Team Bristlehead/Kowa is a group of conservation–minded birders who formed in 2007 to compete in the World Series of
Birding, which is a "bird–a–thon" organized by the New Jersey Audubon Society and Cape May Bird Observatory. On May 10th 2008, Team
Bristlehead/Kowa will compete against dozens of other teams to observe as many bird species as we can in the state of New Jersey within
a 24–hour period.
Team Bristlehead/Kowa is dedicated to resource conservation, and we will be using alternative fuel, hybrid vehicles, and human power
during our scouting and on the day of the competition. The Team is seeking out generous people to pledge funds which the team will donate
to a charity dedicated to bird conservation.
This year, American Bird Conservancy's Marvelous Spatuletail project will receive the donated funds. Team Captain Tony Croasdale met a
member of ABC's partner organization in Peru, Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos, who informed him of this ongoing initiative and took him to
see a wild population of Marvelous Spatuletail. See a video of the Marvelous Spatuletail's amazing courtship display.
The Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis) is perhaps one of the world's most interesting hummingbirds. This species, which is
declining within its limited range in northern Peru, is listed as Endangered on the 2007 ICUN Red List. American Bird Conservancy and
ECOAN have signed a conservation easement with the local community, and are in the process of creating a local reserve. Their efforts
include planting thousands of native flowers used for foraging by hummingbirds, maintenance of a community tree nursery capable of producing
80,000 saplings, outreach and education work with schools and community leaders, establishment of a visitor's center and reserve, and
encouraging local eco-tourism. This project is vital to habitat protection within them most threatened area of the Marvelous Spatuletail's
range.
You can support this project by pledging a fixed amount per bird species located by Team Bristlehead/ Kowa during the WSB. Their 2008 goal
is to locate 200 bird species.
Checks can be made out to American Bird Conservancy (put "Bristlehead" in the memo space).
Send to: Team
Bristlehead c/o Clyde Croasdale, 222 Morgan Ave, Palmyra, NJ 08065.
