Migratory Bird Conservation in the Upper Midwest

will have tangible benefits that include birds in these states. This grant program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under number 15.647. This grant program was created in the late 1980s to address the needs of birds that are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Funding available for the program fluctuates annually because it is derived from discretionary funds within the USFWS's Upper Midwest Migratory Bird Conservation Program's annual budget and those funds are subject to varying levels of Congressional appropriations and are affected by other program needs. To focus conservation on the highest priority issues with the greatest probability of making a difference for birds, the Upper Midwest Migratory Bird Conservation Program operates under the USFWS business model that integrates biological planning, landscape design, conservation delivery, and monitoring and evaluation in a way that generates the adaptive feedback that enables sound decisions and constantly improves our efficiency and effectiveness in saving birds. In 2013, our grant program will focus on the following: 1. Coordinated Bird Monitoring: We seek proposals that advance regional scale bird monitoring priorities as identified through the Midwest Coordinated Bird Monitoring Partnership. Priority will be given to proposals that: a. Facilitate the continued flow of bird monitoring information between bird conservation partners and the Midwest Avian Data Center (MWADC), provide enhanced training to MWADC data contributors and user groups, and develop decision support tools that are responsive to the Partnership's needs. b. Develop an organized network of research and monitoring capacity that can be mobilized to address priority landbird migration information needs (i.e., minimizing mortality to migrants as they move through the Midwest region and ensuring stopover habitat maximizes survival and reproductive success of migrants in the context of their full annual cycles). c. Address evaluation of sampling frameworks for surveying waterbirds nesting in the Great Lakes. Projects that directly involve collaborative and coordinated support of several key partners within the region will be given greater consideration. Please note that this grant program is not meant to support long-term operational bird monitoring efforts; rather, it seeks to address coordination of monitoring efforts and development and evaluation of new survey and monitoring techniques (both field and analytical). If a project is selected for funding, we request that the Principal Investigators share their data by depositing them in the Midwest Avian Data Center; the costs of data formatting and entry should be incorporated by PIs into their proposal's budget. If data are proprietary, access to them through MWADC can be controlled. For more information, please contact Katie Koch (katie_koch@fws.gov; 906-226-1249). 2. Focal Species Conservation: In recent years, the USFWS has worked with partners to develop conservation plans and host collaborative workshops for a number of high-priority avian focal species. In 2013, we seek proposals that advance specific conservation priorities for the following focal species: a. Golden-winged Warbler: An integrated non-breeding season conservation plan that engages Central and northern South American partners and (1) identifies country- and regionally-specific threats to previously-identified priority habitats; (2) proposes viable landscape-scale conservation actions needed to address these threats; and (3) identifies the relevant partners in each country and their respective roles in meeting challenges to successful conservation action. b. Bobolink: A full life cycle conservation plan engaging Canadian, U.S., and South American partners that briefly summarizes the species' conservation status, identifies major threats on a regional basis, and proposes regionally specific (breeding and nonbreeding season) conservation strategies; integration with ongoing landscape approaches for suites of other grassland bird species is essential. c. American Woodcock: Proposals are sought that address priorities outlined in the American Woodcock Conservation Plan. d. King Rail: Proposals are sought that address priorities outlined in the King Rail Conservation Plan. e. Black Tern and Common Tern in the Great Lakes Region: Proposals are sought that address the priorities outlined for these species in the Upper Mississippi Valley Great Lakes Waterbird Conservation Plan, particularly those related to coordinated monitoring, research on habitat relationships, and regional conservation. f. Shorebirds: Research is needed on the following subjects: (1) Evaluation of the effects of various methods of controlled grazing on breeding Upland Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, and Wilson's Phalarope. (2) Evaluation of the relative value of soybean agricultural lands vs. grassland habitat for Upland Sandpiper. (3) Determination of the chronology, length of stay, and response to site conditions of migrant shorebirds, especially Stilt Sandpiper, Short billed Dowitcher, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, and Wilson's Phalarope. 3. Bald Eagle Permitting Information Needs: In 2007, the Bald Eagle was removed from the Endangered Species List and in 2009 the USFWS established two types of permits that allow for limited take and disturbance of Bald Eagles that may be the result of otherwise legal activities. We seek proposals that address information needs related to the processing of these permits. In particular, we are interested in research that addresses the following subjects, in priority order: a. Bald Eagle migration pathways. b. Bald Eagle local flight pathways and behavior. c. Approaches for assessing the impacts of wind development, powerlines, and other disturbances near Bald Eagle nests or roosts. 4. Avian Health and Disease: Increasing expansion of human populations has led to habitat fragmentation, changes in land-use patterns, and increased pressure on wild bird populations. Globalization of marketing and distribution has increased zoonotic and emerging disease risks. Many of these emerging diseases involve avian reservoirs or susceptible hosts. Increasing the complexity of this picture are changes in climate; avian populations may need to alter site fidelity in response to weather patterns, and this will introduce new opportunities for transmission of avian diseases and place pressure on populations already stressed by anthropogenic factors. To address these issues, the USFWS has established the Avian Health and Disease Program (AHDP) to conduct work in avian health and disease surveillance, response, and management in wild bird populations. In 2013, we seek proposals to: a. Establish avian health baselines. b. Identify existing and emerging avian health and disease risks, especially those related to trematodiasis, Newcastle disease, avian influenza, and botulism. c. Ensure avian disease preparedness and prevention. d. Develop, guide, and implement appropriate and effective avian disease management actions. Note: It is possible that funding for the AHDP may be severely cut or eliminated from the USFWS budget in 2013, but a final decision on this was not available at the time this announcement was posted. Before submitting proposals on any of the above topics, we strongly encourage you to contact Steve Lewis, USFWS Division of Migratory Birds (612-713-5473; steve_j_lewis@fws.gov), to discuss potential projects. He will direct you to resources and contacts that can help you further develop your proposal ideas.