Key terms
Loggerhead Shrikes
A bird that primarily dwells in a habitat composed of shrubs and short statured trees, that hunts and eats other birds.
Crepuscular birds
Crepuscular birds are breeding birds most easily seen near twilight. They include the insect-eating Common Nighthawk and the Eastern Whip-poor-will.
Why study birds?
Many birds, including crepuscular ones, are provincially protected by the Ontario Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997, the Québec Act Respecting the Conservation of Development of Wildlife, 2002, the Québec Act Respecting Threatened or Vulnerable Species, 1989, the Ontario Endangered Species Act, 2007, and federally protected by the Species at Risk Act, 2002. Additionally, the Eastern Loggerhead Shrike, which may be found in the study area, is listed as Endangered under the Species at Risk Act and the Ontario Endangered Species Act.
These birds and their habitats are protected. Field studies will help Alto planners better understand and protect Loggerhead Shrikes and crepuscular birds and their habitat when building and operating the new railway, while determining a baseline for future studies.
What do bird studies involve?
Bird studies can involve multiple approaches, including:
- Playing bird calls to encourage callbacks, which are then recorded.
- Listening for wing claps.
- Visually searching for birds and their nests
- Recording the distance and direction of each bird observed.
