Richmond’s Peregrine Falcons Get Bands

Posted by Susan in Virginia Wildlife on Nov 23rd, 2010 | 0 comments

On June 1st VDGIF biologists attached leg bands to three falcon chicks nesting on a high-rise in downtown Richmond, VA. The bands will allow the birds to be visually identified and tracked once they leave the nest. Peregrine falcons are a threatened species in Virginia, where only 21 nesting pairs have been confirmed. Peregrine falcons historically nested in the mountains of western Virginia, but have increasingly adapted to living in cities, and nesting on the tops of tall buildings and bridges. Falcons can fly at extremely fast speeds when hunting—up to 200 mph, and they prey on other birds. This video is narrated by VDGIF biologist Stephen Living, and shows the chicks being collected, banded, and returned to special pen that will safely hold the birds until they are ready to fly. The brooms the biologists use are to deter the defensive parents from making contact as they swoop down to protect their chicks.

Tags: virginiagovernment, richmondva, Virginia, Richmond, peregrine

Answering the Call: Virginia’s Quail Recovery Initiative

Posted by Susan in Virginia Wildlife on Nov 16th, 2010 | 0 comments

The distinctive "Bob-White!" call of the quail is becoming just a memory for many rural Virginians. Quail populations in Virginia have declined 80% over the last 40 years. Along with the quail, many songbirds and beneficial pollinators like bees have also disappeared, due to the loss of the early successional habitat these animals need for shelter, food, and to raise their young. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is joining other state and federal agencies and groups to educate landowners about how they can get involved to help bring quail back to Virginia.

Tags: quail, Virginia, virginiagovernment, bobwhite, actionplan

Endangered Mussels Released into the Clinch River, Largest Release in Eastern US

Posted by Susan in Virginia Wildlife on Oct 19th, 2010 | 0 comments

Biologists from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), and partners from Virginia Tech, the Nature Conservancy, and the USFWS stocked thousands of mussels into the Clinch River, Russell County. The Clinch River has more species of endangered freshwater mussels than any other river in North America. Elementary school students from Cleveland, VA, participated in the event, and learned about the many functions of mussels, including providing habitat for fish, becoming food for many other animals, and filtering and cleaning the water in our streams and rivers. Over 3500 federally-endangered mussels were produced at the Department's Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Center in Marion, Virginia.

Tags: mussels, marion, clinchriver, Virginia, Russell

Virginia’s Wildlife Action Plan (Adrienne Young – Hills and Hollers)

Posted by Susan in Virginia Wildlife on Oct 6th, 2010 | 0 comments

Clean air, clean water and a place to live... it doesn't get any simpler! Wildlife and their habitats play an important role in the lives of Virginians. We marvel at the thousands of birds that migrate along the Eastern Shore, and the deer and turkey that have rebounded from near extinction, all the while enjoying our natural "sanctuaries" — a quiet trout stream, magnificent forests, even our own backyards. Check out this award winning video featuring Adrienne Young's song, "Hills and Hollers." Think you can't make a difference? You can!

Tags: vdgif, habitat, wildlifeactionplan, virginiagovernment, hillsandhollers