On July 12, 1995, the status of the bald eagle was changed from endangered to threatened in the lower 48 states. It is the first and only Montana threatened or endangered species to be downlisted since the 1973 Endangered Species Act became law.

Bald eagle numbers, estimated at a quarter of a million in the lower 48 states before 1800, declined steadily throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s. Raptors at this time were regarded as vermin and shot on sight. The Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940 increased public awareness and made indiscriminate shooting, poisoning, collecting, and trading of bald eagles illegal, stemming the decline for a time. But the advent of DDT and related pesticides during World War II and their widespread post-war use soon caused eagle reproduction to plummet. In 1963, a National Audubon Society survey reported only 417 active nests in the lower 48 states. After years of research, scientists determined that DDE, a breakdown product of DDT, accumulates in the fatty tissues of female eagles and impairs the calcium release necessary for eggshell formation. This induces thin shells and reproductive failure during incubation. These findings eventually led to the banning of DDT and related chemicals in the U.S. in 1972. "In Montana the bald eagle population has clearly improved."

In 1978, bald eagles throughout the lower 48 states were classified as endangered, except in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington, and Oregon, where they were designated threatened. Between 1984 and 1994, the number of known breeding pairs in the Pacific States Bald Eagle Recovery Region (Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana) increased from 479 pairs to 1,192 pairs. One-fourth of all the breeding bald eagles in the lower 48 states come from this region.

Delisting requirements for the region include:
(1) a minimum of 800 nesting pairs;
(2) an average reproductive rate of 1.0 fledged young per pair with an average success rate per occupied site of not less than 65%;
(3) breeding population goals met in at least 80% of the management zones; and
(4) stable or increasing wintering populations. These goals have been met in the Pacific states and, if conditions continue, it could be the first recovery region where the bald eagle is delisted.

In Montana the bald eagle population has clearly improved since listing. Between 1978 and 1995 the number of known breeding pairs increased from 12 to 166, well above the downlisting goal of 99 breeding pairs cited in the 1986 Bald Eagle Recovery Plan. A summer of 1995 survey found 196 viable nesting territories in Montana, placing the state seventh in the nation (behind Florida, Minnesota, Washington, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Oregon) in numbers of breeding bald eagles and eagles produced. The Montana Bald Eagle Working Group, formed in 1982 and composed of representatives from federal and state agencies, tribes, universities, conservation groups, and private industry, has provided leadership at the state level. In 1994 the group developed a Montana Bald Eagle Management Plan to provide information and guide landowners and resource managers in conserving eagle habitat.

SPOTTED OWL

The spotted owl is a small, secretive nocturnal hunter, feeding on small rodents such as chipmunks, mice and wood rats. It nests in cavities in tree trunks high up toward the canopy; females lay two to three eggs in the spring. Because of its secretive nature, little else is known about the biology of this species. This bird is now only found in southwestern B.C. Its range has shrunk following logging of old growth forest, its preferred habitat. Recent estimates suggest that the Canadian population is somewhere between 25 and 100 individuals. Plans are under way to create managed "buffer zones" around known nesting sites in both Oregon and B.C. The fate of this species now rests on human legislation and forestry practices.

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ESKIMO CURLEW

A century and a half ago , this species was one of the most numerous in Canada, today it may be the rarest. There may be less than 50 individuals left in the world. Known as the prairie pigeon in the 1800's it rivalled the now extinct passenger pigeon in numbers. This brown pigeon-sized shore bird nests and feeds in the Arctic tundra in the summer, migrating south, over the central plains, to Argentina and Uruguay. Two factors likely explain the near-extinction of a species that may have numbered in the tens of millions. Overhunting increased as passenger pigeon numbers declined and the natural prarie grassland was rapidly being replaced with monocultural crops.

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WHOOPING CRANE

At over 1.5 m tall, snow white with black wing tips, red crown, graceful flight, the whooping crane is a regal bird. This single species symbolizes the stuggle to preserve North American wildlife; the public has eagerly followed its retreat from the brink of extinction. This is an inhabitant of wetlands, and North American climate has been changing over millenia to become warmer and dryer. Ironically, this species was never very numerous - estimates suggest that prior to 1850 the global population was perhaps 1300 birds. In 1941, there were two dozen birds in the world. U.S. conservation attempts started at that time and in 1954, when a pair of adults and a chick, along with several other pairs of cranes were found in Wood Buffalo National Park (straddling the Alberta - N.W.T. border) the conservation effort became a binational one. More resources have been allocated, and more public attention paid to this project than any other endangered species. Direct intervention such as artificial incubation of eggs and raising of young by adults of the closely- related sandhill crane species helped to boost population numbers.

Most recent estimates have placed the world population at about 200. However, two dry summers have exposed nests and chick to wolves and bears in Wood Buffalo Park and dumping of dredged sand and silt in the southern wintering grounds in the Aransas refuge, near San Antonio Bay, Texas, have dropped those numbers.

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GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKEN

This bird is a western grassland grouse. It is similar in size to the common sharp-tailed grouse but has a heavily barred body and wings, and a dark tail. Breeding males display erectile neck feathers and inflatable yellow neck sacs during an elaborate springtime courtship dance. Eleven to fourteen eggs are laid in a shallow nest in grass or bushes. The greater prairie chicken did not occur in Canada until about 1881. It requires broad expanses of undisturbed grassland, thus could not coexist with then-numerous bison herds. When bison, antelope and elk were reduced by overhunting, wet seasons for a number of years prior to 1881 caused lush growth of the prairie. The prairie chicken then migrated from North Dakota and Minnesota into Manitoba. It then spread rapidly into Saskatchewan and Alberta, then into western Ontario. The Canadian population climbed to over a million birds. Hunting, however, was unrestricted until the early 1900's, when the first limits were 20 prairie chickens a day. As more grassland was converted to grain crops, less and less habitat was available to the prairie chicken. By the 1930's, grassland conversion and cattle ranching had nearly eliminated the species from the West. There is no hard evidence that the species persists as a breeding bird in Canada.

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KIRKLAND'S WARBLER

This warbler is a small, attractive bird. The male in breeding plumage has a blue-gray head and back; lemon-yellow breast and black streaks on the sides. This species is rare wherever it is found. It is extremely selective in its choice of habitat. It nests only in stands of young jack pines, two to seven meters tall, in well-drained, sandy soil. Modern emphasis on fire prevention and control means that the vast majority of jack pine stands are too mature for this warbler. There has been only one sighting in Canada between 1981-86 and only 37 sightings between 1900 and 1986. There is a stable breeding population of about 200-240 pairs in Northern Michigan. Any attempts to encourage reintroduction must take into account habitat manipulation and location of possible breeding pairs in Canada.

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DOUBLE EYED FIG PARROT

There are a number of races of Double- eyed Fig Parrots. The ones on display at Currumbin Sanctuary are Red-browed Fig Parrots from northern Queensland. The fig parrot mentioned here is the endangered Coxen's Fig Parrot.

This small, green bird is about 15cm long. One distinguishing feature is its blue forehead (which is often partly bordered with red). The blue forehead helps to distinguish this rare bird from the three species of lorikeet that it closely resembles - the Scaly-breasted, Little and Musk Lorikeets. The Double-eyed Fig parrot also has orange-red cheeks, yellow on the sides of its breast and blue primary wing feathers. The short stumpy tail suits their arboreal (tree-dwelling) way of life and they are very adept at moving around on branches high in rainforest trees. The beak is adapted for their diet (which consists largely of seeds), and is designed for cutting into figs and other fruit so they can extract the kernels.

They live in Australia in the subtropical rainforest where typical food trees such as Moreton Bay Fig and Green-leaved Strangling Fig exist. Appears to move regularly between ranges and lowland .

The most likely cause of their endangerment is destruction of their habitat. The loss of subtropical rainforest with its rich supply of figs could be a major factor in the decline of this species.

Accurate numbers are not known. Coxen's Fig Parrot has been seen only rarely in the last 20 years, and has disappeared from much of its former range. It is considered to be one of Australia's most endangered birds.

A National Recovery Team was formed in Brisbane in June 1993 to help save Coxen's Fig Parrot. A search began in August of that year, by the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage based on the region bordered by Beaudesert, Warwick, Casino and Murwillumbah. Recommendations may include rehabilitation of habitat and/or captive breeding programs. At Currumbin Sanctuary, techniques for captive breeding are being developed with the closely related Red-browed Fig Parrot from north Queensland. A number of clutches of young have already been successfully raised, and the local community has been invited to become involved by supplying ripe native figs when available. In this way, individuals can. play a small but active and direct role in helping to save endangered wildlife.

Double-eyed Fig Parrots get their odd name because of a spot close to the eye in some races. Nesting takes place in a hollow branch where the female incubates her two white eggs. Whilst incubation is taking place, the female is fed by the male. As the chicks grow, the father begins to help the mother feed them. Coxen's Fig Parrot, which now appears to be restricted to the Queensland/New South Wales border area, historically ranged from Port Macquarie in the south to Bundaberg in the north.

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HOODED PARROT

Hooded Parrots bear a striking similarity to Golden-shouldered Parrots, not only in appearance, but also in feeding and breeding tendancies. A significant size difference exists, however, between the two species - the Hooded Parrot being the significant larger of the two. Male Hooded Parrots bear unmistakeable markings - an all black face, dark brown back and completely golden shoulders. The females are not so readily distinguishable, being very similar in appearance to the female Golden- shouldered Parrot - pale green body, back of head brown with a blue-grey face.

Hooded Parrots are limited to the dry, open eucaIypt forests, native and lightly wooded grasslands and savannah around southern and eastern Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.

A significant decline in the numbers of this attractive bird is thought to be directly associated with habitat alteration - frequent and extensive burning, in addition to grazing by domestic stock. Because of this it has been placed on the rare species list.

By limiting the practices of ‘burning off', we may help increase the natural numbers in the wild. Population numbers may also be assisted through captive breeding programs in which birds are bred specifically for release into suitable areas of remaining habitat.

Due to the communal nature of these birds, they are most likely to be seen in pairs, small groups, or even flocks comprising of between 20 and 30 members. Together they drink and forage for grass seeds during both the early morning and cooler parts of the afternoon. A burrow excavated into a termite mound forms the nesting site for a breeding pair of Hooded Parrots. Experience gained through the breeding of this species of parrot has enabled Currumbin Sanctuary staff to acquire much expertise and many of the skills necessary to successfully breed the endangered Golden-shouldered Parrot in captivity.

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