The Niagara River Globally Significant Important Bird and Biodiversity Area
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In 1996 an international consortium of conservation and nature organizations, citizen activists and government agencies named the Niagara River Corridor as the first internationally recognized "globally significant" Important Bird Area (NRCIBA).
An important bird area is a designation initiated globally by Birdlife International, a partnership of organizations in over 100 countries seeking to identify and conserve sites important to all bird species. A globally significant bird area is a place where avian species, such as migrating birds depend upon, and which faces significant threats. The Niagara River Corridor is the first internationally globally significant IBA recognized by organizations in both Canada and the U.S.
The Important Bird Area is a widely recognized conservation tool that has helped to focus the eyes of the world on a network of valuable natural resources. These resources are recognized because they support both birds and biodiversity, and are threatened by things such as habitat loss, inappropriate development, and contamination.
Local and regional organizations include working on the NRCIBA designation included the Canadian Nature Federation and the National Audubon Society, as well as the Canadian Wildlife Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and a wide variety of local and regional groups, including the Buffalo Audubon Society, the Buffalo Ornithological Society, and the Buffalo Institute of Urban Ecology, Inc.
The coalition working group was chaired by Jay Burney, then vice-president of the Buffalo Audubon Society and executive Director of the Buffalo Institute of Urban Ecology, Inc.
The NRIBA corridor was originally defined as the entire Niagara River strait and includes a border that stretches approximately 3.5 miles each from the Peace Bridge into Lake Erie, from Fort Niagara, Niagara on the Lake into Lake Ontario, and from all the shorelines inland. Buffalo's Outer Harbor is the Western Gateway to the NRCIBA.
The area is recognized as important to a wide variety of resident and migratory birds, and the flora, fauna, and ecosystems that support these birds. A wide variety of bird species including neotropicals, travel through the corridor or breed here. Birds that depend upon this area for habitat include migrating and breeding songbirds, warblers, waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, gulls and terns, and others. The corridor provides essential habitat. Over 30 species of endangered birds, threatened birds or birds of special concern are found here, including the bald eagle, the peregrine falcon, the black tern and the common tern.
Many fish, mammals, amphibians, insects and plants that are on the state Endangered, Threatened, or Species of Special Concern lists also can be found in the corridor.
An important bird area is a designation initiated globally by Birdlife International, a partnership of organizations in over 100 countries seeking to identify and conserve sites important to all bird species. A globally significant bird area is a place where avian species, such as migrating birds depend upon, and which faces significant threats. The Niagara River Corridor is the first internationally globally significant IBA recognized by organizations in both Canada and the U.S.
The Important Bird Area is a widely recognized conservation tool that has helped to focus the eyes of the world on a network of valuable natural resources. These resources are recognized because they support both birds and biodiversity, and are threatened by things such as habitat loss, inappropriate development, and contamination.
Local and regional organizations include working on the NRCIBA designation included the Canadian Nature Federation and the National Audubon Society, as well as the Canadian Wildlife Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and a wide variety of local and regional groups, including the Buffalo Audubon Society, the Buffalo Ornithological Society, and the Buffalo Institute of Urban Ecology, Inc.
The coalition working group was chaired by Jay Burney, then vice-president of the Buffalo Audubon Society and executive Director of the Buffalo Institute of Urban Ecology, Inc.
The NRIBA corridor was originally defined as the entire Niagara River strait and includes a border that stretches approximately 3.5 miles each from the Peace Bridge into Lake Erie, from Fort Niagara, Niagara on the Lake into Lake Ontario, and from all the shorelines inland. Buffalo's Outer Harbor is the Western Gateway to the NRCIBA.
The area is recognized as important to a wide variety of resident and migratory birds, and the flora, fauna, and ecosystems that support these birds. A wide variety of bird species including neotropicals, travel through the corridor or breed here. Birds that depend upon this area for habitat include migrating and breeding songbirds, warblers, waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, gulls and terns, and others. The corridor provides essential habitat. Over 30 species of endangered birds, threatened birds or birds of special concern are found here, including the bald eagle, the peregrine falcon, the black tern and the common tern.
Many fish, mammals, amphibians, insects and plants that are on the state Endangered, Threatened, or Species of Special Concern lists also can be found in the corridor.
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A conservation plan for the NRIBA was completed and published in 2002. It state’s in part:
“The long-term vision for the Niagara River Corridor IBA Working Group is that: The Niagara River Corridor, being an Important Bird Area, will be conserved because of its importance to the international conservation of migratory and resident bird species that provide enjoyment to people worldwide, and economic, ecological and educational benefits to the people and governments of the United States and Canada.” “The Niagara River, world renowned for its spectacular waterfalls and surging rapids, is an international waterway also important for a breath-taking annual gathering of birds. There are four species that congregate here in globally significant numbers; Bonaparte’s Gull (Larus philadelphia), Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) and Common Merganser (Mergus merganser). The Niagara River Corridor also annually supports one of the largest and most diverse concentrations of gulls in the world. More than 100,000 individuals can be observed foraging along the river during fall and early winter. A total of 19 gull species has been recorded (60% of all New World gull species), with up to 14 species being recorded on a single day. The number of gulls and diversity of species generally peak in late November or early to mid December. A wide variety of waterfowl is also present much of the year, with over 35 different species recorded in the corridor. Concentrations during fall and winter also regularly exceed 20,000 individuals of more than 20 species. These spectacular congregations have led to the Niagara River Corridor being designated a globally significant Important Bird Area (IBA). Another gull species, the Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis), is present in the Niagara River Corridor in significant numbers. The site hosts birds that meet several New York state level IBA criteria including heron and egret colonies, significant diversity of migrating songbirds, and varying numbers of several state-listed at-risk species. The Niagara River corridor area is also home to over 1 million people, who use the waterway for water, power, and recreation activities in both Canada and the United States. The Great Lakes area has a long history of water pollution due to agriculture, industry, and urban development along its shores. “ In 1998, the Buffalo Common Council passed a resolution recognizing the area. It states in part that the IBA designation means "that the ecology of the Niagara River Corridor must be carefully integrated into the city's plans, laws, projects and processes." This is a significant law, and a critical tool for planners and developers.
The Niagara River Globally Significant Important Bird Area (IBA) helps to define how our region is connected to global environmental issues and conservation strategies. Many different speices of birds, pollinators, fish, and other species migrate through this region year round. Some are neotropical migrants that winter in Central and South America. Songbirds, warblers, shorebirds, gulls, hawks, eagles, ducks and geese are regular visitors and breed in this region. Some of these species nest in the arctic, migrate through our Niagara River Corridor IBA, and winter in places like the Amazon Basin. This makes our IBA a critical area in which to practice conservation strategies that have global implications. The Friends of Times Beach Nature Preserve is and has been engaged in protecting the The Niagara River Corridor, "globally significant" Important Bird Area (NRCIBA) since before its designation in 1996. Times Beach Nature Preserve and Buffalo's Outer Harbor are the "western gateway" to the NRCIBA. Many of our friends ands supporters helped to create this designation, and work today to ensure that it is understood and that conservation, including avian conservation, is a priority. This includes working to promote conservation contexts on the Buffalo Outer Harbor, including pollinator and avian corridor and habitat concepts, introducing avian “smart bird” contexts to the Buffalo Green Code discussion, and working to engage the wider community in the appreciation and learning about birds and wildlife at Times Beach, along the outer harbor, and throughout the Niagara River Corridor.
Most IBAs do not carry the "globally significant" designation. This means the health and well being of our local area affects populations and conservation of birds and wildlife on a global basis. |
Checklist of Niagara Gulls:
1. Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus) 2. Black-legged Kittewake (Rissa tridactyla) 3. Bonaparte’s Gull (Larus philadelphia) 4. California Gull (Larus californicus) 5. Franklin’s Gull (Larus pipixcan) 6. Great Black-backed gull (Larus marinus) 7. Glaucus Gull (Laurus hyperboeus) 8. Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 9. Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) 10. Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnean) 11. Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla) 12. Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) 13. Little Gull (Larus minutus) 14. Mew Gull (Larus canus) 15. Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 16. Ross’s Gull (Rhodostethia rosea) 17. Sabine’s Gull (Xema sabini) 18. Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus) 19. Thayer’s gull (Larus thayeri) BIRDS CONNECT US!
The Niagara River Globally Significant Important Bird Area is habitat for birds that migrate through here or breed here that come from across the hemisphere. year round birds visit and use this area from places such as the arcitc, the pacific coast and boreal forests, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. Protecting this habitat is critical to the health of birds and biodiversity on the planet. The designation as "Globally Significant Important Bird Area" is rare, and includes the Galapagos, the Everglades and the Grand Canyon. 
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