Indiana Arborist Association Annual Conference
20 January 2011
Indiana Birds of Prey:
Issues with Tree Pruning and Utility Line
Management
John Castrale
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Raptors in Indiana
Nesting habits
Substrates
Breeding season
Laws/regulations
Indiana’s Hawks (23 species, 34 in N. Am.)
Black vulture
Turkey vulture
Osprey
American Swallow-tailed Kite
Black-shouldered Kite
Mississippi Kite
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Northern Goshawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Swainson’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Ferruginous Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Golden Eagle
American Kestrel
Merlin
Gyrfalcon
Peregrine Falcon
Prairie Falcon
Indiana’s Owls (9 species, 19 in N. Am.)
Barn Owl
Great Horned Owl
Barred Owl
Eastern Screech-owl
Burrowing Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Snowy Owl
Long-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
Tree nesting species
Stick nests
Tree cavities
Osprey
Mississippi Kite
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Long-eared Owl
Great Horned Owl**
Black vulture
Turkey vulture
American Kestrel
Barn Owl
Eastern Screech-owl
Barred Owl
**will also use cavities
Expected Egg Dates
Great Horned Owl
Bald Eagle
Barred Owl
Red-tailed Hawk
Long-eared Owl
Eastern Screech-owl
Red-shouldered Hawk
Barn Owl
Turkey vulture
American Kestrel
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Osprey
Black vulture
Mississippi Kite
February-March
February-April
March-May
March-May
March-May
March-May
March-June
March-June
March-June
April-June
April-June
April-June
April-June
April-June
April-June
May-June
Incubation Period
Eastern Screech-owl
Long-eared Owl
Barred Owl
Mississippi Kite
Broad-winged Hawk
American Kestrel
Barn Owl
Red-tailed Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Great Horned Owl
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Osprey
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
26
27
30
30
30
30
31
32
32
33
33
35
35
37
38
39
Nestling Period
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Eastern Screech-owl
Cooper’s Hawk
American Kestrel
Mississippi Kite
Long-eared Owl
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Horned Owl
Osprey
Barn Owl
Barred Owl
Turkey vulture
Bald Eagle
Black vulture
24-27
26-28
27-34
28-31
30-35
35-42
35-42
39-45
42-46
42-49
48-59
50-55
52-70
66-88
56-98
80-94
Signs of an active nest
Condition of nest
Behavior at nest
Nest establishment
Egg-laying
Incubation
Brooding
Nestling stage
Near flight stage
Vocalizations / aggression
White-wash
Pellets / prey remains
What to do if you cut down a nest or discover young
birds
Place the birds in a cardboard box
Contact a bird rehabilitator
DNR web site
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-RehabList.pdf
Conservation officer
http://www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor/2755.htm
Laws and regulations pertaining to bird nests
Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act
National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines
Endangered Species Act
Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918
Great Britain, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Russia
List of migratory birds (1,007 species)
http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/RegulationsPolicies/mbta/mbtandx.html
Also applies to bird parts: feathers, eggs, nests
Unlawful (without a permit) to:
possess
sell
purchase
barter
transport
import
export
import
Take – pursue, hunt, shoot, wound,
kill, trap, capture, collect
Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (cont.)
USFWS Migratory Permit Memorandum
15 April 2003
Clarifies the application of the MBTA to nest destruction
“The MBTA does not contain any prohibition that applies
to the destruction of a migratory bird nest alone (without
birds or eggs), provided that no possession occurs
during the destruction.”
No permits needed
Some unoccupied nests are protected by other statutes:
i.e., eagles, endangered species
Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act
Adds “disturb”
For purposes of these guidelines, "disturb" means:
“to agitate or bother a bald or golden to a degree
that causes, or is likely to cause, based on the
best scientific information available,
1) injury to an eagle
2) a decrease in its productivity, by substantially
interfering with normal breeding, feeding, or
sheltering behavior
3) nest abandonment, by substantially interfering
with normal breeding, feeding, or sheltering
behavior."
National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines
2007
http://www.fws.gov/pacific/eagle/NationalBaldEagle
ManagementGuidelines.pdf
Sensitive Time Periods for Bald Eagles
Breeding
stage
Nest-building
Eggs
Nestlings
Fledging
Timing
Sensitivity
Dec-Mar
Feb-May
Mar-Jul
Jun-Aug
Most
Very
Very-Moderate
Very
Timing and Buffer zones for various activities
Buffer zones
330 feet – activity not visible from nest
660 feet – activity visible from nest
Timing, visibility
Most disturbances allowed outside of nesting season
Contacts
US Fish and Wildlife Services
Law Enforcement – 317 346-7014
Office of Ecological Services – 812 334-4261
Regional Bald Eagle Coordinator – 517 351-8469
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Permits Coordinator – 317 233-6527
Conservation officer – through local sheriff
Nongame bird biologist – 812 849-4586