![]() The official SGML-based PDF version on, those relying on it for ![]() The material on is accurately displayed, consistent with While every effort has been made to ensure that Regulatory information on with the objective ofĮstablishing the XML-based Federal Register as an ACFR-sanctioned The OFR/GPO partnership is committed to presenting accurate and reliable Register (ACFR) issues a regulation granting it official legal status.įor complete information about, and access to, our official publications Informational resource until the Administrative Committee of the Federal This prototype edition of theĭaily Federal Register on will remain an unofficial Each document posted on the site includes a link to theĬorresponding official PDF file on. The documents posted on this site are XML renditions of published Federal Register, and does not replace the official print version or the official It is not an official legal edition of the Federal Ring-necked Pheasants have been known to harass other ground-nesting birds such as Greater Prairie-Chickens and Gray Partridges (also introduced), and female pheasants occasionally lay their eggs in the nests of these species.This site displays a prototype of a “Web 2.0” version of the dailyįederal Register. The downturn is likely due in part to modern farm practices that have degraded habitat. Their numbers, however, have declined by more than 30 percent over the last half century. Originally inhabiting a vast swath of temperate Asia from the Black Sea to Korea and beyond, Ring-necked Pheasants have adapted well to North America, and more than 14 million are now found in the U.S. But it likely wasn't until the 1880s that a self-sustaining population finally took hold in North America.Īided by additional introductions in the following decades, the birds quickly spread, and by the 1930s pheasants were established throughout much of their current range, including the West, Great Plains, Midwest, and Atlantic states. began in the 1730s, when several of these upland gamebirds were released by the governors of New York and New Hampshire. Initial attempts to introduce the Ring-necked Pheasant into the U.S. They are also known to carry a variety of avian diseases (transmissible gastroenteritis, blastomycosis, and salmonella), and their droppings provide a growth medium for Histoplasma capsulatum, a fungus that causes lung infections in humans. In addition, they often evict native birds from their nests, which has raised concerns about their impact on other species' reproductive rates. It's estimated that Starlings cause more than $800 million in crop damage each year in the United States. Even so, their numbers have dropped by more than half over the last 50 years. Starlings now occupy all of the continental United States, and with a population of 46 million, they are among our most common songbirds. Once established, these birds, which originally inhabited Europe, southwestern Asia, and North Africa, quickly spread. Photos by Soru Epotok/ShutterstockĪn admirer of Shakespeare released 60 European Starlings into Central Park in the 1890s in a misbegotten attempt to populate the American landscape with all birds celebrated - or at least mentioned - by the bard. Have a look at our list of seven of the most numerous and widespread invasive birds below. Some of the largest invasive bird populations, however, have receded over the last 50 years as avian declines have swept North America, resulting in a loss of more than 3 billion birds from the overall bird population.ĭespite these dramatic losses, invasive birds are far from gone, and there's no question that these adaptable newcomers will be with us for a long time. Introduced House Sparrows, for example, will drive out - and even kill - native species such as Eastern Bluebirds when contending for nest boxes.Ĭontrolling invasive birds is a necessity in certain situations, and some agencies have adopted anti-invasive policies. They devour crops, carry disease, and outcompete native birds for food, nesting sites, and breeding territories. But those that do - the ones most frequently called “invasives” - pose a range of serious threats. The good news is that not all introduced birds cause extensive harm. Today, nearly 100 nonnative bird species have self-sustaining populations in the United States.įrom Purple Swamphens, restricted to a small area of southeastern Florida, to European Starlings, found commonly throughout the U.S., the reach and impact of these birds varies widely. Since then, a steady stream of introductions - both intentional and accidental - have swelled their ranks. Invasive birds first arrived in North America more than 400 years ago.
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