The U.S. National Park System provides critical habitat for many species of migratory birds, from raptors and shorebirds to songbirds. Continental and local declines in these bird populations have led to a concern for their future. Because these species use parks on a seasonal basis, their protection cannot be assured without conservation efforts occurring in the habitats the birds use throughout the year. This requires cooperative, coordinated programs between the United States and Latin America, such as the Park Flight Program, to protect breeding, migration, and wintering habitats, as well as a pro-active migratory bird conservation program within the National Park Service (NPS).
The Park Flight Migratory Bird Program works to protect shared migratory bird species and their habitats in both U.S. and Latin American national parks and protected areas through developing bird conservation and education projects and creating opportunities for technical exchange and cooperation.
Park Flight is a partnership between the NPS, National Park Foundation, and National Fish & Wildlife Foundation/USAID, and is made possible through the generous support of American Airlines and the NPS Natural Resource Challenge. Technical direction is provided through the University of Arizona Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit and the NPS Biological Resource Management Division.
The assistance provided to U.S. National Parks and Latin American parks and protected areas is integrated and projects focus on two areas relating to migratory birds: 1) species assessment, protection, and management; and 2) park interpretation, environmental education, and outreach.
Park Flight has funded bird conservation and education projects in fourteen U.S. national park units, including Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP, North Cascades NP, Bandelier NM, Pecos NHP, Aztec Ruins NM, Capulin Volcano NM, Fort Union NHS, New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail, Cuyahoga Valley NP, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Golden Gate NRA, Gates of the Arctic NP and Point Reyes NS. Park Flight projects have also been funded at important park bird conservation sites in Argentina, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, and Mexico.
In addition to initiating these bird conservation and education projects, the Park Flight Program has implemented a program of technical assistance, including training workshops, personnel exchanges, and participation of Central American professionals in U.S. National Parks through the NPS Office of International Affairs International Volunteers in Parks program. Two workshops for all Park Flight grantees from both U.S. national parks and Mesoamerican parks have been held: one at the Grand Canyon Albright Training Center on environmental education techniques and one in Honduras on bird monitoring programs. Staff at the Chocoyero El Brujo Wildlife Refuge in Nicaragua received assistance from an NPS landscape architect who designed a boardwalk and viewing platform at an important site for resident and migratory birds. NPS planners provided assistance to parks in El Salvador and Guatemala in the creation of bird watching trails. As part of the Honduras Park Flight project, an NPS wildlife biologist from Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks assisted with the instruction of Honduran biologists and park guards in field techniques for bird monitoring and conservation. Interns from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama and Nicaragua have assisted with Park Flight bird monitoring and education efforts at Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks, Point Reyes/Golden Gate, North Cascades National Park, Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail.
The National Park Service is working to broaden involvement with other national and international bird conservation initiatives, such as the North American Bird Conservation Initiative and Partners in Flight, and to enhance collaboration with other agencies and partners on migratory bird conservation.
Carol Beidleman, the Park Flight Migratory Bird Program Coordinator, is also the NPS-PIF Liaison and NPS-IMBD Liaison. She can be reached at BeidlemanC@aol.com or 970-586-3776.
Read a Park Flight Brochure
Spanish Version of Park Flight Brochure
Presentations from the Honduras Bird Monitoring Workshop
