Got Birds? Managing feathered friends on private lands - Dr. Maureen Frank - Texas Wildlife Association

Got Birds?
Managing
feathered friends
on private lands

      Dr. Maureen Frank
        Assistant Professor &
        Extension Wildlife Specialist

Key Points

1. Birding is a popular and growing
   activity in the United States.
2. Private land can be great habitat
   for many native bird species.
3. Managing for birds can benefit
   private landowners in a variety of
   ways.

Why consider
              birds?

Dina Perry

Birding by the numbers
  45 million U.S. birders in 2016
  11% of Texans bird
      Texans are the third-most avid birders (132 days/year)
  $40 billion/year spent in the U.S. on birding (2011)
      Travel, entrance fees, guide fees, equipment

    From the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; “Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis,”
    2013, and “National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation,” 2016.

Birding is…
               Accessible
                  Age
                  Ability
                  Location
                  Season
               Traditional
                  Christmas Bird Count
               Social

Wildlife recreation and the land ethic

                     We abuse land because we
                     regard it as a commodity
                     belonging to us. When we
                     see land as a community to
                     which we belong, we may
                     begin to use it with love
                     and respect.
Amanda Gobeli
                                - Aldo Leopold

Habitat for
           Native Birds

an Calk

Habitat, habitat, habitat

        Food                   Water

       Shelter                 Space

            for a particular species

Is this good bird habitat?

Food
  Herbivores
     Seeds and fruit
  Carnivores
     Insects, lizards, fish, small   Matthew Richardson

      mammals, small birds
  Omnivores
     Plants and animals
  Scavengers
     Dead animals                       Dan Bodenstein

Water
                        Drinking
                           Free
                           Preformed
                           Metabolic
                        Bathing
                        Foraging
        Ric McArthur
                        Nesting/roosting

Shelter
   Nesting
   Predator avoidance
   Thermoregulation
   Roosting

                         Christopher Eliot

Space
  Availability of food, water, shelter
     Arrangement and connectivity
  Resource needs vary
     Season, weather, reproductive status, etc.
  Competition for resources
     Within a species
     Among different species
  Risk
     Predation, disease, weather

Learn your local species
   Field guides
      Region
      Layout
      Physical vs. digital
   Apps
      Merlin Bird ID
      iNaturalist
   Games and classes
      https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/

Benefits of Birds

Bryan Calk

The value of birds
   No physical utility
      Migratory Bird Treaty Act
   Recreational/economic
      Birdwatching
      Photography
   Ecological
                                                               Bryan Calk

      Good songbird habitat = good overall wildlife habitat
      Protection of declining/threatened/endangered species
   Existence/historic value
      Enjoyment of future generations

Consider your options
                    1. Wildlife tax valuation
                    2. Ecotourism
                    3. Personal enjoyment

 Douglas Smith

1-d-1 wildlife tax valuation
   Open Space Appraisal
      Same tax benefit as agriculture appraisal
      What best fits your goals and plans?
   Meet the requirements
      Ag appraisal first
      Acreage
   Choose at least 3 of 7 qualifying practices

               Tamara Srader

Ecotourism on your property
   Are there lots of birds on your property?
   Is there a diverse array of bird species on your property?
   Are there rare, unique, or interesting birds on your
    property?
   Are you interested in ecotourism?

Bird photography
   Different than birding
   Requires:
      Dedication
      Unique opportunities
   Recommended:
      Blind
      Feeders                  Dina Perry

      Supplemental water
      Year-round maintenance

Protect yourself

   Texas has laws and statutes to protect landowners
      Recreational Use Statute
      Agritourism Act
   Liability insurance
   Waivers

Enjoy!
          Birding is compatible with:
             Responsible hunting
             Sustainable ranching
             Hiking
             Camping
             And more!

Resources
               Websites                                                    Learn to Bird - West
                                                                              Oct. 8 – 10, 2021
                     wildlife.tamu.edu/birding                             Val Verde County, TX
                     allaboutbirds.org
                                                                             Learn to Bird - East
                     academy.allaboutbirds.org/                              Oct. 13 – 15, 2021
                     ebird.org                                                Richmond, TX

                     inaturalist.org                                      Birding the Border 2022
                                                                              Apr. 21 – 24, 2022
                     agrilife.org/texasaglaw                                    Del Rio, TX

             All pictures labeled with a name were obtained under
             Creative Commons license. Pictures with no label are public
                                                                           Dr. Maureen Frank
             domain or were taken by M. Frank.                             mgfrank@tamu.edu

Bryan Calk