Hi all --

Sam asked me to post the following for him as he is having problems posting to Osprey from his .gov account...

Gail Mackiernan

From Sam:

An interesting facet of the decline of Bewick's Wren in the East has to do 
with the endangerment of the eastern subspecies.  BBS data show that from 
1966 to present Bewick's Wren declined in the SE at a phenomenal rate of 
-12.2% per year and in the Northeast at an extrodinary rate of -29.8% per 
year. Northeast populations are now absent and I haven't looked at recent 
data for the SE, but it must be dire.  I recall that there was a small 
push in the late 80's to early 90's to obtain federal threatened or 
endangered status for this subspecies but that failed.  So while more 
charismatic subspecies such as the Masked Bobwhite, Audubon's Caracara, 
Mississippi Sandhill Crane, Florida Scrub Jay, etc.are studied and 
protected this small brown bird from Appalachian scrub is passed over. 
What gets protected appears to be a bit prejudiced.

sam

Sam Droege   
w 301-497-5840 h 301-390-7759 fax 301-497-5624
USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
BARC-EAST, BLDG 308, RM 124 10300 Balt. Ave., Beltsville, MD  20705
Http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov

The First 

The first man who whistled 
thought he had a wren in his mouth. 
He went around all day 
with his lips puckered, 
afraid to swallow. 

  -  Wendell Berry