Based at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, we have been working on landbird species at risk and their habitats since 2010. For 2017-18, we are focusing our efforts on three species at risk – Canada Warbler, Olive-sided Flycatcher, and Rusty Blackbird – that breed in forested wetland habitats in Atlantic Canada. The goal of our project is to identify important breeding areas for these species and to engage the public in stewardship of high-quality habitat that may be crucial to recovery of these species.

Our team

Dr. Cindy Staicer is a prof of Biology of Dalhousie University. She has led research and monitoring activities on landbirds and their habitats in Nova Scotia since 1996. Sydney Bliss is the intern leading the field work and coordinating volunteers for 2017. Laura Achenbach was a field assistant, intern, and assistant stewardship coordinator in 2013-2014.  She re-joins the team for the 2017 field season. Nick Belliveau is pursing his BSc Honours in Biology at Dalhousie; his research is focusing on the shrubs and other plant species in different types of forested wetlands.

Previous students, interns, and stewardship coordinators for our Landbirds at Risk project include Dr. Alana Westwood, Clara Ferrari, Marian Kemp, Jen Randall, Amanda Lavallee, Jess Fargher, Nathanel Harper, Nora Spencer, and Dominic Cormier.

This website, originally developed in March 2013 with funding from Environment Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Program, has been updated to reflect our current project and new information about the species.

Thanks to our sponsors for financial or in-kind support