On the cold, coniferous mountaintops of the Catskills and Adirondacks lives a native bird that is a High Priority Species of Greatest Conservation Need: the Bicknell’s Thrush.
Nesting in the low branches of stunted conifers, Bicknell’s Thrush exclusively relies on high altitude spruce-fir forests in the northeast to nest and raise chicks. Bicknell’s Thrush is considered one of the most at-risk songbirds in eastern North America and highly vulnerable to habitat loss.
An observed increase of informal trail networks on Catskill and Adirondack peaks — trails made by hikers, not professionals — has led to a loss of vegetation and an increase of erosion. Left to expand, these trail networks have the potential to directly disturb these native birds and their young fledglings in the spring and summer.
You Can Help: When in the Catskill peaks, be mindful to stay on existing trails, keep pets leashed, and watch your step for these little neighbors.
Photo of Bicknell’s thrush by Kent McFarland.
What else is new? Human beings have and will continue to obliterate what ever Mother Nature has shared with us!
POWER, MONEY, EGO and GREED have not been around as Mother Nature but are more swift and efficacious with their destruction than our Mother can recuperate! My grandchild may not see her natural longevity.