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FAQS

1. Who can attend the "Gryfalcons and Ptarmigan in a Changing World" conference Feb. 1-3, 2011, in Boise, Idaho?
The conference is for biologists, scientists, land managers, policy analysts and other conservationists, and anyone interested in the possible effects of climate change. Members of the media are welcome to attend at no charge.

2. What is the purpose of the conference?

  • Investigate the effects of current and predicted climate change on Gyrfalcons and their prey.
  • Understand the range of environmental changes and their effects in arctic ecosystems by studying the Gyrfalcon, a bird of prey at the top of the food chain.
  • Devise global strategies to measure and mitigate the effects of climate change and other factors affecting ecological communities in high latitudes, and a conservation plan, if needed, to save the Gyrfalcon and its prey base from extinction.

3. What outcome do you expect from this conference?
Determine what direct human efforts will be effective in maintaining viable populations of arctic species in a rapidly changing world, using Gyrfalcons and ptarmigan as foci.

4. Why the Gyrfalcon?
From their perch near the top of the food chain, birds of prey are excellent indicators of environmental stress. Declining numbers of Peregrine Falcons and Bald Eagles signaled the dangers of DDT; similarly, the plight of the California Condor has made us aware of the potential for lead poisoning from spent ammunition.
Like the polar bear, the Gyrfalcon is a good indicator species for climate change in the Arctic. This bird of prey (the largest of all falcons) evolved to exist in a cold climate and to prey on species that live in the Arctic. The Peregrine Fund began researching and monitoring Gyrfalcons in Greenland in 1993, and some of its staff worked on Gyrfalcons in Alaska and Canada as far back as the 1950s.

Other birds, primarily ptarmigan, and small mammals are prey for the Gyrfalcon. The bird does not migrate great distances, preferring to stay in northern regions year-round. It is found in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Fennoscandia, Russia, and Siberia. Changes in climate and habitat could affect the numbers and types of prey species available to the Gyrfalcon and alter competition for food or nest sites if other birds of prey are able to expand their range into Gyrfalcon habitat.

5. What is the conservation status of the Gyrfalcon?
Thankfully, the Gyrfalcon is not currently in crisis mode. It is classified as a species of lower risk (Global Raptor Information Network, http://www.globalraptors.org/grin/SpeciesResults.asp?specID=8251) and least concern by BirdLife International but apparent population declines have been documented in Greenland. It is evaluated as “rare” in Europe because of its small population size, estimated to be as few as 1,300 pairs. Climate change, especially warming, is predicted to be greatest in the Arctic and its biological effects most readily measured in species that inhabit this ecoregion. Species that inhabit exclusively high latitudes or high elevations are predicted to be most vulnerable to loss of their habitat as the climate warms. As a widespread predator in the Arctic, the Gyrfalcon may lend itself to measuring the effects of climate change and developing models for mitigating them.

6. Why include the ptarmigan in the conference?
As ptarmigan go, so goes the Gyrfalcon. Ptarmigan are medium sized game birds of three species in the grouse family, and make a nice meal for just about any predator. BirdLife International lists ptarmigan as species of least concern, although populations appear to be decreasing in some regions. Like the Gyrfalcon, ptarmigan are well-adapted to life in the frigid North. Their all-white plumage in the winter covers even their toes. The birds browse on stems, twigs, buds, leaves, fruits, and flowers of dwarf shrubs and some forbs, mostly from willows, birch, and heaths of various species, and burrow in the snow to sleep.

important dates

Early Registration Ends:
1 November 2010

Abstract Submission Deadline:
1 November 2010

Draft Paper Submission Deadline:
1 January 2011

Final Paper Submission Deadline:
1 March 2011

 

 
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