They're back!
June 07, 2019
What can the whip-poor-wills tell us about our habitat management work?
Since 1966, the species has experienced a long-term annual decline of greater than 5% in NYS.
By Neil Gifford, Conservation Director
After more than 30 years of absence, eastern whip-poor-wills have returned to the preserve. Between 4 and 6 birds were observed throughout 2018 and again in May 2019.
To understand their use of the preserve and the potential role of habitat management in reestablishing a breeding population in the preserve, conservation science staff began fitting birds with 1-gram GPS data-loggers.
On June 6th the first of four birds was caught and fitted with this device that will track its' movements over the next few weeks.
Since 1966, the species has experienced a long-term annual decline of greater than 5% in New York State. Thus, successful establishment of a population in the preserve will contribute to the state-wide effort to slow or reverse the decline of this iconic nocturnal bird of open-canopied pine and oak woodlands.
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