Tricolored Blackbird Pledges Tricolored Blackbirds in our area may need our help. Fresno Audubon will MATCH YOUR PLEDGES up to to a total of $5,000!
The Tricolored Blackbird (TRBL) used to occur in the millions in the Central Valley, but the conversion of wetlands to agriculture has led to the rapid decline of the species. The TRBL is a colonial nester that may form large breeding colonies. Although colonies traditionally nested in tules and cattails, today in the Central Valley the colonies often nest in dairy silage. This has caused a problem for dairy farmers who need to harvest the silage when it has maximum nutritional value, a time when a colony may be present on their fields.
For the last five years, Audubon California has partnered with many local chapters, the federal government and the dairy industry to protect more than 680,000 nesting birds on farms, investing more than $2 million in federal funding to help farmers recover a portion of their losses incurred from delaying crop harvest. The silage buyout program was paid for by grants from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a federal agency.
We may need your help. The federal government has reduced the amount available for silage buyout, and that puts Tricolored Blackbirds at risk. Normally, the government helps farmers recover roughly 75% of their economic losses when they delay harvest to allow Tricolored Blackbirds to finish their nesting cycle. This year, the government will only be able to reimburse farmers for approximately 50% of their losses. Over the past several months, Audubonās partnership has worked tirelessly to identify additional funding to cover this difference in payment so that we do not see an increase in hazing of nesting birds or harvest of nesting colonies. Just last week we were successful in securing funding from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife that can be used to support most farmers. We hope this will be enough.
We are asking you to join Audubon California and Fresno Audubon Society in pledging funding as a backstop to state funding to protect nesting Tricolored Blackbirds. These funds would only be used if the secured funding does not fully reach the 75% of costs to help farmers recover losses due to nesting TRBL. The funding gap Audubon is looking to cover is approximately $50,000.
There is currently a colony forming at Producerās Dairy in Fresno County. We want to save that colony. If you make a pledge, Fresno Audubon Society will provide matching funds up to a total of $5,000 for all pledges, thus doubling your impact. This pledge will only be called in if the funding is needed, and the nesting and thus the need for funds will end in August. To make your pledge, click here.https://forms.gle/gC1GRbKw8cf7LcQN7 ... See more
Support for Tricolored Blackbirds - photo credit Gary Woods ... See more
