Chestnut-sided Warbler
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Hairy Woodpecker
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What About the Birds?
Clearly, Gov. Baxter honored birds and wanted them to be safe in BW. We contend that they are and always have been safe, and that our off-leash, well fed, cared for and loved, domesticated dogs pose little or no risk to forest birds, song birds or any other birds in BW.
The City asserts that the bird population of BW is impaired. We disagree. Using the exact same eBird data and BRI comparisons provided by the City's bird assessment surveys to present their case against off-leash dogs, we believe that the evidence depicts a different story, one that demonstrates a thriving bird sanctuary in BW. As you can see, below, BW's bird population compares favorably with the species observed at other parks in Portland and outside the City – whether or not off-leash dogs are allowed. We have normalized the data to show information for 20 species of forest bird identified in Audubon’s FFMB as referenced in the City’s Management Plan. Here is a summary of the bird study and eBird data we have compiled for the 20 species at four local forest areas.
With reference to the Audubon’s 20 Forest Birds Watch List (data from fall 2020):
Gilsland Farm-Audubon: 50 acres/ No dogs allowed, ever/eBird, FFMB/all seasons
18 species - 4688 eBird Observations
11 nesting species
Baxter Woods: 30 acres / Off-leash dogs previously allowed during open hours year-round; after 4/1/21 off-leash prohibited 4/1-7/31; 8/1-3/31 daily off-leash hours before 9:00 a.m. and after 3:00 p.m./BRI Study/eBird/late June - Oct
15 species - 108 eBird Observations
10 nesting species
*off-leash allowed means "under voice control and within 50 feet of owner"
Note. Bird species shown in photos on this page were observed in BW
Evergreen Cemetery (behind ponds): 100 acres/ Off-leash dogs allowed during open hours year-round/eBird Data shows
18 species - 763 eBird Observations
No data re: regular, occasional or never nesters
Hinckley Woods: 50 acres / Off-leash dogs had been allowed during open hours year-round until October 2021--this data predates the change to leashed hours/eBird data only
18 species - 1477 eBird Observations
No data re: regular, occasional, or never nesters
Variations in the data show the following:
The old growth forest in BW, resulting an a canopy that precludes a rich understory of plants, is not the most hospitable to ground-nesting birds (as noted in the City's 2019 contracted study). In addition, the woods are populated by abundant populations of bird predators, such as raccoons, foxes, birds of prey, and domestic cats. In spite of this, BW bird population appears to be healthy. We contend the full collection of data will demonstrate that off-leash dogs do not detract from the number of bird species observed, and that BW is a fine “sanctuary for wild birds” as it currently exists.
*for further details regarding the bird data as well as our 15-page response to the City, please email your request to FoMBW
The City asserts that the bird population of BW is impaired. We disagree. Using the exact same eBird data and BRI comparisons provided by the City's bird assessment surveys to present their case against off-leash dogs, we believe that the evidence depicts a different story, one that demonstrates a thriving bird sanctuary in BW. As you can see, below, BW's bird population compares favorably with the species observed at other parks in Portland and outside the City – whether or not off-leash dogs are allowed. We have normalized the data to show information for 20 species of forest bird identified in Audubon’s FFMB as referenced in the City’s Management Plan. Here is a summary of the bird study and eBird data we have compiled for the 20 species at four local forest areas.
With reference to the Audubon’s 20 Forest Birds Watch List (data from fall 2020):
Gilsland Farm-Audubon: 50 acres/ No dogs allowed, ever/eBird, FFMB/all seasons
18 species - 4688 eBird Observations
11 nesting species
Baxter Woods: 30 acres / Off-leash dogs previously allowed during open hours year-round; after 4/1/21 off-leash prohibited 4/1-7/31; 8/1-3/31 daily off-leash hours before 9:00 a.m. and after 3:00 p.m./BRI Study/eBird/late June - Oct
15 species - 108 eBird Observations
10 nesting species
*off-leash allowed means "under voice control and within 50 feet of owner"
Note. Bird species shown in photos on this page were observed in BW
Evergreen Cemetery (behind ponds): 100 acres/ Off-leash dogs allowed during open hours year-round/eBird Data shows
18 species - 763 eBird Observations
No data re: regular, occasional or never nesters
Hinckley Woods: 50 acres / Off-leash dogs had been allowed during open hours year-round until October 2021--this data predates the change to leashed hours/eBird data only
18 species - 1477 eBird Observations
No data re: regular, occasional, or never nesters
Variations in the data show the following:
- BW has 4,580 fewer observations than Gilsland Farm, or just .02% of Gilsland’s observers
- Despite having only 108 observations, BW still has 15 of the 20 key species documented
- No bird study was completed in BW during the busiest (April – June) period in 2019 and for the entire month of June in 2020, depressing the full count of key species observed in BW
- Audubon’s Gilsland Farm has 18 of the 20 key species observed, with 11 nesting (only one more than BW) – and no dogs EVER!
- 18 key species have been observed at Evergreen-Ponds and Hinckley Park where off-leash dogs are allowed with far few observers at those dog-friendly places
- These bird counts clearly refute the assertion that dogs negatively impact the habitats for wild forest birds!
The old growth forest in BW, resulting an a canopy that precludes a rich understory of plants, is not the most hospitable to ground-nesting birds (as noted in the City's 2019 contracted study). In addition, the woods are populated by abundant populations of bird predators, such as raccoons, foxes, birds of prey, and domestic cats. In spite of this, BW bird population appears to be healthy. We contend the full collection of data will demonstrate that off-leash dogs do not detract from the number of bird species observed, and that BW is a fine “sanctuary for wild birds” as it currently exists.
*for further details regarding the bird data as well as our 15-page response to the City, please email your request to FoMBW
Flickerbird
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Ovenbird
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