Environment Canada scientists chaired and presented a session at the 29th Annual Meeting of the Society of Canadian Ornithologists in Moncton, New Brunswick, to discuss recent research on “incidental take,” the inadvertent destruction of birds, nests and eggs.

Numerous activities can result in incidental take and, although unintentional, it is prohibited under the Migratory Bird Regulations of the Migratory Birds Convention Act (1994). The conservation implications of incidental take remain unclear, thus Environment Canada scientists have recently endeavoured to generate the first comprehensive scientific estimates of incidental take by human-related activities in Canada, which will help the Department focus conservation efforts toward activities with the greatest impact.

Presentations at the symposium included preliminary estimates of incidental take associated with buildings, fisheries, the oil and gas industry, forestry, and predation by domestic and feral cats.

Input from the panel discussion is being used to improve the estimates prior to peer-reviewed publication and should improve the Department’s ability to make cross-sectoral comparisons.

The symposium was designed to provide an overview of recent estimates of human-related mortality of birds in Canada, generate interest among Canada’s ornithologists in undertaking further research work to refine these estimates and identify methods of mitigation, and consider conservation implications.

Contact: Richard Elliot, 506-364-5014, Wildlife Research; Craig Machtans, 867-669-4771, Canadian Wildlife Service