Signs of Spring Update: February 1, 2002 Today's Report Includes: Red-winged Blackbird Migration Study Now Underway! Redwing Controversy Challenge Question #1 How to Respond to Today's Challenge Question Red-winged Blackbird Migration Study Now Underway! Photo Courtesy of Ann Cook Although they're still on their wintering grounds, Red-winged blackbirds will soon migrate back to northern marshes. Get ready to track their trip! 1. Learn the Red-winged blackbird's song (courtesy of Lang Elliott). Listen carefully so you'll know the FIRST Red-winged blackbird when it arrives. 2. As soon as you see (or hear!) your first Red-winged blackbird this spring, report your observation to Journey North. 3. Are you Seeing Red-winged Blackbirds on the Wintering Grounds? Red-winged blackbirds spend winters in the southern states of the U.S. (See map.) If they are overwintering in your region, please report your observation NOW. Report OTHER Redwing Observations The spring return of Red-winged Blackbirds is only the beginning in these birds' busy breeding season. You may see them building nests, defending territories, chasing crows, raising their families, etc. Please tell us what you see! Understanding wildlife behavior can be important when migratory species come into conflict with people, as you'll learn when reading about the controversy between redwings and farmers below. Redwing Controversy--With Links to Lessons Although most people look forward to seeing red-winged blackbirds back on their breeding marshes every spring, many farmers who grow sunflowers in the Great Plains dread them. In North and South Dakota, the redwing population has increased about 33% from 1996 through 1999. As beautiful as redwings are, they cause problems for farmers, especially when their population gets very high. Some wildlife officials have developed a plan to poison six million red-wings in the coming years. In 2001, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) proposed a three-year plan to kill Red-winged Blackbirds in North and South Dakota by setting out poisoned rice to kill them during spring migration. But how might this poison affect other species? How do people decide when an animal population is too high, and what should we do about it? Who makes the decisions? The following lessons will help students join in this important public debate. Background about the problem, a proposed solution and an opportunity for role-playing are provided. Learn how scientists and governing agencies collect data, determine how serious a problem is, and make decisions about possible solutions. See: Redwing Population Explosion Redwing Poisoning Proposal Role-Playing Game: A Guide to Making Informed Opinions (This activity provides opportunities for paraphrasing, making inferences, and building opinions using a cognitive organizer.) Challenge Question #1: Farmers and Blackbirds After you explore the information at the links above, consider the problems of the farmers and the blackbirds. Work together to make a list of alternative actions that could help solve the farmers' problems. Then come back and answer this week's important Challenge Question. We anticipate some great ideas and discussion! Challenge Question #1 "List as many alternative actions as you can think of that would help Dakota farmers to solve their blackbird problems." (To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.) How to Respond to Today's Challenge Questions: IMPORTANT: Answer only ONE question in each e-mail message. 1. Address an E-mail message to: jn-challenge-spring@learner.org 2. IMPORTANT: In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #1 3. In the body of the message, give your answer to the question above. The Next Signs of Spring Update Will be Posted on February 8, 2002 Copyright 2002 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form