Species at Risk Update

The next group of species being considered for listing under the federal Species at Risk Act includes these species found in the Wekʼèezhìι Boundary: Evening Grosbeak, Harris’s Sparrow, Transverse Lady Beetle, and Barren-ground caribou.

Evening Grosbeak

While considered Secure in the Northwest Territories (NWT) under the NWT General Ranking system, the Evening Grosbeak has shown significant declines of 77% to 86% over most of its range across Canada’s forests since 1970.  COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada) assessed the Evening Grosbeak as Special Concern in 2016 because of population declines and threats.

This large, boldly coloured songbird lives year-round in the boreal forest, breeding in open, mature forests of mostly coniferous trees like spruce.  A nomadic species, the Evening Grosbeak will move around as its food supply changes and are found in areas with abundant insects or seeds to eat.  In winter, it eats spruce seeds and with its enormous bill, can crack seeds that are too large for smaller birds to open.  In summer, it eats insects, especially Spruce Budworm, as well as buds, sap, fruits and berries. 

Threats to this handsome finch include loss of habitat with fewer mature and old-growth forests, collisions with windows, and mortality related to feeding on grit and salt along roads in winter. 

Photo:  Evening Grosbeaks have a swift bounding flight and can migrate in large flocks of up to several hundred birds. (Cephas / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0)

Harris’s Sparrow

COSEWIC assessed the Harris’s Sparrow as Special Concern in 2017 because of population decline and threats. Harris’s sparrow has undergone a significant long-term population decline of 59% over the past 35 years.  Conversion of lands for agriculture on its wintering grounds, as well as pesticide use, are thought to be factors in the decline. 

These migratory sparrows arrive on their breeding territories near the tree line in the NWT in late May to early June.   Harris’s sparrows prefer shrubby areas with scattered coniferous trees and tundra, with scattered lakes, breeding in boreal forests with spruce and tamarack trees.  These large sparrows build their nests on the ground hidden in dwarf birth, alder, and willow vegetation.  Potential threats in the NWT to these birds include breeding habitat degradation from climate change or direct disturbance at nest sites from resource exploration and development.

Overwintering berries such as crowberries, blueberries, and bearberries are important foods for Harris’s sparrow in the spring when they first return to the tundra and not many insects are out.   As the season progresses, they include more insects and seeds in their diet. 

Photo:The Harris’s Sparrow is North America’s largest sparrow and the only songbird that breeds in Canada and nowhere else in the world.   Its striking colouring – black bib and pink bill—adds to this bird’s distinctive appearance. (Alan D. Wilson / Wikimedia Commons:  CC BY-SA 3.0)

Transverse Lady Beetle

Once one of the more common and widespread lady beetles (“lady bugs”) in North America, found throughout Canada and into the North, the numbers of Transverse Lady Beetles have been declining over the last 10 years.  While it seems to be abundant and fairly common in the NWT, in many other parts of its range, it remains either undetected in areas where it was common before, or detected in low numbers.  COSEWIC assessed Transverse Lady Beetle as Special Concern in 2016 because of population decline and threats. 

The spread of non-native beetles such as the Seven-Spotted Lady Beetle may be a threat through competition and predation.  These introduced beetles can out-compete native species for space, water, food, and other essential resources.  They may also introduce pathogens that can cause disease.  Other possible threats include parasites, changes to or loss of habitat, and pesticides. 

Photo:  Transverse Lady Beetle (Henri Goulet) These beetles are “habitat generalists”, mostly feeding on aphids and occurring across a wide range of habitats including coniferous forests, deciduous forests, prairie grasslands, meadows, and other natural areas.

Barren-ground caribou

The main threats to barren ground caribou are climate change related (e.g. changes to vegetation, icing events), predation, industrial development, and forest fires. Though an estimated 530,000 barren-ground caribou reside either partially or entirely in the NWT, overall the numbers for all herds for which there is trend information have declined by 85 for the past three caribou generations. It is understood that caribou populations can undergo large fluctuations; however, the cumulative effects from multiple interacting threats are considered unprecedented. 

(Photo:  In the fall, mature male Barren-ground Caribou have a striking white neck and mane and a distinct band along the flank separating the brown back from the white belly.  Their colours are more faded during the winter.  Mike Klaczek)

What happens next?

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is requesting feedback and communities from communities by May 22, 2018 for the Transverse Lady Beetle, Harris’s Sparrow, and Evening Grosbeak –and by October 22, 2018 for Barren-ground caribou.  Although ECCC consulted with Wekweètì, Gamètì, Whatì and Behchokǫ̀ on Barren-ground Caribou last year, ECCC would still welcome any additional comments that may be available.

Following consultations, ECCC will present the consultation results to the WRRB and seek the Board’s decision on the proposed listing of the species.

You can either send a letter or fill in the questionnaire and return to the address below.  Comments will be considered and will inform the federal Minister’s recommendation.  The kinds of information that ECCC is seeking include:

• Whether you have seen the species in your area, whether you have enough information to make a decision on your position / opinion on the proposed listing, and whether you support, do not support, or are indifferent to the proposed listing;
• How the species benefits you or the environment;
• Do any of your current or planned activities have to the potential to kill, harm or harass the species? What are you currently doing or what could you do to avoid killing, harming or harassing the species?
• What impact do you think listing the species as a species at risk would have on the species?
• Do you have any other information or concerns that the federal Minister of the Environment should consider before making a decision on the listing of the species?

Send your comments to:

Dawn Andrews, Species at Risk Biologist
Canadian Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 2310
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2P7
Phone: 867-669-4710
Fax: 867-873-6776
Email: ec.sarnt-lepnt.ec@canada.ca