A herper in a birder world
Posted onAugust 1, 2024byAndrea Fried|Eastern Loggerhead Shrike, Eastern Loggerhead Shrike, Eastern Loggerhead Shrike Recovery, Loggerhead Shrike, News and Events
Birds are technically reptiles, I thought to myself on my first day of training as an intern for the Eastern Loggerhead Shrike Recovery Project in Napanee, Ontario. You’ve got this.
As a herpetologist—someone who studies reptiles and amphibians—I didn’t know what to expect, but I was excited to learn how different it would be to work with a new taxon. And let me tell you, birds are different. In Ontario, there are only 26 native reptile species to identify: 8 turtles, 17 snakes, and 1 skink. I think I saw 26 different bird species in my first hour of training in Napanee.
Now, I didn’t start this position with zero birding experience. I’ve taken bird identification courses and learned bird calls for Environmental Impact Assessments, but bird identification is a use-it-or-lose-it skill, which I’ve definitely allowed to become rusty. Backyard birds? I’ve got this in spades. But the grassland species I once knew had flown right out of my head. The first few weeks of fieldwork were like a crash course in remembering what I used to know and learning new species for fun.
Bird species are so diverse, and each one is unique! From their calls to their flight patterns and hunting strategies, birds never cease to amaze me. Now, I may sound biased since I’m working on the Loggerhead Shrike Recovery Project, but are shrikes cool or what? Songbirds that hunt like raptors? Incredible!
These wonderful, elusive, frustrating little carnivores are fascinating. Other field staff have mentioned the infamous Shrike Effect: “What can be made more difficult, will be made more difficult.” From being a single bird singing in a vast territory to suddenly having fledglings and a mate at the next visit, these birds keep you on your toes.
Fieldwork with shrikes is also teaching me patience. Many site visits require staying in one place, waiting for the shrikes to appear. Sometimes you spot them right away, but sometimes it takes what feels like forever before they come into view. Sometimes you have your eye on them, and they disappear into the foliage, leaving you questioning if they were ever really there.
As I continue this journey with the eastern loggerhead shrike, I find myself appreciating the nuances of birds more and more each day. They have taught me patience, resilience, and the joy of discovery. While birds may be different from reptiles, they share the same intricate beauty that drew me to studying wildlife in the first place.
If you ever get the chance to volunteer or work on a conservation project, I highly recommend it. Not only do you get to contribute to the preservation of our natural world, but you also get to experience firsthand the incredible diversity of wildlife. So, whether you’re a herper, a birder, or a nature lover, get out there and try something new!
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