Audubon Minnesota

If you live in, or have visited Minnesota, then you have been thrilled by the call of a loon, the sight of a soaring eagle or fascinated by the mysterious great gray owl. You are on your way to understanding what an Important Bird Area (IBA) is. Important Bird Areas are sites that provide essential habitat for one or more species of bird. IBAs include sites for breeding, wintering, and/or migrating birds. The Important Bird Area Program is designed to be proactive, voluntary, participatory, science-based and credible. The Program works to identify, monitor and conserve sites for birds in Minnesota while connecting to other Important Bird Area sites throughout the United States and the world.

Increasing land use pressures from urban sprawl, agricultural and forestry practices, and outdoor recreation threatens to diminish both the quantity and quality of critical bird habitat throughout the state. Minnesotans have long expressed a widespread interest in the birds of our state, yet despite this interest, there has never been an effort to systematically identify and protect the habitats most crucial to the long-term survival of Minnesota’s bird populations. Our vision is to use the Important Bird Area program to identify, conserve, and monitor the most important bird habitats in the state. Important Bird Areas will serve as a catalyst for involving Audubon members and for educating the public about those areas most important for the long-term survival of Minnesota’s birds. Once identified, Important Bird Areas will become an important tool for prioritizing land use options for national, state, and local land managers. Improved decision making regarding land use options should help ensure the long-term health of both common and uncommon bird species.

HISTORY OF THE MINNESOTA IMPORTANT BIRD AREA PROGRAM
Audubon Minnesota and the Minnesota DNR Nongame Program oversee the Important Bird Area Program in Minnesota.

Important Bird Areas are international in scope. BirdLife International conceived and initiated the IBA project in Europe in 1981. Since then, more than 7,500 sites, in 170 countries, have been identified as IBAs. The National Audubon Society, in 1995, became the officially designated U.S. partner of Birdlife International for the purpose of implementing the IBA program. Currently, efforts are underway in 46 states to identify IBAs, resulting in the official identification of more than 1,800 sites to date.

Audubon Minnesota, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Nongame Program, began implementing the Important Bird Area program in Minnesota in February 2003. An IBA Technical Committee was formed, comprised of numerous bird experts and conservationists from Audubon, other birding groups, and federal and state agencies. The Technical Committee has established State-specific criteria and a nomination form for the Minnesota IBA program and evaluates sites for identification as an IBA. To date, over 225 potential IBAs have been suggested. Thirty-four sites have been identified as IBAs and more are under consideration.

GOALS OF THE MINNESOTA IMPORTANT BIRD AREA PROGRAM
In keeping with the mission of Audubon Minnesota, our goal for the Important Bird Areas (IBA) program in Minnesota is to ensure the survival of wild bird populations through the identification and protection of their most important habitats.

1. Identify Important Bird Areas through a science-based nomination process

2. Publicly dedicate sites and raise public-awareness of bird conservation

3. Involve public and private participation in conservation planning on sites

4. Provide public education and outreach about sites

5. Encourage legislation that promotes Important Bird Areas and bird conservation.

IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS AND YOU
Important Bird Areas are a natural focus of volunteer, citizen scientist monitoring projects, which can lead to positive local stewardship and advocacy. Identification of a site as an Important Bird Area is both a tool for assisting private landowners and public land managers, and a rationale for preserving habitat from threats. Most importantly, the IBA Program is a starting point for site-based conservation planning, involving stakeholders in a process that takes all interests into account.

You can help identify and conserve Important Bird Areas in Minnesota
Nominations for the Minnesota Important Bird Area Program are solicited on an on-going basis. Nominations can be received from any interested party. The requirement is to provide sufficient data on the nomination form to demonstrate that a site is worthy of being selected.

Support the Important Bird Area Program through citizen science and stewardship. This may include conducting bird monitoring, volunteering to help land managers, and/or being a conservation advocate.

Help us grow the Important Bird Area Program by making a donation. The Important Bird Area Program depends on private donations like yours for continued success.