Birdwatchers
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Citizen scientists and dedicated birdwatchers have been recording and providing information through data networks, such as NestWatch, regarding changes in bird ecology for many years, which has been used to indicate changes in the environment [1, 2, 3]. Researchers have used this information to show how bird nesting is changing with spring temperatures [4, 5, 6, 7]. For example, Dunn and Winkler (1999) used data collected by citizen scientists and documented a strong link between spring temperature and egg laying dates in tree swallows across North America [1]. In the state of Idaho, many citizen scientists have recorded information on nesting for multiple bird species, including the mountain bluebird.
The mountain bluebird is a medium-sized songbird common across the state of Idaho. The males are easily spotted due to their sky-blue coloration, while the females are mostly grey-brown [8]. Mountain bluebirds typically arrive within Idaho in early spring (e.g., late-March) – and leave during mid-fall (e.g., October) [9]. They generally prefer open habitats with few trees and shrubs, and abundant insects . Mountain bluebirds nest in |
Relationship between earliest and median mountain bluebird egg date as a function of mean April temperatures; data are from locations near Arrowrock Dam, Elmore County, Idaho, from 1992–2006, 2009, and 2011.
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natural or old woodpecker cavities, but also commonly use nestboxes [8, 9].
Citizen scientist, Al Larson, has monitored nestboxes used by mountain bluebirds in southwestern Idaho for approximately 30 years. We used these data to evaluate the relationship between mountain bluebird nesting dates and spring temperatures. Our results showed that mountain bluebirds lay eggs earlier when the spring temperatures are warmer [Figure c]. This is a pattern that has also been found for other species across Europe and North America [1, 6, 7].
Mountain bluebird nesting is an important indicator for Idaho for many reasons. Mountain bluebirds are valued by its citizens, both socially and culturally, primarily because it is Idaho’s state bird. Further, it is a colorful species that is easy to observe for naturalists of all levels. This interest in mountain bluebirds has provided a large amount of available data to build upon into the future.
Many other bird species have been used as environmental indicators throughout the world [2, 3, 6, 10, 11]. For example, the timing of spring arrival has been used as an indicator of changes in temperature at overwintering grounds [12]. Thus, continuing to observe and record pieces of bird ecology will be important to better understand the changes happening in our environment.
Citizen scientist, Al Larson, has monitored nestboxes used by mountain bluebirds in southwestern Idaho for approximately 30 years. We used these data to evaluate the relationship between mountain bluebird nesting dates and spring temperatures. Our results showed that mountain bluebirds lay eggs earlier when the spring temperatures are warmer [Figure c]. This is a pattern that has also been found for other species across Europe and North America [1, 6, 7].
Mountain bluebird nesting is an important indicator for Idaho for many reasons. Mountain bluebirds are valued by its citizens, both socially and culturally, primarily because it is Idaho’s state bird. Further, it is a colorful species that is easy to observe for naturalists of all levels. This interest in mountain bluebirds has provided a large amount of available data to build upon into the future.
Many other bird species have been used as environmental indicators throughout the world [2, 3, 6, 10, 11]. For example, the timing of spring arrival has been used as an indicator of changes in temperature at overwintering grounds [12]. Thus, continuing to observe and record pieces of bird ecology will be important to better understand the changes happening in our environment.
References
- Dunn PO, Winkler DW (1999) Climate change has affected the breeding date of tree swallows throughout North America. Proc R Soc Lond B 266:2487–2490.
- Gregory RD, Nobel D, Field R, Marchant J, Raven M, Gibbons DW (2003) Using birds as indicators of biodiversity. Ornis Hungarica 13:11–24.
- Donnelly A, Jones MB, Sweeney J (2004) A review of indicators of climate change for use in Ireland. Int J Biometeorol 49:1–12.
- Visser ME, Holleman LJM, Caro SP (2009) Temperature has a causal effect on avian timing of reproduction. Proc R Soc Lond B 276:2323–2331.
- D’Alba L, Monaghan P, Nager RG (2010) Advances in laying date and increasing population size suggest positive responses to climate change in common eiders Somateria mollissima in Iceland. Ibis 152:19–28.
- Dolenec Z, Dolenec P (2011) Influence of the local spring warming on the breeding phenology in blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) in Croatia. J Environ Biol 32:625–627.
- Dolenec Z, Dolenec P, Møller AP (2011) Warmer springs, laying date and clutch size of tree sparrows Passer montanus in Croatia. Curr Zool 57:414–418.
- Power HW, Lombardo MP (1996) Mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides). In: Poole A (ed) The birds of North America online. Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/222doi:10.2173/bna.222.
- Power HW (1966) Biology of the mountain bluebird in Montana. Condor 68:351–371.
- Browder SF, Johnson DH, Ball IJ (2002) Assemblages of breeding birds as indicators of grassland condition. Ecol Indic 2:257–270.
- Winkler DW, Dunn PO McCulloch CE (2002) Predicting the effects of climate change on avian life history traits. PNAS 99:13595-13599.
- Cotton PA (2003) Avian migration phenology and global climate change. PNAS 100:12219-12222.
