MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • June 20, 2021
Introduced mammals can have devastating impacts on birds. New Zealand biologists used trickery to reduce nest destruction by introduced mammals. They prepared a soup using bird feathers and the secretions from the preen glands of several types of birds. It had the unmistakable smell of an aviary. The biologists mixed the concoction with Vaseline and painted rocks along a stretch of coastline where many species of shorebirds nest. The mammals were attracted to the smells but soon quit following the scents when they realized the scents did not lead to food. Mathematical modeling indicate that this conservation measure should produce a 75% increase in the population of shorebirds in the next 25 years. Populations are expected to decline by 40% over 25 years without this intervention. ~ Herb Wilson