Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

Eastern Bluebirds are an easily recognizable species, appreciated by anyone with an enthusiasm for birds. Their bright blue and orange colours make them a colourful sight when seen perched over grasslands and forest edges. Bluebirds are cavity nesters, relying on openings in trees and other natural cavities or nest boxes. While initially an abundant species throughout Ontario, their population began to decline in the 1960s. Eastern Bluebirds faced habitat loss and competition for nesting sites with invasive species such as House Sparrows and European Starlings. When the public learned about this decline, many people took action to help conserve this species. Initiatives to set up bluebird boxes with special optimizations to keep out predators and invasive species allowed bluebirds to reproduce successfully once again and grow their population. By 1996, the Eastern Bluebird population had rebounded enough that they were taken off the COSEWIC list of endangered species, marking them as a conservation success story. Eastern Bluebirds are once again abundant throughout the province. However, their continued survival depends on conservation efforts, as they rely on bluebird boxes to reproduce at sufficient numbers. Eastern Bluebirds are an example of the impact that the public can have in conservation efforts, and are an encouraging success story. However, they still face hazards from invasive species, habitat loss, and climate change and continued conservation is crucial to their survival.

References:

Kraus, D. (2020, May 6). Tales of recovery: Eastern bluebird. NCC: Land Lines. https://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/blog/archive/tales-of-recovery-eastern.html

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Peregrine Falcons are a charismatic raptor species, often considered the world’s fastest animal for its in-flight diving speed of over 300 km/h. They are skilled hunters, often taking down evasive prey species like pigeons and songbirds. Peregrine Falcons nest on tall cliffs or building ledges, preferably close to water. This species is widely distributed, and can be found on every continent except Antarctica. While historically present in Ontario, in the 1950s its population began to decline and it was extirpated from the province during the 1960s. This decline was largely caused by the pesticide DDT, which accumulated in falcons from their prey and weakened the eggshells, causing many to break before hatching. This species came close to extinction, but global conservation efforts allowed it to make a recovery and it can be found breeding in Ontario once again. Captive-breeding programs were an important part of the falcon recovery strategy in Ontario, and helped them make a comeback. These programs were phased out in 2006 as falcon populations became established. Peregrine Falcons are an important species to Hamilton, and became the city bird of Hamilton in 2022. Peregrine Falcons began nesting on the 18th floor of the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Hamilton in 1994. This sparked the creation of FalconWatch, a volunteer group dedicated to helping these falcons survive and thrive. This group began monitoring falcon nests on the Hotel and rescuing any chicks that got into danger as they began to learn to fly. Through these efforts FalconWatch has helped over 60 falcon chicks successfully spread their wings and fly. Their efforts also spread public awareness of these birds and the risks they face, making them a public icon in the city. While peregrine falcons still face threats from habitat loss and pollution, they are a conservation success story in Hamilton and beyond.

References:

Howells, L. (2019, April 24). 25 years of falcons: Hamilton Falconwatch celebrates milestone birthday. CBCnews. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/25-years-of-falcons-hamilton-falconwatch-celebrates-milestone-birthday-1.5107371

Kiff, L. (2023, October 21). Peregrine falcon. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/animal/peregrine-falcon

Peregrine falcon. ontario.ca. (n.d.-b). https://www.ontario.ca/page/peregrine-falcon

Rosas, A. C. (2022, March 22). Hamiltonians pick the Peregrine Falcon, a creature with a long, local history, as City Bird. CBCnews. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/unofficial-city-bird-1.6393960

Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)

Common Snapping Turtles are the largest turtle species in Canada, reaching an average shell length of around 30 cm long. Common Snapping Turtles have long necks, giving them an impressive reach with their powerful bite. They are opportunistic scavengers and ambush predators, feeding on anything that fits in their mouth, dead or alive. Snapping turtles will also eat plants growing in their wetland habitat. They generally prefer swamps and marshes with shallow water, allowing them to hide on the bottom of the wetland and reach the surface with their long necks to breathe.

Common Snapping Turtles were added to Ontario’s Species at Risk list in 2009 due to a variety of threats they face. Snapping turtles do not reach reproductive maturity for 15 to 20 years after hatching, so population regeneration is a slow process. This makes adult mortality a significant conservation concern. Habitat fragmentation (such as roads, railways, and urban areas) put snapping turtles at risk of being crushed by vehicles or interactions with people who may illegally harm them. Snapping turtles prefer to lay their eggs in sandy or gravelly substrate, which is often found alongside roads in developed areas. This puts the adults and nestlings at risk of being hit by vehicles and puts nests at higher risk of predation by skunks, foxes, and raccoons due to their large populations in urban areas. Snapping turtle conservation efforts are important to ensure this species can thrive in Ontario’s wetlands. Many conservation organizations track turtle nesting sites to protect them from predation, and roadside fencing is a common tool to keep turtles off of roads. Watching for turtles when driving near wetlands during the period from May to October is an important way that everyone can help our local species as well. Overall, the Common Snapping Turtle is a beautiful species that plays an important part in Ontario’s wetland ecosystems.

If you find a turtle on the road, this video from the Toronto Zoo has some tips for safely helping it cross:

References:

Serralheiro-O’Neill, B. (2021, May 6). Snapping turtle. The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/snapping-turtle

Snapping turtle. ontario.ca. (n.d.-d). https://www.ontario.ca/page/snapping-turtle

Jefferson Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum)

Jefferson Salamanders are a fascinating native amphibian species. They can live up to 30 years, spending most of their time under logs and leaf litter feeding on worms, slugs, and other invertebrates. This species only comes out of hiding in early spring, once the ice on their breeding pools starts to thaw. Jefferson Salamanders breed in vernal pools, which are areas of standing water that are only present for part of the year. In Ontario, vernal pools fill with water during spring thaw and dry out during the summer. The ephemeral nature of vernal pools keeps them free of fish and other salamander predators, making them safe breeding habitat. Adults emerge from the surrounding forest in droves, travelling across roads, trails, and farm fields to reach these rare pools. Once they arrive, the begin mating and laying eggs. A single female can lay up to 300 egg. After breeding, the adults leave the pools and return to their terrestrial lives. After a period of three to four weeks, the eggs hatch into fully aquatic larvae that look like small tadpoles with feathery gills. They spend the next few months feeding on zooplankton and small aquatic invertebrates. As the summer begins and vernal pools start to dry up, the larvae develop legs and lose their gills, eventually leaving the pools as adult salamanders.

Like most amphibians, Jefferson Salamanders are very sensitive to habitat loss and pollution. Agricultural and urban development has destroyed the majority if their historical habitat in Ontario, restriction them to the few remaining parcels of healthy deciduous forest habitat with vernal pools. Even these areas of habitat may be fragmented on roads, which not only put salamanders at risk of collision with vehicles but also expose them to higher risks of predation and drying out. Conservation efforts to preserve Jefferson Salamander habitat have allowed small populations to continue to survive, but this species faces an uncertain future.

Longnose Gar (Lepisosteus osseus)

Longnose Gar are a mid-sized native gar species that can be found in Lake Ontario and Cootes Paradise. With a long, thin snout full of sharp teeth, these fish are excellent predators that feed primarily on fish but will eat anything else they can catch. They are generally nocturnal, ambushing unsuspecting prey during the night. All gar species have two layers of interlocking scales, making them incredibly tough and difficult to catch for all but the most determined of predators. Additionally, gar are able to breathe air by taking gulps at the surface, enabling them to survive in oxygen-poor water. Longnose Gar spend most of their time in shallow, slow-moving water. However, adults travel upstream into clean, fast-moving water to reproduce. Once the eggs hatch, young gar feed on small crustaceans and insects before they grow large enough to eat other fish. As they develop into juveniles, Longnose Gar head to the shallow, slow waters they will live in as adults and shelter in dead branches and weeds.

Gar are an incredibly old taxonomic group, with some gar fossils being as old as 100 million years, meaning gar were swimming in the shallow waters of the Cretaceous period. Longnose Gar are not commonly seen, as they are well-camouflaged and often live in murky waters. However, there are no known major threats to the longnose gar population. As with any native species, however, they can be affected by habitat loss and invasive species. For example, the Common Carp is an invasive fish species that has cause significant ecological damage to Cootes Paradise. The Royal Botanical Gardens have been engaging in conservation efforts to control the carp population and restore Cootes Paradise, but it is still at risk of degradation. Longnose Gar and many of Ontario’s other native fish species need healthy wetlands like Cootes Paradise to live and reproduce in, making wetland conservation crucial to protecting these important species.

References:

Bowen, K., & Theysmeyer, T. (1998). The Cootes Paradise Fishway. rbg.ca. https://www.rbg.ca/app/uploads/Fishway-Factsheet-1998.pdf?x87889

American Bumble Bee (Bombus pensylvanicus)

American Bumble Bees are a species of Special Concern according to the Committee on the status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). This charismatic bee species has experience severe population decline and continues to become more and more scarce. It is a medium-sized bee species with dark wings and distinctive yellow and black banding on its abdomen. American Bumble Bees live in grasslands, prairies, meadows, and farmlands, and are important pollinators. They feed on nectar and pollen from a wide variety of plant species, and pollinate flowers as they pass from plant to plant. This species live in colonies, usually making their nests above ground in mats of grass or using abandoned rodent burrows.

American Bumble Bees have an annual life cycle. Queens emerge from their overwintering sites in rotting logs or compost in early spring and begin searching for a nest site. Once they have chosen their location, the queen will begin laying eggs to produce workers. These workers take over caring for the nest from the queen once they mature, and begin collecting nectar and pollen for the colony. In late summer, the queen produces new males and queens to continue the population. These bees leave the colony to mate, and the new queens find a suitable site to overwinter. The remaining bees reach the end of their life cycle and die off in Autumn.

Like most insect species, American Bumble Bees have likely been affected by pesticide use and habitat loss. These factors can have devastating affects on insect populations. This population decline leads to a domino effect, as plants that rely on insect pollination also suffer and aerial insectivores like swallows and bats struggle to find food. Insects are crucial to the survival of most terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, so insect conservation is essential for maintaining healthy fields, forests, and wetlands.

References:

Government of Canada. (2019, October 9). American Bumble Bee (Bombus pensylvanicus): COSEWIC assessment and status report 2018. Environment and Climate Change Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry/cosewic-assessments-status-reports/american-bumble-bee-2018.html

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

Monarch Butterflies are a brightly-coloured large butterfly species that can be found across North America. Unlike most butterflies, monarch butterflies migrate every year. In autumn, monarch Butterflies across northeastern North America migrate up to 4000 kilometers to Mexico, where they will spend the winter. On their return journey in the spring, monarch butterflies stop, breed, and die multiple times along the way, making it a multi-generational migration. Monarch Butterflies continue to breed and lay eggs from spring until midsummer. As caterpillars, this species exclusively feeds on milkweed species. These plants contain a toxin that monarch butterfly caterpillars are not harmed by, but that makes them unappetizing to would-be predators. This toxin is stored in the butterflies’ bodies for the entire life. Monarch Butterflies are important pollinators, feeding on nectar from a wide array of plant species and spreading pollen from flower to flower.

Due to their international migrations, Monarch Butterflies face a variety of threats. Herbicide use, habitat loss, and invasive species have all resulted in population decline. Monarch Butterflies are entirely dependent on milkweed to survive, and herbicide use has led to a decline in milkweed populations. Additionally, monarch butterflies rely on a small area of Oyamel fir forest in Mexico to overwinter, which is under threat from extreme weather events, logging, and agriculture. Monarch Butterflies are also impacted by the introduction of Dog-strangling Vine, an invasive plant in the milkweed family. Monarch butterflies sometimes mistakenly lay their eggs on this plant, but their caterpillars are unable to feed on it and die. Since monarch butterflies need healthy habitat across Canada, the United States, and Mexico to survive, they have become a symbol of international conservation co-operation. Organizations across all three nations have worked to protect Monarch Butterfly habitat, plant native milkweed species, and engage the public in conservation of this beautiful species. Monarch Butterflies still face many threats, so continued conservation is needed.

References:

Government of Canada. (2019, August 29). Monarch Butterfly: profile of a species at risk. Environment and Climate Change Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-education-centre/fact-sheets/monarch-butterfly.html

Government of Ontario. (2014). Monarch. ontario.ca. https://www.ontario.ca/page/monarch