[mou] Re: [mnbird] Hurricane risks for wildlife

[drbirdie@aol.com]

Hi Mark & other Mnbirders,
It is true that remnant populations of Attwater's Prairie Chickens have 
suffered significant mortality from flooding due to hurricanes. There 
is no reason to worry about the Whooping Cranes, however, because they 
are still up in Canada at this time of year. The first whoopers don't 
arrive on the Texas coast until mid-October, with the bulk of the 
population arriving on the wintering grounds by early November.
Hurricanes have significant destructive potential, but they also bring 
much-needed rain to dry areas and help recycle water and nutrients 
through estuaries and wetlands. Hurricanes may seem bad, but they are 
not all bad.
The Whoopers will be fine. The main problem for the Attwater's Prairie 
Chickens is and has been for decades, that they have no remaining 
native habitat. With or without Hurricane Rita, APC is probably doomed. 
For those who believe in the continued existence of the Ivory-billed 
Woodpecker, however, this might be a good time to say a little prayer 
for them, because it looks like this storm may wind its way north 
through the forests of east Texas and western Louisiana and Arkansas. 
Birds with marginal populations like the APC and the IBWO are 
particularly vulnerable to the effects of a single destructive storm or 
other catastrophic event.
Sincerely,
Byron Stone, Austin (Tx)


-----Original Message-----
From: Alt, Mark <Mark.Alt@bestbuy.com>
To: mnbird@lists.mnbird.net; mou-net@cbs.umn.edu
Sent: Thu, 22 Sep 2005 10:18:16 -0500
Subject: [mnbird] Hurricane risks for wildlife

    I am very familiar with the area to the south of Houston and 
Galveston,
which it appears may be ground zero this Saturday. Birds who have
existed at critical population levels for years may get cleaned out,
namely the Whooping Cranes and Atwater Prairie Chickens.  A 25 foot
tidal surge here would meet with no resistance...