-called bracket fungi (sometimes referred to as shelf fungi) are typically grouped together in field guides for ease of identification by observers in the field. Additional information about bracket fungi can be found here, and images of some representative species can be viewed here.

Because the distribution and relative abundance of fungi has been poorly documented in the literature, the following list was derived by scanning six field guides at my disposal (Barron 1999, Bessette and Sundberg 1987, Lincoff 1987, McKnight and McKnight 1987, Miller and Miller 2006, and Smith and Weber 1996) and making educated guesses as to which species were likely to occur in Berrien County based on range and habitat descriptions. The 82 species listed below represent 51 genera, 21 families, 5 orders, and 1 subclass. Given the current state of knowledge of local fungal diversity, I should again emphasize that this is a list of what is possible rather than a list of what has been confirmed in Berrien County and vicinity, and that I have erred on the side of being inclusive rather than exclusive in the case of questionable species.

Scientific names are those recognized by the Index Fungorum. Higher-order taxonomic categories (i.e., Families, Orders, Subclasses) follow the MushroomExpert; for genera not recognized by the MushroomExpert, taxonomic treatment follows the Index Fungorum.

There are no officially recognized common names for North American fungi. In many cases, however, North American species of Holarctic distribution have been assigned an "official" English name by the British Mycological Society (see Recommended English Names for Fungi in the UK); these names are capitalized and appear immediately following the scientific name. Where available, other common name(s) shown in curly brackets in lower case are those that appear in one or more of the referenced field guides.

Authors of field guides treating each species are shown in straight brackets.

The few species that are Edible or POISONOUS are indicated as such.

Credit: Dryad's Saddle (Polyporus squamosus), showing typical attachment of bracket fungus to tree trunk. This photo by Walter Baxter is used here courtesy of a Creative Commons licensing agreement.

Subclass Agaricomycetes

ORDER AGARICALES

Family Fistulinaceae:
Fistulina hepatica, Beefsteak Fungus {beefsteak fungus, beefsteak, beefsteak polypore} [Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller, Smith] - Edible

Family Schizophyllaceae:
Schizophyllum commune, Split Gill {common split gill} [Lincoff, Miller]

ORDER HYMENOCHAETALES

Family Hymenochaetaceae:
Coltricia cinnamomea {faiy stook, shiny cinnamon polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]
Coltricia montagnei {green’s polypore, montagne’s polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]
Coltricia perennis, Tiger’s Eye [Barron, Miller]
Inonotus obliquus {clinker polypore} [Lincoff]
Inonotus radiatus, Alder Bracket [Barron]
Onnia tomentosa (=Inonotus tomentosus) {woolly velvet polypore [Lincoff]
Phelinus chrysoloma {golden spreading polypore} [Lincoff]
Phellinus gilvus {mustard yellow polypore} [Lincoff]
Phellinus igniarius, Willow Bracket {flecked-flesh polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]
Phellinus rimosus (=rimosa) {craked-cap polypore} [Lincoff]
Porodaedalea (=Phellinus) pini [Miller]

Family Schizoporaceae:
Oxyporus populinus, Poplar Bracket {mossy maple polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]
Schizopora paradoxa, Split Porecrust {split-pore polypore} [Lincoff]

ORDER POLYPORALES

Family Albatrellaceae:
Albatrellus caeruleoporus {blue albatrellus, blue-pored polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]
Albatrellus confluens [Barron, Miller]
Albatrellus cristatus {crested polypore} [Lincoff]
Albatrellus ovinus {sheep polypore} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller, Smith] - Edible

Family Altheliaceae:
Plicaturopsis crispa {crimped gill} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller]

Family Fomitopsidaceae:
Daedalea quercina, Oak Mazegill {oak maze-gill, oak polypore, thick-maze oak polypore} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]
Fomitopsis cajanderi [Barron]
Fomitopsis pinicola {redbelt, red-banded polypore, red-belted polypore} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]
Piptoporus betulinus, Birch Polypore or Razorstrop Fungus {birch polypore} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, Miller]
Postia (=Tyromyces) caesius, Conifer Blueing Bracket {blue cheese polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]
Postia fragilis [Barron]

Family Ganodermataceae:
Ganoderma applanatum, Artist’s Bracket {artist’s conk, artist’s fungus} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]
Ganoderma lucidum, Lacquered Bracket {lancquered polypore, ling chih} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller]
Ganoderma tsugae {hemlock varnish shelf, lacquered polypore} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff]

Family Gloeophyllaceae:
Gloeophyllum sepiarium [yellow-red gill polypore} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller]

Family Hapalopilaceae:
Bjerkandera adusta, Smoky Bracket {smoky polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]
Ceriporia (=Poria) spissa {orange poria} [Lincoff]
Hapalopilus nidulans, Cinnamon Bracket {tender nesting polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]
Ischnoerma resinosum {resinous polypore, late fall polypore} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff]

Family Meripilaceae:
Grifola frondosa, Hen of the Woods {hen of the woods, hen-of-the-woods} [Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller, Smith] - Edible
Meripilus giganteus, Giant Polypore {black-staining polypore} [Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller] - Edible

Family Meruliaceae:
Gloeoporus (=Caloporus) dichrous {gelatinous-pored polypore} [Lincoff]
Merulius tremellosus (=Phlebia tremellosa), Jelly Rot [Barron, Miller]
Phlebia incarnata [Barron, Miller]
Phlebia radiata, Wrinkled Crust [Barron]

Family Phanerochaetacdae:
Lopharia cinerascens {bristly parchment} [Lincoff]

Family Podoscyphaceae:
Cotylidia diaphana [Barron]

Famly Polyporaceae:
Cerrena unicolor {mossy maze polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]
Cryptoporus volvatus {veiled polypore} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, Miller]
Daedaleopsis confragosa, Blushing Bracket {currycomb bracket, thin-maze flat polypore} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]
Fomes fomentarius, Hoof Fungus or Tinder Bracket {tinder polypore} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller]
Globiformes graveolens {sweet knot} [Lincoff]
Hexagonia hirta (=Polyporus hirtus) {bitter iodine polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]
Laetiporus sulphureus, Chicken of the Woods {chicken of the woods, sulphur shelf} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller, Smith] - Edible
Lenzites betulina, Birch Mazegill {birch lenzites, birch maze-gill, gilled bracket, multicolor gill polypore} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight]
Phaeolus schweinitzii, Dyer’s Mazegill {die maker’s polypore, dye polypore} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller]
Polyporus alveolaris (=mori) [Barron, Miller] - Edible (when young)
Polyporus arcularius (=Favolus alveolaris) {spring polypore, hexagonal-pored polypore} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, Miller]
Polyporus badius {bay-brown polypore, black-footed polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]
Polyporus brumalis, Winter Polypore {winter polypore} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, Miller]
Polyporus radicatus {rooting polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]
Polyporus squamosus, Dryad’s Saddle {dryad’s saddle, dryad saddle, scaly polyporus} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Smith]
Polyporus umbellatus, Umbrella Polypore {umbrella polypore} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight]
Polyporus varius {blackfoot polypore, elegant polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]
Poronidulus (=Trametes) conchifer {little nest polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]
Pycnoporus cinnabarinus {cinnabar polypore, cinnabar red polypore, cinnabar-red polypore} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, Miller]
Trametes hirsuta, Hairy Bracket [Barron]
Trametes pubescens [Barron]
Trametes (=Coriolus) versicolor, Turkeytail {turkey tail, turkey-tail} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]
Trichaptum abietinum (=abietinus), Purplepore Bracket [Barron, Bessette]
Trichaptum biforme (=biformis {violet toothed polypore, purple-toothed polypore} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, Miller]
Tyromyces chioneus {white cheese polypore} [Barron, Lincoff]

Family Steccherinaceae:
Irpex lacteus {milk-white toothed polypore} [Lincoff]

ORDER RUSSULALES

Family Bondarzewiaceae:
Bondarzewia berkeleyi {berkeley’s polypore} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller]
Heterobasidion annosum, Root Rot [conifer-base polypore} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, Miller]

Family Peniophoraceae:
Peniophora rufa [Barron]

Family Stereaceae:
Stereum complicatum {crowded parchment} [Lincoff, Miller]
Stereum hirsutum, Hairy Curtain Crust {hairy parchment} [Barron, Lincoff]
Stereum ostrea {false turkey tail, false turkey-tail, false turkeytail} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]
Stereum (=Haematostereum) sanguinolentum, Bleeding Conifer {bleeding conifer parchment} [Lincoff]
Stereum striatum {silky parchment} [Lincoff]
Xylobolus frustulatus {ceramic fungus, ceramic parchment} [Barron, Lincoff]

ORDER THELEPHORALES

Family Bankeraceae:
Boletopsis subsquamosa {kurotake} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller] - Edible

Family Thelephoraceae:
Thelephora caryophyllea {carnation fungus, carnation groundwart} [Barron]
Thelephora palmata, Stinking Earthfan [Barron, Miller]
Thelephora terrestris, Earthfan {common fiber vase, earth fan, groundwart} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]

Sources:

Barron, George. 1999. Mushrooms of northeast North America: Midwest to New England. Lone Pine Publishing, Auburn, Washington. 336 pp.

Bessette, Alan, and Walter J. Sunderg. 1987. Mushrooms: a quick reference guide to mushrooms of North America. McMillan Publishing Company, New York, New York. 173 pp.

Lincoff, Gary H. 1987. The Audubon Society field guide to North American mushrooms. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, New York. 926 pp.

McKnight, Kent H., and Vera B. McKnight. 1987. A field guide to mushrooms of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 429 pp.

Miller, Orson K., and Hope H. Miller. 2006. North American mushrooms: a field guide to edible and inedible fungi. Falcon Guides, Guilford, Connecticut. 583 pp.

Smith, Alexander H., and Nancy Smith Weber. 1996. The mushroom hunter’s guide. University of Michigan Press and Thunder Bay Press. 316 pp.

Club and Coral Fungi of Berrien County, Michigan: A Preliminary List

2010-10-09T14:16:00.013-04:00

Club and coral fungi are a diverse group named more for their similar external morphologies (specifically, a coral- or club-like shape) than for their close relationship. The so-called coral and club fungi are typically grouped together in field guides for ease of identification by observers in the field. Additional information about coral and club fungi can be found here, and images of some representative species can be viewed here.

Because the distribution and relative abundance of fungi has been poorly documented in the literature, the following list was derived by scanning six field guides at my disposal (Barron 1999, Bessette and Sundberg 1987, Lincoff 1987, McKnight and McKnight 1987, Miller and Miller 2006, and Smith and Weber 1996) and making educated guesses as to which species were likely to occur in Berrien County based on range and habitat descriptions. The 43 species listed below represent 16 genera, 10 families, 8 orders, and 2 subclasses. Given the current state of knowledge of local fungal diversity, I should again emphasize that this is a list of what is possible rather than a list of what has been confirmed in Berrien County and vicinity, and that I have erred on the side of being inclusive rather than exclusive in the case of questionable species.

Scientific names are those recognized by the Index Fungorum. Higher-order taxonomic categories (i.e., Families, Orders, Subclasses) follow the MushroomExpert; for genera not recognized by the MushroomExpert, taxonomic treatment follows the Index Fungorum.

There are no officially recognized common names for North American fungi. In many cases, however, North American species of Holarctic distribution have been assigned an "official" English name by the British Mycological Society (see Recommended English Names for Fungi in the UK); these names are capitalized and appear immediately following the scientific name. Where available, other common name(s) shown in curly brackets in lower case are those that appear in one or more of the referenced field guides.

Authors of field guides treating each species are shown in straight brackets.

The few species that are Edible or POISONOUS are indicated as such.

Credit: Golden Coral (Ramaria aurea) is one of the edible coral fungi. This photo by Manfred Bromba is used here courtesy of permission granted by Wikipedia Commons.

Subclass AGARICOMYCETIDAE

ORDER AGARICALES

Family Clavariaceae:
Alloclavaria (=Clavaria) purpurea, Purple Spindles {purple club coral, purple coral} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller] - Edible
Clavaria fragilis (=vermicularis), White Spindles {white worm coral, worm-like coral} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller] - Edible
Clavaria fumosa, Smokey Spindles [Barron]
Clavaria rosea, Rose Spindles {rosy club coral} [Barron]
Clavaria zollingeri, Violet Coral {magenta coral} [McKnight, Miller]
Clavulinopsis corniculata, Meadow Coral [Barron]
Clavulinopsis fusiformis, Golden Spindles {spindle-shaped coral, spindle-shaped yellow coral} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller]
Macrotyphula juncea, Slender Club {fairy thread} [Barron]
Multiclavula mucida {white green-algae coral} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller]

Family Marasmiaceae:
Physalacria inflata {bladder stalks} [Lincoff]

ORDER CANTHARELLALES

Family Clavulinaceae:
Clavulina amethystina {violet-branched coral} [Lincoff]
Clavulina cinerea, Grey Coral {gray coral} [Barron, Miller, Smith] - Edible
Clavulina coralloides (=cristata), Crested Coral {cockscomb coral, crested coral} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller] - Edible
Clavulina (=Clavaria) ornatipes [Barron]
Clavulina rugosa [Barron] - Edible

ORDER PHALLALES

Family Gomphaceae:
Clavariadelphus ligula {strap-shaped coral} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller, Smith]
Clavariadelphus pistillaris, Giant Club {pestle-shaped coral} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller, Smith] - Edible
Clavariadelphus truncatus {flat-topped coral} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller, Smith] - Edible
Lentaria byssiseda {cotton-based coral} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller]
Ramariopsis crocea {orange-yellow ramariopsis} [Barron]
Ramariopsis kunzei, Ivory Coral {white coral} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller] - Edible
Ramariopsis laeticolor [Barron]

Family Ramariaceae:
Ramaria abietina [Barron, Miller]
Ramaria apiculata {green-tipped coral} [McKnight]
Ramaria aurea {golden coral} [Barron, Miller, Smith] - Edible
Ramaria bataillei [Miller] - POISONOUS
Ramaria botrytis, Rosso Coral {clustered coral} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller, Smith] - Edible
Ramaria formosa, {pink-tipped coral, yellow-tipped coral} [Barron, Lincoff, Smith] - POISONOUS
Ramaria gelatinosa [Miller, Smith]
Ramaria stricta, Upright Coral {straight-branched coral} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller, Smith]
Ramaria subbotrytis [Miller, Smith] - Edible

ORDER POLYPORALES

Family Sparassidaceae:
Sparassis crispa, Wood Cauliflower {eastern cauliflower mushroom} [Lincoff, Smith] - Edible
Sparassis laminosa (=herbstii) {eastern cauliflower} [Barron] - Edible
Sparassis spathulata {eastern cauliflower mushroom} [Bessette] - Edible

ORDER RUSSULALES

Family Auriscalpiaceae:
Artomyces pyxidatus (=Clavicorona pyxidata), Candelabra Coral {crown coral, crown-tipped coral) [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller, Smith] - Edible

ORDER THELEPHORALES

Family Thelephoraceae:
Thelephora terrestris, Earthfan {common fiber vase} [Lincoff]
Thelephora vialis {vase thelephore} [Lincoff]

Subclass SORDARIOMYCETIDAE

ORDER HYPOCREALES

Family Clavicipitaceae:
Cordyceps melolonthae {beetle cordyceps, rhinoceros beetle cordyceps} [Bessette, Lincoff]
Cordyceps militaris, Scarlet Caterpillarclub {orange-colored cordyceps, soldier grainy club, trooping cordyceps} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]
Cordyceps ophioglossoides, Snaketongue Truffleclub {adder’s tongue, goldenthread cordyceps} [Barron, Lincoff]

ORDER XYLARIALES

Family Xylariaceae:
Xylaria hypoxylon, Candlesnuff Fungus {carbon antlers} [Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight]
Xylaria longipes, Dead Moll's Fingers {stalked xylaria} [Barron]
Xylaria polymorpha, Dead Man's Fingers {dead man’s fingers, dead-man’s fingers} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]

Michigan Bayous

2010-10-07T19:38:00.005-04:00

Not until a recent visit to the vicinity of Grand Haven did I realize that Michigan has bayous, or at least has water features in which the term “bayou” has been incorporated into the name. Having always associated a bayou with the coastal streams and marshes of the Gulf Coast, especially Louisiana, I was surprised to find this to be true.

According to Wikipedia, a bayou "is a body of water typically found in flat, low-lying areas, and can refer either to an extremely slow-moving stream or river (often with a poorly defined shoreline), or to a marshy lake or wetland."

The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) lists at least 50 distinct water features in Michigan that have been denoted as bayous. These 50 features are distributed among 9 different counties, being most numerous in Ottawa (14) and Manistee (11), where they are probably associated with the lower reaches of the Grand and Manistee rivers, respectively. The GNIS classifies these features variously as guts (16), bays (14), swamps (8), lakes (7), and streams (5).

Birds and Drought: Winter Birds

2010-10-05T08:29:00.000-04:00

In a grassland-oak savannah in southeastern Arizona, Carl and Jane Bock found that ground-foraging, seed-eating birds were 3 times more abundant one year after a 2-year drought ended than in the previous winter. Details from their abstract:

As a group, 19 species of ground-foraging, seed-eating birds (e.g., doves, quail, sparrows, towhees) were 2.7 times more abundant on the exclosure than on adjacent grazed grasslands during the first winter. These same species were 1.7 times more abundant on the exclosure during the second winter and were 2.9 times more abundant on both sites combined after the drought had ended. A second group of 24 avian species with different foraging ecologies (e.g., predators, frugivores, arboreal insectivores) did not differ between treatments or years. High-density, short-duration rotational grazing, coupled with a drought, left the land in a substantially denuded condition through two winters and negatively affected a variety of resident and migratory birds dependent on ground cover and seed production for over-winter survival.

Source:

Bock, Carl E., and Jane H. Bock. 1999. Response of winter birds to drought and short-duration grazing in southeastern Arizona. Conservation Biology 13: 1117-1123. URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1523-1739.1999.98313.x/abstract [Abstract only]

Jelly Fungi of Berrien County, Michigan: A Preliminary List

2010-10-04T12:32:00.013-04:00

Credit: This photo of a jelly fungus by Walter Siegmund is used here courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

Jelly fungi are a diverse group named more for their similar external morphologies (specifically, a gelatinous appearance) than for their close relationship. Although many species of jelly fungi are relatively common, they can be difficult to locate because of the ephemeral nature of their fruiting bodies. Jelly fungi are typically grouped together in field guides for ease of identification by observers in the field. Additional information about jelly fungi can be found here, and images of some representative species can be viewed here.

Because the distribution and relative abundance of fungi has been poorly documented in the literature, the following list was derived by scanning five field guides at my disposal (Barron 1999, Bessette and Sundberg 1987, Lincoff 1987, McKnight and McKnight 1987, and Miller and Miller 2006) and making educated guesses as to which species were likely to occur in Berrien County based on range and habitat descriptions. The 20 species listed below represent 16 genera, 7 families, 4 orders, and 2 subclasses. Given the current state of knowledge of local fungal diversity, I should again emphasize that this is a list of what is possible rather than a list of what has been confirmed in Berrien County and vicinity, and that I have erred on the side of being inclusive rather than exclusive in the case of questionable species.

There are no officially recognized common names for North American fungi. In many cases, however, North American species of Holarctic distribution have been assigned an "official" English name by the British Mycological Society (see Recommended English Names for Fungi in the UK); these names are capitalized and appear immediately following the scientific name. Where available, other common name(s) shown in curly brackets in lower case are those that appear in one or more of the referenced field guides.

Authors of field guides treating each species are shown in straight brackets.

The few species that are Edible indicated as such.

Subclass AGARICOMYCETIDAE

ORDER AGARICALES

Family Marasmiaceae:
Physalacria inflata {bladder fungus} [Barron]

Sublcass TREMELLOMYCEDIDAE

ORDER AURICULARIALES

Family Auriculariaceae:
Auricularia auricula, Jelly Ear {brown ear fungus, ear fungus, tree ear, tree-ear} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller] - Edible

ORDER DACRYMYCETALES

Family Dacrymycetaceae:
Calocera cornea, Small Stagshorn [Barron, Miller]
Calocera viscosa, Yellow Stagshorn {coral jelly fungus, yellow staghorn fungus, yellow tuning fork} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight]
Dacrymyces palmatus {orange jelly} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, Miller]
Dacryopinax spathularia {fan-shaped jelly fungus} [Barron]
Guepiniopsis (=Heterotextus) alpine [Barron]

ORDER TREMELLALES

Family Exidiaceae:
Ductifera pululahuana [Bessette]
Exidia glandulosa, Witch's Butter {black jelly roll, black witch’s butter, warty jelly fungus} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]
Gloeotromera (=Exidia) alba {white jelly fungus} [Barron]
Guepinia (=Phlogiotis) helvelloides, Salmon Salad {apricot jelly, apricot jelly fungus} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller] - Edible
Pseudohydnum gelatinosum, Jelly Tooth {jelly tooth, toothed jelly fungus} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]

Family Syzygosporaceae:
Syzygospora mycetophila [parasitic jelly} [Barron]

Family Tremellaceae:
Sebacina (=Tremella) concrescens [Barron]
Tremella foliacea, Leafy Brain {leaf jelly, leaf jelly fungus, jelly leaf} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller}
Tremella messenterica, Yellow Brain {witch’s butter} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]
Tremella reticulata (=reticularia) {white coral jelly, white coral jelly fungus} [Barron, McKnight, Miller]
Tremellodendron pallidum {false coral fungus, jellied false corral} [Barron, Lincoff, Miller]
Tremellodendron schweinitzii {false coral} [McKnight]

Family Tremellodendropsidaceae:
Tremellodentropsis semivestita (=semivestitum) [Barron]

Tooth Fungi of Berrien County, Michigan: A Preliminary List

2010-10-03T09:34:00.013-04:00

Credit: Bearded Tooth (Hericium erinaceus) is one of the edible tooth fungi. This photo by Lebrac is used here courtesy of permission granted by Wikipedia Commons.

The so-called tooth fungi, sometimes aptly referred to as “fungi with spines,” is an artificial grouping based on external morphology; they are not necessarily closely related phylogenetically. Tooth fungi are usually grouped together in field guides for ease of identification by observers in the field.

In general, the distribution and relative abundance of fungi has been poorly documented in the literature. The following list was derived by scanning five field guides at my disposal (Barron 1999, Bessette and Sundberg 1987, Lincoff 1987, McKnight and McKnight 1987, and Miller and Miller 2006) and making educated guesses as to which species were likely to occur in Berrien County based on range and habitat descriptions. The 27 species listed below represent 13 genera, 7 families, 5 orders, and 2 subclasses. Given the current state of knowledge of local fungal diversity, I should again emphasize that this is a list of what is possible rather than a list of what has been confirmed in Berrien County and vicinity, and that I have erred on the side of being inclusive rather than exclusive in the case of questionable species.

There are no officially recognized common names for North American fungi. In many cases, however, North American species of Holarctic distribution have been assigned an "official" English name by the British Mycological Society (see Recommended English Names for Fungi in the UK); these names are capitalized and appear immediately following the scientific name. Where available, other common name(s) shown in curly brackets in lower case are those that appear in one or more of the referenced field guides.

Authors of field guides treating each species are shown in straight brackets.

The few species that are Edible are so-designated.

Subclass ACARICOMYCETES

ORDER CANTHARELLALES

Family Hydnaceae:
Hydnum albidum {white hedgehog} [McKnight, Miller] - edible
Hydnum (=Dentinum) repandum, Wood Hedgehog {sweet tooth, hedgehog mushroom, spreading hedgehog} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller] - Edible
Hydnum umbilicatum {depressed hedgehog} [Barron, McKnight] - Edible

ORDER POLYPORALES

Family Meruliaceae:
Climacodon septentrionalis (=septentrionale) {northern tooth, shelving tooth, stacka hydnum} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]

Family Steccherinaceae:
Irpex lacteus {milk-white toothed polypore} [Lincoff]
Mycorrhaphium (=Steccherinum) adustum {kidney-shaped tooth, smoky hydnum} [Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]
Steccherinum ochraceum {ochre spreading tooth} [Barron, Lincoff]

ORDER RUSSULALES

Family Auriscalpiaceae:
Auriscalpium vulgare, Earpick Fungus {pine cone fungus, pinecone mushroom, pinecone tooth} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]

Family Hericiaceae:
Hericium americanum [Barron, Miller] - Edible
Hericium coralloides (=ramosum), Coral Tooth {comb tooth, bear’s head tooth, comb hedgehog, coral hedgehog, waterfall hydnum} [Barron, Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller] - Edible
Hericium erinaceus, Bearded Tooth {bearded tooth, bearded hedgehog, hedgehog mushroom} [Bessette, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller] - Edible
Mucronella bresadolae {icicle fungus} [Barron]

ORDER THELEPHORALES

Family Bankeraceae:
Bankera fuligineoalba, Drab Tooth {grayish white hydnum} [McKnight, Miller]
Bankera violascens (=carnosa), Spruce Tooth {fleshy hydnum} [Barron, McKnight]
Hydnellum aurantiacum, Orange Tooth {orange rough-cap tooth} [Lincoff]
Hydnellum caeruleum, Blue Tooth {blue spine, blue tooth, bluish tooth} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight]
Hydnellum concrescens, Zoned Tooth {zonate tooth} [Barron]
Hydnellum diabolus {Miller]
Hydnellum geogenium {yellow tooth} [Barron]
Hydnellum peckii, Devil's Tooth {bleeding tooth} [Barron]
Hydnellum suaveolens [Miller]
Hydnellum spongiosipes, Velvet Tooth {spongy foot, spongy-footed tooth} [Barron, Lincoff]
Phellodon confluens, Fused Tooth {fused cork hydnum} [McKnight]
Phellodon niger, Black Tooth {black tooth} [Lincoff, Miller]
Sarcodon imbricatus (=Hydnum imbricatum), Scaly Tooth {scaly hydnum, scaly tooth} [Barron, Lincoff, McKnight, Miller]
Sarcodon scabrosus, Bitter Tooth {bitter tooth, scaber hydnum) [Barron, McKnight]

Subclass TREMMELOMYCEDIDAE

ORDER TREMELLALES

Family Exidiaceae:
Pseudohydnum gelatinosum, Jelly Tooth {jelly false tooth} {Bessette]

Birds and Drought: Lower Klamath Refuge

2010-10-01T17:05:00.007-04:00

The Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 as the first refuge for waterfowl in the United States, encompasses an area of nearly 54,000 acres straddling the California-Oregon border.

According to refuge manager Ron Cole, water conditions on the refuge are "the driest on record since the 1940’s, as evidenced by mud flats, cracks in the mud and miles of barren wetlands."

In a typical year, upwards of 80 percent of the migratory waterfowl traveling the Pacific Flyway will use various units of the Klamath Basin refuge complex, with the majority of those individuals using Lower Klamath. But being “such a terrible year for water,” this is far from a typical year.

A request to the Bureau of Reclamation for 15,000 acre-feet of water, enough to flood 5,000 acres of the refuge’s seasonal marsh and provide habitat for upward of a half-million waterfowl, is unlikely to be fulfilled. Under the priority system governing the distribution of water in the Klamath Basin, endangered species are first in line, followed by Tribal subsistence fisheries and farmers. Only after these users receive their full allotments will any remaining water be made available for refuge use.

It seems certain that whatever water becomes available for the Lower Klamath refuge this year, it will be substantially less than what is needed to provide adequate feeding habitat for migratory waterfowl.

Crying Wolf

2010-09-30T12:47:00.003-04:00

Author Chip Ward has written a smart essay about wolves, the role they play in healthy ecosystems, the strong emotions that they evoke in people, and the battle lines that are inevitably drawn by any talk of wolf conservation. A brief sampling:

Just as American farmers once realized that erosion follows ignorance and learned how to plow differently, just as most of us finally learned that rivers should not be used as toxic dumps, so today we must learn that environments have the equivalent of operating systems. Predation by large carnivores is written deep into the code of much of the American landscape. Today, a rancher who expects to do business in a predator-free landscape is no more reasonable than yesterday’s industrialist who expected to use the nearest river as a sewer. Living with wolves may be a challenging proposition, but it’s hardly impossible to do -- as folks in Minnesota or Canada can attest.

These sentiments would have been heartily endorsed by Aldo Leopold.

Birds and Drought: Crop Damage

2010-09-24T10:32:00.003-04:00

In the wake of a drier-than-normal summer—with some areas experiencing a rainfall deficit of 5 or 6 inches—the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued a drought warning for 24 counties, and a drought watch for 43 more.
http://citizensvoice.com/news/dep-issues-drought-warning-for-county-1.1017885

Among the problems caused by the drought were reports of crop damage caused by birds. Ted Dymond, the owner of Dymond Farms in Luzerne County’s Franklin Township, had this to say:

The biggest problem we had, the dry weather created a shortage of moisture for birds. We had a lot of bird damage this year, and I kind of relate that to the drought.

This anecdotal report fails to identify the crops damaged (cucumbers and beans are mentioned in the context of the report, but neither is specifically identified as a crop damaged by birds), the type or extent of damages, or the species of bird(s) responsible for damages.

Trees of Berrien County, Michigan

2010-09-23T14:08:00.002-04:00

Trees constitute a particular growth form (or habit) of vascular plants. Plants USDA defines a tree as follows:

Perrenial, woody plant with a single stem (trunk), normally greater than 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16 feet) in height; under certain environmental conditions, some tree species may develop a multi-stemmed or short growth form (less than 4 meters or 13 feet in height).

The trees of Berrien County constitute a subset of the conifers and dicots known from the county.

Of the 131 species listed below, 57 occur only as trees, while 74 can also be shrubs under certain conditions. These 131 species represent 54 genera, 30 families, 16 orders, and 2 classes.

Scientific and common names follow the online USDA Plants database. Species known to occur in Berrien County only as a result of human Introduction are denoted by [I]. Species for which there is a question as to their Native or Introduced origin are denoted [I?].

Species that have been determined to be of Special Plants in Michigan are denoted as follows: [E} = Endangered, [SC] = Special Concern, [T] = Threatened.

Growth habits are denoted as follows: {s} = shrub, {t} = tree. Species known to have woody stems are denoted with a {W}.

CLASS PINIPSIDA (conifers)

ORDER PINALES (pines et al.):

Family Cupressaceae (cypresses):
Juniperus communis, Common Juniper {s/t}
Juniperus virginiana, Eastern Redcedar {t}
Thuja occidentalis, Arborvitae {t}

Family Pinaceae (pines):
Larix laricina, Tamarack {t}
Pinus banksiana, Jack Pine {t}
Pinus strobus, Eastern White Pine {t}
Tsuga canadensis, Eastern Hemlock {t}

CLASS MAGNOLIOPSIDA (dicots)

ORDER CELASTRALES

Family Aquifoliaceae (holly family):
Ilex (=Nemopanthus) mucronata (=mucronatus), Catberry {s/t}
Ilex verticillata, Common Winterberry {s/t}

Family Celastraceae (bittersweet family):
Euonymus europaeus (=europaea), European Spindletree [I] {s/t}
Euonymus hamiltonianus (=hamiltoniana), Hamilton’s Spindletree [I] {s/t}

ORDER CORNALES

Family Cornaceae [including Nyssaceae] (dogwood family):
Cornus alternifolia, Alternateleaf Dogwood {s/t}
Cornus florida, Flowering Dogwood {s/t}
Cornus foemina, Stiff Dogwood {s/t}
Cornus rugosa, Roundleaf Dogwood {s/t}
Cornus sericea (=stolonifera), Redosier Dogwood {s/t}
Nyssa sylvatica, Blackgum {t}

ORDER DIPSACALES

Family Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle family):
Sambucus nigra (=canadensis), Black Elderberry [I?] {s/t}
Sambucus racemosa, Red Elderberry {s/t}
Viburnum dentatum, Southern Arrow-wood {s/t}
Viburnum lentago, Nannyberry {s/t}
Viburnum nudum (=cassinoides), Withe-rod {s/t}
Viburnum opulus, American Cranberrybush {s/t}
Viburnum prunifolium, Blackhaw [SC] {s/t}

ORDER FABALES

Family Fabaceae [=Leguminoceae] (pea family):
Cercis canadensis, Eastern Redbud {s/t}
Gleditsia triacanthos, Honeylocust {s/t}
Gymnocladus dioicus, Kentucky Coffeetree [SC] {t}
Robinia hispida, Bristly Locust {s/t}
Robinia pseudoacacia, Black Locust {t}
Robinia viscosa, Clammy Locust {s/t}

Family Betulaceae (birch family):
Alnus incana, Gray Alder {s/t}
Betula alleghaniensis, Yellow Birch {t}
Betula papyrifera, Paper Birch {t}
Betula pendula, European White Birch [I] {t}
Carpinus caroliniana, American Hornbeam {s/t}
Ostrya virginiana, Hophornbeam {s/t}

Family Fagaceae (beech family):
Castanea dentate, American Chestnut^ [E] {t}
Fagus grandifolia, American Beech {t}
Quercus alba, White Oak {t}
Quercus bicolor, Swamp White Oak {t}
Quercus imbricaria, Shingle Oak {t}
Quercus macrocarpa, Bur Oak {s/t}
Quercus muehlenbergii, Chinkapin Oak {t}
Quercus palustris, Pin Oak {t}
Quercus rubra, Northern Red Oak {t}
Quercus velutina, Black Oak {t}

ORDER HAMAMELIDALES

Family Hamamelidaceae (witch-hazel family):
Hamamelis virginiana, American Witchhazel {s/t}

Family Platanaceae (plane-tree family):
Platanus occidentalis, American Sycamore {t}

ORDER LAURALES

Family Lauraceae (laurel family):
Lindera benzoin, Northern Spicebush {s/t}
Sassafras albidum, Sassafras {s/t}

ORDER MAGNOLIALES

Family Ammonaceae (custard-apple family):
Asimina triloba, Pawpaw {s/t}

Family Magnoliaceae (magnolia family):
Liriodendron tulipifera, Tuliptree {t}

ORDER MALVALES

Family Tiliaceae (linden family):
Tilia americana, American Basswood {t}

ORDER RHAMNALES

Family Rhamnaceae (buckthorn family):
Frangula (=Rhamnus) alnus (=frangula), Glossy Buckthorn [I] {s/t}
Rhamnus cathartica, Common Buckthorn [I] {s/t}

ORDER ROSALES

Family Rosaceae (rose family):
Amelanchier arborea, Common Serviceberry {s/t}
Amelanchier interior, Pacific Serviceberry {s/t}
Amelanchier laevis, Allegheny Serviceberry {s/t}
Amelanchier sanguinea, Roundleaf Serviceberry {s/t}
Crataegus calpodendron, Pear Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus crus-galli, Cockspur Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus dodgei, Dodge’s Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus holmesiana, Holmes’s Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus margarettiae, Margarett’s Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus pedicellata, Scarlet Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus pringlei, Pringle’s Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus punctata, Dotted Hawtorhn {s/t}
Malus coronaria, Sweet Crab Apple {s/t}
Malus ioensis, Prairie Crab Apple {s/t}
Malus pumila, Paradise Apple [I] {t}
Prunus americana, American Plum {s/t}
Prunus avium, Sweet Cherry [I] {t}
Prunus domestica, European Plum [I] {t}
Prunus mahaleb, Mahaleb Cherry [I] {s/t}
Prunus pensylvanica, Pin Cherry {s/t}
Prunus serotina, Black Cherry {s/t}
Prunus virginiana, Chokecherry {s/t}
Pyrus communis, Common Pear [I] {t}

ORDER RUBIALES

Family Rubiaceae (madder family):
Cephalanthus occidentalis, Common Buttonbush {s/t}

ORDER SALICALES

Family Salicaceae (willow family):
Populus alba, White Poplar [I] {t}
Populus balsamifera, Balsam Poplar {t}
Populus deltoides, Eastern Cottonwood {t}
Populus grandidentata, Bigtooth Aspen {t}
Populus heterophylla, Swamp Cottonwood [E] {t}
Populus nigra, Lombardy Poplar [I] {t}
Populus tremuloides, Quacking Aspen {t}
Salix alba, White Willow [I] {t}
Salix amygdaloides, Peachleaf Willow {s/t}
Salix bebbiana, Bebb Willow {s/t}
Salix discolor, Pussy Willow {s/t}
Salix eriocephala, Missouri River Willow {s/t}
Salix exigua, Narrowleaf Willow {s/t}
Salix fragilis, Crack Willow [I] {t}
Salix lucida, Shining Willow {s/t}
Salix myricoides, Bayberry Willow {s/t}
Salix nigra, Black Willow {t}
Salix pentandra, Laurel Willow [I] {t}
Salix petiolaris, Meadow Willow {s/t}
Salix purpurea, Purpleosier Willow [I] {s/t}
Salix sericea, Silky Willow {s/t}
Salix serissima, Autumn Willow {s/t}

ORDER SAPINDALES

Family Aceraceae (maple family):
Acer negundo, Boxelder {t}
Acer platanoides, Norway Maple [I] {t}
Acer nigrum (=saccharum nigrum), Black Maple {t}
Acer rubrum, Red Maple {t}
Acer saccharinum, Silver Maple {t}
Acer saccharum, Sugar Maple {t}

Family Anacardiaceae (sumac family):
Rhus pulvinata, Northern Smooth Sumac {t}
Rhus copallinum (=copallina), Winged Sumac {s/t}
Rhus glabra, Smooth Sumac {s/t}
Rhus typhina, Staghorn Sumac {s/t}
Toxicodendron vernix, Poison Sumac {s/t}

ORDER SCROPHULARIALES

Family Bignoniaceae (trumpet-creeper family):
Catalpa speciosa, Northern Catalpa {t}

Family Oleaceae (olive family):
Fraxinus americana, White Ash {t}
Fraxinus nigra, BlackAsh {t}
Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Green Ash {t}
Fraxinus profunda, Pumpkin Ash [T] {t}
Fraxinus quadrangulata, Blue Ash {t}

ORDER URTICALES

Family Moraceae (mulberry family):
Maclura pomifera, Osage Orange {s/t}
Morus alba, White Mulberry [I] {s/t}
Morus rubra, Red Mulberry [T] {t}

Family Ulmaceae (elm family):
Celtis occidentalis, Common Hackberry {s/t}
Ulmus americana, American Elm {t}
Ulmus pumila, Siberian Elm [I] {s/t}
Ulmus rubra, Slippery Elm {t}

Family Hippocastanaceae (horse-chestnut family):
Aesculus glabra, Ohio Buckeye {t}
Aesculus hippocastatum, Horse Chestnut [I] {t}

Family Rutaceae (rue family):
Ptelea trifoliata, Common Hoptree {s/t}
Xanthoxylum americanum, Common Pricklyash {s/t}

Family Simaroubaceae (quassia family):
Ailanthus altissima, Tree of Heaven [I] {t}

Family Staphyleaceae (bladdernut family):
Staphylea trifolia, American Bladdernut {s/t}

Vines of Berrien County, Michigan

2010-09-22T11:53:00.004-04:00

Credit: Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculata), courtesy of USDA Forest Service.

Vines constitute a particular growth form (or habit) of vascular plants. Plants USDA defines a vine as follows:

Twining/climbing plant with relatively long stems, can be woody or herbaceous.

The vines of Berrien County constitute a subset of the monocots and dicots known from the county.

Of the 48 species listed below, 13 occur only as vines; 27 can also be forbs/herbs under certain conditions; 3 can be subshrubs; 2 can be shrubs; 1 can be a forb/herb or subshrub; 1 can be a subshrub or shrub; and 1 can be a forb/herb, subshrub, or shrub, depending on conditions. These 48 species represent 27 genera, 19 families, 16 orders, and 2 classes.

Scientific and common names follow the online USDA Plants database. Species known to occur in Berrien County only as a result of human Introduction are denoted by [I]. Species for which there is a question as to their Native or Introduced origin are denoted [I?].

Species that have been determined to be of Special Plants in Michigan are denoted as follows: [SC] = Special Concern, [T] = Threatened.

Growth habits are denoted as follows: {f/b} = forb/herb, {ss} = subshrub [=dwarf shrub], {s} = shrub, {v} = vine (woody plus herbaceous). Species known to have woody stems are denoted with a {W}.

CLASS LILIOPSIDA (monocots)

ORDER LILIALES

Family Dioscoreaceae (yams):
Dioscorea vollosa, Wild Yam (f/h/v}

Family Smilacaceae (catbriers):
Smilax ecirrhata, Upright Carrionflower {f/h/v}
Smilax illinoensis, Illinois Greenbrier {f/h/v}
Smilax lasioneura, Blue Ridge Carrionflower {f/h/v}
Smilax rotundifolia, Roundleaf Greenbrier (s/v}
Smilax tamnoides, Bristly Greenbrier (s/v} {W}

CLASS MAGNOLIOPSIDA (dicots)

ORDER CELASTRALES

Family Celastraceae (bittersweet family):
Celastrus orbiculata, Oriental Bittersweet [I] {v} {W}
Celastrus scandens, American Bittersweet {v} {W}
Euonymus obovatus (=obovata), Running Strawberry Bush {ss/s/v}

ORDER DIPSACALES

Family Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle family):
Lonicera dioica, Limber Honeysuckle {v} {W}
Lonicera japonica, Japanese Honeysuckle [I] {v} {W}

ORDER GENTIANALES

Family Apocynaceae (dogbane family):
Vinca minor, Common Periwinkle [I] {f/h/v} {W}

ORDER PAPAVERALES

Family Fumariaceae (fumitory family):
Adlumia fungosa, Allegheny Vine [SC] {f/h/v}

ORDER POLYGALALES

Family Polygonaceae (buckwheat family):
Polygonum arifolium, Halberdleaf Tearthumb {f/h/v}
Polygonum cilinode, Fringed Black Bindweed {f/h/v}
Polygonum convolvulus, Black Bindweed [I] {f/h/v}
Polygonum sagittatum, Arrowleaf Tearthum {f/h/v}
Polygonum scandens, Climbing False Buckwheat [I?] {f/h/v}

ORDER RANUNCULALES

Family Menispermaceae (moonseed family):
Menispermum canadense, Common Moonseed {v} {W}

Family Ranunculaceae (buttercup family):
Clematis virginiana, Devil’s Darning Needles {v} {W}

ORDER RHAMNALES

Family Vitaceae (grape family):
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (including inserta), Virginia Creeper {v} {W}
Vitis aestivalis, Summer Grape {v} {W}
Vitis labrusca, Fox Grape {v} {W}
Vitis riparia, Riverbank Grape {v} {W}
Vitis vulpina, Frost Grape [T] {v} {W}

ORDER ROSALES

Family Rosaceae (rose family):
Rosa multiflora, Multiflora Rose [I] {ss/v} {W}
Rosa setigera, Climbing Rose {ss/v} {W}
Rubus laciniatus, Cutleaf Blackberry [I] {ss/v} {W}

ORDER RUBIALES

Family Rubiaceae (madder family):
Galium aparine, Stickywilly {f/h/v}
Galium trifidum, Threepetal Bedstraw {f/h/v}
Galium verum, Yellow Spring Bedstraw [I] {f/h/v}

ORDER SAPINDALES

Family Anacardiaceae (sumac family):
Toxicodendron radicans, Eastern Poison Ivy {f/h/ss/s/v} {W}

ORDER SCROPHULARIALES

Family Bignoniaceae (trumpet-creeper family):
Campsis radicans, Trumpet Creeper {v} {W}

ORDER SOLANALES

Family Convolvulaceae (morning-glory family):
Calystegia sepsium, Hedge False Bindweed [I?] {f/h/v}
Calystegia silvatica, Shortstalk False Bindweed [I?] {f/h/v}
Convolvulus arvensis, Field Bindweed [I] {v}
Ipomoea pandurata, Man of the Earth [T] {f/h/v}
Ipomoea purpurea, Tall Morning-glory [I] {f/h/v}

Family Cuscutaceae (dodder family):
Cuscuta campestris, Fiveangled Dodder^ [SC] {f/h/v}
Cuscuta cephalanthi, Buttonbush Dodder {f/h/v}
Cuscuta glomerata, Rope Dodder [SC (last observed 1906)] {f/h/v}
Cuscuta grovoni, Scaldweed {f/h/v}

Family Solanaceae (potato family):
Solanum dulcamara, Climbing Nightshade [I] {f/h/ss/v}

ORDER URTICALES

Family Cannabaceae (hemp family):
Humulus lupulus, Common Hop [I?] {f/h/v}

ORDER VIOLALES

Family Cucurbitaceae (cucumber family):
Citrullus lanatus, Watermelon [I] {f/h/v}
Cucurbita foetidissima, Missouri Gourd {f/h/v}
Echinocystis lobata, Wild Cucumber {f/h/v}
Sicyos angulatus, Oneseed Bur Cucumber {f/h/v}

Birds and Drought: Palila Follow-Up

2010-09-21T08:47:00.008-04:00

As a follow-up to my previous post about the Palila (an Endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper) and drought, I here present quantitative data on the impact of drought on Palila breeding efforts.

Lindsey et al. (1995) presented the results of a 7-year (1987-1993) study of annual survival, age, and sex ratios of the Palila on Mauna Kea, and offered the following observations on the impacts of drought:

The number of nesting attempts by Palila appeared to be influenced by annual differences in precipitation and differences in the availability of immature mamane pods [the principal food source] prior to and during the Palila breeding season (van Riper 1980; P. Banko, unpubl. data). For example, we located 71 Palila nests in our study area during 1991, a year of relatively high mamane pod production, compared to 52 nests during the previous year when mamane pods were moderately available (T. Pratt, unpubl. data). In 1992, when the drought caused an almost complete failure in the mamane crop, we located only five Palila nests [a 92 percent reduction from the average of the previous 2 years]. Adult Palila had higher survival in years when mamane production [and presumably precipitation] was relatively high.

"Hawaii is suffering through an unprecedented drought", with El Nino conditions the last two years having "added new misery to a half-century of declining rainfall on the tropical island chain."

Firefighters fear that "extreme wildfires could destroy native ecosystems and create devastating long-term environmental damage."

Sources:
Lindsey, G. D., S. G. Fancy, M. H. Reynolds, T. K. Pratt, K. A. Wilson, P. C. Banko, and J. D. Jacobi. 1995. Population structure and survival of the Palila. Condor 97: 528-535. URL:
http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Condor/files/issues/v097n02/p0528-p0535.pdf

van Riper, C., III. 1980b. The phenology of the dry-land forests of Mauna Kea, Hawaii, and the impact of recent environmental perturbations. Biotropica 12: 282-291. URL: http://www.jstor.org/pss/2387700 [Abstract only]

Shrubs of Berrien County, Michigan

2010-09-20T09:39:00.010-04:00

Shrubs constitute a particular growth form (or habit) of vascular plants. Plants USDA defines a shrub as follows:

Perennial, multi-stemmed woody plant that is usually less than 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16 feet) in height. Shrubs typically have several stems arising from or near the ground, but may be taller than 5 meters or single-stemmed under certain environmental conditions.

The shrubs of Berrien County constitute a subset of the conifers, monocots, and dicots known from the county. The stems and roots of shrubs are typically woody in texture rather than herbaceous.

Of the 129 species listed below, 36 are known only as shrubs; 69 can also be trees under certain conditions; 14 can be subshrubs; 5 can be forbs/herbs or subshrubs; 3 can be a subshrubs or vines; 2 can be forbs/herbs, subshrubs, or vines, depending on conditions; and 1 can be a graminoid or subshrub. These 130 species represent 62 genera, 24 orders, 32 families, and 3 classes.

Scientific and common names follow the online USDA Plants database. Species known to occur in Berrien County only as a result of human Introduction are denoted by [I]. Species for which there is a question as to their Native or Introduced origin are denoted [I?].

Species that have been determined to be of Special Concern in Michigan are denoted as [SC].

Growth habits are denoted as follows: {f/b} = forb/herb, {g} = graminoid, {ss} = subshrub [=dwarf shrub], {s} = shrub, {t} = tree, {v} = vine (woody plus herbaceous).

CLASS PINOPSIDA (conifers)

ORDER PINALES

Family Cupressaceae (cypresses):
Juniperus communis, Common Juniper {s/t}

ORDER TAXALES

Family Taxaceae (yews)
Taxus canadensis, Canada Yew {s}

CLASS LILIOPSIDA (monocots)

ORDER AGAVALES

Family Agavaceae (century-plants):
Yucca filamentosa, Adam’s Needle (f/h/ss/s}

ORDER CYPERALES

Family Poaceae (grasses):
Phragmites australis, Common Reed (g/ss/s}

ORDER LILIALES

Family Smilaceae (catbriers):
Smilax rotundifolia, Roundleaf Greenbrier (s/v}
Smilax tamnoides, Bristly Greenbrier (s/v}

CLASS MAGNOLIOPSIDA (dicots)

ORDER CARYOPHYLLALES

Family Cactaceae (cactus family):
Opuntia humifusa, Devil’s-tongue {s}

ORDER CELASTRALES

Family Aquifoliaceae (holly family):
Ilex (=Nemopanthus) mucronata (=mucronatus), Catberry {s/t}
Ilex verticillata, Common Winterberry {s/t}

Family Celastraceae (bittersweet family):
Euonymus alatus (=alata), Burningbush [I] {s}
Euonymus europaeus (=europaea), European Spindletree [I] {s/t}
Euonymus hamiltonianus (=hamiltoniana), Hamilton’s Spindletree [I] {s/t}
Euonymus obovatus (=obovata), Running Strawberry Bush {ss/s/v}

ORDER CORNALES

Family Cornaceae [including Nyssaceae] (dogwood family):
Cornus alternifolia, Alternateleaf Dogwood {s/t}
Cornus amomum, Silky Dogwood {s}
Cornus canadensis, Bunchberry Dogwood {f/h/ss/s}
Cornus florida, Flowering Dogwood {s/t}
Cornus foemina, Stiff Dogwood {s/t}
Cornus rugosa, Roundleaf Dogwood {s/t}
Cornus sericea (=stolonifera), Redosier Dogwood {s/t}

ORDER DIPSACALES

Family Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle family):
Diervilla lonicera, Northern Bush Honeysuckle {s}
Lonicera canadensis, American Fly Honeysuckle {s}
Lonicera maackii, Amur Honeysuckle [I] {s}
Lonicera morrowii, Morrow’s Honeysuckle [I] {s}
Lonicera tatarica, Tatarian Honeysuckle [I] {s}
Lonicera xylosteum, Dwarf Honeysuckle [I] {s}
Sambucus nigra (=canadensis), Black Elderberry [I?] {s/t}
Sambucus racemosa, Red Elderberry {s/t}
Symphoricarpos albus, Common Snowberry {ss/s}
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus, Coralberry {s}
Viburnum acerifolium, Mapleleaf Viburnum {ss/s}
Viburnum dentatum, Southern Arrow-wood {s/t}
Viburnum lentago, Nannyberry {s/t}
Viburnum nudum (=cassinoides), Withe-rod {s/t}
Viburnum opulus, American Cranberrybush {s/t}
Viburnum prunifolium, Blackhaw [SC] {s/t}
Viburnum rafinesqueanum (=rafinesquianum), Downy Arrow-wood {s}

ORDER ERICALES

Family Ericaceae (heath family):
Andromeda polifolia (=glaucophylla), Bog Rosemary {ss/s}
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Kinnickinnick {ss/s}
Chamaedaphne calyculata, Leatherleaf {s}
Epigaea repens, Trailing Arbutus {ss/s}
Gaultheria procumbens, Eastern Teaberry {ss/s}
Gaylussacia baccata, Black Huckleberry {s}
Vaccinium angustifolium, Lowbush Blueberry {ss/s}
Vaccinium corymbosum, Highbush Cranberry {s}
Vaccinium macrocarpon, Cranberry {ss/s}
Vaccinium oxycoccos, Small Cranberry {ss/s}
Vaccinium pallidum, Blue Ridge Blueberry {ss/s}

ORDER FABALES

Family Fabaceae [=Leguminoceae] (pea family):
Amorpha canescens, Leadplant^ [SC] {ss/s}
Cercis canadensis, Eastern Redbud {s/t}
Gleditsia triacanthos, Honeylocust {s/t}
Robinia hispida, Bristly Locust {s/t}
Robinia viscosa, Clammy Locust {s/t}

Family Betulaceae (birch family):
Alnus incana, Gray Alder {s/t}
Betula pumila, Bog Birch {s}
Carpinus caroliniana, American Hornbeam {s/t}
Corylus americana, American Hazelnut {s}
Ostrya virginiana, Hophornbeam {s/t}

Family Fagaceae (beech family):
Quercus macrocarpa, Bur Oak {s/t}

ORDER HAMAMELIDALES

Family Hamamelidaceae (witch-hazel family):
Hamamelis virginiana, American Witchhazel {s/t}

ORDER LAURALES

Family Lauraceae (laurel family):
Lindera benzoin, Northern Spicebush {s/t}
Sassafras albidum, Sassafras {s/t}

ORDER MAGNOLIALES

Family Ammonaceae (custard-apple family):
Asimina triloba, Pawpaw {s/t}

ORDER MYRICALES

Family Myricaceae (bayberry family):
Comptonia peregrina, Sweet Fern {ss/s}

ORDER MYRTALES

Family Lythraceae (loosestrife family):
Decodon verticillatus, Swamp Loosestrife {ss/s}

Family Thymelaeaceae (mezereum family):
Dirca palustris, Eastern Leatherwood {s}

ORDER RANUNCULALES

Family Berberidaceae (barberry family):
Berberis thunbergii, Japanese Barberry [I] {s}
Berberis vulgaris, Common Barberry [I] {s}

ORDER RHAMNALES

Family Elaeagnaceae (oleaster family):
Elaeagnus umbellata, Autumn Olive [I] {s}
Shepherdia canadensis, Russet Buffaloberry {s}

Family Rhamnaceae (buckthorn family):
Ceanothus americanus, New Jersey Tea {ss/s}
Frangula (=Rhamnus) alnus (=frangula), Glossy Buckthorn [I] {s/t}
Rhamnus alnifolia, Alderleaf Buckthorn {s}
Rhamnus cathartica, Common Buckthorn [I] {s/t}

ORDER ROSALES

Family Grossulariaceae (currant family):
Ribes americanum, American Black Currant {s}
Ribes aureum (=odoratum), Golden Currant {s}
Ribes cynosbati, Eastern Prickly Gooseberry {s}
Ribes hirtellum, Hairystem Gooseberry {s}

Family Rosaceae (rose family):
Amelanchier arborea, Common Serviceberry {s/t}
Amelanchier interior, Pacific Serviceberry {s/t}
Amelanchier laevis, Allegheny Serviceberry {s/t}
Amelanchier sanguinea, Roundleaf Serviceberry {s/t}
Crataegus calpodendron, Pear Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus crus-galli, Cockspur Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus dodgei, Dodge’s Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus holmesiana, Holmes’s Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus margarettiae, Margarett’s Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus pedicellata, Scarlet Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus pringlei, Pringle’s Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus punctata, Dotted Hawtorhn {s/t}
Malus coronaria, Sweet Crab Apple {s/t}
Malus ioensis, Prairie Crab Apple {s/t}
Photonia (=Aronia) floribunda (=prunifolia), Purple Chokeberry {s}
Physocarpus opulifolius, Common Ninebark {s}
Prunus americana, American Plum {s/t}
Prunus mahaleb, Mahaleb Cherry [I] {s/t}
Prunus pensylvanica, Pin Cherry {s/t}
Prunus pumila, Sandcherry {s}
Prunus serotina, Black Cherry {s/t}
Prunus virginiana, Chokecherry {s/t}

ORDER RUBIALES

Family Rubiaceae (madder family):
Cephalanthus occidentalis, Common Buttonbush {s/t}

ORDER SALICALES

Family Salicaceae (willow family):
Salix amygdaloides, Peachleaf Willow {s/t}
Salix bebbiana, Bebb Willow {s/t}
Salix candida, Sageleaf Willow {s}
Salix cordata, Heartleaf Willow {s}
Salix discolor, Pussy Willow {s/t}
Salix eriocephala, Missouri River Willow {s/t}
Salix exigua, Narrowleaf Willow {s/t}
Salix humilis, Prairie Willow {s}
Salix lucida, Shining Willow {s/t}
Salix myricoides, Bayberry Willow {s/t}
Salix petiolaris, Meadow Willow {s/t}
Salix purpurea, Purpleosier Willow [I] {s/t}
Salix sericea, Silky Willow {s/t}
Salix serissima, Autumn Willow {s/t}

ORDER SAPINDALES

Family Anacardiaceae (sumac family):
Rhus copallinum (=copallina), Winged Sumac {s/t}
Rhus glabra, Smooth Sumac {s/t}
Rhus typhina, Staghorn Sumac {s/t}
Toxicodendron radicans, Eastern Poison Ivy {f/h/ss/s/v}
Toxicodendron vernix, Poison Sumac {s/t}

Family Rutaceae (rue family):
Ptelea trifoliata, Common Hoptree {s/t}
Xanthoxylum americanum, Common Pricklyash {s/t}

Family Staphyleaceae (bladdernut family):
Staphylea trifolia, American Bladdernut {s/t}

ORDER SCROPHULARIALES

Family Oleaceae (olive family):
Ligustrum obtusifolium, Border Privet [I] {s}
Ligustrum vulgare, European Privet [I] {s}
Syringa vulgaris, Common Lilac [I] {s}

ORDER SOLANALES

Family Polemoniaceae (phlox family):
Phlox divaricata, Wild Blue Phlox {f/h/ss/s}
Phlox nivalis, Trailing Phlox {f/h/ss/s}
Phlox pilosa, Downy Phlox {f/h/ss/s}
Phlox subulata, Moss Phlox {f/h/ss/s}

Last Revised: 9/21/2010.

Birds and Drought: Palila

2010-09-19T08:51:00.005-04:00

The Palila (Loxioides bailleui), an Endangered forest bird endemic to the “big island” of Hawaii, has declined 75 percent since 2003, to a population of 1,200 birds in 2010.

Photo credit: U.S. Geological Survey.

According to government officials, the Palila’s fate is due to a combination of factors:

impacts of feral goats and sheep (ungulates) on the mamane trees that the birds depend on for much of their diet,

effects of severe drought on the bird’s food supply, and

predation by nonnative feral cats.

In response to the crisis, conservation agencies have proposed a monumental project to erect a fence encircling the entirety of the designated Critical Habitat for Palila on Mauna Kea, with the goal of excluding exotic ungulates from the area.

Dicots of Berrien County, Michigan

2010-09-18T10:26:00.012-04:00

The dicots, short for dicotyledons (Class Magnoliopsida), are one of two classes of flowering plants, or angiosperms, within the Kingdom Plantae, the other being the monocots, or monocotyledons (Class Liliopsida). The major distinguishing features between monocots and dicots are discussed here.

Dicots number somewhat more than 200,000 species worldwide, with approximately 1,800 known from Michigan. I here list 999 species of dicots attributed to Berrien County (approximately 55 percent of the Michigan dicot flora) by the Online Atlas of Michigan Plants; these 999 species represent 42 orders, 103 families, and 456 genera.

As a class, the dicots are much more diverse than the monocots. The five most abundant dicot families—Asteraceae (asters), Rosaceae (roses), Fabaceae (peas), Brassicaceae (mustards), and Lamiaceae (mints)—account for just 38 percent of the dicot flora of Berrien County. By contrast, the two most abundant monocot families—Poaceae (grasses) and Cyperaceae (sedges)—account for a whopping 80 percent of the county’s monocot flora.

In the following list, scientific and common names follow the USDA Plants database. Species known to occur in Berrien County only as a result of human Introduction are denoted by [I]. Species for which there is a question as to their Native or Introduced origin are denoted [I?].

The status of species determined to be Special Plants in Michigan are denoted as follows: [T] = Threatened, [SC] = Special Concern, [X] = possibly Extirpated.

The growth habits of certain species are denoted as follows: {f/b} = forb/herb, {ss} = subshrub [=dwarf shrub], {s} = shrub, {t} = tree, {v} = vine (woody plus herbaceous); plants that occur only as forbs/herbs or are not so designated.

A hat (^) denotes the handful of species attributed to Berrien County in Michigan’s Special Plants database that are not also represented in the Online Atlas of Michigan Plants.

ORDER APIALES

Family Apiaceae [=Umbelliferaceae] (carrot family):
Aethusa cynapium, Fool’s Parsley [I]
Anethum graveolens, Dill [I]
Angelica atropurpurea, Purplestem Angelica
Berula erecta, Cutleaf Waterparsnip [T]
Chaerophyllum procumbens, Spreading Chervil
Cicuta bulbifera, Bulblet-bearing Water Hemlock
Cicuta maculata, Spotted Water Hemlock
Conium maculatum, Poison Hemlock [I]
Cryptotaenia canadensis, Canadian Honewort
Daucus carota, Queen Anne’s Lace
Erigenia bulbosa, Harbinger of Spring
Eryngium yuccifolium, Button Eryngo [T]
Heracleum maximum, Common Cowparsnip
Hydrocotyle umbellata, Mayflower Marshpennywort
Osmorhiza claytonii, Clayton’s Sweetroot
Osmorhiza longistylis, Longstyle Sweetroot
Oxypolis rigidior, Stiff Cowbane
Pastinaca sativa, Wild Parsnip [I]
Sanicula canadensis, Canadian Blacksnakeroot
Sanicula marilandica, Maryland Sanicle
Sanicula odorata, Clustered Blacksnakeroot
Sanicula trifoliata, Largefruit Blacksnakeroot
Sium suave, Hemlock Waterparsnip
Taenidia integerrima, Yellow Pimpernel
Thaspium barbinode, Hairyjoint Meadowparsnip
Thaspium trifoliatum, Purple Meadowparsnip
Torilis japonica, Erect Hedgeparsley [I]
Zizia aurea, Golden Zizia

Family Araliaceae (ginseng family):
Aralia hispida, Bristly Sarsaparilla
Aralia nudicaulis, Wild Sarsaparilla
Aralia racemosa, American Spikenard
Panax quinquefolius, American Ginseng [T]
Panax trifolius, Dwarf Ginseng

ORDER ARISTOLOCHIALES

Family Aristolochiaceae (birthwort family):
Aristolochia serpentaria, Virginia Snakeroot [T]
Asarum canadense, Canadian Wildginger
Asclepias amplexicaulis, Clasping Milkweed
Asclepias excaltata, Poke Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata, Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias purpurascens, Purple Milkweed [SC]
Asclepias syriaca, Common Milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa, Butterfly Milkweed
Asclepias verticillata, Whorled Milkweed
Asclepias viridiflora, Green Comet Milkweed
Cynanchum (=Vincetoxicum) rossicum, European Swallow-wort [I]

ORDER ASTERALES

Family Asteraceae [=Compositae] (aster family):
Achillea filipendulina, Fernleaf Yarrow [I]
Achillea millefolium, Common Yarrow [I?]
Ageratina (=Eupatorium) altissima (=rugosum), White Snakeroot
Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Annual Ragweed
Ambrosia psilostachya, Cuman Ragweed
Ambrosia trifida, Great Ragweed
Antennaria howellii, Howell’s Pussytoes
Antennaria neglecta, Field Pussytoes
Antennaria parlinii, Parlin’s Pussytoes
Anthemis arvensis, Corn Chamomile [I]
Anthemis cotula, Stinking Chamomile [I]
Arctium minus, Lesser Burdock [I]
Arnoglossum (=Cacalia) atriplicifolium (=atriplicifolia), Pale Indian Plantain
Arnoglossum (=Cacalia) plantagineum (=plantaginea), Groovestem Indian Plantain [SC]
Artemisia biennis, Biennial Wormwood [I]
Artemisia campestris, Field Sagewort
Artemisia ludoviciana, White Sagebrush
Artemisia vulgaris, Common Wormwood [I?]
Bellis perennis, Lawndaisy [I]
Bidens (=Megalodonta) beckii, Beck’s Water-marigold
Bidens cernus (=cernuus), Nodding Beggarticks
Bidens connatus, Purplestem Beggarticks
Bidens coronatus, Crowned Beggarticks
Bidens discoidea (=discoideus), Small Beggarticks
Bidens frondosa (=frondosus), Devil’s Beggarticks
Bidens tripartite (=comosus), Threelobe Beggarticks
Bidens vulgate (=vulgatus), Big Devils Beggarticks
Brickellia (=Kuhnia) eupatorioides, False Boneset [SC]
Centaurea stoebe, Spotted Knapweed [I]
Chondrilla juncea, Rush Skeletonweed [I]
Cichorium intybus, Chicory [I]
Cirsium altissimum, Tall Thistle
Cirsium arvense, Canada Thistle [I]
Cirsium discolor, Field Thistle
Cirsium hillii, Hill’s Thistle [SC (last observed 1932)]
Cirsium muticum, Swamp Thistle
Cirsium pitcheri, Sand Dune Thistle [T]
Cirsium vulgare, Bull Thistle [I]
Conoclinium (=Eupatorium) coelestinum, Blue Mistflower
Conyza canadensis, Canadian Horseweed
Coreopsis grandflora, Largeflower Tickseed
Coreopsis lanceolata, Lanceleaf Tickseed
Coreopsis palmata, Stiff Tickseed [T]
Coreopsis tripteris, Tall Tickseed
Crepis tectorum, Narrowleaf Hawksbeard [I]
Doellingeria (=Aster) umbellate (=umbellatus), Parasol Whitetop
Echinacea pallida, Pale Purple Coneflower
Echinops sphaerocephalus, Great Globethistle [I]
Erechtites hieraciifolia, American Burnweed
Erigeron annuus, Eastern Daisy Fleabane
Erigeron philadelphicus, Philadelphia Fleabane
Erigeron pulchellus, Robin’s Plantain
Erigeron strigosus, Prairie Fleabane
Eupatoriadelphus (=Eupatorium) fistulosa (=fistulosum), Trumpetweed [T]
Eupatoriadelphus (=Eupatorium) maculates (=maculatum), Spotted Trumpetweed
Eupatorium altissimum, Tall Thoroughwort
Eupatorium perfoliatum, Common Boneset
Eupatorium purpureum, Sweetscented Joe Pye Weed
Eupatorium serotinum, Lateflowering Thoroughwort
Eurybia (=Aster) macrophylla (=macrophyllus), Bigleaf Aster
Euthamia graminifolia, Flat-top Goldentop
Euthamia gymnospermoides (=remota), Texas Goldentop
Gaillardia pulchella, Firewheel [I]
Galinsoga quadriradiata, Shaggy Soldier [I]
Gamochaeta (=Gnaphalium) purpurea (=purpureum), Spoonleaf Purple Everlasting
Gnaphalium uliginosum, Marsh Cudweed [I]
Grindelia squarrosa, Curlycup Gumweed
Grindelia (=Haplopappus) papposa (=ciliatus), Spanish Gold
Helenium autumnale, Common Sneezeweed
Helianthus annuus, Common Sunflower
Helianthus decapetalus, Thinleaf Sunflower
Helianthus divaricatus, Woodland Sunflower
Helianthus giganteus, Giant Sunflower
Helianthus hirsutus, Hairy Sunflower^ [SC]
Helianthus mollis, Ashy Sunflower [T (last observed 1939)]
Helianthus occidentalis, Fewleaf Sunflower
Helianthus petiolaris, Prairie Sunflower
Helianthus tuberosus, Jerusalem Artichoke
Heliopsis helianthoides, Smooth Oxeye
Hieracium aurantiacum, Orange Hawkweed [I]
Hieracium caespitosum, Meadow Hawkweed [I]
Hieracium flagellare,
Hieracium gronovii, Queendevil
Hieracium kalmii, Kalm’s Hawkweed
Hieracium longipilum, Hairy Hawkweed
Hieracium paniculatum, Allegheny Hawkweed [SC]
Hieracium piloselloides, Mouse-ear Hawkweed [I]
Hieracium scabrum, Rough Hawkweed
Hypochaeris radicata, Hairy Cat’s Ear [I]
Inula helenium, Elecampane Inula [I]
Krigia biflora, Twoflower Dwarfdandelion
Krigia virginica, Virginia Dwarfdandelion
Lactuca biennis, Tall Blue Lettuce
Lactuca canadensis, Canada Lettuce
Lactuca hirsuta, Hairy Lettuce
Lactuca serriola, Prickly Lettuce [I]
Lapsana communis, Common Nipplewort [I]
Liatris aspersa, Tall Blazing Star
Liatris scariosa, Devil’s Bite
Liatris spicata, Dense Blazing Star
Leucanthemum (=Chrysanthemum) vulgare (=leucanthemum), Oxeye Daisy [I]
Matricaria discoidea, Disc Mayweed [I]
Oligoneuron (=Solidago) ohioense (=ohioensis), Ohio Goldenrod
Oligoneuron (=Solidago) riddellii, Riddell’s Goldenrod
Oligoneuron (=Solidago) rigidum (=rigida), Stiff Goldenrod
Packera (=Senecio) aurea (=aureus), Golden Ragwort
Packera (=Senecio) glabella (=glabellus), Butterweed
Packera (=Senecio) paupercula (=pauperculus), Balsam Groundsel
Packera (=Senecio) plattensis, Prairie Groundsel
Picris hieracioides, Hawkweed Oxtongue [I?]
Polymnia canadensis, Whiteflower Leafcup
Polymnia uvedalius (=uvedalia), Hairy Leafcup [T]
Prenanthes alba, White Rattlesnakeroot
Prenanthes altissima, Tall Rattlesnakeroot
Prenanthes racemosa, Purple Rattlesnakeroot
Pseudognaphalium (=Gnaphalium) macounii, MaCoun’s Cudweed
Pseudognaphalium (=Gnaphalium) obtusifolium, Rabbit-tobacco
Ratibida columnifera, Upright Prairie Coneflower
Ratibida pinnata, Pinnate Prairie Coneflower
Rudbeckia fulgida, Orange Coneflower
Rudbeckia hirta, Blackeyed Susan
Rudbeckia laciniata, Cutleaf Coneflower
Rudbeckia triloba, Browneyed Susan
Senecio vulgaris, Old-man-in-the-spring [I]
Silphium integrifolium, Wholeleaf Rosinweed [T]
Silphium lacinatum, Compassplant [T]
Silphium perfoliatum, Cup Plant [T]
Silphium terebinthinaceum, Prairie Rosinweed
Solidago altissima, Canada Goldenrod
Solidago caesia, Wreath Goldenrod
Solidago canadensis, Canada Goldenrod
Solidago flexicaulis, Zigzag Goldenrod
Solidago gigantea, Giant Goldenrod
Solidago hispida, Hairy Goldenrod
Solidago juncea, Early Goldenrod
Solidago nemoralis, Gray Goldenrod
Solidago patula, Roundleaf Goldenrod
Solidago rugosa, Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod
Solidago sempervirens, Seaside Goldenrod
Solidago simplex, Mt. Albert Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa, Showy Goldenrod
Solidago uliginosa, Bog Goldenrod
Solidago ulmifolia, Elmleaf Goldenrod
Sonchus arvensis, Field Sowthistle [I]
Sonchus asper, Spiny Sowthistle [I]
Sonchus oleraceus, Common Sowthistle [I]
Symphyotrichum (=Aster) borealis, Northern Bog Aster
Symphyotrichum (=Aster) ciliatum (=brachyactis), Rayless Alkali Aster
Symphyotrichum (=Aster) cordifolium (=cordifolius & sagittifolius), Common Blue Wood Aster
Symphyotrichum (=Aster) dumosum (=dumosus), Rice Button Aster
Symphyotrichum (=Aster) ericoides, White Heath Aster
Symphyotrichum (=Aster) laeve (=laevis), Smooth Blue Aster
Symphyotrichum (=Aster) lanceolatum (=lanceolatus), White Panicle Aster
Symphyotrichum (=Aster) lateriflorum (=lateriflorus), Calico Aster
Symphyotrichum (=Aster) novae-angliae, New England Aster
Symphyotrichum (=Aster) ontarionis, Bottomland Aster
Symphyotrichum (=Aster) oolentangiense (=oolentangiensis), Skyblue Aster
Symphyotrichum (=Aster) pilusum (=pilosus), Hairy White Oldfield Aster
Symphyotrichum (=Aster) puniceum (=firmus & puniceus), Purplestar Aster
Tanacetum (=Chrysanthemum) balsamita, Costmary [I]
Tanacetum (=Chrysanthemum) parthenium, Feverfew [I]
Tanacetum vulgare, Common Tansy [I]
Taraxacum laevigatum (=erythrospermum), Rock Dandelion [I]
Taraxacum officinale, Common Dandelion [I?]
Tragopogon dubius, Yellow Salsify [I]
Tragopogon lamottei (=pratensis), Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon [I]
Tragopogon porrifolius, Salsify [I]
Tussilago farfara, Coltsfoot [I]
Verbesina alternifolia, Wingstem
Vernonia gigantean, Giant Ironweed
Vernonia missurica, Missouri Ironweed
Xanthium strumarium, Rough Cocklebur

ORDER CAMPANULALES

Family Campanulaceae (bellflower family):
Campanula aparinoides, Marsh Bellflower
Campanula rotundifolia, Bluebell Bellflower
Campanulastrium (=Campanula) americanum (=americana), American Bellflower
Lobelia cardinalis, Cardinalflower
Lobelia inflata, Indian-tobacco
Lobelia kalmii, Ontario Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica, Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia spicata, Palespike Lobelia
Triodanis perfoliata, Clasping Venus’ Looking-glass

ORDER CAPARALES

Family Brassicaceae [Cruciferae] (mustard family):
Alliaria petiolata, Garlic Mustard [I]
Alyssum alyssoides, Pale Madwort [I]
Arabidopsis thaliana, Mouse-ear Cress [I]
Arabis canadensis, Sicklepod
Arabis drummondii, Drummond’s Rockcress
Arabis glabra, Tower Rockcress
Arabis laevigata, Smooth Rockcress
Arabis lyrata, Lyrate Rockcress
Arabis missouriensis, Green Rockcress [SC]
Armoracia rusticana, Horseradish [I]
Barbarea verna, Early Yellowrocket [I]
Barbarea vulgaris, Garden Yellowrocket [I]
Berteroa incana, Hoary Alyssum [I]
Brassica nigra, Black Mustard [I]
Cakile edentula, American Searocket
Camelina microcarpa, Littlepod False Flax [I]
Capsella bursa-pastoris, Shepherd’s Purse [I]
Cardamine bulbosa, Bulbous Bittercress
Cardamine (=Dentaria) concatenata (=laciniata), Cutleaf Toothwort
Cardamine (=Dentaria) diphylla, Crinkleroot
Cardamine douglassii, Limestone Bittercress
Cardamine hirsuta, Hairy Bittercress [I]
Cardamine pensylvanica, Pennsylvania Bittercress
Cardamine pratensis, Cuckoo Flower
Cardaria draba, Whitetop [I]
Coincya monensis, Star-mustard [I]
Descurainia pinnata, Western Tansymustard
Diplotaxis muralis, Annual Wallrocket [I]
Draba reptans, Carolina Draba [T (last observed 1931)]
Draba (=Erophila) verna, Spring Draba [I]
Erucastrum gallicum, Common Dogmustard [I]
Erysimum cheiranthoides, Wormseed Wallflower [I]
Hesperis matronalis, Dames Rocket [I]
Lepidium campestre, Field Pepperweed [I]
Lepidium densiflorum, Common Pepperweed
Lepidium virginicum, Virginia Pepperweed
Lunaria annua, Annual Honesty [I]
Nasturtium officinale, Watercress [I]
Raphanus raphanistrum, Wild Radish [I]
Raphanus sativa, Cultivated Radish [I]
Rorippa palustris, Bog Yellowcress
Rorippa sylvestris, Creeping Yellowcress [I]
Sinapis (=Brassica) alba, White Mustard [I]
Sinapis (=Brassica) arvensis (=kaber), Wild Mustard [I]
Sisymbrium altissimum, Tall Tumblemustard [I]
Sisymbrium officinale, Hedgemustard [I]
Teesdalia nudicaulis, Barestem Teesdalia [I]
Thlaspi arvense, Field Pennycress [I]

Family Caparaceae (caper family):
Polanisia dodecandra, Redwhisker Clammyweed

ORDER CARYOPHYLLALES

Family Amaranthaceae (amaranth family):
Amaranthus albus, Prostrate Pigweed [I]
Amaranthus blitoides, Mat Amaranth [I]
Amaranthus hybridus, Slim Amaranth
Amaranthus powellii, Powell’s Amaranth
Amaranthus retroflexus, Redroot Amaranth
Amaranthus tuberculatus, Roughfruit Amaranth
Froelichia gracilis, Slender Snakecotton

Family Cactaceae (cactus family):
Opuntia humifusa, Devil’s-tongue {s}

Family Caryophyllaceae (pink family):
Agrostemma githago, Common Corncockle [I]
Arenaria serpyllifolia, Thymeleaf Sandwort [I]
Cerastium arvense, Field Chickweed [I?]
Cerastium fontanum, Common Mouse-ear Chickweed [I]
Cerastium semidecandrum, Fivestamen Chickweed [I]
Dianthus armeria, Deptford Pink [I]
Dianthus barbatus, Sweetwilliam [I]
Dianthus deltoides, Maiden Pink [I]
Herniaria glabra, Smooth Rupturewort [I]
Holosteum umbellatum, Jagged Chickweed [I]
Lychnis coronaria, Rose Campion [I]
Minuartia michauxii, Michaux’s Stitchwort
Moehringia lateriflora, Bluntleaf Sandwort
Paronychia canadensis, Smooth Forked Nailwort
Saponaria officinalis, Bouncingbet [I]
Scleranthus annuus, German Knotgrass [I]
Silene antirrhina, Sleepy Silene
Silene ameria, Sweet William Silene [I]
Silene conica, Striped Corn Catchfly [I]
Silene dichotoma, Forked Catchfly [I]
Silene latifolia, Bladder Campion [I]
Silene stellata, Widowsfrill [T
Silene vulgaris, Maidenstears [I]
Spergularia marina, Media Sandspurry [I]
Stellaria graminea, Grass-like Starwort [I]
Stellaria longifolia, Longleaf Starwort
Stelleria media (including pallida), Common Chickweed [I]
Vaccaria hispanica, Cow Soapwort [I]

Family Molluginaceae (carpet-weed family):
Mollugo verticillata, Green Carpetweed

Family Nyctaginaceae (four o’clock family):
Mirabilis linearis, Narrowleaf Four o’clock
Mirabilis nyctaginea, Heartleaf Four o’clock

Family Phytolacaceae (pokeweed family):
Phytolacca americana, American Pokeweed

Family Portulacaceae (purslane family):
Claytonia virginica, Virginia Springbeauty
Portulaca oleracea, Little Hogweed [I]

ORDER CELASTRALES

Family Aquifoliaceae (holly family):
Ilex (=Nemopanthus) mucronata (=mucronatus), Catberry {s/t}
Ilex verticillata, Common Winterberry {s/t}

Family Celastraceae (bittersweet family):
Celastrus orbiculata, Oriental Bittersweet [I] {v}
Celastrus scandens, American Bittersweet {v}
Euonymus alatus (=alata), Burningbush [I] {s}
Euonymus europaeus (=europaea), European Spindletree [I] {s/t}
Euonymus hamiltonianus (=hamiltoniana), Hamilton’s Spindletree [I] {s/t}
Euonymus obovatus (=obovata), Running Strawberry Bush {ss/s/v}

ORDER CHENOPODIALES

Family Chenopodiaceae (goosefoot family):
Atriplex patula, Spear Saltbush [I]
Chenopodium album, Lambsquarters [I?]
Chenopodium (=Dysphania) ambrosioides, Mexican Tea [I]
Chenopodium (=Dysphania) botrys, Jerusalem Oak Goosefoot [I]
Chenopodium simplex, Mapleleaf Goosefoot
Chenopodium subglabrum, Smooth Goosefoot
Corispermum pallasi, Siberian Bugseed [I]
Cycloloma atriplicifolium, Winged Pigweed
Bassia (=Kochia) scoparia, Burningbush [I]
Salsola tragus, Prickly Russian Thistle [I]

ORDER CORNALES

Family Cornaceae [including Nyssaceae] (dogwood family):
Cornus alternifolia, Alternateleaf Dogwood {s/t}
Cornus amomum, Silky Dogwood {s}
Cornus canadensis, Bunchberry Dogwood {f/h/ss/s}
Cornus florida, Flowering Dogwood {s/t}
Cornus foemina, Stiff Dogwood {s/t}
Cornus rugosa, Roundleaf Dogwood {s/t}
Cornus sericea (=stolonifera), Redosier Dogwood {s/t}
Nyssa sylvatica, Blackgum {t}

ORDER DIPSACALES

Family Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle family):
Diervilla lonicera, Northern Bush Honeysuckle {s}
Linnaea borealis, Twinflower {f/h/ss}
Lonicera canadensis, American Fly Honeysuckle {s}
Lonicera dioica, Limber Honeysuckle {v}
Lonicera japonica, Japanese Honeysuckle [I] {v}
Lonicera maackii, Amur Honeysuckle [I] {s}
Lonicera morrowii, Morrow’s Honeysuckle [I] {s}
Lonicera tatarica, Tatarian Honeysuckle [I] {s}
Lonicera xylosteum, Dwarf Honeysuckle [I] {s}
Sambucus nigra (=canadensis), Black Elderberry [I?] {s/t}
Sambucus racemosa, Red Elderberry {s/t}
Symphoricarpos albus, Common Snowberry {ss/s}
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus, Coralberry {s}
Triosteum aurantiacum, Orangefruit Horse-gentian
Triosteum perfoliatum, Feverwort
Viburnum acerifolium, Mapleleaf Viburnum {ss/s}
Viburnum dentatum, Southern Arrow-wood {s/t}
Viburnum lentago, Nannyberry {s/t}
Viburnum nudum (=cassinoides), Withe-rod {s/t}
Viburnum opulus, American Cranberrybush {s/t}
Viburnum prunifolium, Blackhaw [SC] {s/t}
Viburnum rafinesqueanum (=rafinesquianum), Downy Arrow-wood {s}

Family Dipsacaceae (teasel family):
Dipsacus fullonum, Fuller’s Teasel [I]
Dipsacus laciniatus, Cutleaf Teasel [I]

Family Valerianaceae (valerian family):
Valeriana edulis, Tobacco Root [T]
Valeriana officinalis, Garden Vallerian [I]
Valerianella chenopodiifolia, Goosefoot Cornsalad [T]
Valerianella locusta, Lewiston Cornsalad [I]

ORDER ERICALES

Family Ericaceae (heath family):
Andromeda polifolia (=glaucophylla), Bog Rosemary {ss/s}
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Kinnickinnick {ss/s}
Chamaedaphne calyculata, Leatherleaf {s}
Epigaea repens, Trailing Arbutus {ss/s}
Gaultheria procumbens, Eastern Teaberry {ss/s}
Gaylussacia baccata, Black Huckleberry {s}
Vaccinium angustifolium, Lowbush Blueberry {ss/s}
Vaccinium corymbosum, Highbush Cranberry {s}
Vaccinium macrocarpon, Cranberry {ss/s}
Vaccinium oxycoccos, Small Cranberry {ss/s}
Vaccinium pallidum, Blue Ridge Blueberry {ss/s}

Family Monotropaceae (Indian-pipe family):
Monotropa hypopithys, Pinesap
Monotropa uniflora, Indianpipe

Family Pyrolaceae (shinleaf family):
Chimaphila maculata, Striped Prince’s Pine {ss}
Chimaphila umbellata, Pipsissewa {ss}
Orthilia secunda, Sidebells Wintergreen {ss}
Pyrola americana (=rotundifolia), American Wintergreen {ss}
Pyrola assarifolia, Liverleaf Wintergreen {ss}
Pyrola elliptica, Waxflower Shinleaf {ss}

ORDER EUPHORBIALES

Family Euphorbiaceae (spurge family):
Acalypha gracilens, Slender Threeseed Mercury
Acalypha rhomboidea, Common Threeseed Mercury
Chamaesyce (=Euphorbia) maculata, Spotted Sandmat
Chamaesyce (=Euphorbia) natans, Eyebane
Chamaesyce (=Euphorbia) polygonifolia, Seaside Sandmat
Chamaesyce (=Euphorbia) vermiculata, Wormseed Sandmat
Croton glandulosus, Vente Conmigo
Euphorbia commutata, Tinted Woodland Spurge [T]
Euphorbia corollata, Flowering Spurge
Euphorbia cyparissias, Cypress Spurge [I]
Euphorbia davidii, David’s Spurge [I]
Euphorbia esula, Leafy Spurge [I]

ORDER FABALES

Family Fabaceae [=Leguminoceae] (pea family):
Amorpha canescens, Leadplant^ [SC] {ss/s}
Amphicarpaea bracteata, American Hogpeanut
Apios americana, Groundnut
Astragalus canadensis, Canadian Milkvetch [T (last observed 1917)]
Baptisia alba (=lacteal), Largeleaf Wild Indigo [SC]
Cassia nictitans, Sensitive Partridge Pea
Cercis canadensis, Eastern Redbud {s/t}
Chamaecrista (=Cassia) fasciculate (=chamaecrista), Partridge Pea
Crotalaria sagittalis, Arrowhead Rattlebox
Desmodium canadense, Showy Ticktrefoil
Desmodium canescens, Hoary Ticktrefoil
Desmodium ciliare, Hairy Small-leaf Ticktrefoil
Desmodium cuspidatum, Largebract Ticktrefoil
Desmodium glutinosum, Pointedleaf Ticktrefoil
Desmodium illinoense, Illinois Ticktrefoil
Desmodium marilandicum, Smooth Small-leaf Ticktrefoil
Desmodium nudiflorum, Nakedflower Ticktrefoil
Desmodium obtusum, Stiff Ticktrefoil
Desmodium paniculatum, Panicleleaf Ticktrefoil
Desmodium rotundifolium, Prostrate Ticktrefoil
Desmodium sessilifolium, Sessileleaf Ticktrefoil
Gleditsia triacanthos, Honeylocust {s/t}
Glycine max, Soybean [I]
Gymnocladus dioicus, Kentucky Coffeetree [SC] {t}
Lathyrus japonicus, Beach Pea
Lathyrus latifolius, Perennial Pea [I]
Lathyrus ochroleucus, Cream Pea
Lathyrus palustris, Marsh Pea
Lathyrus venosus, Veiny Pea
Lespedeza capitata, Roundleaf Lespedeza
Lespedeza hirta, Hairy Lespedeza
Lespedeza violacea, Violet Lespedeza
Lespedeza virginica, Slender Lespedeza
Lotus corniculata, Bird’s-foot Trefoil
Lupinus perennis, Sundial Lupine
Medicago lupulina, Black Medick [I]
Medicago sativa, Alfalfa [I]
Melilotus officinalis (including albus [=alba]), Yellow Sweetclover [I]
Robinia hispida, Bristly Locust {s/t}
Robinia pseudoacacia, Black Locust {t}
Robinia viscosa, Clammy Locust {s/t}
Securigera (=Coronilla) varia, Crownvetch [I]
Strophostyles helvula, Amberique-bean [SC]
Tephrosia virginiana, Virginia Tephrosia
Trifolium arvense, Rabbitfoot Clover [I]
Trifolium aureum, Golden Clover [I]
Trifolium campestre, Field Clover [I]
Trifolium dubium, Suckling Clover [I]
Trifolium hybridum, Alsike Clover [I]
Trifolium pratense, Red Clover [I]
Trifolium repens, White Clover [I]
Vicia americana, American Vetch
Vicia caroliniana, Carolina Vetch
Vicia vilosa, Winter Vetch [I]
Vigna unguiculata, Blackeyed Pea [I]

Family Betulaceae (birch family):
Alnus incana, Gray Alder {s/t}
Betula alleghaniensis, Yellow Birch {t}
Betula papyrifera, Paper Birch {t}
Betula pendula, European White Birch [I] {t}
Betula pumila, Bog Birch {s}
Carpinus caroliniana, American Hornbeam {s/t}
Corylus americana, American Hazelnut {s}
Ostrya virginiana, Hophornbeam {s/t}

Family Fagaceae (beech family):
Castanea dentate, American Chestnut^ [E] {t}
Fagus grandifolia, American Beech {t}
Quercus alba, White Oak {t}
Quercus bicolor, Swamp White Oak {t}
Quercus imbricaria, Shingle Oak {t}
Quercus macrocarpa, Bur Oak {s/t}
Quercus muehlenbergii, Chinkapin Oak {t}
Quercus palustris, Pin Oak {t}
Quercus rubra, Northern Red Oak {t}
Quercus velutina, Black Oak {t}

ORDER GENTIANALES

Family Apocynaceae (dogbane family):
Apocynum androsaemifolium, Spreading Dogbane
Apocynum cannabinum, Indianhemp
Vinca minor, Common Periwinkle [I] {f/h/v}

Family Gentianaceae (gentian family):
Bartonia virginica, Yellow Screwstem
Centaurium erythraea, European Centaury [I]
Centaurium pulchellum, Branched Centaury [I]
Frasera caroliniensis, American Columbo
Gentiana alba, Plain Gentian
Gentiana andrewsii, Closed Bottle Gentian
Gentiana saponaria, Harvestbells [X (last observed 1867)]
Gentianella quinquefolia, Aquaweed [T]
Gentianopsis crinita, Greater Fringed Gentian
Gentianopsis virgata, Lesser Fringed Gentian
Sabatia angularis, Rosepink [T]

ORDER GERANIALES

Family Balsaminaceae (touch-me-not family):
Impatiens capensis, Jewelweed
Impatiens pallida, Pale Touch-me-not

Family Geraniaceae (gerianum family):
Erodium cicutarium, Redstem Stork’s Bill [I]
Geranium bicknellii, Bicknell’s Cranesbill
Geranium carolinianum, Carolina Geranium
Geranium columbinum, Longstalk Cranesbill [I]
Geranium maculatum, Spotted Geranium
Geranium molle, Dovefoot Geranium [I]
Geranium pusillum, Small Geranium [I]
Geranium robertianum, Robert Geranium [I?]

Family Limnanthaceae (meadow-foam family):
Floerkea proserpinacoides, False Mermaidweed

Family Oxalidaceae (wood-sorrel family):
Oxalis corniculata, Creeping Woodsorrel
Oxalis stricta (including fontana), Common Yellow Oxalis
Oxalis violacea, Violet Woodsorrel [T (last observed 1964)]

ORDER HALORAGALES

Family Haloragaceae (water milfoil family):
Myriophyllum heterophyllum, Twoleaf Watermilfoil
Myriophyllum sibiricum, Shortspike Watermilfoil
Myriophyllum verticillatum, Whorl-leaf Watermilfoil
Proserpinaca palustris, Marsh Mermaidweed

ORDER HAMAMELIDALES

Family Hamamelidaceae (witch-hazel family):
Hamamelis virginiana, American Witchhazel {s/t}

Family Platanaceae (plane-tree family):
Platanus occidentalis, American Sycamore {t}

ORDER LAMIALES

Family Boraginaceae (borage family):
Buglossoides (=Lithospermum) arvensis (=arvense), Corn Gromwell [I]
Cynoglossum officinale, Gypsyflower [I]
Echium vulgare, Common Viper’s Buglos [I]
Hackelia virginiana, Beggarslice
Lithospermum canescens, Hoary Puccoon
Lithospermum caroliniense, Carolina Puccoon
Myosotis discolor, Changing Forget-me-not [I]
Myosotis scorpioides, True Forget-me-not [I]
Onosmodium bejariense (=molle), Softhair Marbleseed [X (last observed 1838)]
Symphytum officinale, Common Comfrey [I]

Family Lamiaceae [=Labiateae] (mint family):
Acinos arvensis, Basil Thyme [I]
Agastache nepetoides, Yellow Giant Hyssop {f/h/ss}
Ajuga reptans, Common Bugle [I]
Blephilia ciliata, Downy Pagoda-plant
Blephilia hirsuta, Hairy Pagoda-plant
Clinopodium vulgare, Wild Basil
Glechoma hederacea, Ground Ivy [I]
Hedeoma hispida, Rough False Pennyroyal
Hedeoma pulegioides, American False Pennyroyal
Lamium amplexicaule, Henbit Deadnettle [I]
Lamium purpureum, Purple Deadnettle [I]
Leonurus cardiaca, Common Motherwort [I]
Lycopus americanus, American Water Horehound
Lycopus asper, Rough Bugleweed
Lycopus rubellus, Taperleaf Water Horehound
Lycopus uniflorus, Northern Bugleweed
Marrubium vulgare, Horehound [I] {f/h/ss}
Melissa officinalis, Common Balm [I]
Mentha arvensis, Wild Mint
Mentha piperita (=aquatica x spicata), Spearmint
Mentha spicata, Spearmint [I]
Mentha suaveolens, Apple Mint [I]
Mentha villosa (=spicata x suaveolens)
Monarda fistulosa, Wild Bergamot {f/h/ss}
Monarda punctata, Spotted Beebalm {f/h/ss}
Nepeta cataria, Catnip [I]
Origanum vulgare, Oregano [I]
Physostegia virginiana, Obediant Plant
Prunella vulgaris, Common Selfheal
Pycnanthemum muticum, Clustered Mountainmint [T]
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium, Narrowleaf Mountainmint
Pycnanthemum verticillatum (including pilosum), Whorled Mountainmint [SC/T]
Pycnanthemum virginianum, Virginia Mountainmint
Satureja hortensis, Summer Savory [I]
Scutellaria elliptica, Hairy Skullcap [SC]
Scutellaria galericulata, Marsh Skullcap
Scutellaria lateriflora, Blue Skullcap
Scutellaria parvula, Small Skullcap [T]
Stachys hyssopifolia, Hyssopleaf Hedgenettle
Stachys tenuifolia, Smooth Hedgenettle
Teucrium canadense, Canada Germander

Family Verbenaceae (verbena family):
Glandularia (=Verbena) canadensis, Rose Mock Vervain
Phryma leptostachya, American Lopseed
Phyla lanceolata, Lanceleaf Fogfruit
Verbena bracteata, Bigbract Verbena
Verbena hastata, Swamp Verbena
Verbena stricta, Hoary Verbena
Verbena urticifolia, White Vervain

ORDER LAURALES

Family Lauraceae (laurel family):
Lindera benzoin, Northern Spicebush {s/t}
Sassafras albidum, Sassafras {s/t}

ORDER LINALES

Family Linaceae (flax family):
Linum medium, Stiff Yellow Flax
Linum striatum, Ridged Yellow Flax
Linum usitallisimum, Common Flax [I]
Linum virginianum, Woodland Flax [T (last observed 1867)]

ORDER MAGNOLIALES

Family Ammonaceae (custard-apple family):
Asimina triloba, Pawpaw {s/t}

Family Magnoliaceae (magnolia family):
Liriodendron tulipifera, Tuliptree {t}

ORDER MALVALES

Family Malvaceae (mallow family):
Abelmoschus esculentus, Okra [I] {f/h/ss}
Abutilon theophrasti, Velvetleaf [I]
Alcea rosea, Hollyhock [I]
Althaea officinalis, Common Marshmallow [I]
Hibiscus moscheutos, Crimsoneyed Rosemallow [SC] {f/h/ss}
Malva moschata, Musk Mallow [I]
Malva neglecta, Common Mallow [I]
Malva sylvestris, High Mallow [I]

Family Tiliaceae (linden family):
Tilia americana, American Basswood {t}

ORDER MYRICALES

Family Myricaceae (bayberry family):
Comptonia peregrina, Sweet Fern {ss/s}

ORDER MYRTALES

Family Lythraceae (loosestrife family):
Decodon verticillatus, Swamp Loosestrife {ss/s}
Lythrum alatum, Winged Lythrum {f/h/ss}
Lythrum salicaria, Purple Loosestrife [I] {f/h/ss}
Rotala ramosior, Lowland Rotala [SC]

Family Melastomataceae (melastome family):
Rhexia virginica, Handsome Harry [SC]

Family Onagraceae (evening primrose family):
Chamerion (=Epilobium) angustifolium, Fireweed
Circaea alpina, Small Enchanter’s Nightshade
Circaea lutetiana, Broadleaf Enchanter’s Nightshade
Epilobium coloratum, Purpleleaf Willowherb
Epilobium hirsutum, Codlins and Cream [I]
Epilobium leptophyllum, Bog Willowherb
Gaura biennis, Biennial Beeblossom
Ludwigia alternifolia, Seedbox [SC]
Ludwigia palustris, Marsh Seedbox
Oenothera biennis, Common Evening Primrose
Oenothera clelandii, Cleland’s Evening Primrose
Oenothera fruticosa, Narrowleaf Evening Primrose
Oenothera laciniata, Cutleaf Evening Primrose
Oenothera oakesiana, Oakes’s Evening Primrose
Oenothera parviflora, Northern Evening Primrose
Oenothera perennis, Little Evening Primrose
Oenothera pilosella, Meadow Evening Primrose
Oenothera villosa, Hairy Evening Primrose

Family Thymelaeaceae (mezereum family):
Dirca palustris, Eastern Leatherwood {s}

ORDER NEPENTHALES

Family Droseraceae (sundew family):
Drosera intermedia, Spoonleaf Sundew
Drosera rotundifolia, Roundleaf Sundew

Family Sarraceniaceae (pitcher-plant family):
Sarracenia purpurea, Purple Pitcherplant {f/h/ss}

ORDER NYMPHAEALES

Family Cabombaceae (water-shield family):
Brasenia schreberi, Watershield

Family Ceratophyllaceae (hornwort family):
Ceratophyllum demersum, Coon’s Tail

Family Nelumbonaceae (lotus-lily family):
Nelumbo lutea, American Lotus^ [T]

Family Nymphaeaceae (water-lily family):
Nuphar lutea (=advena; includes variegata), Yellow Pond-lily
Nymphaea odorata, American White Waterlily

ORDER PAPAVERALES

Family Fumariaceae (fumitory family):
Adlumia fungosa, Allegheny Vine [SC] {f/h/v}
Corydalis flavula, Yellow Fumewort [T]
Corydalis sempervirens, Rock Harlequin
Dicentra canadensis, Squirrel Corn
Dicentra cucullaria, Dutchman’s Britches

Family Papaveraceae (poppy family):
Chelidonium majus, Celandine [I]
Sanguinaria canadensis, Bloodroot
Stylophorum diphyllum, Celandine Poppy

ORDER PIPERALES

Family Saururaceae (lizard’s-tail family):
Saururus cernuus, Lizard’s Tail

ORDER PLANTAGINALES

Family Plantaginaceae (plantain family):
Plantago aristata, Largebracted Plantain
Plantago lanceolata, Narrowleaf Plantain [I]
Plantago major, Common Plantain [I]
Plantago psyllium (=arenaria), Sand Plantain [I]
Plantago rugelii, Blackseed Plantain
Plantago virginica, Virginia Plantain

ORDER POLYGALALES

Family Polygalaceae (milkwort family):
Polygala cruciata, Drumheads [SC]
Polygala polygama, Racemed Milkwort
Polygala sanguinea, Purple Milkwort
Polygala senega, Seneca Snakewort
Polygala verticillata, Whorled Milkwort

Family Polygonaceae (buckwheat family):
Fagopyrum esculentum, Buckwheat [I]
Polygonella articulata, Coastal Jointweed
Polygonum achoreum, Leathery Knotweed
Polygonum amphibium, Water Knotweed
Polygonum arifolium, Halberdleaf Tearthumb {f/h/v}
Polygonum aviculare, Prostrate Knotweed [I]
Polygonum careyi, Carey’s Smartweed
Polygonum cilinode, Fringed Black Bindweed {f/h/v}
Polygonum convolvulus, Black Bindweed [I] {f/h/v}
Polygonum cuspidatum, Japanese Knotweed [I] {f/h/ss}
Polygonum hydropiper, Marshpepper Knotweed
Polygonum hydropiperoides, Swamp Smartweed
Polygonum lapathifolium, Curlytop Knotweed
Polygonum pensylvanicum, Pennsylvania Smartweed
Polygonum persicaria, Spotted Ladysthumb [I]
Polygonum punctatum, Dotted Smartweed
Polygonum sagittatum, Arrowleaf Tearthum {f/h/v}
Polygonum scandens, Climbing False Buckwheat [I?] {f/h/v}
Polygonum tenue, Pleatleaf Knotweed
Polygonum virginianum, Jumpseed
Rumex acetosella, Common Sheep Sorrel [I]
Rumex altissimus, Pale Dock
Rumex crispus, Curly Dock [I]
Rumex obtusifolius, Bitter Dock [I]
Rumex orbiculatus, Greater Water Dock
Rumex verticillatus, Swamp Dock

ORDER PRIMULALES

Family Primulaceae (primrose family):
Anagallis arvensis, Scarlet Pimpernel [I]
Androsace occidentalis, Western Rockjasmine [E (last observed 1931)]
Dodecatheon meadia, Pride of Ohio [E]
Lysimachia ciliata, Fringed Loosestrife
Lysimachia lanceolata, Lanceleaf Loosestrife
Lysimachia nummularia, Creeping Jenny
Lysimachia quadriflora, Fourflower Yellow Loosestrife
Lysimachia quadrifolia, Whorled Yellow Loosestrife
Lysimachia terrestris, Earth Loosestrife
Lysimachia thyrsilora, Tufted Loosestrife
Samolus valerandi (=parviflorus), Seaside Brookweed [I?]
Trientalis borealis, Starflower

ORDER RANUNCULALES

Family Berberidaceae (barberry family):
Berberis thunbergii, Japanese Barberry [I] {s}
Berberis vulgaris, Common Barberry [I] {s}
Caulophyllum thalictroides, Blue Cohosh
Jeffersonia diphylla, Twinleaf [SC]
Podophyllum peltatum, Mayapple

Family Menispermaceae (moonseed family):
Menispermum canadense, Common Moonseed {v}

Family Ranunculaceae (buttercup family):
Actaea pachypoda, White Baneberry
Actaea rubra, Red Baneberry
Anemone canadensis, Canadian Anemone
Anemone cylindrica, Candle Anemone
Anemone quinquefolia, Wood Anemone
Anemone virginiana, Tall Thimbleweed
Aquilegia canadensis, Red Columbine
Aquilegia vulgaris, European Columbine [I]
Caltha palustris, Yellow Marsh Marigold
Clematis virginiana, Devil’s Darning Needles {v}
Consolida ajacis, Doubtful Knight’s-spur [I]
Coptis trifolia, Threeleaf Goldthread
Enemion biternatum, Eastern False Rue Enemone
Hepatica (=Anemone) nobilis (=acutiloba & americana), Sharplobe / Roundlobe Hepatica
Hydrastis canadensis, Goldenseal [T]
Ranunculus abortivus, Littleleaf Buttercup
Ranunculus acris, Tall Buttercup [I?]
Ranunculus aquatilis, White Water Crowfoot
Ranunculus fascicularis, Early Buttercup
Ranunculus flabellaris, Yellow Water Buttercup
Ranunculus hispidis, Bristly Buttercup
Ranunculus pensylvanicus, Pennsylvania Buttercup
Ranunculus recurvatus, Blisterwort
Ranunculus repens, Creeping Buttercup
Ranunculus sceleratus, Cursed Buttercup
Thalictrum dasycarpum, Purple Meadow-rue
Thalictrum dioicum, Early Meadow-rue
Thalictrum thalictroides, Rue Anemone

ORDER RHAMNALES

Family Elaeagnaceae (oleaster family):
Elaeagnus umbellata, Autumn Olive [I] {s}
Shepherdia canadensis, Russet Buffaloberry {s}

Family Rhamnaceae (buckthorn family):
Ceanothus americanus, New Jersey Tea {ss/s}
Frangula (=Rhamnus) alnus (=frangula), Glossy Buckthorn [I] {s/t}
Rhamnus alnifolia, Alderleaf Buckthorn {s}
Rhamnus cathartica, Common Buckthorn [I] {s/t}

Family Vitaceae (grape family):
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (including inserta), Virginia Creeper {v}
Vitis aestivalis, Summer Grape {v}
Vitis labrusca, Fox Grape {v}
Vitis riparia, Riverbank Grape {v}
Vitis vulpina, Frost Grape [T] {v}

ORDER ROSALES

Family Crassulaceae [including Penthoraceae] (stonecrop family):
Hylotelephium (=Sedum) telephium, Witch’s Moneybags [I]
Penthorum sedoides, Ditch Stonecrop
Sedum acre, Goldmoss Stonecrop [I]
Sedum album, White Stonecrop [I]
Sedum sarmentosum, Stringy Stonecrop [I]
Sedum spurium, Tworow Stonecrop [I]
Sedum ternatum, Woodland Stonecrop

Family Grossulariaceae (currant family):
Ribes americanum, American Black Currant {s}
Ribes aureum (=odoratum), Golden Currant {s}
Ribes cynosbati, Eastern Prickly Gooseberry {s}
Ribes hirtellum, Hairystem Gooseberry {s}

Family Rosaceae (rose family):
Agrimonia gryposepala, Tall Hairy Agrimony
Agrimonia parviflora, Harvestlice
Agrimonia pubescens, Soft Agrimony
Amelanchier arborea, Common Serviceberry {s/t}
Amelanchier interior, Pacific Serviceberry {s/t}
Amelanchier laevis, Allegheny Serviceberry {s/t}
Amelanchier sanguinea, Roundleaf Serviceberry {s/t}
Argentina (=Potentilla) anserine, Silverweed Cinquefoil
Comarum (=Potentilla) palustre (=palustris), Purple Marshlocks
Crataegus calpodendron, Pear Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus crus-galli, Cockspur Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus dodgei, Dodge’s Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus holmesiana, Holmes’s Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus margarettiae, Margarett’s Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus pedicellata, Scarlet Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus pringlei, Pringle’s Hawthorn {s/t}
Crataegus punctata, Dotted Hawtorhn {s/t}
Dasiphora (=Potentilla) fruticosa, Shrubby Cinquefoil
Duchesnea indica, Indian Strawberry [I]
Filipendula rubra, Queen of the Prairie [T]
Fragaria virginiana, Virginia Strawberry
Geum aleppicum, Yellow Avens
Geum canadense, White Avens
Geum laciniatum, Rough Avens
Geum rivale, Purple Avens
Malus coronaria, Sweet Crab Apple {s/t}
Malus ioensis, Prairie Crab Apple {s/t}
Malus pumila, Paradise Apple [I] {t}
Photonia (=Aronia) floribunda (=prunifolia), Purple Chokeberry {s}
Physocarpus opulifolius, Common Ninebark {s}
Potentilla argentea, Silver Cinquefoil [I]
Potentilla arguta, Tall Cinquefoil {f/h/ss}
Potentilla inclinata, Ashy Cinquefoil [I]
Potentilla norvegica, Norwegian Cinquefoil
Potentilla recta, Sulphur Cinquefoil [I]
Potentilla simplex, Common Cinquefoil
Prunus americana, American Plum {s/t}
Prunus avium, Sweet Cherry [I] {t}
Prunus domestica, European Plum [I] {t}
Prunus mahaleb, Mahaleb Cherry [I] {s/t}
Prunus pensylvanica, Pin Cherry {s/t}
Prunus pumila, Sandcherry {s}
Prunus serotina, Black Cherry {s/t}
Prunus virginiana, Chokecherry {s/t}
Pyrus communis, Common Pear [I] {t}
Rosa acicularia, Prickly Rose {ss}
Rosa blanda, Smooth Rose {ss}
Rosa carolina, Carolina Rose {ss}
Rosa cinnamomea, Cinnamon Rose [I] {ss}
Rosa eglanteria, Sweetbriar Rose [I] {ss}
Rosa multiflora, Multiflora Rose [I] {ss/v}
Rosa palustris, Swamp Rose {ss}
Rosa rugosa, Rugosa Rose [I] {ss}
Rosa setigera, Climbing Rose {ss/v}
Rubus allegheniensis, Allegheny Blackberry {ss}
Rubus flagellaris, Northern Dewberry {ss}
Rubus hispidus, Bristly Dewberry {ss}
Rubus idaeus (=strigosus), Grayleaf Red Raspberry {ss}
Rubus laciniatus, Cutleaf Blackberry [I] {ss/v}
Rubus occidentalis, Black Raspberry {ss}
Rubus pensilvanicus, Pennsylvania Blackberry {ss}
Rubus pubescens, Dwarf Red Blackberry {f/h/ss}
Spiraea alba, White Meadowsweet {s}
Spiraea tomentosa, Steeplebush {s}

Family Saxifragaceae (saxifrage family):
Chrysosplenium americanum, American Golden Saxifrage
Heuchera americanum, American Alumroot
Heuchera richardsoni, Richardson’s Alumroot
Mitella diphylla, Twoleaf Miterwort
Mitella nuda, Naked Miterwort
Parnassia glauca, Fen Grass of Parnassius
Saxifraga pensylvanica, Eastern Swamp Saxifrage
Tiarella cordifolia, Heartleaf Foamflower

ORDER RUBIALES

Family Rubiaceae (madder family):
Cephalanthus occidentalis, Common Buttonbush {s/t}
Diodia teres, Poorjoe
Galium aparine, Stickywilly {f/h/v}
Galium asprellum, Rough Bedstraw
Galium boreale, Northern Bedstraw {f/h/ss}
Galium circaezans, Licorice Bedstraw
Galium concinnum, Shining Bedstraw
Galium labradorium, Northern Bog Bedstraw
Galium lanceolatum, Lanceleaf Wild Bedstraw
Galium mollugo, False Baby’s Breath [I]
Galium obtusum, Bluntleaf Bedstraw
Galium palustre, Common Marsh Bedstraw
Galium pilosum, Hairy Bedstraw
Galium tinctorium, Stiff Marsh Bedstraw
Galium trifidum, Threepetal Bedstraw {f/h/v}
Galium verum, Yellow Spring Bedstraw [I] {f/h/v}
Mitchella repens, Partridgeberry {f/h/ss}
Sherardia arvensis, Blue Fieldmadder [I]

ORDER SALICALES

Family Salicaceae (willow family):
Populus alba, White Poplar [I] {t}
Populus balsamifera, Balsam Poplar {t}
Populus deltoides, Eastern Cottonwood {t}
Populus grandidentata, Bigtooth Aspen {t}
Populus heterophylla, Swamp Cottonwood [E] {t}
Populus nigra, Lombardy Poplar [I] {t}
Populus tremuloides, Quacking Aspen {t}
Salix alba, White Willow [I] {t}
Salix amygdaloides, Peachleaf Willow {s/t}
Salix bebbiana, Bebb Willow {s/t}
Salix candida, Sageleaf Willow {s}
Salix cordata, Heartleaf Willow {s}
Salix discolor, Pussy Willow {s/t}
Salix eriocephala, Missouri River Willow {s/t}
Salix exigua, Narrowleaf Willow {s/t}
Salix fragilis, Crack Willow [I] {t}
Salix humilis, Prairie Willow {s}
Salix lucida, Shining Willow {s/t}
Salix myricoides, Bayberry Willow {s/t}
Salix nigra, Black Willow {t}
Salix pentandra, Laurel Willow [I] {t}
Salix petiolaris, Meadow Willow {s/t}
Salix purpurea, Purpleosier Willow [I] {s/t}
Salix sericea, Silky Willow {s/t}
Salix serissima, Autumn Willow {s/t}

ORDER SANTALALES

Family Santalaceae (sandalwood family):
Comandra umbellata, Bastard Toadflax {f/h/ss}

ORDER SAPINDALES

Family Aceraceae (maple family):
Acer negundo, Boxelder {t}
Acer platanoides, Norway Maple [I] {t}
Acer nigrum (=saccharum nigrum), Black Maple {t}
Acer rubrum, Red Maple {t}
Acer saccharinum, Silver Maple {t}
Acer saccharum, Sugar Maple {t}

Family Anacardiaceae (sumac family):
Rhus pulvinata, Northern Smooth Sumac {t}
Rhus copallinum (=copallina), Winged Sumac {s/t}
Rhus glabra, Smooth Sumac {s/t}
Rhus typhina, Staghorn Sumac {s/t}
Toxicodendron radicans, Eastern Poison Ivy {f/h/ss/s/v}
Toxicodendron vernix, Poison Sumac {s/t}

Family Hippocastanaceae (horse-chestnut family):
Aesculus glabra, Ohio Buckeye {t}
Aesculus hippocastatum, Horse Chestnut [I] {t}

Family Rutaceae (rue family):
Ptelea trifoliata, Common Hoptree {s/t}
Xanthoxylum americanum, Common Pricklyash {s/t}

Family Simaroubaceae (quassia family):
Ailanthus altissima, Tree of Heaven [I] {t}

Family Staphyleaceae (bladdernut family):
Staphylea trifolia, American Bladdernut {s/t}

Family Zygophyllaceae (creosote-bush family):
Tribulus terrestris, Puncturevine [I]

ORDER SCROPHULARIALES

Family Bignoniaceae (trumpet-creeper family):
Campsis radicans, Trumpet Creeper {v}
Catalpa speciosa, Northern Catalpa {t}

Family Lentibulariaceae (bladderwort family):
Utricularia cornuta, Horned Bladderwort
Utricularia gibba, Humped Bladderwort
Utricularia inflata, Swollen Bladderwort^ [E]
Utricularia intermedia, Flatleaf Bladderwort
Utricularia macrorhiza (=vulgaris), Common Bladderwort
Utricularia minor, Lesser Bladderwort
Utricularia purpurea, Eastern Purple Bladderwort
Utricularia radiata, Little Floating Bladderwort
Utricularia subulata, Zigzag Bladderwort [T]

Family Oleaceae (olive family):
Fraxinus americana, White Ash {t}
Fraxinus nigra, BlackAsh {t}
Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Green Ash {t}
Fraxinus profunda, Pumpkin Ash [T] {t}
Fraxinus quadrangulata, Blue Ash {t}
Ligustrum obtusifolium, Border Privet [I] {s}
Ligustrum vulgare, European Privet [I] {s}
Syringa vulgaris, Common Lilac [I] {s}

Family Orobanchaceae (broom-rape family):
Conopholis americana, American Cancer-root
Epifagus virginiana, Beechdrops
Orobanche uniflora, Oneflowered Broomrape

Family Scrophulariaceae (figwort family):
Agalinis purpurea, Purple False Foxglove
Agalinis tenuifolia, Slenderleaf False Foxglove
Aureolaria flava, Smooth Yellow False Foxglove
Aureolaria pedicularia, Fernleaf Yellow False Foxglove
Aureolaria virginica, Downy Yellow False Foxglove
Castilleja coccinea, Scarlet Indian Paintbrush
Chaenorrhinum minus, Dwarf Snapdragon [I]
Chelone glabra, White Turtlehead
Collinsia verna, Spring Blue Eyed Mary
Dasistoma macrophylla, Mullein Foxglove
Gratiola neglecta, Clammy Hedgehyssop
Gratiola virginiana, Roundfruit Hedgehyssop [T]
Kickxia elatine, Sharpleaf Cancerwort [I]
Linaria vulgaris, Butter and Eggs [I]
Lindernia dubia, Yellowseed False Pimpernel
Mazus miquelii (=reptans), Miquel’s Mazus [I]
Melampyrum lineare, Narroleaf Cow-wheat
Mimulus ringens, Allegheny Monkeyflower
Nuttallanthus (=Linaria) canadensis, Canadian Toadfax
Pedicularis canadensis, Canadian Lousewort
Pedicularis lanceolata, Swamp Lousewort
Penstemon digitalis, Talus Slope Penstemon
Penstemon hirsutus, Hairy Beardtongue
Scrophularia lanceolata, Lanceleaf Figwort
Scrophularia marilandica, Carpenter’s Square
Verbascum blattaria, Moth Mullein [I]
Verbascum thapsus, Common Mullein [I]
Veronica arvensis, Corn Speedwell [I]
Veronica beccabunda, European Speedwell [I]
Veronica officinalis, Common Gypsyweed [I]
Veronica peregrina, Neckweed
Veronica persica, Birdeye Speedwell [I]
Veronica polita, Gray Field Speedwell [I]
Veronica scutellata, Skullcap Speedwell
Veronica serpyllifolia, Thymeleaf Speedwell [I?]
Veronica verna, Spring Speedwell [I]
Veronicastrum virginicum, Culver’s Root

ORDER SOLANALES

Family Convolvulaceae (morning-glory family):
Calystegia sepsium, Hedge False Bindweed [I?] {f/h/v}
Calystegia silvatica, Shortstalk False Bindweed [I?] {f/h/v}
Convolvulus arvensis, Field Bindweed [I] {v}
Ipomoea pandurata, Man of the Earth [T] {f/h/v}
Ipomoea purpurea, Tall Morning-glory [I] {f/h/v}

Family Cuscutaceae (dodder family):
Cuscuta campestris, Fiveangled Dodder^ [SC] {f/h/v}
Cuscuta cephalanthi, Buttonbush Dodder {f/h/v}
Cuscuta glomerata, Rope Dodder [SC (last observed 1906)] {f/h/v}
Cuscuta grovoni, Scaldweed {f/h/v}

Family Hydrophyllaceae (waterleaf family):
Hydrophyllum appendiculatum, Great Waterleaf
Hydrophyllum canadense, Bluntleaf Waterleaf
Hydrophyllum virginanum, Eastern Waterleaf

Family Menyanthaceae (buckbean family):
Menyanthes trifoliata, Buckbean

Family Polemoniaceae (phlox family):
Ipomopsis rubra, Standing-cypress
Phlox divaricata, Wild Blue Phlox {f/h/ss/s}
Phlox maculata, Wild Sweetwilliam [T]
Phlox nivalis, Trailing Phlox {f/h/ss/s}
Phlox paniculata, Fall Phlox
Phlox pilosa, Downy Phlox {f/h/ss/s}
Phlox subulata, Moss Phlox {f/h/ss/s}
Polemonium reptans, Greek Valerian [T] {ss/f/h)

Family Solanaceae (potato family):
Datura inoxia, Pricklyburr [I] {f/h/s}
Datura stramonium, Jimsonweed [I] {f/h/ss}
Petunia atkinsiana (=axillaries x integrifolia), Petunia [I]
Physalis heterophylla, Clammy Groundcherry
Physalis longifolia, Longleaf Groundcherry
Physalis virginiana, Virginia Groundcherry
Solanum carolinense, Carolina Horsenettle {f/h/ss}
Solanum dulcamara, Climbing Nightshade [I] {f/h/ss/v}
Solanum (=Lycopersicon) lycopersicon (=esculentum), Garden Tomato [I]
Solanum physalifolium, Hoe Nightshade [I]
Solanum ptycanthum (=ptychamthum), West Indian Nightshade
Solanum rostratum, Buffalobur Nightshade
Solanum tuberosum, Irish Potato [I] {f/h/ss}

ORDER THEALES

Family Clusiaceae [=Guttiferae] (mangosteen family):
Hypericum boreale, Northern St. Johnswort
Hypericum canadense, Lesser Canadian St. Johnswort
Hypericum gentianoides, Orangegrass [SC]
Hypericum kalmianum, Kalm’s St. Johnswort {s}
Hypericum majus, Large St. Johnswort
Hypericum mutilum, Dwarf St. Johnswort
Hypericum perforatum, Common St. Johnswort [I]
Hypericum prolificum, Shrubby St. Johnswort {ss/s}
Hypericum punctatum, Spotted St. Johnswort
Triadenum fraseri, Fraser’s Marsh St. Johnswort
Triadenum virginicum, Virginia Marsh St. Johnswort

ORDER URTICALES

Family Cannabaceae (hemp family):
Cannabis sativa, Marijuana [I]
Humulus lupulus, Common Hop [I?] {v}

Family Moraceae (mulberry family):
Maclura pomifera, Osage Orange {s/t}
Morus alba, White Mulberry [I] {s/t}
Morus rubra, Red Mulberry [T] {t}

Family Ulmaceae (elm family):
Celtis occidentalis, Common Hackberry {s/t}
Ulmus americana, American Elm {t}
Ulmus pumila, Siberian Elm [I] {s/t}
Ulmus rubra, Slippery Elm {t}

Family Urticaceae (nettle family):
Boehmeria cylindrica, Smallspike False Nettle
Laportea canadensis, Canadian Woodnettle
Parietaria pensylvanica, Pennsylvania Pellitory
Pilea fontana, Lesser Clearweed
Pilea pumila, Canadian Clearweed
Urtica dioica, Stinging Nettle [I?]

ORDER VIOLALES

Family Cistaceae (rock-rose family):
Helianthemum bicknellii, Hoary Frostweed {f/h/ss}
Helianthemum canadense, Longbranch Frostweed {f/h/ss}
Hudsonia tomentosa, Woolly Beachfeather {ss/s}
Lechea mucronota (=villosa), Hairy Pinweed
Lechea pulchella, Leggett’s Pinweed [T]

Family Cucurbitaceae (cucumber family):
Citrullus lanatus, Watermelon [I] {f/h/v}
Cucurbita foetidissima, Missouri Gourd {f/h/v}
Echinocystis lobata, Wild Cucumber {f/h/v}
Sicyos angulatus, Oneseed Bur Cucumber {f/h/v}

Family Violaceae (violet family):
Hybanthus concolor, Eastern Greenviolet [SC]
Viola affinis, Sand Violet
Viola arvensis, European Field Pansy [I]
Viola blanda, Sweet White Violet
Viola canadensis, Canadian White Violet
Viola labradorica (=conspersa), Alpine Violet
Viola cucullata, Marsh Blue Violet
Viola lanceolata, Bog White Violet
Viola macloskeyi, Small White Violet
Viola nephrophylla, Northern Bog Violet
Viola odorata, Sweet Violet [I]
Viola palmata (=brittonia or pedatifida x affinis or socoria), Early Blue Violet
Viola pedata, Birdfoot Violet
Viola pubescens, Downy Yellow Violet
Viola rostrata, Longspur Violet
Viola sagittata, Arrowleaf Violet
Viola sororia, Common Blue Violet
Viola striata, Striped Cream Violet
Viola tricolor, Johnny Jumpup [I]

Drought, Beetles, Jays, and Nutcrackers in the American West

2010-05-10T17:00:00.002-04:00

From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Project FeederWatch comes a fascinating tale about how Pinyon Jays and Clark’s Nutcrackers dispersed widely in the winter of 2002-2003 in response to a protracted drought that had prevailed in the southwestern U.S. since about 1999. The drought, in combination with infestations of native beetles that resulted in the widespread loss of Pinyon Pines, a valuable food source, caused the birds to wander in search of alternative foods.

Contents of Michigan Birds and Natural History (Volume 16, Number 4)

2010-04-04T08:32:00.002-04:00

Here’s an annotated summary of the contents of Volume 16, Number 4 (September-October 2009) of Michigan Birds and Natural History—The Journal of Michigan Audubon:

DR. LAURENCE CHARLES BINFORD: 1935-2009, by Joe Kaplan (pp. 157-158).—A tribute to ornithologist Laurie Binford, who passed away at his longtime summer home in Agate Harbor, Keweenaw County, Michigan, on September 21, 2009, at age 74. Laurie graduated from the University of Michigan in 1957 with a B.S. in zoology before continuing his studies at Louisiana State University, where he earned a doctorate in 1968 for his work on the distribution of the birds of Oaxaca, Mexico.

RECENT BIRD RECORDS FROM THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA, MICHIGAN, by Laurence C. Binford (pp. 159-186).—This article updates Binford’s “Birds of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan” (2006) by providing an annotated listing of “subsequent records and their significance for 229 species, especially in regard to high counts, early dates, late dates, breeding, and vagrancy.”

MICHIGAN BIRD SURVEY, SPRING 2009 (MARCH – MAY), by Jack Reinoehl (pp. 187-223).—A total of 308 species was reported during spring 2009, one less than in 2008. Highlights of the season include Michigan’s first Fish Crow (in Berrien County) and a remarkable tally of 40 Smith’s Longspurs (also in Berrien County). Ross’s Goose, Cattle Egret, and American Avocet were also seen in very unusual numbers. Other excellent finds were White-winged Dove, Black-legged Kittiwake, and multiple White-faced Ibises.

More information about Michigan Birds and Natural History is available here, and a secure online form for submitting subscription requests can be accessed at this link.

Sandhill Crane Vineyards

2010-04-03T12:28:00.001-04:00

I’ve just got to plan a trip soon to sample some of the Sandhill Crane Vineyards’ offerings at their tasting room in Jackson, Michigan. I wonder if they actually have images of Sandhill Cranes on their labels?

Annual Midwest Crane Count

2010-04-02T22:05:00.003-04:00

The Annual Midwest Crane Count, sponsored by the International Crane Foundation, will be held on Saturday, April 17, 2010.

Started on a local scale in 1976, the count included most of Wisconsin by 1982. Since that time, it has expanded to include 3,000 volunteer participants spread over 100 counties in five States, and is touted as "one of the largest citizen-based inventories in the world."

For some reason, Michigan's participation in the count has been modest at best. For example, in 2009, 100 observers counted 726 Sandhill Cranes (190 pairs) at 153 sites in 10 Michigan counties.

West Michigan Birding Festival

2010-04-02T16:49:00.001-04:00

The 2nd annual West Michigan Birding Festival will be held May 14-16, 2010, in Ludington under sponsorship of Sable Dunes Audubon.

Founding of Michigan Audubon

2010-04-01T15:14:00.003-04:00

In the March 1904 issue of the Bulletin of the Michigan Ornithological Club (Vol. 5, No. 1, p. 27), we learn that "The Michigan Audubon Society [now simply Michigan Audubon] was organized at Detroit on February 27th [1904], as an auxiliary to the Michigan Ornithological Club."

The stated objectives of the Society were as follows:

(1) To disseminate information respecting the economic value of birds to agriculture, and their importance to the welfare of man.

(2) To discourage the purchase or use of the feathers of any birds for ornamentation, except those of the Ostrich and domesticated fowls.

(3) To discourage the destruction of wild birds and their eggs (except for scientific purposes).

(4) To establish Bird Day exercises in the schools of the State of Michigan, in connection with the celebration of Arbor Day, and to encourage the introduction of bird study in schools.

I find it of particular interest that Michigan Audubon was originally founded as an auxiliary of the Michigan Ornithological Club.

Birders as Suspected Terrorists and Criminals

2010-04-01T10:38:00.006-04:00

The eccentric behavior of birders (e.g., lurking about in the wee hours of the night or early morning with suspicious-looking spotting scopes or long camera lenses in hand, often adjacent to secure facilities of one sort or another) can sometimes arouse the suspicions of local law enforcement officers, as described by Bob Gosford of The Northern Myth blog in a hilarious post about one woman’s unfortunate encounter in Queensland, Australia.

Bob’s posting has engendered quite a response on the BirdChat listserv from North American birders with similar experiences. To view the discussion, start here and hit "Next in topic" to advance chronologically through to the end of the thread.

Synopsis of Precipitation in March 2010

2010-04-01T09:51:00.005-04:00

March 2009 was relatively dry in the McCoy Creek watershed of Buchanan Township, Michigan, with just 1.98 inches of precipitation, including 0.3 inches of snow. We had a maximum of 6.5 inches of snow on the ground, and snow cover equaled or exceeded 50 percent on 9 days. There were 11 days of measurable precipitation and 1 day of measurable snowfall. In the tables below, figures from March 2009 are provided in brackets for comparison):

Total Precipitation—Rain and/or Melted Snow: 1.98 inches [4.65]

Daily Variation:
≥ 0.01 inches – 11 days [8]
≥ 0.13 – 2 [7]
≥ 0.25 – 2 [5]
≥ 0.50 – 1 [5]
≥ 1.00 – 1 [1]

New Snowfall Totals: 0.1 inches [0.3]

Daily Variation:
≥ 0.1 – 1 day [1]
≥ 0.5 inches – 0 [0]
≥ 1.0 – 0 [0]
≥ 2.0 – 0 [0]
≥ 3.0 – 0 [0]

Snow on Ground:

Daily Variation
≥ 0.5 inches – 9 days [0]
≥ 5.0 – 4 [0]
≥ 10 – 0 [0]
≥ 15 – 0 [0]

Maximum Snow Depth: 6.5 inches (March 1) [T]
Maximum Precipitation: 1.41 inches (March 12) [1.41]
Maximum Water on Ground as Snow/Ice: 2.26 in (March 2) [T]
Days with Snow Cover ≥50%: 9 [0]

That Grasshopper Ate My T-Shirt!

2010-03-29T09:07:00.001-04:00

Western ranchers are gearing for a major plague of grasshoppers. In Wyoming, 2.9 million acres were infestations with 15 or more grasshoppers per square yard last year, a more than 10-fold increase from 2008. That’s a whopping mess of grasshoppers, and the outbreak may get even worse this year. Grasshopper fritters anyone?

Manitou Island Bird Survey

2010-03-27T07:00:00.002-04:00

Manitou Island is situated in Lake Superior just off the eastern tip of Northern Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula.

As documented by Joseph Youngman and others, volunteer observers made 17 trips to Manitou totaling 63 days from 2002 through 2007 and recorded 204 species. They also documented major migratory flights of raptors over the island, and determined that at least 80 species may nest there. Since then, periodic surveys have continued through 2009.

Financial support for the survey has been provided by the Copper Country Audubon Club, Laughing Whitefish Audubon Society, the Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas II, a Michigan Natural Heritage Program Grant, and several private citizens.

State Bird Journals: Revised

2010-03-26T20:46:00.002-04:00

Note: Originally published on 3/9/10, this post has been revised by incorporating information on New Jersey Birds, a journal published by New Jersey Audubon Society.

This review was prompted by my curiosity about how Michigan Birds and Natural History, a journal affiliated with the Michigan Audubon Society (MAS), compares to other State and regional bird journals being published in the United States. In the first two weeks of March 2010, I conducted an extensive Internet survey to gather information on bird journals and their affiliated organizations. I here summarize information relating to (a) organizational relationships, (b) frequency of publication, (c) longevity, (d) page counts, (e) seasonal field notes, (f) online journal access, (g) organizational membership, (h) membership dues structure, and (i) organizational income and assets.

Organizational Relationships of State Bird Journals:

In the United States, there are 35 "State" bird journals representing 35 States, plus 1 "regional" journal representing 7 States (Table 1), with all but one of the journals being received as a benefit of membership in a State or regional organization (Table 2); the sole exception is Michigan Birds and Natural History. Five of the 35 "State" journals are directly or indirectly associated with an Audubon society (HI, IN, MI, MO, NJ), the others with a separate ornithological society.

Additionally, Bird Observer—The New England Birding Journal is published privately (annual subscription rate of $21 for 6 issues), with no organizational affiliation but with Editorial Staff, Corporate Officers, and Board of Directors. It offers camera-ready quarter-, half-, and full-page ads for $35, $55, and $100.

Frequency of Publication:

Three journals are published annually, 6 are published biannually, and 23 are published quarterly. Outliers include Colorado Birds and Michigan Birds and Natural History (5 times/year), Bird Observer (6 times/year), and Elepaio (9 times/year).

Longevity:

The longevity (as of 2010) of 34 State journals for which I was able to determine such information ranged from 8 years (Journal of Louisiana Ornithology) to 88 years (Indiana Audubon Quarterly), with a median of 58 years. From this perspective, Michigan Birds and Natural History is relatively young, as it turns just 17 in 2010. However, if one considers MBNH to be a legitimate successor to the Jack-Pine Warbler (the ornithological journal), then MBNH can justifiably lay claim to an 88-year publishing lineage, tying the IAQ for longest-running State bird journal.

Page Counts:

As a general rule, State bird journals tend to be rather small in terms of the number of pages. To get a handle on this, I obtained information on total page numbers in the five most recent volumes for nine journals (all journals for which I was able to download such information), realizing that this may not be a representative sample.

For those nine journals, median page counts ranged from 28 (Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society) to 340 (Passenger Pigeon), with a median of about 101. Page counts for two recent volumes of Michigan Birds and Natural History (2007 and 2008) averaged 252, making it more than twice the size of the average State bird journal sampled.

Seasonal Field Notes:

Organizations in at least three States (New Mexico, Texas, and Virginia) publish their quarterly field observations separate from their journals. The respective publications for New Mexico and Virginia are NMOS Field Notes and Virginia Birds. Through a partnership with Natural Heritage New Mexico, the New Mexico Ornithological Society even offers a searchable database for NMOS Field Notes. I was not able to determine if Texas field notes are available only online or if members receive them in a print format.

Online Journal Access:

All or substantial portions of 14 journals are now (or soon will be) available online as PDF files, and in a few cases the archives are searchable. The 14 journals are:

Alabama Birdlife: Volumes 1-54 (1953-2008). Full articles, plus Search feature.
Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society: Online archive of first 37 issues (1968-2004), with issues available as PDF files, courtesy of the Oklahoma State University Library Electronic Publishing Center.
Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society: Just two volumes (2006-2007) are currently available online as PDF files.
Chat (NC, SC): 23 volumes online, others in progress. Plus cumulative index and searchable database.
Florida Field Naturalist: All articles from 1973-2006 are downloadable, including searches by date, title, or author.
Elepaio (HI): PDF files of all issues from February 2003 to March 2010.
Indiana Audubon Quarterly: A project is currently underway to digitize all issue since first published in 1929, including searchable index. This feature may be available now for members. In the meantime, one issue of the IAQ is available for public download as a PDF file.
Kansas Ornithological Society Bulletin: All issues from 1950 to 2007 (Volumes 1-58) are available as PDF files.
Kingbird (NY): Searchable archive of articles published 1950-2007.
Migrant (TN): Volumes 1-75 available online as PDF files.
New Jersey Birds: All issues since Fall 2006 (Volume 32, Number 4) are available online in PDF format. Available in online-only format since 2009 (Volume 35) for reasons stated here.
NMOS Bulletin (NM): Articles from Volumes 1-28 (1973-2000) are available as PDF files. Tables of Content only for Volumes 29-36 (2001-2008).
Passenger Pigeon (WI): All issues (1939-2006) are available online as PDF files through the University of Wisconsin Digital Collection.
Raven (VA): All issues (1930-2005) are available as PDF files through the Center for Conservation Biology at the College of William and Mary.
South Dakota Bird Notes: All Volumes (1948-2003) are available as PDF files (1948-2003).

Five journals have made available, either online or in hard-bound volumes, indices of journal contents:

Loon (MN): Online index to articles by species, but individual articles are not available, with exception of Reports of the Minnesota Bird Records Committee, which are all available as PDF files.
Colorado Birds: Table of Contents and sample articles available online for 4 most recent issues. Hard-bound Subject Index to first 34 years is available for purchase.
Kentucky Warbler: Tables of Content for Volumes 73-85 (1973-2009). Indexes (or highlights) for Volumes 13-72 (1937-1996).
Maryland Birdlife: A CD index is available for purchase.
Ohio Cardinal: Indices of all issues by article and species. Contents only of latest issue, and PDF file of one sample issue.

Six journals list their Tables of Content to a greater or lesser degree:

Bluebird: Covers and tables of content only for Volumes 70-77 (2003-2010).
Iowa Bird Life: Table of Contents of most recent issue only, with 1 article available for download.
Meadowlark: An archive lists the highlights of each issue, Volumes 1-18 (1992-2009), and the contents of the most recent issue are displayed.
Nebraska Bird Review: Tables of Content only, Volumes 66-75 (1998-2007).
Utah Birds: Table of Contents of a single issue posted online.
Washington Birds: Tables of Content for Volumes 1-9 (1989-2006).

In general, less seems to have been done to make known to the general public the contents of Michigan Birds and Natural History and its predecessor, the Jack-Pine Warbler, than most other State bird journals. There is no online or published index, Tables of Content of past or current issues are not available, and only a single "sample" issue (June-August 2008) is downloadable as a PDF file.

Organizational Membership:

Membership in organizations publishing State bird journals tends to be relatively small. Using the National Wildlife Federation’s online Conservation Directory, I was able to determine the size of just eight State organizations; 5 reported having between 101 and 1,000 members, 2 reported having between 1,001 and 10,000 members, and 1 reported having between 10,001 and 100,000 members; New Jersey Audubon Society was the largest, followed by Michigan Audubon Society and the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union.

Membership Dues:

With the exception of Michigan Birds and Natural History, State bird journals are received as a benefit of membership in the organization with which the journal is affiliated. In most cases (24 of 34) a newsletter is also received as part of the membership package (Table 3). Dues structures vary tremendously among the various organizations, with a variety of (sometimes imaginative) membership categories. In the following summary of 12 of the most frequent types of membership categories, I show sample size, median values, and ranges (in parentheses):

Student/Senior/Limited Income (n=37): $14 ($5-20) = MAS Student level
Regular (n=9): $20 ($15-35)
Individual (n=29): $25 ($10-30) = MBNA subscription rate
Family (n=31): $30 ($20-40) = MAS Basic level
Library/Institution (n=10): $30 ($15-45)
Sustaining (n=26): $40 ($20-500)
Contributing (n=14): $50 ($15-60) = MAS Donor level
Business/Corporate/Donor (n=6): $75 ($30-100) = MAS Business level
Supporting (n=8): $75 ($25-100) = MAS Supporting level
Patron (n=8): $300 ($50-2,000)
Life (n=35): $500 ($100-3,000)
Benefactor (n=4): $750 ($150-5,000)

Income and Assets:

Among the 35 State organizations that I was able to find in the online Melissa data lookup for non-profit corporations, the median annual income was $26,216; 15 reported incomes of less than $25,000, while 4 reported incomes exceeding $500,000. New Jersey Audubon Society topped the list at $8.7 million, followed by Michigan Audubon Society $2.6 million {1}, Maryland Ornithological Society ($603,100), and Georgia Ornithological Society ($579,000).

Twenty organizations reported assets ranging from $31,400 to $26.2 million, with a median value of $228,900. New Jersey Audubon Society topped the list, followed by Michigan Audubon Society ($10.7 million) {1}, Georgia Ornithological Society ($2.2 million), and Maryland Ornithological Society ($1.8 million).

{1} Income and asset figures for MAS represent the sum totals for operations in the Lansing office as reported under four different Tax I.D. numbers.

Table 1: State and Regional Bird Journals.

Alabama Birdlife, Bird Observer—The New England Birding Journal, Bluebird (MO), Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society, Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society, Chat (NC, SC), Colorado Birds, Connecticut Warbler, Delmarva Ornithologist (DE), Elepaio (HI), Florida Field Naturalist, Indiana Audubon Quarterly, Iowa Bird Life, Journal of Louisiana Ornithology, Kansas Ornithological Society Bulletin, Kentucky Warbler, Kingbird (NY), Mississippi Kite, Loon (MN), Maryland Birds, Meadowlark (IL), Michigan Birds and Natural History, Migrant (TN), Nebraska Bird Review, New Jersey Birds, NMOS Bulletin, Ohio Cardinal, Oregon Birds, Oriole (GA), Passenger Pigeon (WI), Pennsylvania Birds, Raven (VA) Redstart (WV), South Dakota Bird Notes, Utah Birds, Washington Birds, Western Birds (AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, WA).

Table 2: Organizations Publishing State Bird Journals.

Alabama Ornithological Society; Audubon Society of Missouri, Brooks Bird Club (WV); Carolina Bird Club, Colorado Field Ornithologists; Connecticut Ornithological Association; Delmarva Ornithological Society (DE); Florida Ornithological Society; Georgia Ornithological Society; Hawaii Audubon Society; Illinois Ornithological Society; Indiana Audubon Society; Iowa Ornithologists’ Union; Kansas Ornithological Society; Kentucky Ornithological Society; Louisiana Ornithological Society; Maryland Ornithological Society; Michigan Audubon Society; Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union; Mississippi Ornithological Society; Nebraska Ornithologist’s Union; New Jersey Audubon Society; New Mexico Ornithological Society; New York State Ornithological Association; Ohio Ornithological Society; Oklahoma Ornithological Society; Oregon Field Ornithologists; Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology; South Dakota Ornithologist’s Union; Tennessee Ornithological Society; Texas Ornithological Society; Utah Ornithological Society; Virginia Society of Ornithology; Washington Ornithological Society; Western Field Ornithologists; Wisconsin Society for Ornithology.

Table 3: Newsletters of State Organizations that Publish Bird Journals

Badger Birder (WI), Cardinal (IN), CBC Newsletter (NC, SC), Cerulean (OH), COA Bulletin (CT), D.O.S. Flyer (DE), GOShawk (GA), Horned Lark (KS), IOU News (IA), Kestrel (KY), Kestrel Express (NJ), LOS News (LA), Mail Bag (WV), Minnesota Birding, New York Birders, NOU Newsletter (NE), PSO Pileated (PA), Scissortail (OK), Snail Kite (FL), Tennessee Warbler, VSO Newsletter (VA), Wings Over the Prairie (IL), WFO Newsletter (AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, WA), WOS News (WA), Yellowhammer (AL), Yellowthroat (MD).

Safe Passage to Migrating Birds

2010-03-26T08:01:00.001-04:00

A 2009 State of Michigan proclamation designates the period of March 15 to May 31 and August 15 to October 31 as Safe Passage Great Lakes Days, an effort to protect migrating birds from the collision hazards posed by tall, lighted buildings.

. . . residents and property managers are reminded to close shades or turn out lights between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. (or dawn) on tall buildings from the fifth floor and above.

Read the proclamation signed by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm here, and see what actions are being taken in such places as Ann Arbor and Detroit

Ruffed Grouse in Michigan

2010-03-25T18:32:00.002-04:00

Perhaps it is a tribute to the abundance of Ruffed Grouse in the Wolverine State, or maybe a reflection of the zeal with which some sportsmen pursue this wily gamebird. For whatever reason, the number of local chapters of the Ruffed Grouse Society in Michigan (27) equals the number in Pennsylvania and exceeds the number of chapters in Minnesota (23). Interestingly, New York State—where Gardiner Bump did his landmark study on Ruffed Grouse—has a mere 15 chapters.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment has assembled several valuable sources of information on Ruffed Grouse here, including a status report and conservation plan, and has published management guidelines for landowners.

Michigan Purple Martins

2010-03-13T07:48:00.002-05:00

Michigan Purple Martins is "devoted to the study of Purple Martins in the State Michigan." It features maps of all known active and available (but inactive) colonies in the State, with a detailed history of each colony. It also features a Discussion Forum.

I encourage everyone out there hosting a Purple Martin colony to add it to this interactive site.

Recovery Plan for a Non-Recoverable Species?

2010-03-12T09:07:00.004-05:00

I just ran across a couple of remarkable quotes from an article by John Beetham at A DC Birding Blog about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s plans to release a final recovery plan for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Beetham included several paragraphs from a limited-access article by Rex Dalton that was posted at Nature News, which is where the following selected quotes originally appeared:

"We don’t believe a recoverable population of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers exists," says Ron Rohrbaugh, a conservation biologist at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, who headed the original search team.

Followed, two paragraphs later, by this:

Jerome Jackson, an ornithologist at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers who serves on the FWS’s Ivory-billed Woodpecker recovery team, says that a draft recovery plan from 2007 is "incredibly biased". In his view, the plan has overemphasized evidence of the bird’s existence to shore up political support for saving it. "I don’t think I’m going to be happy with the final plan either," he adds.

I find it rather remarkable that the FWS is still pursuing finalization of this recovery plan given the sorry state of the U.S. economy, the Federal budget, and Ivory-bill populations.

Michigan’s Important Bird Areas

2010-03-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

As of the present time, 99 sites in Michigan have been identified, nominated, or recognized as Important Bird Areas—parcels of habitat that are considered essential for avian conservation.

Feeding Birds or Baiting Deer?

2010-03-11T20:50:00.002-05:00

A Gaylord, Michigan, man who feeds birds has run afoul of a new State law that prohibits feeding or baiting deer and elk as a precaution against chronic wasting disease.

Although Ken Borton’s sunflower-stocked feeders are suspended nearly six feet off the ground, wildlife officials "told him he must scoop up the leftover seed casings each day to be in compliance with the law."

Competitive Birding Coming to the Big Screen

2010-03-11T19:13:00.002-05:00

Considering the cast of comedians assembled to portray birders in the movie version of Mark Obmascik’s birding tale, The Big Year, this film (scheduled for release in 2011) could turn out to be an utter disaster. Birders take their seemingly (to normal people) zany pursuits seriously, after all, and don’t like to be portrayed as nut cases.

Bird Banding in Michigan

2010-03-11T03:46:00.002-05:00

Bird banders are a relatively small but dedicated subset of the larger cohort of birders and ornithologists. They are represented in Michigan by Michigan Field Ornithologists and Bird Banders.

As attested to by these early papers by Dayton Stoner (.PDF) and Wm. I. Lyon (.PDF), Michigan has a rich and colorful history of banding dating back some 90 years, to the very beginnings of organized bird banding in the U.S.

Organizatons actively engaged in banding birds in Michigan include the following:

Great Lakes HummerNet
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Rouge River Bird Observatory
Whitefish Point Bird Observatory

All-Black King Penguin

2010-03-11T03:15:00.003-05:00

Defying all odds, a melanistic King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) has been photographed in Antarctica. This bird just looks so weird!

Full or partial melanism is exceedingly rare in the King Penguin, there being only about four previously published records (.PDF).

Michigan Bluebird Society

2010-03-10T12:42:00.000-05:00

The Michigan Bluebird Society is a group of individuals dedicated to helping bluebirds and other cavity-nesting bird species in the State of Michigan.

It’s time to get those nest-boxes ready!

State Bird Journals

2010-03-09T21:06:00.011-05:00

This review was prompted by my curiosity about how Michigan Birds and Natural History, a journal affiliated with the Michigan Audubon Society (MAS), compares to other State and regional bird journals being published in the United States. In the first two weeks of March 2010, I conducted an extensive Internet survey to gather information on bird journals and their affiliated organizations. I here summarize information relating to (a) organizational relationships, (b) frequency of publication, (c) longevity, (d) page counts, (e) seasonal field notes, (f) online journal access, (g) organizational membership, (h) membership dues structure, and (i) organizational income and assets.

Organizational Relationships of State Bird Journals:

In the United States, there are 35 "State" bird journals representing 35 States, plus 1 "regional" journal representing 7 States (Table 1), with all but one of the journals being received as a benefit of membership in a State or regional organization (Table 2); the sole exception is Michigan Birds and Natural History. Five of the 35 "State" journals are directly or indirectly associated with an Audubon society (HI, IN, MI, MO, NJ), the others with a separate ornithological society.

Additionally, Bird Observer—The New England Birding Journal is published privately (annual subscription rate of $21 for 6 issues), with no organizational affiliation but with Editorial Staff, Corporate Officers, and Board of Directors. It offers camera-ready quarter-, half-, and full-page ads for $35, $55, and $100.

Frequency of Publication:

Three journals are published annually, 6 are published biannually, and 23 are published quarterly. Outliers include Colorado Birds and Michigan Birds and Natural History (5 times/year), Bird Observer (6 times/year), and Elepaio (9 times/year).

Longevity:

The longevity (as of 2010) of 33 State journals for which I was able to determine such information ranged from 13 years (Washington Birds) to 88 years (Indiana Audubon Quarterly), with a median of 62 years. From this perspective, Michigan Birds and Natural History is relatively young, as it turns just 17 in 2010. However, if one considers MBNH to be a legitimate successor to the Jack-Pine Warbler (the ornithological journal), then MBNH can justifiably lay claim to an 88-year publishing lineage, tying the IAQ for longest-running State bird journal.

Page Counts:

As a general rule, State bird journals tend to be rather small in terms of the number of pages. To get a handle on this, I obtained information on total page numbers in the five most recent volumes for eight journals (all journals for which I was able to download such information), realizing that this may not be a representative sample.

For those 8 journals, median page counts ranged from 28 (Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society) to 340 (Passenger Pigeon), with a median of about 120. Page counts for two recent volumes of Michigan Birds and Natural History (2007 and 2008) averaged 252, making it about twice the size of the average State bird journal sampled.

Seasonal Field Notes:

Organizations in at least three States (New Mexico, Texas, and Virginia) publish their quarterly field observations separate from their journals. The respective publications for New Mexico and Virginia are NMOS Field Notes and Virginia Birds. Through a partnership with Natural Heritage New Mexico, the New Mexico Ornithological Society even offers a searchable database for NMOS Field Notes. I was not able to determine if Texas field notes are available only online or if members receive them in a print format.

Online Journal Access:

All or substantial portions of 14 journals are now (or soon will be) available online as PDF files, and in a few cases the archives are searchable. The 14 journals are:

Alabama Birdlife: Volumes 1-54 (1953-2008). Full articles, plus Search feature.
Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society: Online archive of first 37 issues (1968-2004), with issues available as PDF files, courtesy of the Oklahoma State University Library Electronic Publishing Center.
Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society: Just two volumes (2006-2007) are currently available online as PDF files.
Chat (NC, SC): 23 volumes online, others in progress. Plus cumulative index and searchable database.
Florida Field Naturalist: All articles from 1973-2006 are downloadable, including searches by date, title, or author.
Elepaio (HI): PDF files of all issues from February 2003 to March 2010.
Indiana Audubon Quarterly: A project is currently underway to digitize all issue since first published in 1929, including searchable index. This feature may be available now for members. In the meantime, one issue of the IAQ is available for public download as a PDF file.
Kansas Ornithological Society Bulletin: All issues from 1950 to 2007 (Volumes 1-58) are available as PDF files.
Kingbird (NY): Searchable archive of articles published 1950-2007.
Migrant (TN): Volumes 1-75 available online as PDF files.
NMOS Bulletin (NM): Articles from Volumes 1-28 (1973-2000) are available as PDF files. Tables of Content only for Volumes 29-36 (2001-2008).
Passenger Pigeon (WI): All issues (1939-2006) are available online as PDF files through the University of Wisconsin Digital Collection.
Raven (VA): All issues (1930-2005) are available as PDF files through the Center for Conservation Biology at the College of William and Mary.
South Dakota Bird Notes: All Volumes (1948-2003) are available as PDF files (1948-2003).

Five journals have made available, either online or in hard-bound volumes, indices of journal contents:

Loon (MN): Online index to articles by species, but individual articles are not available, with exception of Reports of the Minnesota Bird Records Committee, which are all available as PDF files.
Colorado Birds: Table of Contents and sample articles available online for 4 most recent issues. Hard-bound Subject Index to first 34 years is available for purchase.
Kentucky Warbler: Tables of Content for Volumes 73-85 (1973-2009). Indexes (or highlights) for Volumes 13-72 (1937-1996).
Maryland Birdlife: A CD index is available for purchase.
Ohio Cardinal: Indices of all issues by article and species. Contents only of latest issue, and PDF file of one sample issue.

Six journals list their Tables of Content to a greater or lesser degree:

Bluebird: Covers and tables of content only for Volumes 70-77 (2003-2010).
Iowa Bird Life: Table of Contents of most recent issue only, with 1 article available for download.
Meadowlark: An archive lists the highlights of each issue, Volumes 1-18 (1992-2009), and the contents of the most recent issue are displayed.
Nebraska Bird Review: Tables of Content only, Volumes 66-75 (1998-2007).
Utah Birds: Table of Contents of a single issue posted online.
Washington Birds: Tables of Content for Volumes 1-9 (1989-2006).

Student/Senior/Limited Income (n=37): $14 ($5-20) = MAS Student level
Regular (n=9): $20 ($15-35)
Individual (n=28): $25 ($10-30) = MBNA subscription rate
Family (n=30): $30 ($20-40) = MAS Basic level
Library/Institution (n=10): $30 ($15-45)
Sustaining (n=26): $40 ($20-500)
Contributing (n=14): $50 ($15-60) = MAS Donor level
Business/Corporate/Donor (n=6): $75 ($30-100) = MAS Business level
Supporting (n=8): $75 ($25-100) = MAS Supporting level
Patron (n=8): $300 ($50-2,000)
Life (n=33): $450 ($100-1,000)
Benefactor (n=4): $750 ($150-5,000)

Income and Assets:

Among the 32 State organizations that I was able to find in the online Melissa data lookup for non-profit corporations, the median annual income was $30,385; 13 reported incomes of less than $25,000, while 3 reported incomes exceeding $500,000. Michigan Audubon Society topped the list at $2.6 million {1}. Two other organizations with incomes of greater than $500,000 were the Georgia Ornithological Society and the Maryland Ornithological Society.

Nineteen organizations reported assets ranging from $31,400 to $10.7 million, with a median value of $207,000; Georgia Ornithological Society, Maryland Ornithological Society, and Michigan Audubon Society all reported assets in excess of $1 million, with MAS topping the list {1}.

{1} Income and asset figures for MAS represent the sum totals for operations in the Lansing office as reported under four different Tax I.D. numbers.

Table 1: State and Regional Bird Journals.

Alabama Birdlife, Bird Observer—The New England Birding Journal, Bluebird (MO), Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society, Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society, Chat (NC, SC), Colorado Birds, Connecticut Warbler, Delmarva Ornithologist (DE), Elepaio (HI), Florida Field Naturalist, Indiana Audubon Quarterly, Iowa Bird Life, Journal of Louisiana Ornithology, Kansas Ornithological Society Bulletin, Kentucky Warbler, Kingbird (NY), Mississippi Kite, Loon (MN), Maryland Birds, Meadowlark (IL), Michigan Birds and Natural History, Migrant (TN), Nebraska Bird Review, New Jersey Birds, NMOS Bulletin, Ohio Cardinal, Oregon Birds, Oriole (GA), Passenger Pigeon (WI), Pennsylvania Birds, Raven (VA) Redstart (WV), South Dakota Bird Notes, Utah Birds, Washington Birds, Western Birds (AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, WA).

Table 2: Organizations Publishing State Bird Journals.

Alabama Ornithological Society; Audubon Society of Missouri, Brooks Bird Club (WV); Carolina Bird Club, Colorado Field Ornithologists; Connecticut Ornithological Association; Delmarva Ornithological Society (DE); Florida Ornithological Society; Georgia Ornithological Society; Hawaii Audubon Society; Illinois Ornithological Society; Indiana Audubon Society; Iowa Ornithologists’ Union; Kansas Ornithological Society; Kentucky Ornithological Society; Louisiana Ornithological Society; Maryland Ornithological Society; Michigan Audubon Society; Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union; Mississippi Ornithological Society; Nebraska Ornithologist’s Union; New Jersey Audubon Society; New Mexico Ornithological Society; New York State Ornithological Association; Ohio Ornithological Society; Oklahoma Ornithological Society; Oregon Field Ornithologists; Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology; South Dakota Ornithologist’s Union; Tennessee Ornithological Society; Texas Ornithological Society; Utah Ornithological Society; Virginia Society of Ornithology; Washington Ornithological Society; Western Field Ornithologists; Wisconsin Society for Ornithology.

Table 3: Newsletters of State Organizations that Publish Bird Journals

Badger Birder (WI), Cardinal (IN), CBC Newsletter (NC, SC), Cerulean (OH), COA Bulletin (CT), D.O.S. Flyer (DE), GOShawk (GA), Horned Lark (KS), IOU News (IA), Kestrel (KY), Kestrel Express (NJ), LOS News (LA), Mail Bag (WV), Minnesota Birding, New York Birders, NOU Newsletter (NE), PSO Pileated (PA), Scissortail (OK), Snail Kite (FL), Tennessee Warbler, VSO Newsletter (VA), Wings Over the Prairie (IL), WFO Newsletter (AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, WA), WOS News (WA), Yellowhammer (AL), Yellowthroat (MD).

Avian Tautonyms

2010-03-08T08:46:00.005-05:00

Disclaimer: The idea for this post comes from a brief discussion topic on the BirdChat listserv that was started by Ken Blackshaw on 03/06/2010. The information provided below was researched personally by me.

In biology, a tautonym is an informal term used to indicate a scientific name of a species in which both parts (i.e., the genus name and the specific epithet) have the same spelling, as in Cardinalis cardinalis for Northern Cardinal. Using the nomenclature of the IOC World Bird List, I have identified 83 avian tautonyms. Where the common name recognized by the Clements Checklist differs from that recognized by the IOC (as reflected in Avibase), the Clements name appears in brackets.

Alle alle, Little Auk [Dovekie]
Amandava amandava, Red Avadavat
Amazilia amazlia, Amazilia Hummingbird
Anhinga anhinga, Anhinga
Anser anser, Greylag Goose [Graylag Goose]
Apus apus, Common Swift
Buteo buteo, Common Buzzard
Bubo bubo, Eurasian Eagle-Owl
Cardinalis cardinalis, Northern Cardinal
Carduelis carduelis, European Goldfinch
Casuarius casuarius, Southern Cassowary
Ciconia ciconia, White Stork
Cinclus cinclus, White-throated Dipper
Coccothraustes coccothraustes, Hawfinch
Cochlearius cochlearius, Boat-billed Heron
Coeligena coeligena, Bronzy Inca
Colius colius, White-backed Mousebird
Coscoroba coscoroba, Coscoroba Swan
Cotinga cotinga, Purple-breasted Cotinga
Coturnix coturnix, Common Quail
Crex crex, Corn Crake
Crossoptilon crossoptilon, White Eared Pheasant [White Eared-Pheasant]
Curaeus curaeus, Austral Blackbird
Cyanicterus cyanicterus, Blue-backed Tanager
Cygnus cygnus, Whooper Swan
Diuca diuca, Common Diuca-Finch
Dives dives, Melodious Blackbird
Ensifera ensifera, Sword-billed Hummingbird
Francolinus francolinus, Black Francolin
Galbula galbula, Green-tailed Jacamar
Gallinago gallinago, Common Snipe
Gallus gallus, Red Junglefowl
Grus grus, Common Crane
Guira guira, Guira Cuckoo
Himantopus himantopus, Black-winged Stilt
Histrionicus histrionicus, Harlequin Duck
Icterus icterus, Venezuelen Troupial [Troupial]
Indicator indicator, Greater Honeyguide
Jacana jacana, Wattled Jacana
Ketupa ketupa, Buffy Fish Owl [Buffy Fish-Owl]
Lagopus lagopus, Willow Ptarmigan
Lerwa lerwa, Snow Partridge
Limosa limosa, Black-tailed Godwit
Luscinia luscinia, Thrush Nightingale
Manacus manacus, White-bearded Manakin
Mascarinus mascarinus, Mascarene Parrot
Melanodera melanodera, White-bridled Finch [Canary-winged Finch]
Milvus milvus, Red Kite
Mitu mitu, Alagoas Curassow
Nycticorax nycticorax, Black-crowned Night Heron
Oenanthe oenanthe, Northern Wheatear
Oriolus oriolus, Eurasian Golden Oriole
Pauxi pauxi, Northern Helmeted Curassow [Helmeted Curassow]
Perdix perdix, Grey Partridge [Gray Partridge]
Petronia petronia, Rock Sparrow [Rock Petronia]
Phoenicurus phoenicurus, Common Redstart
Pica pica, Eurasian Magpie
Pipile pipile, Trinidad Piping Guan
Pipra pipra, White-crowned Manakin
Poliocephalus poliocephalus, Hoary-headed Grebe
Porphyrio porphyrio, Purple Swamphen
Porphyrolaema porphyrolaema, Purple-throated Cotinga
Porzana porzana, Spotted Crake
Puffinus puffinus, Manx Shearwater
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, Red-billed Chough
Pyrrhula pyrrhula, Eurasian Bullfinch
Quelea quelea, Red-billed Quelea
Regulus regulus, Goldcrest
Riparia riparia, Sand Martin [Bank Swallow]
Rupicola rupicola, Guianan Cock-of-the-rock
Serinus serinus, European Serin
Suiriri suiriri, Suiriri Flycatcher
Sula sula, Red-footed Booby
Tadorna tadorna, Common Shelduck
Tchagra tchagra, Southern Tchagra
Temnurus temnurus, Ratchet-tailed Treepie
Tetrax tetrax, Little Bustard
Todus todus, Jamaican Tody
Troglydytes troglodytes, Winter Wren
Tyrannus tyrannus, Eastern Kingbird
Vanellus vanellus, Northern Lapwing
Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus, Yellow-headed Blackbird
Xenopirostris xenopirostris, Lafresnaye’s Vanga

Beer-Cap Bird House

2010-03-07T13:36:00.002-05:00

Just what every red-blooded, beer-drinking birder needs, a $100 bird house that leaks! I believe it was P. T. Barnum who said something about a "sucker born every minute."

I suspect that you could build your own for much less, or at least have a whole lot of fun while assembling the basic construction materials!

Michigan Birds and Natural History

2010-03-01T20:34:00.003-05:00

Issue 4 (September-October) of Volume 16 (2009) of Michigan Birds and Natural History, a publication of the Michigan Audubon Society, arrived in my mail box on this past Saturday. Contents are as follows:

Dr. Laurence Charles Binford 1935—2009, by Joe Kaplan. Pp. 157-158.–A brief remembrance.

Recent bird records from the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan, by Laurence C. Binford. Pp. 159-186.—This update of Binford (2006) lists subsequent records for 229 species through spring 2009, and notes their significance.

Michigan Bird Survey, spring 2009 (March—May), by Jack Reinoehl. Pp. 187-223.—Reports on 308 species reported during the period, including first Michigan record of Fish Crow. Smith’s Longspur was seen in exceptional numbers, while Ross’s Goose, Cattle Egret, and American Avocet were also seen in very unusual numbers.

Citation:

Binford, Laurence C. 2006. Birds of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan. Miscellaneous Publication of the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology 195, 307 pp. [.PDF]

Drought and Birds: Mallard

2010-03-01T19:13:00.003-05:00

Gary L. Krapu, Albert T. Klett, and Dennis G. Jorde (1983) studied reproductive strategies of Mallards breeding in the prairie pothole region of North Dakota under the variable spring water conditions characteristic of that region. Specifically, they examined "population patterns in eastern and central North Dakota over a 20-year period and examined factors responsible for observed densities and reproductive effort under a broad range of wetland habitat conditions."

In summarizing the results of this important study, I can do no better than provide the authors’ Abstract in full:

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) breeding densities in the prairie pothole habitat of eastern North Dakota during 1961-1980 varied from 2.28 birds/km2 in 1977 to 9.47 birds/km2 in 1963 [a factor of 4.2] and were correlated with pond abundance (r = 0.543, P < 0.05). The number of basins used by pairs declined with drought, as did home-range size. Nesting activity also varied with the number of ponds holding water/km2, ranging from high (including substantial renesting) under favorable water conditions to low during extreme drought. The span between first and last nest initiations declined by 19 days from a wet to a dry year. With severe drought conditions during spring 1977 on the Medina Study Area, pairs returned to attempt nesting but were unsuccessful, and most abandoned activity centers by mid-May. Although the average clutch size declined by about 0.7 egg[s] from a wet to a dry year on the Interstate Study Area, hatchability of eggs remained constant. We describe the adaptive strategy of Mallards for breeding under variable water conditions and food resources in the semiarid environment of mid-continent North America.

Thanks to SORA (the Searchable Ornithological Research Archive) this paper may be read in full by clicking on the title highlighted below.

Citation:

Krapu, Gary L., Albert T. Klett, and Dennis G. Jorde. 1983. The effect of variable spring water conditions on Mallard reproduction. Auk 100: 689-698. [.PDF]

Crisis in Saugatuck

2010-02-28T12:30:00.001-05:00

In February, the board of trustees of Saugatuck Township, Mich. [just down the road a piece from me], scheduled a May referendum asking voters for an increase in the property tax in order to cover unanticipated new expenses. The budget overrun was due to the mounting costs of defending lawsuits by people and companies complaining that the township’s property taxes are too high.

Source: Chuck Shepherd’s News of the Weird syndicated column, as printed in the South Bend Tribune on Sunday, 2/28/10.

John’s Reprint File

2010-02-28T09:53:00.002-05:00

WARNING: The contents of this blog-post may prove inimical to your reading pleasure, as it is extremely self-indulgent. However, anyone who has ever struggled with maintaining their own reprint file, or has ever contemplated starting one, may find something of interest her. Thus warned, you proceed further at your own risk.

Sometime in the mid-1960s, about the time I was transitioning from high school to college, my interest in pursuing a career dealing in some fashion with wildlife (preferably birds) having already been formed, I came into possession of a book entitled Wildlife Investigational Techniques (1963), edited by Henry S. Mosby and published by The Wildlife Society.

The book consisted of a series of chapters covering just about every topic imaginable concerning wildlife management and research. One of the chapters that had the most influence on me was one contributed by Mosby that described a technique for organizing and maintaining a reprint file. The system outlined by Mosby was very similar to the one described here (.PDF).

Stimulated by Mosby’s chapter, I began collecting reprints in earnest and filing them systematically. Most of the reprints have long since disappeared, along with the filing cabinet that once held them. But recently, in a cubby-hole in what was my former bedroom in my mother’s now-vacant house, I discovered a catalog of the 1,272 reprints that I had so carefully assembled and organized.

Just for the fun of it, I randomly selected 100 titles from my reprint catalog, which I have listed below. In reviewing this selected list, I was struck by several things: (a) I seemed to be much more influenced during this formative period of my life (roughly 1964-1970) by what was being published in the Journal of Wildlife Management and other similar outlets than by any of the ornithological journals (despite having been a member of all of the major North American ornithological societies since the early 1960s); (b) I was amazed at the large proportion of reprints that dealt with mammals, as I was already heavily focused on birds; and (c) my interests were incredibly eclectic.

And now, 100 random selections from my reprint file in the chronological order in which they were cataloged:

[3] McKinley, D. 1960. Nature and man: the two faces of management. Audubon Magazine 62: 104-107, 138-139, 144.

[8] Musselman, T. E. n.d. A simple bluebird box. 2 pp. (mimeo).

[37] Anonymous. 1951. All about your canary. M. T. French Company, 72 pp. [and I never even owned a canary!]

[49] Allen, J. A. 1896. Alleged changes of color in the feathers of birds without molting. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 8(3): 13-44.

[50] Miller, W. DeW. 1924. Variations in the structure of the aftershaft and their taxonomic value. American Museum Novitates 140, 7 pp.

[57] Borror, D. J., and W. W. H. Gunn. 1958. Songs of warblers of eastern North America. Federal of Ontario Naturalists Bulletin ??(4): 17-24.

[62] Karvelis, E. G. 1965. The true pikes. Fish and Wildlife Service Fishery Leaflet 569, 11 pp.

[72] Gordon, W. G. 1963. A trawling survey of southern Lake Michigan (August-November 1960). Commercial Fisheries Review 25(2): 1-6.

[86] MacMullen, R. A. 1957. The life and times of Michigan pheasants. Michigan Department of Conservation Game Division. 63 pp.

[90] Hunt, R. A., and L. R. Jahn. 1966. Canada Geese breeding populations in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Department of Conservation Technical Bulletin 38, 67 pp.

[92] Nathiak, H. A. 1966. Muskrat population studies at Horicon Marsh. Wisconsin Department of Conservation Technical Bulletin 36, 56 pp.

[95] Bellrose, F. C. 959. Lead poisoning as a mortality factor in waterfowl populations. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 27(3): 235-288.

[111] MacMullan, R. A. 1954. What price research? Michigan Conservation 22(5): 6-9.

[131] Schofield, R. D. 1956. Analysis of muskrat age determination methods and their application in Michigan. Journal of Wildlife Management 19: 463-466.

[136] Arnold, D. A. 1967. Deer in 1967. Michigan Department of Conservation Game Division Information Circular 146, 18 pp. (mimeo)

[152] Shick. C. 1964. Deer management on private lands. Michigan State University Cooperative Extension Service Bulletin E-427, 8 pp.

[157] Hunt, R. L., O. M. Brynildson, and J. T. McFadden. 1962. Effects of angling regulations on a wild Brook Trout fishery. Wisconsin Conservation Department Technical Bulletin 26, 58 pp.

[170] Sheldon, W. G. 1960. A method of mist netting woodcocks in summer. Bird-Banding 31: 121-135.

[191] Cookingham, R. A., and T. M. Ripley. 1964. Some observations on the response of an insular quail population to supplemental feeding. Bird-Banding 35: 266-277.

[194] Kleiman, J. P. 1965. Early Mourning Dove nesting in Michigan. Jack-Pine Warbler 43: 146.

[210] Bolen, E. G., and B. J. Forsyth. 1967. Foods of the Black-bellied Tree Duck in south Texas. Wilson Bulletin 79: 43-49.

[224] Shick, C. 1963. Wildlife: an extra gift from the land. Michigan State University Cooperative Extensive Service Folder F-280, 8 pp.

[258] Storm, G. L., and K. P. Dauphin. 1965. A wire ferret for use in studies of foxes and skunks. Journal of Wildlife Management 29: 625-626.

[274] Herman, E., W. Wisby, L. Wiegert, and M. Burdick. 1964. The yellow perch: its life history, ecology, and management. Wisconsin Conservation Department Publication 228.

[311] McGilvrey. F. B. 1966. Nesting of Hooded Mergansers on the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, Maryland. Aul 83: 477-479.

[328] Ramsey, C. W. 1968. A drop-net deer trap. Journal of Wildlife Management 32: 187-190.

[340] Allen, E. C. 1968. Range use, foods, condition, and productivity of white-tailed deer in Montana. Journal of Wildlife Management 32: 130-141.

[353] Yeatter, R. E. 1948. Birds dogs in sport and conservation. Illinois Natural History Survey Circular 42, 64 pp.

[375] Wayt, W. A., R. W. Acton, and J. C. Whittaker. 1968. A look at commercial recreation on small woodlands in Ohio. U.S. Forest Service Research Paper NE-101, 11 pp.

[376] Trapp, J. L. The 1967 Rose Lake pheasant season. Unpublished report. 13 pp. [prepared for a college classroom assignment]

[405] West, R. R. 1968. Reduction of a winter starling population by baiting its preroosting areas. Journal of Wildlife Management 32: 637-640.

[438] Thompson, M. P., and R. J. Robel. 1968. Skeletal measurements and maceration techniques for aging bobwhite quail. Journal of Wildlife Management 32: 247-255.

[442] Greer, K. R., and W. W. Hawkins Jr. 1967. Determining pregnancy in elk by rectal palpation. Journal of Wildlife Management 31: 145-149.

[446] Harelerode, J., and J. J. Dropp. 1966. Seasonal variation in thyroid gland activity in pheasants. Ohio Journal of Science 66: 380-386.

[480] Peek, J. M., A. L. Lovaas, and R. A. Rouse. 1967. Population changes within the Gallatin elk herd, 1932-65. Journal of Wildlife Management 31: 304-316.

[485] Crouch, G. L. 1968. Forage availability in relation to browsing of Douglas-fir seedlings by black-tailed deer. Journal of Wildlife Management 32: 542-553.

[496] Hockstra, T. W. 1968. Cap-chur syringes modified for easier locating. Journal of Wildlife Management 32: 626-628.

[513] Gates, J. N. 1965. Duck nesting and reproduction on Wisconsin farmlands. Journal of Wildlife Management 29: 515-523.

[521] Benson, D., and L. W. DeGraff. 1968. Distribution and mortality of Redheads banded in New York. New York Fish and Game Journal 15: 52-70.

[528] Lentfer, J. W. 1968. A technique for immobilizing and marking polar bears. Journal of Wildlife Management 32: 317-321.

[547] Kellog, C. W. 1950. Soil. Scientific American ??: ??-??.

[574] Nelson, N. F., and R. H. Dietz. 1966. Cattail control methods in Utah. Utah Department of Fish and Game Publication 66-2, 31 pp.

[576] Wood, J. S., and W. F. Hofman. 1967. Peripheral blood response to reproductive stimulation in Mallards. Journal of Wildlife Management 31: 546-554.

[596] Trainer, D. C., C. S. Schlidt, R. A. Hunt, and L. R. Jahn. 1962. Prevalence of Leucocytozoon simondii among some Wisconsin waterfowl. Journal of Wildlife Management 26: 137-143.

[629] Weckwerth, R. F., and P. L. Wright. 1968. Results of transplanting fishers in Montana. Journal of Wildlife Management 32: 977-980.

[651] King, W. B., G. E. Watson, and P. J. Gould. Year? An application of automatic data processing to the study of seabirds. Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum 123(3609), 29 pp.

[659] Anonymous. 1968. Abstracts of the articles published in Suomen Riista 20 (1968). Helsinki, Finland. 12 pp.

[676] Jones, R. 1966. Merriam’s Turkeys in southwestern Montana. Montana Fish and Game Department Technical Bulletin 3, 36 pp.

[684] Anonymous. 1964. The decoy trap for blackbirds and starlings. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. 4 pp.

[691] Anonymous. 1959. America’s wild chickens. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Note 4, 6 pp.

[692] Anonymous. 1962. The migration of birds. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Note 8, 8 pp.

[704] Anonymous. 1968. Bird checklist: DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Refuge Leaflet 232, 6 pp.

[732] Higgins, K. F., and L. J. Schoonover. 1969. Aging small Canada Geese by neck plumage. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 212-214.

[753] Eberhardt, L. L., W. H. Rickard, C. E. Cushing, D. G. Watson, and W. C. Hanson. 1969. A study of fallout Cesium-137 in the Pacific Northwest. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 103-112.

[757] Montgomery, G. G. 1969. Weaning of captive raccoons. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 154-159.

[765] Anonymous. 1968. Rock Creek Park—Washington, D.C. United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. (folder and map)

[772] Berger, A. J. 1953. Bibliography of Michigan warblers, with special reference to the period 1943-1952. Jack-Pine Warbler 31: 55-60.

[778] Anonymous. 1969. Fisheries as a profession: a career guide for the field of fisheries science. American Fisheries Society. 11 p. leaflet.

[782] McBee, R. H., J. L. Johnson, and M. P. Bryant. 1969. Ruminal microorganisms from elk. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 181-186.

[788] Paulik, G. J., and D. S. Robson. 1969. Statistical calculations for change-in-ratio estimators of population parameters. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 1-27.

[795] McCutchen, H. E. 1969. Age determination of pronghorns by the incisor cementum. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 172-175.

[798] Anderson, B. W., T. E. Ketola, and D. W. Warner. 1969. Spring sex and age ratios of Lesser Scaup and Ring-necked Ducks in Minnesota. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 209-212.

[808] Forcum, D. L., C. D. Rael, and J. R. Wheeler. 1969. Abundance of cottontails and their fleas at Red Bluff Ranch, New Mexico. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 422-424.

[819] Kosicky, E. L. 1965. Outdoor recreation and the private investor. Olin-Mathieson Chemical Corporation. 10 pp.

[834] Bailey, J. A. 1969. Exploratory study of nutrition of young cottontails. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 346-353.

[849] Wolfe, M. L. 1969. Age determination in moose from cemental layers of molar teeth. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 428-431.

[861] Schnell, Gary D. 1968. Differential habitat utilization by wintering Rough-legged and Red-tailed hawks. Condor 70: 373-377.

[892] Robinson, thane S. 1963. Illumination preferenda of bobwhites. Occasional Papers of the Adams Center for Ecological Studies 8, 10 pp.

[893] Hardy, John William. 1964. Behavior, habitat, and relationships of jays of the genus Cyanolyca. Occasional Papers of the Adams Center for Ecological Studies 8, 14 pp.

[920] Anonymous. 1967. Rabbits and squirrels. Arizona Game and Fish Department Game Bulletin.

[932] Follmann, E. H., and W. D. Klimstra. 1969. Fertility in male white-tailed deer fawns. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 708-711.

[945] Hays, Helen, and Hellen M. Habermann. 1969. Note on bill color of the Ruddy Duck. Auk 86: 765-766.

[953] Greenwood, Raymond J. 1969. Mallard hatching from an egg cracked by freezing. Auk 86: 752-754.

[959] Geis, Aelred D., and Walter F. Crissey. 1969. Effect of restrictive hunting regulations on Canvasback and Redhead harvest rates and survival. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 860-866.

[966] Roseberry, J. L., D. C. Autry, W. D. Klimstra, and L. A. Mehrhoff Jr. 1969. A controlled deer hunt on Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 791-795.

[973] Shearer, LeRoy A., B. J. Jahn, and L. Lenz. 1969. Deterioration of duck foods when flooded. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 1012-1015.

[1003] Anonymous. 1969. Birds protected by Federal law. U.S. Department of the Interior Wildlife Leaflet 486, 4 pp.

[1007] Schladwiler, J. L., and G. L. Storm. Den-use by mink. Journal of Wildlife Management 33: 1025-1026.

[1011] Paulson, Dennis R. 1969. Commensal feeding in grebes. Auk 86: 759.

[1023] Sadler, K. C., R. E. Tomlinson, and H. M. Wright. 1970. Progress of primary feather molt of adult Mourning Doves in Missouri. Journal of Wildlife Management 34: 783-788.

[1070] Raikow, R. J. 1970. The function and evolution of the supraorbital process in ducks. Auk 87: 568-572.

[1076] Francis, W. J. 1970. The influence of weather on population fluctuations in California Quail. Journal of Wildlife Management 34: 249-266.

[1091] Anonymous. 1969. Sespe Creek project: a detailed report on fish and wildlife resources. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 39 pp.

[1100] West, J. M. 1969. Mercury. Reprint from Bureau of Mines Minerals Yearbook 1969. 11 pp.

[1121] Nero, R. W. 1970. Sharp-tailed Grouse gives aggressive display to automobiles. Wilson Bulletin 82: 221-222.

[1131] Bohl, W. H., and G. Bump. 1970. Summary of foreign game bird liberations 1960 to 1968 and propagation 1966 to 1968. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Species Scientific Report—Wildlife 130, 61 pp.

[1148] Naney, J. E. 1969. Studies of white-tailed deer. University of Michigan Research News 20(2), 7 pp.

[1149] Evans, K. E. 1968. Characteristics and habitat requirements of the Greater Prairie Chicken and Sharp-tailed Grouse—a review of the literature. USDA Conservation Research Report 12, 32 pp.

[1156] McSwain, G. A., R. R. Alexander, and D. C. Markstrom. 1970. Engelmann spruce. USDA Forest Service American Woods—FS-264, 7 PP.

[1165] Bump, G. 1970. The Manchurian Ring-necked Pheasant. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Foreign Game Leaflet FGL-9, 4 pp.

[1191] Kimball, W. H., and Z. A. Munir. 1971. The corrosion of lead shot in a simulated waterfowl gizzard. Journal of Wildlife Management 35: 360-365.

[[1193] Surrendi, D. C. 1970. The mortality, behavior, and homing of transplanted juvenile Canada Geese. Journal of Wildlife Management 34: 719-733.

[1203] Jorgensen, S. E., C. E. Faulkner, and L. D. Mech (eds.). 1970. Proceedings of a symposium on wolf management in selected areas of North America. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife. 50 pp.

[1206] Johnson, A. S. 1970. Biology of the raccoon (Procyon lotor varius Nelson and Goldman) in Alabama. Auburn University Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 402, 148 pp.

[1233] Williams, L. E., Jr., D. H. Austin, T. E. Peoples, and R. W. Phillips. 1971. Laying data and nesting behavior of Wild Turkeys. Annual Conference of the Southeast Section of the Wildlife Society 25, 21 pp.

[1251] Anonymous. 1965. How to distinguish sex and age in gamebirds. Eley Game Advisory Service Booklet 9, 11 pp.

[1266] Myrberget, S., O. A. Aune, and A. Mokenes. 1969. [Exterior sex characters and weights of Lagopus sp. from the northern part of Norway, winter 1966/67]. Paper of the Norwegian State Game Research Institute 2, 31 pp. (English summary.)

Guide to Climate Skeptics

2010-02-27T18:50:00.001-05:00

Writing in Foreign Policy magazine, Christina Larson and Joshua Keating have produced a guide to 11 prominent climate skeptics and the roles they have played in the ongoing debate over global warming. A very informative and useful review.

Monitoring to Conserve Midwestern Birds

2010-02-27T10:08:00.002-05:00

The newly-formed Midwest Coordinated Bird Monitoring Partnership is "a regional network committed to bird conservation through enhanced coordination and exchange of bird monitoring information."

Members may actively participate in any of the seven groups created within MCBMP:

Great Lakes Coastal Bird Monitoring Advisory Group
Important Bird Monitoring Publications
Midwest Grassland Bird Conservation Working Group
Midwest Nightbird Monitoring Program
Midwest Secretive Marshbird Monitoring Program
Monitoring Demographics of Birds in the Midwest
Registry of Midwest Bird Monitoring Programs

If you live in one of the Midwestern States of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, or Wisconsin, and have an interest in participating in bird monitoring programs, then I encourage you to become a member of MCBMP—now!!

Denying Climate Change Science

2010-02-25T19:28:00.002-05:00

The South Dakota House of Representatives passed HCR 1009 last week, a resolution calling for the "balanced teaching of global warming in the public schools of South Dakota." Writing in the Huffington Post, Steve Martin offered this assessment:

Science cannot be legislated. Science is not determined by opinion polls and petitions. South Dakota can outlaw global warming if it wishes, but such decisions mean as much to science as arguments by ornithologists mean to birds [emphasis added].

That old analogy about the Ostrich with its head stuck in the sand has never seemed more appropriate.

Great Lakes Ornithological Club

2010-02-25T18:39:00.003-05:00

Perhaps one of the more obscure chapters in the ornithological history of the Great Lakes revolves around the formation and activities of the Great Lakes Ornithological Club. Formed in about 1900, the Club had an exclusive membership of just six individuals, all of whom shared an interest in bird migration Members were:

James H. Fleming (Toronto, Ontario)
A. Brooker Klugh (Guelph, Ontario)
Willam E. Saunders (London, Ontario)
Bradshaw H. Swales (Detroit and Grosse Isle, Michigan)
Percy A. Taverner (Detroit, Michigan)
J. S. Wallace (Toronto, Ontario)

As described by Fleming (1939), the group devised a unique way of corresponding:

We soon found the need of a journal of some sort in which problems of bird life could be discussed. The result was a manuscript bulletin, Saunders acting as secretary. The procedure was simple—any member with an idea relating to birds wrote it ut on a sheet of eight by ten inch paper, and posted it to the secretary in an especially printed envelope marked "Printer’s Mss." The secretary, if so inclined, added comments on a separate sheet of paper and forwarded the bulletin to the next member and so on in rotation, till it reached the original sender who removed his contribution and forwarded the remaining manuscript to the secretary who also removed his from the file and added any new matter that had come to hand with his comments but always on a fresh sheet of paper, thus the bulletin passed in rotation to the six members but never grew too bulky. The private character of the bulletin allowed for freedom of expression and a certain amount of sarcasm, if thought necessary. Some of the subject with were migration routes, injurious species, the mild winter of 1905—06, and even subspecies. The bulletin ran along fairly well from 1905 to 1909 with occasional revivals and proved a useful means of communication.

According to Fleming, "The Club soon felt the need of a suitable place to meet, preferably a place where migration could be studied and Saunders suggested Point Pelee." The other members of the Club readily agreed to this suggestion, and the Club’s first visit to Point Pelee was in September 1905. "A permanent camp was established in October 1908 and was occupied at intervals to the end of 1927."

The frequent visits to Point Pelee by Club members resulted in the publication of "The birds of Point Pelee," a five-part series by Taverner and Swales (1907a-c, 1908a-b) that documents the occurrence of 209 species there. This work warranted a brief review in the Auk by J. A. Allen (1909).

Citations:

A[llen], J. A. 1909. Taverner and Swales on the birds of Point Pelee, Ontario. Auk 26: 98-99. [.PDF]

Fleming, J. H. 1939. The Great Lakes Ornithological Club. Wilson Bulletin 51: 42-43. [.PDF]

Taverner, P. A., and B. H. Swales. 1907a. The birds of Point Pelee [Part 1 of 5]. Wilson Bulletin 19[59]: 37-54. [.PDF]

_____. 1907b The birds of Point Pelee [Part 2 of 5]. Wilson Bulletin 19[60]: 82-99. [.PDF]

_____. 1907c. The birds of Point Pelee [Part 3 of 5]. Wilson Bulletin 19[61]: 133-153. [.PDF]

_____. 1908a. The birds of Point Pelee [Part 4 of 5]. Wilson Bulletin 20[63]: 78-96. [.PDF]

_____. 1908b. The birds of Point Pelee [Part 5 of 5]. Wilson Bulletin 20[64]: 107-129. [.PDF]

Ornithological Legacy of the Jack-Pine Warbler

2010-02-24T16:27:00.005-05:00

For 67 years (1923—1990), the Jack-Pine Warbler was the renowned ornithological and scientific journal of the Michigan Audubon Society. Beginning with Volume 68, No. 1 (January/February 1991), this quarterly journal was transformed into a bimonthly newsletter publishing popular and semi-technical articles on Michigan and regional natural history, seasonal bird survey reports, and book reviews.

As a tribute to its 67-year ornithological legacy, I here list the 78 major article and short notes (exclusive of seasonal bird reports and annual summaries) that appeared in the last eight volumes of the Jack-Pine Warbler (the scientific journal), 1982—1989. This bibliography was compiled using Ornithological Worldwide Literature (OWL), an online, searchable database.

Seventy-five named authors from at least 13 States are associated with these 78 articles, with some being responsible for multiple articles. Of the 58 senior authors (of whom 40 were located in the State of Michigan), 25 were affiliated with universities (19 in 10 States) at the time of publication, 22 were unaffiliated, five were affiliated with State agencies (2), three were affiliated with non-profit organizations (2), two were affiliated with Federal agencies (2), and one was affiliated with a private consulting firm.

In the citations that follow, Jack-Pine Warbler is abbreviated JPW. Initials following the abstracts indicate the person responsible for preparing the abstract for OWL; D.N.E denotes David N. Ewert, while K.L.B. has not been identified.

Adams, R. J., G. A. McPeek, and D. C. Evers. 1988. Bird population changes in Michigan, 1966—1985. JPW 66: 71-86.—Species with population changes listed; reasons for changes discussed. D.N.E.

Baker, D. E. 1984. Kentucky Warbler nesting in Michigan. JPW 62: 26.—Nest in tamarack bog, Jackson Co., 28 June 1982; first definite State record. D.N.E.

Beaver, D. L. 1982. Avian populations and hydrocarbon development at Baker Sanctuary. JPW 60: 71-79.—Avian populations appear to be unaffected by an oil well adjacent to a 363-ha sanctuary. K.L.B.

Beaver, D. L. 1988. The response of bird populations to three years of wastewater irrigation on old fields in Michgian. JPW 66: 87-102.—Highest densities of fall migrants and breeding Agelaius phoeniceus on irrigated plots; highest densities of breeding Spizella pusilla and Passerculus sandwichensis on nonirrigated plots. D.N.E.

Brewer, R. 1988. An early Michigan bird list. JPW 66: 47-53.—Lists species found 1835—1870. D.N.E.

Bull, J. N. 1984. Two unusual instances of mobbing. JPW 62: 49-50.—By Tyrannus tyrannus and Agelaius phoeniceus. D.N.E.

Carpenter, T. W. 1989. Early June movements of Northern Saw-whet Owls at Whitefish Point, Michigan. JPW 67: 97-99.—Total of 21 Aegolius acadicus banded in 1980, 1982, and 1985. D.N.E.

Case, D. J., and W C. Scharf. 1985. Additions to the birds and land vertebrates of North Manitou Island. JPW 63: 17-23.—Records for 1980—1983. D.N.E.

DellaSala, D. A. 1985. The Yellow Warbler in southeastern Michigan: factors affecting its productivity. JPW 63: 52-60.—Discussed primarily in relationship to cowbird parasitism. D.N.E.

Devereaux, J., and L. Mason. 1985. Spring migration of White-winged Scoters, Common Mergansers, and Red-breasted Mergansers past Whitefish Point, Michigan: a preliminary study. JPW 63: 42-51.—Timing and magnitude of migration, flock size, and flight altitude in 1983. D.N.E.

Drewiske, D. F. 1986. Mobbing response of Black-capped Chickadees to tape-recorded Eastern Screech-Owl vocalizations. JPW 64: 11-17.—Mobbing response not reinforced by presentation of owl model. D.N.E.

Dunnell, A., and K. Dunnell. 1985. Kirtland’s Warbler at Great Stirrup Cay. JPW 63: 61.—Bahamas, 31 March 1984. D.N.E.

Elody, B. I., and N. F. Sloan. 1985. Movements and habitat use of Barred Owl in the Huron Mountains of Marquette County, Michigan, as determined by radiotelemetry. JPW 63: 3-8.—Prefer old-growth hemlock and hemlock-sugar maple forest. D.N.E.

Evers, D. C. 1987. First State [Michigan] record: Sage Thrasher. JPW 65: 37-38.--Oreoscoptes montanus, Whitefish Point, 16 May 1986. D.N.E.

Evers, D. C. 1989. White-winged Dove: a first Michgan. JPW 67: 29.—Observation of Zenaida asiatica on 10 May 1986 at Whitefish Pt. D.N.E.

Ewert, D. N. 1982. Spring migration of loons at Whitefish Point, Michigan. JPW 60: 134-143.

Francke, C., and B. Grefe. 1984. White Ibis sighted in Saginaw County. JPW 62: 51.—Third sight record for Michigan. D.N.E.

Francke, C., R. Grefe, and E. Kenaga. 1988. New Michigan nesting record: Cattle Egret. JPW 66: 20-21.—First Michigan nest of Egretta ibis, 1985, Bay Co. D.N.E.

Goodman, S. M. 1982. A test of nest cup volume and reproductive success in the Barn Swallow. JPW 60: 107-112.—No relationship was found. K.L.B.

Goodman, S. M. 1982. Age and sexual morphological variation in the Kirtland’s Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii). JPW 60: 144-147. D.N.E.

Gosling, D. C. L. 1984. A troglodytic nightmare. JPW 62: 78.—Winter Wren entangled in spider web. D.N.E.

Hamas, M. J., and J. C. Gillingham. 1984. Northern Cardinals breeding on Beaver Island. JPW 62: 75.

Hoffman, R. D. 1982. Spring bird use of muskrat lodges. JPW 60: 113-117.—Seventeen species used lodges for loafing, feeding, display, or nesting. K.L.B.

Hoffman, R. H. 1989. Status of the Sandhill Crane population in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula 1986—87. JPW 67: 18-26.—Total 2,500—3,000 Grus Canadensis in Lower Peninsula during 1987 breeding season; annual rate of increase (1973—1987) 10.6%. D.N.E.

Hoffman, R. H. 1993. Changes in the wetlands selected by an increasing Sandhill Crane population. JPW 61: 51-60.—A summer population of Grus Canadensis in SE Michigan increased from 58 in 1970 to 98 in 1982; the typical wetland used each year became smaller, shallower, and closer to human disturbance. D.N.E.

Hoffman, R. H. and J. I. Hoffman. 1986. Birds observed at the Phyllis Haehnle Memorial Sanctuary, 1935—85. JPW 64: 3-10.—Observations summarized by decade. D.N.E.

Hull, C. N. 1983. Eastern Phoebe nests at relocated nest site. JPW 61: 100.

Hull, C. N. 1989. Additional Pine Siskin nesting records for southern Michigan. JPW 67: 131-133.—Summarizes 8 nesting records, 1986—1987. D.N.E.

Hull, C. N., et al. 1989. First and second documented records of Rufous Hummingbird in Michigan. JPW 67: 94-96.—Selasphorus rufus photographed in 1988 in Houghton and Ogemaw counties. D.N.E.

Ilnicky, N. J. 1984. Mountain Bluebird in Upper Michigan. JPW 62: 50.—Third sight record for Michigan. D.N.E.

Ilnicky, N. J. 1984. First Mockingbird nesting record for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. JPW 62: 53.—Mimus polyglottos.

Inkley, D. B. 1984. American Robin nestling trapped in nest. JPW 62: 52.—By monofilament line. D.N.E.

Irwin, R. E. 1989. “Spotted” towhee in Michigan. JPW 67: 72.—First Michigan record of Pipilo erythrophthalmus maculatus, 19 January 1988, Washtenaw County. D.N.E.

Jensen, W. F., W. L. Robinson, and N. L. Heitman. 1982. Breeding of the Great Owl on Neebish Island, Michigan. JPW 60: 27-28.—A 20 July sighting of an adult and three fledged young in Chippewa Co. K.L.B.

Kellt, A. H. 1983. Birds of S.E. Michigan and S.W. Ontario, notes on the years 1975—1981. JPW 61: 3-12.

Lederle, P. E., B. C. Pijanowski, and D. L. Beaver. 1985. Predation of Tree Swallows by the least chipmunk. JPW 63: 135.—One adult, 1 egg, and 6 nestlings predated in nest boxes; others probably taken. D.N.E.

Lerg, J. M. 1984. Status of the Common Barn Owl in Michigan. JPW 62: 39-48.

Long, C. A. 1982. Nest-site distractions displays by birds with egg-like spots in the wings. JPW 60: 22-26.—The author argues that white wing spots displayed by White-winged Nuthatches and Common Nighthawks during defense of the nest may mimic eggs and that predators will be attracted to them. K.L.B.

Losito, M. P. 1984. Possible nest-helping by a Black-throated Green Warbler. JPW 62: 52.—At Sphyrapicus varius nest. D.N.E.

Ludwig, F. E., and C. N. Hull. 1989. Observations of colonial waterbirds at the Saginaw Bay diked disposal facility, Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, 1986—1989. JPW 67: 128-131.—Occurrence of herons, gulls, and terns. D.N.E.

Ludwig, J. P. 1984. Decline, resurgence, and population dynamics of Michigan and Great Lakes Double-crested Cormorants. JPW 62: 91-102.—Breeding population increasing 40%/yr. D.N.E.

Ludwig, J. P. 1988. Observations on the 1965 and 1966 mortalities of alewives and Ring-billed Gulls in the Saginaw Bay-Lake Huron ecosystem. JPW 66: 2-19.—High Mortality of Larus delawarensis attributed to botulism type E from eating putrefied alewives. D.N.E.

Ludwig, J. P. et al. 1989. Food habits and breeding ecology of nesting Double-crested Cormorants in the upper Great Lakes, 1986—1989. JPW 67: 114-126.—Phalacrocorax auritus is generalist, opportunistic feeder, D.N.E.

Macdonald, M. E. 1984. Observations on the return of Bald Eagles to Copper Harbor. JPW 62: 51-52.

Martin, C. J. 1989. Additions to the bird fauna of Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw County, Michigan. JPW 67: 66-69.—Between 1983 and 1988. D.N.E.

McGrath, J. E. 1987. Some notes on the removal of House Sparrow nests in the vicinity of Eastern Bluebird nests. JPW 65: 40.—Evicted House Sparrow apparently killed adult and nestling bluebirds in nest box. D.N.E.

McGrath, J. E., and J. C. Moss. 1988. Ruby-throated Hummingbird completes nesting at relocated site. JPW 66: 159-160.--Archilochus colubris.

McWhirter, D. W. 1987. Commensalistic feeding exhibited by wood warblers in association with a garter snake. JPW 65: 15-16.

Minick, M. C. 1984. Existence of a gray-eyed Great Horned Owl. JPW 62: 75-77.

Mott, S. H. 1982. First Michigan record of a Black Skimmer. JPW 60: 29-30.—A single bird sighted 22 August 1981 on Saginaw Bay. K.L.B.

Parmalee, D. F. 1988. Some observations on nest dates and site fidelity of Gray Jays and ravens in Dickinson County, Michigan. JPW 66: 158-159.--Perisoreus canadensis nests in Picea or Abies at edge of bogs, eariest young 28 March; earliest Corvus corax young 23 March. D.N.E.

Paterson, R. L., Jr. 1982. Passerine community structure at the beech-maple coniferous forest interface. JPW 60: 15-21.—Fewer species bred in beech-maple segments than in mixed coniferous segments. The author speculates that greater structural diversity in the latter may be responsible for the difference. K.L.B.

Pierce, P. A. 1982. Behavior of fledgling Great Blue Herons in a Michigan heronry. JPW 60: 4-14.—During 40 h of observations fledglings engaged in flight practice 20% of the time. K.L.B.

Pike, E. A. 1985. The Piping Plover at Waugoshance Point. JPW 63: 36-41.—Status and breeding biology, 1974—1982. D.N.E.

Probst, J. R. 1985. Summer records and management implications of Kirtland’s Warbler in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. JPW 63: 9-16.—Low probability of establishment away from current range suggests no management be done outside northern Lower Michigan. D.N.E.

Ryel, L. A. 1982. The Kirtland’s Warbler in 1982. JPW 60: 147-150.—Median population size of 23 colonies was 3 males (mean = 9). The six largest colonies contained 70% of the singing males. K.L.B.

Ryel, L. A. 1983. Status of the Kirtland’s Warbler, 1983. JPW 61: 95-98.—Documents 215 singing males. D.N.E.

Ryel, L. A. 1984. Situation report, Kirtland’s Warbler, 1984. JPW 62: 103-105.—Synopsis of censuses, 1951-1984. D.N.E.

Scharf, W. C. 1989. Coastal Great Blue Heron and Great Egret colonies of the Michigan Great Lakes. JPW 67: 52-65.—Compares numbers of Ardea herodias and Casmerodius albus nests between 1976—1977 and 1987, with comments on each colony. D.N.E.

Scharf, W. C., and G. W. Shugart. 1983. New Caspian Tern colonies in Lake Huron. JPW 61: 13-14.

Schumacher, C. M. 1983. Recent northern records of the Louisiana Waterthrush in Michigan. JPW 61: 61-62.

Smith, D. C., and J. Van Buskirk. 1986. Herring Gull predation on migrating bats. JPW 64: 23.—Two diurnal observations in May over Lake Superior. D.N.E.

Smith, J. P. 1986. Mobbing behavior of Herring Gulls on Sharp-shinned Haks over Lake Superior. JPW 64: 24.—Three hawks forced down and presumably drowned on 18 May 1985. D.N.E.

Smith, R. 1984. Common Barn Owl in northern Lower Peninsula. JPW 62: 53.

Taylor, C. M. 1984. The Common Loon in the central Upper Peninsula of Michigan, 1975. JPW 62: 77-78.—Loons seen on 22 of 111 lakes surveyed. D.N.E.

Van’t Hoff, T. J., G. P. Waldbauer, and H. M. Van’t Hof. 1983. Summer records of Northern Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus) and Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus) in northern Michigan. JPW 61: 82.—Both seen 24 July 1982 at same site, Chippewa Co. D.N.E.

Walkinshaw, L. H. 1983. The Lincoln’s Sparrow in Michigan. JPW 61: 75-81.—Synopsis of author’s field work over 50 years: migration, distribution, nesting, and mensural data. D.N.E.

Walkinshaw, L. H. 1984. Changes in winter bird life in Michigan: sixty years of Christmas Bird Counts in the Battle Creek, Michigan, area. JPW 62: 63-69.

Walkinshaw, L. H. 1985. Birds found in Michigan jack-pine burns: fifty-three years of observation. JPW 63: 24-35.—Summer records. D.N.E.

Walkinshaw, L. H. 1989. The Greater Sandhill Crane in Michigan: an update on nest data, with observations on nest fidelity. JPW 67: 3-17.—Each of 3 nesting areas of Grus canadensis studied intensively for minimum of 13 yr. D.N.E.

Wang, Y. T. 1985. Mallard parasitizes Canada Goose nest and completes incubation. JPW 63: 61.

Wear, G. D., and P. A. Crawford. 1983. Additional spring observation of Black-headed Grosbeak in Michigan. JPW 61: 62.

Weinrich, J. A. 1988. Status of the Kirtland’s Warbler, 1987. JPW 66: 154-158.—Tallied 167 singing male Dendroica kirtlandii in 1987, lowest since 1974. D.N.E.

Weinrich, J. A. 1989. Status of the Kirtland’s Warbler, 1988. JPW 67: 69-72.—Reports 207 singing male Dendroica kirtlandii in Michigan and 8 in Wisconsin. D.N.E.

Weise, T. F. 1987. Status of the Kirtland’s Warbler, 1985. JPW 65: 17-19.—Counts of singing males summarized by county, 1961, 1971—1985. D.N.E.

Wiens, T. P. 1989. Spring migrant Boreal Owls at Whitefish Point, Michigan. JPW 67: 88-93.—Reports banding of 316 Aegolius funereus, 1978—1988. D.N.E.

Wolinski, R. A. 1985. Short-term commensal feeding of Barn and Tree swallows with European Starlings. JPW 63: 62.

Wolinski, R. A. 1988. Some bird population changes in Michigan: 1900—1965. JPW 66: 55-69.—Data on ca. 15 species. D.N.E.

Drought and Birds: Avocets and Stilts

2010-02-23T12:15:00.004-05:00

The complex of wetlands in the Lahontan Valley of Nevada, designated as a Hemispheric Reserve within the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network in 1988, declined in area from 34,800 hectares in 1905 to 6,150 hectares in 1987, a net loss of 82 percent.

Julia A R. Alberico (1993) studied the breeding biology of American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana) and Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus) in the Lahontan Valley in the drought year of 1991 and reported the results in Western Birds.

Her Summary:

I monitored breeding American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts in the Lahontan Valley, Nevada, during the fifth year of drought. There were few sites suitable for breeding, and at sites where birds did breed, nest depredation was extremely high. In a non-drought year there would be thousands of breeding recurvirostrids in the area I monitored; in 1991 there were fewer than 100. Only six pairs of stilts hatched chicks, and avocets failed entirely.

Nest predation pressure is probably higher in drought years because nests are more accessible to coyotes, and duck eggs and other prey items for ravens are limited. Antipredator behaviors seemed ineffective under such pressure.

In areas where 1,000, and often as many as 4,000, young avocets and equal numbers of stilts were routinely produced in each of the 18 years monitored between 1949 and 1975, Alberico documented no avocet chicks and just 21 stilt chicks.

Alberico cites others to the effect that recurvirostrid populations declined in the Lahontin Valley during the dry years of 1976 and 1977, while simultaneously increasing at Great Basin wetlands in Oregon and Utah, "suggesting they had moved from drought-stricken areas such as the Lahontan Valley."

Of 59 avocet and 10 stilt nests at one site (Mahala Slough) in 1991, 13 avocet nests (22 percent) were depredated by coyotes (Canis latrans) and 42 avocet nests (71 percent) and 2 stilt nests (20 percent) were depredated by birds. Common Ravens (Corvus corax) were the primary avian nest predators, although California Gulls (Larus californicus) may also have been involved occasionally.

Alberico comments about the effects of the drought on predation:

Several conditions associated with drought might have increased nest vulnerability and predation rates on recurvirostrid nests in the Lahontan Valley. As Mahala Slough dried up, I observed (from tracks and direct sightings) increasing coyote traffic around nesting areas, coupled with an increase in nest predation by coyotes. As the ponds dried up, nests initiated on hummocks surrounded by water soon became accessible via land or by shallow wading.

More specifically, she found that "Stilt nesting success was related to water depth, as five of six successful nests were surrounded by water deeper than 0.75 m."

Also, "A drought-induced shortage of typical prey items [especially nesting waterfowl] may have prompted ravens to increase their predation on avocet and stilt eggs."

Alberico’s article can be read in full by clicking on the highlighted title below.

Citation:

Alberico, Julie A. R. 1993. Drought and predation cause avocet and stilt breeding failure in Nevada. Western Birds 24: 43-51. [.PDF]

Harvey Nelson Mourned

2010-02-22T19:16:00.001-05:00

Harvey Nelson (1925-2010), one of the notable wildlife conservationists of the 20th century, passed away Friday at age 85 from heart failure. Born and raised in Minnesota, he obtained a B.S. degree from the University of Minnesota and a M.S. degree from Michigan State University in wildlife management.

He "nurtured a boyhood fascination with waterfowl to become one of the nation’s most powerful wetlands and wildlife managers over a 42-year career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service." Nelson’s expertise and influence will be sorely missed.

Blog Maintenance

2010-02-22T08:27:00.004-05:00

It's been a long time since I've done any maintenance on this blog. As a result, it has fallen into a state of disrepair, much like a house that has been neglected. One of the first things I need to tackle is to figure out why by Archives stopped functioning in December 2008. If anyone can offer some helpful hints on restoring this feature, I'd appreciate it.

Agnew on the Ivory-billed Woodpecker

2010-02-22T08:20:00.001-05:00

John N. Agnew, an accomplished Ohio wildlife artist, has written rather extensively about the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) on his blog, The View from Here, over the course of the last 18 months. Agnew even claims to have sighted an Ivory-bill—in the swamps of the Choctawhatchee River basin—in January 2008. His collection of writings on the Ivory-bill, illustrated with his own artwork of the bird he claims to have seen, can be viewed here.

Michigan Falconry

2010-02-21T16:47:00.000-05:00

In Michigan falconry, Red-tailed Hawks are the Ford F-150, while Goshawks are the Corvette. One is steady and dependable, the other fast and flashy.

The quote above is from a wonderful article by Dave Spratt on the ancient art of falconry in Michigan.

More information about falconry is available on the Website of the Michigan Hawking Club.

Michigan Birds and Natural History

2010-02-20T20:38:00.006-05:00

Michigan Birds and Natural History (MBNH), the formal journal of the Michigan Audubon Society, is a worthy successor to the venerable Jack-Pine Warbler, which was reduced to a mere newsletter about 15 years ago and has now been transformed into one of those slick magazines (so popular today) designed for popular consumption.

Published five times a year, each issue of MBNH is packed with information gathered by amateurs and professionals about the birds and other widlife of the Great Lakes State. Everyone interested in the natural history of Michigan should consider subscribing to this fine journal. A sample of a recent issue is available here (.PDF). To further whet your appetites, I here list the contents of a few selected past issues:

Volume 16 (Number 1), January—March 2009

Cover Photograph: King Rail walking across the county line from Bay into Arenac on 27 June 2008, by Doug Jackson.

The 2008 Kirtland’s Warbler Census, by Michael E. Petrucha and Elaine Carlson. Pp. 1-6.

Seasonal Use of Snags and Downed Logs by Vertebrates in a Small Wetland in Livingston County, Michigan, by Richard A. Wolinski. Pp. 7-17. Photo: aerial view of the Dexter Trail Wetland study area.

Michigan Bird Survey: Summer 2008 (1 June—31 July), compiled by Louie J. Dombroski. Pp. 18-43. Photos: (a) Willets at Tiscornia Beach, Berrien Co., in June 2008, by Tim Baerwald, p. 26; (b) juvenile Heermann’s Gull (Michigan’s second) in Houghton Co. on 18 July 2008, by Joe Youngman, p. 28; (c) Green Violetear (Michigan’s third) at Shelter Bay, Alger Co., on 6 July 2008, by Kirk Zufelt, p. 29; (d) Northern Wheatear (Michigan’s first in spring) in Grand Marai, Alger Co., on 6 June 2008, by Skye Haas, p. 33; (e) Yellow-throated Warbler in Marquette on 20 July 2008, by Beth Olsen, p. 36; (f) Cerulean Warbler in Marquette, by Betth Olson, p. 37; (g) Henslow’s Sparrow (Michigan’s first Upper Peninsula record) in Menominee Co. on 14 June 2008, by Kirk Zufelt, p. 40.

Suggestions to Authors, by the editor. P. 44.

Volume 15 (Number 5), November—December 2008

Cover Photograph: Carolina Wren, 3 January 2009 at Elizabeth Park, Trenton, Wayne Co., by Jerry Jourdan.

The Role of Severe Winter Weather in the Colonization, Extinction, and Reestablishment of a Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) Population, by Jacob Job and Peter Bednekoff. Pp. 193-200.

Actions of the Michigan Bird Records Committee for 2007, by Caleb G. Putnam. Pp. 201-248.

Michigan Banding Summary for 2007, by Mike Bishop. Pp. 249-264. Photo: hatch-year male Dickcissel captured 20 October 2007 at Pitsfield banding station (where new), Kalamazoo Co., by Rich Keith, p. 250.

Volume 15 (Number 3), June—August 2008

Cover Photograph: Bohemian Waxwing, 30 January 2008 in Berrien Co., by Kip Miller.

Nesting Proximity of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in Michigan, by Allen T. Chartier. Pp. 93-96. Photo: location of two Ruby-throated Hummingbird nests in Raisinville Twp., Monroe Co., showing surrounding habitat.

First Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes monantus) for Southern Lower Peninsula and Review of Previous Michgian Records, by Jonathan T. Wuepper. Pp. 97-99.

Michigan Bird Survey: Winter 2007—2008 (December—February), compiled by Jonathan T. Wuepper. Pp. 100-123. Photos: (a) Pacific Loon (Washtenaw Co.’s first) at Portage Lake on 29 December 2007, by Joshua Haas, p. 107; (b) Rough-legged Hawk in Oakland Co. on 14 January 2008, by Tom Pavlik, p. 113; (c) Short-eared Owl in Washtenaw Co. on 21 December 2007, by Bruce Bowman, p. 113; (d) Brown Thrasher in Superior Twp., Washtenaw Co., on 26 January 2008, by John Copley, p. 116; (e) Bohemian Waxwing at Mt. Pleasant, Isabella Co., on 3 February 2008, by Darlene Friedman, p. 117; (f) male Pine Grosbeak in Lapeer Co. on 17 March 2008, by Allen T. Chartier, p. 120.

Michigan Christmas Bird Counts: 2007—2008, compiled by Glenn R. Palmgren. Pp. 124-140.

Volume 14 (Number 5), November—December 2007

Cover Photograph: Prothonotary Warbler, 1 May 2005, by Robert Epstein.

Birding Newaygo County, Michigan, by Bill Sweetman. Pp. 177-182.

Long-term Philopatry of a Hibernating Eastern Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus), by Rachel B. Bricklin, Allen Kurta, Steven M. Smith, and Bill Scullon. Pp. 183-185. Photo: Eastern Pipistrelle with forearm band, p. 184.

First Documented Breeding of the Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) in Eaton County, Michigan, by Matthew Bohan and Michael A. Sanders. Pp. 186-188. Photos: (a) Prothonotary Warbler at Grand Wood Park in Eaton County, 20 May 2007, by Matthew Bohan, p. 187; (b) male Prothonotary Warbler near nest cavity on Grand River at Grand Woods Park in Eaton County, 20 May 2007, by Matthew Bohan, p. 187.

Actions of the Michigan Bird Records Committee for 2006, compiled by Caleb G. Putnam. Pp. 189-220.

Michigan Banding Summary for 2006, compiled by Mike Bishop. Pp. 221-240.

Grackle Prankster

2010-02-20T05:13:00.005-05:00

Texas Governor Rick Perry is somewhat of a prankster, apparently. According to this source, while attending college at Texas A&M, Perry "left a few grackles and a bunch of bird seed in a classmate’s dorm room over Christmas break. The birds left a nasty smelling mess." Being as how grackles and other blackbirds didn’t receive Federal protection until 1972, the same year that Mr. Perry graduated, I’ll give him a break on this one, though animal welfare activists might not be so kind.

I can’t be as forgiving of former Texas Governor and U.S. President George W. Bush who mistook a Killdeer, a protected shorebird, for a Mourning Dove on a very public hunt while campaigning for governor and killed it dead. Mr. Bush was issued a citation and fined $130 for the offense, the maximum penalty for this violation being $500.

Memoirs and Ivory-billed Woodpeckers: Altered Realities

2010-02-18T08:53:00.007-05:00

An article by Daniel Mendelsohn in the January 25, 2010, issue of The New Yorker (pp. 68-74) on the seemingly unrelated topic of memoirs, especially fraudulent ones, may offer some insight into the propensity for some people to make fantastic claims about sightings of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers (Campephilus principalis) that, upon close examination, lack convincing details, and for others to accept them without question.

In the following paragraphs, I highlight a few things about fraudulent memoirs—which reveal something about our human psyches—that seem to have a connection to purported sightings of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers. All of the quotations that follow are taken directly from Mendelsohn's article.

"One of the most interesting defenses of memoirs that turn out to be 'enhanced' or downright invented is that they accurately reflect a reality present not in the world itself, . . ., but in the author's mind." In other words, the mere process of believing something, no matter how outlandish, makes it true.

In defending what was later revealed to be a fraudulent memoir, one author is reported to have said, "It is not the actual reality—it was my reality."

"The seemingly pervasive inability on the part of both authors and readers to distinguish their truth from the objective truth [emphases added] is nothing new in the history of . . . literature." Perhaps the same can be said of some "scientists" and the literature they publish.

"When readers defended . . . [the author of a fraudulent memoir] on the ground that his book, however falsified its 'memories' were, had nonetheless (as he had hoped) provided them with the genuine uplift they were looking for, they were really defending fiction; an uplifting entertainment that can tell truths but cannot tell the truth."

Reacting to the discovery that some of the events in a memoir describing government atrocities against indigenous Guatemalans had not happened in the way related by the author, one sympathetic college professor proclaimed, in a scholarly journal, "Whether her book is true or not, I don't care." So much for objectivity!

Mendelsohn concludes that the public's "susceptibility [to improbable claims] suggests how an immoderate yearning for stories that end satisfyingly [as in, for example, enhancing a belief in the continued existence of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker] . . . makes us vulnerable to frauds and con men peddling pat uplift."

Claims of sightings (or even photographs) by folks like Steve Sheridan and Daniel Rainsong, and others before them, help perpetuate the fiction of the continued existence of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker among people who, for whatever reason, want to believe that this species remains alive. In the minds of these people, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker will forever live among us, however flimsy the evidence.

Disclaimer: The preceding article was originally posted as a Comment on Bill Pulliam's Notes from soggy bottom blog in response to his review of the recent history of fraudulent Ivory-billed Woodpecker claims. It has been slightly modified from the original.

Drought and Birds: Snail Kite

2010-02-18T07:50:00.006-05:00

In one of the first Federally-funded field studies of an Endangered species in the United States, Paul W. Sykes Jr. (1979) examined population status, nesting success, and movements of the Snail Kite (Rhostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus)—formerly known as the Everglade Kite—in the human-altered marshes of south Florida over a span of 11 years, 1968-1978. The bill of the Snail Kite is uniquely adapted for feeding almost exclusively on apple snails (Pomacea sp.), which makes them wetland obligates, and thus particularly susceptible to drought.

Drought-related impacts on Snail Kites are emphasized in this excerpt from Sykes’s Summary:

The severe drought of 1971 resulted in a significant decrease in the population for that year and 1972, with no nesting attempts being observed in the dry year. From 1974 through 1978 the population increased significantly (r = 0.92, P < 0.025), apparently the result of favorable water conditions and increased food supply. The loss of suitable habitat is the major problem facing the species in Florida. A high water level is essential, as it affects food supply and its availability, as well as nesting success.

More specifically, in the two drought-influenced years (1971-1972), nesting attempts and number of young fledged were reduced to 3 and 1.5/year, respectively. By contrast, these same variables averaged 15 and 16/year in three pre-drought years (1968-1970) and 33 and 26/year in four post-drought years (1973-1976). In other words, drought conditions reduced nesting attempts to 20 and 9 percent of pre- and post-drought levels, and number of young fledged to 9 and 6 percent of pre- and post-drought levels.

Regarding population movements, Sykes notes: "My field work, beginning in 1967, has shown that kites are nomadic in Florida. Since widespread water manipulation has affected their food supply, kites must be nomadic to survive." Sykes concludes that "The nomadic behavior exhibited by this kite in recent years, probably represents a normal response to changes in water levels and food availability."

In discussing mortality, Sykes adds that "some individuals probably starved in drier years."

Additional details are revealed in the Discussion:

Each year, following breeding, some birds disperse, but during the drought of 1971 they were scattered more widely than usual over the entire Florida peninsula. The reduced food supply resulting from dry conditions apparently raised the mortality rate. In 1971 there was no recruitment to the population and when the census was taken only 72 individuals could be found. Although dispersal might have affected the actual number of birds seen, it was obvious that the population had decreased. In 1972 nesting attempts were at least 60% below the 1968—1970 period, and only 65 individuals were recorded on the census. Dry conditions prevailed in 1974 and there was a corresponding decrease in the kite population (Figure 4).

Sykes’s article can be read in full by clicking on the highlighted title below.

Citation:

Sykes, Paul W., Jr. 1979. Status of the Everglade Kite in Florida—1968-1978. Wilson Bulletin 91: 495-652. [.PDF]

Drought and Birds: Dew Bathing

2010-02-17T06:54:00.005-05:00

Early on the morning of August 26, 1961, Nicolaas A. M. Verbeek (1962) observed 29 individuals of 7 species bathing and washing themselves in the dew that had gathered on the leaves of a shrubby vine maple (Acer circinatum) near Vancouver, British Columbia. Engaged in this behavior were 2 Red-eyed Vireos Vireo olivaceus, 15 Black-capped Chickadees Poicele atricapillus, 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets Regulus satrapa, 7 Orange-crowned Warblers Vermivora celata, 1 Black-throated Gray Warbler Dendroica nigrescens, 1 Wilson’s Warbler Wilsonia pusilla, and 1 Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia.

Verbeek attributed this rarely observed or reported behavior to the local drought conditions prevailing at the time, “with only a little over a centimeter [0.39 inches] of rain recorded in the 50 days preceding the day of observation.” While July and August are typically the driest months of the year in Vancouver, an average of 7.87 centimeters (3.1 inches) of rain normally falls during that period, nearly 8 times the amount recorded in 1961.

While others have reported instances of dew bathing in the wild (see Nichols 1921, Abbot 1954, Douglas 1968, and Baptista 1973), Verbeek is the only one who has suggested a connection between this behavior and drought. It seems likely that dew bathing would be more common amongst species that inhabit arid regions. In fact, Jim Conrad reported his observation of Yellow-rumped Warblers Dendroica coronata and Clay-colored Sparrows Spizella pallida bathing in the dew that had collected on mesquite leaves in northern Chihuahua.

Verbeek’s article, as well as the other references, can be read in full by clicking on the highlighted titles below (all are in .PDF format).

Citations:

Abbot, Waldo G. 1954. Leaf bathing of the Mockingbird. Condor 56: 163-164.

Baptista, Luis F. 1973. Leaf bathing in three species of emberizines. Wilson Bulletin 85: 346-347.

Dow, Douglas D. 1968. Dew bathing and related behavior of the Cardinal. Bird-Banding 39: 227-228.

Nichols, J. T. 1921. Coereba bahamensis at Miami, Fla. Auk 38: 461-462.
http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Auk/v038n03/p0461-p0462.pdf

Verbeek, Nicolaas A. M. 1962. On dew bathing and drought in passerines. Auk 79: 719.

Drought and Birds: Introduction

2010-02-16T10:02:00.003-05:00

Birds must deal daily with a host of weather variables, be it rain, snow, sleet, hail, lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, or temperature extremes. One of the longer-term climatic factors with which birds must periodically contend is drought, the lack of precipitation.

The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS)—in cooperation with the National Drought Mitigation Center and the National Integrated Drought Information System—has asked its national network of observers to begin submitting reports of how their communities have been impacted by drought.

The CoCoRaHS "Drought Impact Reporting Guide" can be viewed at this slideshow.

Spurred by this interest in drought, I will endeavor to periodically summarize information about the impact of drought on birds, particularly in North America. My primary source of information will be the invaluable treasure-trove of ornithological literature available through SORA, the Searchable Ornithological Research Archive.

Stay tuned!

Comforting Crows

2010-02-15T09:18:00.005-05:00

In her review of singer-songwriter Allison Moorer’s latest CD, Crows, in PasteMagazine.com, Jenna Woginrich manages to string together two head-turning statements in consecutive sentences. Quite a notable feat! Judge for yourself:

There’s something comfortable about crows—their trademark call, that unmistakable silhouette, and the fact that no matter where I reside, they’re always there.

I’m no ornithologist, but I think crows are a lot like the men in my life: clever little assholes that win you over with dark humor and reliable comfort.

Those of you not familiar with Moorer's music might want to check out a lovely little tune called Mockingbird.

Words of Wisdom from Donald Duck

2009-08-30T14:38:00.004-04:00

I stumbled across this gem of a story in Chuck Shepherd’s News of the Weird newspaper column, distributed weekly by the Universal Press Syndicate:

Quacking Up

Donald Duck may be a lovable icon of comic mishap to American youngsters, but in Germany, he is wise and complicated and retains followers well past their childhoods. Using licensed Disney storyline[s] and art, the legendary translator Erika Fuchs created an erudite Donald, who often “quotes from German literature, speaks in grammatically complex sentences, and is prone to philosophical musings,: according to a May Wall Street Journal dispatch. Though Donald and Ungle Scrooge ("Dagoberto") speak in a lofty richness, nephews Tick, Trick, and Track use the slang of youth. Recently in Stuttgart, academics gathered for the 32nd annual convention of the "German Organization for Non-Commercial Follwers of Pure Donaldism" with presentations on such topics as Duckburg’s solar system. [hyperlinks added]

Trout in the St. Joseph River Valley of Michigan: Relative Importance

2009-07-15T23:42:00.002-04:00

In previous posts, I examined (a) 20th century distribution of trout and (b) species diversity and annual variation in streams within the Michigan portion of the St. Joseph River. Here, I continue my assessment of trout populations by looking at species diversity and annual variation. The information presented here is derived from the creel-census data provided by Wesley and Duffy (1999).

Throughout the entire Michigan portion of the St. Joseph River system, trout accounted for about one-quarter of the fish caught during the period 1928-1965. They were most abundant in the Lower and Mouth segments of the system, where they accounted for 94.9 and 88.6 percent of the catch, respectively. Details follow:

Trout As a Percentage of Total Catch (All Streams):

Headwaters: Mean = 4.8 (11 of 229 fish in 2 streams). Median = 2.8 (range 0.0 – 5.5)
Upper: Mean = 0.7 (20 of 2,953 fish in 7 streams). Median = 4.9 (range 0.0 – 9.8)
Middle: Mean = 8.9 (1,118 of 12,515 fish in 14 streams). Median = 96.5 (range 0.0 – 100.0)
Lower: Mean = 94.9 (3,047 of 3,210 fish in 16 streams). Median = 100.0 (range 3.6 – 100.0)
Mouth: Mean = 88.6 (1,176 of 1,328 fish in 15 streams). Median = 100.0 (range 0.0 – 100.0)
TOTAL: Mean = 26.5 (5,372 of 20,235 fish in 54 streams). Median = 100.0 (range 0.0 – 100.0)

Trout represented a somewhat lower percentage of the total catch in McCoy Creek (90.9 percent) than in the remaining 15 streams in the Lower valley segment (95.1 percent).

In the 41 trout streams (i.e., streams or stream segments where trout were available and caught as a result of intentional or unintentional stocking), trout usually accounted for a majority of the fish caught. For example, trout represented more than 50 percent of the reported catch in 36 streams (88 percent), more than 90 percent of the catch in 34 streams (83 percent), and 100 percent of the catch in 28 streams (68 percent).

Except for the poorly-sampled Headwaters and Upper valley segments, trout of one or more of the three species were predominant in the overall catch in trout streams throughout the system, accounting for 86 to 95 percent of the reported catch. Details follow:

Trout as Percentage of Total Catch in Trout Streams:

Headwaters: Mean = 5.5 (11 of 201 fish in 1 stream)
Upper: Mean = 9.8 (20 of 204 fish in 1 stream)
Middle: Mean = 86.1 (1,118 of 1,299 fish in 9 streams). Median = 100.0 (range 44.2 – 100.0)
Lower: Mean = 94.9 (3,047 of 3,210 fish in 16 streams). Median = 100.0 (range 3.7 – 100.0)
Mouth: Mean = 91.5 (1,176 of 1,285 fish in 14 streams). Median = 100.0 (range 26.5 – 100.0)
TOTAL: Mean = 86.7 (5,372 of 6,199 fish in 41 streams). Median = 100.0 (range 3.7 – 100.0)

Among the eight high-diversity trout streams (i.e., streams with all three species represented in the catch) in the Lower valley segment, trout represented a slightly smaller percentage of the total catch in McCoy Creek (90.9 percent) than in the remaining seven streams (97.5 percent).

Reference:

Wesley, J. K., and Joan E. Duffy. 1999b. St. Joseph River assessment. Appendix 2 (.pdf). Miscellaneous historical creel data. Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division Fisheries Report 24: 117-227. URL: http://www.michigandnr.com/PUBLICATIONS/PDFS/ifr/ifrlibra/special/reports/sr24/sr24App2.pdf

Trout in the St. Joseph River Valley of Michigan: Species Diversity and Annual Variation

2009-07-12T10:33:00.001-04:00

In a previous post, I examined 20th century distribution of trout in streams within the Michigan portion of the St. Joseph River. Here, I continue my assessment of trout populations by looking at species diversity and annual variation. The information presented here is derived from the creel-census data provided by Wesley and Duffy (1999).

In streams (including McCoy Creek) where trout were known to be present during the period 1928-1965, anglers could universally expect to encounter (at least on occasion) up to three different species of trout, not always in the same year but over a period of years. Of the 41 streams with trout, 58 percent (24) yielded three species, 17 percent (7) two species, and 42 percent (10) one species. Details follow:

Number of Trout Species by Stream (1 – 2 – 3)

Headwaters: 1 – 0 – 0 (n=1)
Upper: 0 – 0 – 1 (n=1)
Middle: 2 – 2 – 5 (n=9)
Lower: 6 – 2 – 8 (n=16)
Mouth: 1 – 3 – 10 (n=14)
TOTAL: 10 – 7 – 24 (n=41)

There was a strong correlation between the number of trout species caught in a stream and the number of creel censuses conducted. For example, in streams with one species detected the median number of creel censuses conducted was 1 (range 1 – 4), in streams with two species it was 2.5 (range 1 – 5), and in streams with three species it was 7 (range 2 – 19).

I next examined yearly variability in species diversity by taking a closer look at the 24 streams in which three species of trout were detected. Trout were detected in 78 percent (149) of 190 yearly creel censuses. In the 149 census-years in which trout were reported as being caught, there was a 30 percent probability of encountering one species, a 42 percent probability of two species, and a 28 percent probability of three species. Details follow:

Yearly Variation in Number of Trout Species Caught (1 – 2 – 3)

Upper: 1 – 1 – 1 (n=11)
Middle: 8 – 14 – 7 (n=37)
Lower: 24 – 30 – 15 (n=80)
Mouth: 12 – 17 – 9 (n=62)
TOTAL: 45 – 62 – 42 (n=149)
PERCENT: 30 – 42 – 28

There was variability in both the number of species and the specific species caught each year, perhaps because of variability in stocking patterns of different species in each of the 24 streams.

The creel-census data show that trout were encountered less frequently by anglers in McCoy Creek (57 percent) than at other trout streams in the St. Joseph River drainage (78 percent), and average species diversity was lover in years when present (1.5 versus 2.0).

Reference:

Wesley, J. K., and Joan E. Duffy. 1999b. St. Joseph River assessment. Appendix 2 (.pdf). Miscellaneous historical creel data. Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division Fisheries Report 24: 117-227. URL: http://www.michigandnr.com/PUBLICATIONS/PDFS/ifr/ifrlibra/special/reports/sr24/sr24App2.pdf

Trout in the St. Joseph River Valley of Michigan: 20th Century Distribution

2009-07-12T09:52:00.005-04:00

The St. Joseph River valley has been described thusly by Wesley and Duffy (1999):

The St. Joseph River basin, located in southwest Michigan and northwest Indiana, is the third largest river basin in Michigan. The river begins in Michigan’s Hillsdale County at Baw Beese Lake, and flows in a northerly arc before turning south and entering Indiana. The river flows west across Indiana before making an abrupt turn to the north at South Bend. It re-enters Michigan in southeastern Berrien County and flows northwest until it reaches Lake Michigan between the cities of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor. The St. Joseph River mainstem is 210 miles long and its tributary streams total an additional 1,641 miles (Brown 1944). The river drains a watershed of 4,685 square miles: 3,000 square miles in Michigan and 1,685 square miles in Indiana.

Trout (Family Salmonidae) are not native to any of the streams in the St. Joseph River system. Three species—Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), Brown Trout (Salmo trutta), Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)—were introduced to various streams within the drainage by the Michigan Department of Conservation (forerunner of the Department of Natural Resources) in the latter decades of the 19th century or the early decades of the 20th century.

Wesley and Duffy (1999a) divided the St. Joseph River watershed into five valley segments (Headwaters, Upper, Middle, Lower, and Mouth) based on physiographic characteristics. These river valley segments are illustrated here.

A picture of the historic (1928-1964) distribution of non-native trout throughout the Michigan portion St. Joseph River watershed comes to light by reviewing the presence of trout in creel-census data gathered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (Wesley and Duffy 1999b).

Trout of 1-3 species were recorded in 41 (76 percent) of 54 streams in the Michigan portion of the St. Joseph River drainage at which creel censuses were conducted between 1928 and 1964. The percentage of streams in which trout were present and caught by sport anglers ranged from a low of 14 percent in the Upper segment to 100 percent in the Lower (including McCoy Creek) and Mouth segments. Details follow:

Headwaters: 50 percent (1 of 2 streams)
Upper: 14 percent (1 of 7)
Middle: 64 percent (9 of 14)
Lower: 100 percent (16 of 16)
Mouth: 100 percent (14 of 15)
TOTAL: 76 percent (41 of 54)

These figures illustrate that, within the St. Joseph River watershed (and especially among streams within the Lower segment of that watershed), McCoy Creek was not unusual in providing trout-fishing opportunities to sport anglers in the period from 1928-1964.

References:

Brown, C. J. D. 1944. Michigan streams: their lengths, distribution and drainage areas. Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division Miscellaneous Publication 1.

Wesley, Jay K., and Joan E. Duffy. 1999a. St. Joseph River assessment (.pdf). Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division Fisheries Species Report 24, 116 pp.
URL: http://www.michigandnr.com/PUBLICATIONS/PDFS/ifr/ifrlibra/special/reports/sr24/sr24Text.pdf

Wesley, J. K., and Joan E. Duffy. 1999b. St. Joseph River assessment. Appendix 2 (.pdf). Miscellaneous historical creel data. Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division Fisheries Report 24: 117-227. URL: http://www.michigandnr.com/PUBLICATIONS/PDFS/ifr/ifrlibra/special/reports/sr24/sr24App2.pdf

Prairie Plants Associated With McCoy Creek, Berrien County, Michigan

2009-07-03T15:39:00.006-04:00

Thompson (1983) assessed the floral composition of 26 prairie stands in southern Michigan from 1972-1981. His study sites included the Dayton Prairie (located on Curran Road at McCoy Creek 2 miles southeast of Dayton) and the McCoy Fen (along the railroad tracks southwest of Buchanan at McCoy Creek).

Thompson’s Dayton Prairie site corresponds with the Dayton Wet Prairie Preserve owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy since 1978. His McCoy Fen site is situated near where Bakertown Road crosses McCoy Creek and the Amtrak railroad tracks. It probably corresponds closely with Kohring’s (1981) Bakertown Fen, which she described thusly:

Bakertown Fen, in Berrien County, Buchanan Township, T7S, R18W, Section 34, SE1/4, is located on both sides of the [Amtrak] tracks from mile post 119.5 to 200. The fen and wet prairie soils are Houghton Muck with a pH of 7.2. This fen encompasses both wet and mesic prairies. The area has White Lady’s-Slipper (Cypripedium candidum), Spotted Phlox (Phlox maculata), Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium reptans), Sullivant’s Coneflower (Rudbeckia sullivantii), and Rosinweed (Silphium integrifolium) which are all on the Michigan list of threatened plants. Valerian (Valeriana ciliata), which is listed as rare, is also present.

Thompson (1983) tabulated 204 species of "prairie plants" on the 26 study sites, including a combined total of 123 species at Dayton Prairie and McCoy Fen. Of these 123 species, 92 were documented at Dayton Prairie, 111 at McCoy Fen, and 79 at both sites, yielding an index of similarity of 0.78 for the two prairie floras. These sites are located less than two miles apart along the upper reaches of McCoy Creek. Both of these prairies are described (Thompson 1983) as being occupied to some extent by prairie fen communities, a unique and increasingly rare wetland habitat in Michigan (Spiels et al. 1991).

In an earlier paper, Thompson (1981) provided a comprehensive list of 176 plant species found on the Dayton Prairie based on visits from 1974 to 1977. Kohring (1983) found a total of 273 species at Bakertown Fen during surveys in spring and fall 1978 , and reported the following dominants in decreasing order: Eleocharis spp., Carex spp., Thelypteris palustris, Solidato spp., Andropogon gerardi, Aster spp., and Cacalia tuberosa. Thompson's (1983) composite list of "prairie plants" from Dayton Prairie and McCoy Fen was dominated by composites (46 species), grasses (12), and legumes (7).

Most of the 123 species documented by Thompson (1983) at the Dayton Prairie and/or McCoy Fen are broadly distributed, but 25 are notable for being (a) of relative rare occurrence (i.e., recorded at 7 or fewer of the 26 sites studied), or (b) for being "special plants" in Michigan (i.e., Endangered, Threatened, or of Special Concern). Twelve of these "rare" species occurred at Dayton Prairie, 23 at McCoy Fen, and 10 at both sites. These species are not necessarily rare in the context of the broader landscape, just relatively rare in the prairie/fen sites studied by Thompson:

Arnoglossum plantagineum (=Cacalia tuberosa), Groovestem Indian Plantain: 2 sites, including McCoy Fen.
Bidens connata, Purplestem Beggarticks: 6 sites, including Dayton Prairie and McCoy Fen.
Bromus ciliatus, Fringed Brome: 2 sites, including McCoy Fen.
Campanula aparinoides, Marsh Bellflower: 7 sites, including McCoy Fen.
Cypripedium candidum, White Lady’s Slipper: 5 sites, including Dayton Prairie and McCoy Fen. State Threatened. Abstract (.pdf).
Dasiphora (=Potentilla) fruticosa, Shrubby Cinquefoil: 6 sites, including Dayton Prairie and McCoy Fen.
Dichanthelium (=Panicum) oligosanthes, Heller’s Rosette Grass: 5 sites, including McCoy Fen.
Dodecatheon meadia, Pride of Ohio, or Shooting Star: 4 sites, including Dayton Prairie and McCoy Fen. State Endangered.
Eryngium yuccifolium, Button Eryngo, or Rattlesnake Master: 5 sites, including McCoy Fen. State Threatened.
Gentiana crinita, Greater Fringed Gentian: 7 sites, including McCoy Fen.
Heliopsis helianthoides, Smooth Oxeye: 5 sites, including McCoy Fen.
Hierochloe hirta (=odorata), Northern Sweetgrass: 7 sites, including Dayton Prairie and McCoy Fen.
Lobelia kalmii, Ontario Lobelia: 7 sites, including Dayton Prairie and McCoy Fen.
Mentha arvensis, Wild Mint: 7 sites, including Dayton Prairie.
Phlox maculata, Wild Sweet William: 2 sites (Dayton Prairie and McCoy Fen). State Threatened.
Polemonium reptans, Greek Valerian, or Jacob’s Ladder: 3 sites, including McCoy Fen. State Threatened.
Rudbeckia fulgita (=sullivantii), Orange Coneflower: 3 sites, including McCoy Fen.
Rudbeckia lascinata, Cutleaf Coneflower: 3 sites, including McCoy Fen.
Silphium integrifolium, Wholeleaf Rosinweed: 10 sites, including Dayton Prairie and McCoy Fen. State Threatened
Solidago patula, Roundleaf Goldenrod: 6 sites, including McCoy Fen.
Solidago uliginosa, Bog Goldenrod: 5 sites, including Dayton Prairie and McCoy Fen.
Symphyotrichum (=Aster) praealtus, Willowleaf Aster: 6 sites, including Dayton Prairie. State Special Concern.
Triantha (=Tofieldia) glutinosa, Sticky Tofieldia: 5 sites, including McCoy Fen.
Valeriana edulis var. ciliata, Tobacco Root, or Edible Valerian: 8 sites, including Dayton Prairie and McCoy Fen. State Threatened.
Zigadenus elegans (=glaucus), Mountain Deathcamas: 6 sites, including McCoy Fen.

References:

Kohring, Margaret A. 1981. Saving Michigan’s railroad strip prairies (.pdf). Pp. 150-151 in Proceedings of the 6th North American Prairie Conference (Ronald L. Stuckey and Karen J. Reese, eds.). Ohio Biological Survey Notes 15.
http://images.library.wisc.edu/EcoNatRes/EFacs/NAPC/NAPC06/reference/econatres.napc06.mkohring.pdf

Kohring, Margaret A. 1983. Effect of a fall burn on Bakertown Fen (Berrien Co., Michigan) (.pdf). P. 265 in Proceedings of the 7th North American Prairie Conference (Clare L. Kucera, ed.). Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri.
http://images.library.wisc.edu/

Spieles, J. B., P. J. Comer, D. A. Albert, and M. A. Kost. 1999. Natural community abstract for prairie fen (.pdf). Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Lansing, Michigan. 4 pp.
http://web4.msue.msu.edu/mnfi/abstracts/ecology/Prairie_fen.pdf

Thompson, Paul W. 1981. Flora of Dayton Prairie: a remnant of Terre Coupee Prairie, in Michigan. Pp. 148-150 in Proceedings of the 6th North American Prairie Conference (Ronald L. Stuckey and Karen J. Reese, eds.). Ohio Biological Survey Notes 15.
http://images.library.wisc.edu/EcoNatRes/EFacs/NAPC/NAPC06/reference/econatres.napc06.pthompson.pdf

Thompson, Paul W. 1983. Composition of prairie stands in southern Michigan and adjoining areas (.pdf). Pp. 105-111 in Proceedings of the 8th North American Prairie Conference (Richard Brewer, ed.). Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan.
http://images.library.wisc.edu/EcoNatRes/EFacs/NAPC/NAPC08/reference/econatres.napc08.pthompson.pdf

McCoy Creek – Mill Race – Pears Mill Controversy Simmers in Berrien County, Michigan

2009-06-30T18:24:00.004-04:00

Discussions about restoration of the Mill Race—which was constructed about 160 years ago by diverting water from McCoy Creek—to provide water sufficient for the continued summertime operation of Pears Mill, a historic attraction in downtown Buchanan, Michigan, have continued off and on for the past four years. Proponents (notably the Buchanan Preservation Society, property owners along the Mill Race, and a majority of local residents) claim that the mill race can be restored and the mill operated without affecting the quality of McCoy Creek, while opponents (notably Trout Unlimited, St. Joseph River Valley Fly Fishers, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality—which agency must issue a permit before any restoration work can begin) claim otherwise. And there the standoff remains.

On June 11, 2009, the Buchanan City Commission held a special work session to receive comments from the public on the future of the Mill Race and Pears Mill. Subsequently, an article by correspondent Debra Haight appeared in two local newspapers under different headlines and slightly different opening paragraphs:

Some Want More Water for Pears Mill—-Plans to dredge and improve mill race remain under discussion
South Bend Tribune – Tuesday, June 16, 2009, pages B1 and B2

If Buchanan city officials and many local residents had their way, something would be done right away to get more water into the McCoy’s [sic] Creek mill race that feeds water to the historical Pears Mill in downtown Buchanan.

Unfortunately, the decision on taking action to bring more water from the creek to the mill race isn’t up to the city, as city commissioners and City Manager Meg Mullendore were quick to point out at a recent work session on the issue.

[NOTE: Remainder of article is continued below…]

Millrace is Hot Topic at Special Work Session
Berrien County Record – Thursday, June 18, 2009, pages A1 and B8

The millrace was once again the topic of discussion at a special work session held last week by the Buchanan City Commission.

While many of those in attendance asked the city to act to get more water into the millrace so that historic Pears Mill can operate during the summer months, it looks like the decision isn’t necessarily one the city can make on its own.

City Commissioners and City Manager Meg Mullendore were quick to point out that bringing more water from the creek to the millrace isn’t up to the city.

[NOTE: From this point on, the text of the article is identical in both papers...]

"I’ve lived with this controversy for several years," Commissioner Patricia Moore said. "Many times we have come up with solutions and the state is there to put up an obstacle.... We’ve come up with solutions and been stonewalled."

Mullendore said that ultimately whatever happens is up to Michigan Department of Environmental Quality officials since they would have to approve a permit to dredge and make improvements to the millrace.

She said the DEQ would also have to approve a permit for replacing part of the dam structure damaged by vandals earlier this spring. That vandalism apparently caused less water to go into the millrace this spring and summer.

The work session was attended by over 40 people, many of whom spoke out in support of getting more water into the millrace. The issue isn’t a new one for the city, officials and residents have debated what to do for the last few years.

Two years ago, a city proposal to replace the dam-like structure that diverts water from the creek into the millrace on the south side of the city was rejected by DEQ officials.

Also in 2007, a plan the DEQ approved calling for a well to be dug to provide water for the mill was rejected by some local residents who wanted to see not only more water for the mill but also the preservation of the millrace.

The focus of Thursday’s meeting was on the most recent proposal—as mentioned above—that would dredge the race and make improvements to the millrace and creek.

That proposal was prepared by a consulting firm [Wetland and Coastal Resources of Lansing, Michigan] last fall. Their cost estimate of $65,400 would cover getting designs, permits, endangered species studies done as well as the work itself.

A majority of the dozen or so speakers at Thursday’s meetng as well as four letters received at city hall favored doing more to help the millrace and spoke of its historical value, its importance to Pears Mill and to local tourism in general.

Buchanan Preservation Society President Tom Fehlner said the proposal won’t harm McCoy’s [sic] Creek, a coldwater trout stream, but will help the millrace which was constructed around 1850.

He said the community can’t depend anymore on industry to provide jobs and must look to tourism and history to attract visitors.

"We’re very lucky here to have a mill site with a building, machinery and a race to drive it," he said. "That distinguishes Buchanan from other communities in a 30 to 40 mile radius. The mill will never make a lot of money itself but it can help other businesses."

"This is my seventh year as president of the Preservation Society," Fehlner said. "The plan was proposed in 2005, the DEQ public hearing was in 2007 and the consultant was hired in 2008. I’m now 72 years old and would like to see this finished before they plant me in the ground."

Others hit on his themes of preserving history. Marjorie Foster said history is important to the social make-up of the community and that Pears Mill gives people a reason to stop in Buchanan and visit.

Randal Peart moved here from Chicago a few years ago and is a licensed engineer. He said he’s studied the consultants’ report and thinks it would work. As for the history, he said if people "forget the past, they won’t have any future."

John Trapp is a retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist and urged action to restore the water levels in the millrace.

"Downtown Buchanan without a functioning mill is like the Washington Monument without the reflecting pool," he said. "It’s a no-brainer, it helps the mill and brings tourists to town with no damage to the creek."

Sending letters of support were Dick and Mae Proud, Shirley Roti Roti, Jerry Flenar and his family, and Jeff Antisdel and his family.

The Prouds said that tourism could be a lifeline for the community to grow and spoke against closing off the millrace. "Once you tear something down, you can’t get it back," they wrote.

On the other side, resident Larry Elliot presented a letter from the Michigan Trout Unlimited chapter in opposition to the dredging plan and what they see as its negative effect on the creek. He also pointed out that state official are against having dams in waterways.

Elliot said the consultants’ report was not comprehensive and did not consider the millrace’s imact on the creek, a point supported by another resident, Peter Hartz. "If I go to the doctor and he says I have cancer, I’ll go to another doctor and get another opinion," he said.

Hartz noted that the city has made environmental mistakes that have helped create the situation such as not clearing out sediment traps at locations on the creek. "If the city stepped up its stewardship, we could have both the creek and the millrace healthy," he said.

"What strikes me is that the people who are so gung ho for the mill act like we (fishermen and creek supporters) want to torch the mill," he said. "That’s not case. We can have a viable mill and a viable cold water trout steam and together they could bring in 10 times more money than just the mill."

The meeting ended with comments from the four commissioners in attendance. Bill Norton thanked people for coming, said he wanted to see both the millrace and the creek prosper but noted that the city is restricted by what the state will allow it to do.

Warren Weaver said he hoped the city would get cooperation from the state all the parties involved to find a solution including possibly constructing a well to provide water to the mill.

Moore spoke in favor of providing more fishing opportunities as well as protecting history. Carla Cole said the city needs to come to a conclusion on the issue and said she’d like to see a reward established to find out who blocked the millrace off earlier this year.

Southwestern Michigan’s Natural River

2009-06-30T15:17:00.005-04:00

Michigan is blessed with more than 36,000 miles of rivers and streams, including more than 12,000 miles of cold-water trout streams. Michigan’s Natural Rivers Program was:

developed to preserve, protect and enhance . . . [the] State’s finest river systems for the use and enjoyment of current and future generations by allowing property owners their right to reasonable development, while protecting Michigan’s unique river systems [emphasis added].

Of the 16 Michigan waterways designated as State Natural Rivers, only one is located in the ten southwestern-most counties (i.e., Allegan, Berrien, Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Eaton, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren), that being portions of the Lower Kalamazoo River and selected tributaries in Allegan County.