Action Plan for Species Recovery
The Blue Chaffinch of the Canary Islands Provides an Example
Sep 25, 2007
An action plan is a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem, taking into account the various forces that are causing the problem and proposing methods to address each one of these forces individually. When it comes to threatened bird species, a properly designed and implemented action plan can mean the difference between recovery and extinction.
One bird that has benefited from an action plan is the Blue Chaffinch, a threatened species found only on the tiny islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria—the Canary Islands. The action plan for the Blue Chaffinch is worth looking at because it describes and addresses problems that are common to many struggling bird species
The Blue Chaffinch action plan.
The action plan for the Blue Chaffinch was first drafted in 1994 and last updated in 2005. In spite of continued threat, the species has survived thus far. The action plan identifies and proposes action for a number of things that have contributed to the species’ decline:
- Illegal trade (an issue on Tenerife)—Blue Chaffinches are captured and caged. Some are kept locally and others are sold internationally. The extent to which this crime impacts the population on Tenerife is difficult to measure, and the action plan called for an investigation and pursuit of international cooperation to stop the activity. It was also proposed that the bird be added to the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) list of protected species.
- Habitat loss—forestry has destroyed a lot of the pine forests that the Blue Chaffinch depends on for food and nesting sites. On Gran Canaria, only patches of mature pine forest remain, fragmenting the range and isolating small populations of Blue Chaffinches from one another. The birds will move into reforested areas so the action plan called for protection of remaining pine forest and planting of new trees to join the existing patches together.
- Forest fires—fires can destroy large areas of forest and have done so in the past on the Canary Islands. The problem returned with a vengeance in 2007 when fires, some deliberately set, raged unchecked for days on both islands. An extensive fire in the pine forests of Gran Canaria could mean the end of the species on that island. The action plan focused on surveillance, fire prevention, and fire fighting capability.
- Low numbers of birds—whenever a species has only a few individuals, there is increased risk of sudden extinction due to large scale calamities: fires, storms etc. For the Blue Chaffinch, the action plan recommended better census methods to provide accurate data on population size, as well as the implementation of a captive breeding program if numbers dropped too low. This captive breeding program has been implemented.
- Human disturbance—there was pressure from people on the islands to make the pine forests available for recreation. Having people accessing the bird’s habitat brought increased risk of fire, egg collecting, debris that might attract predators, and disturbance of the birds. The proposed solution was to develop recreational areas in other places and maintain restricted access to the high pine forests, and to educate the public about the need to protect the Blue Chaffinch from human pressures.
- Predators—Natural predators of the Blue Chaffinch include birds of prey and other birds, while the feral cat is an introduced predator. This threat was not thought to be very significant; however, the action plan did call for control of feral cats in the bird’s habitat as a precautionary measure.
The Action Plan for the Blue Chaffinch identifies and proposes both long and short term ways that a number of typical threats can be mitigated. It would make a good blueprint for other plans to save endangered bird species—though the specific threats in each situation might be different, or weighted differently.
Related content:
Blue Chaffinch—Fringilla teydea
Cats, Birds, and Ascension Island
Kirtland’s Warbler, another endangered bird that relies on pine forests
