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October 2, 2008

Endangered Species Act protection sought for unique Black Hills American Dipper

Laramie— On September 29th  Biodiversity Conservation Alliance and three other conservation groups filed a petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the Black Hills population of the American dipper as Threatened or Endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Conservation groups originally requested Endangered Species Act protection for the American dipper in March, 2003. 

The American dipper is the only songbird that regularly swims. The dipper will “fly” gracefully under water in search of aquatic insects and other small prey.  Just as the Black Hills of South Dakota are isolated from other mountains, so is this population of tiny birds. No other population of dippers exist for hundreds of miles around the Black Hills.  Dippers are rarely seen away from streams and do not make long distance flights over land.

Fish and Wildlife denied dipper protection requested in the group’s 2003 petition, stating that the Black Hills Population of American dipper is not a distinct species and that loss of the Black Hills population would be insignificant to dipper populations elsewhere. However, state of the art genetics research being conducted at the Center for Conservation of Biological Resources at Black Hills State University suggests the Black Hills population of American dippers is a distinct population of dipper.

Brian Brademeyer of Native Ecosystems Council, Black Hills Regional Office explained, “The Endangered Species Act provides protection for threatened and endangered wildlife populations that are determined to be a distinct population segment.” According to the Act, a distinct population segment is a vertebrate population or group of populations that is discrete (separated and reproductively isolated) from other populations of the species and significant in relation to the entire species.
A Department of Interior policy statement reads, “the Services do not consider it appropriate to require absolute reproductive isolation as a prerequisite to recognizing a distinct population segment. This would be an impracticably stringent standard, and one that would not be satisfied even by some recognized species that are known to sustain a low frequency of interbreeding with related species.”
Duane Short, Wild Species Program Director for Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, noted, “The Black Hills population of American dippers is just about as isolated as any bird of flight can be.”

Short expressed concern for Black Hills population stating, “Dippers are very sensitive to stream degradation, water quality, and other habitat disturbances.” Short continued, “The dipper’s sensitivity to degraded conditions makes them good indicators of overall stream health and environmental conditions but at the same time they are extremely vulnerable to stream pollution and habitat loss.”

Heavy logging and mining activities in the Black Hills contribute to degraded stream conditions. For example, a mining waste product called selenium has been documented to have killed dippers in the Black Hills. Siltation caused by logging projects and mining activities also kills aquatic insects and other essential dipper prey.

A University of Wyoming study concluded that “variation in water quality, as measured by common dipper prey, affected the presence of this semi-aquatic bird.” The study further concluded that dipper presence may indicate the likelihood of an unpolluted stream.

Repeated surveys conducted by the South Dakota Department of Game and Fish indicate that the Black Hills population of American dipper is in severe decline.  Historically common in healthy, swift flowing streams of the Black Hills, dippers are now known to nest only along portions of Spearfish and Whitewood Creeks.

Nancy Hilding, President of Prairie Hills Audubon Society of Western South Dakota, reflected, "The dipper is a very special bird; it is a joy to watch.  It has a unique ability to live, fed, and play in the rapids and cascades of cool mountain streams of the west, and often lives in the most beautiful places. South Dakotans should be proud that the Black Hills National Forest still hosts an American dipper population. We need to insure the dipper has the protection and recognition it deserves and that it survives for future generations to enjoy."

The Endangered Species Act requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine if further investigation of the Black Hills population of American dipper status is warranted within 90 days of receiving the petition for its protection. Conservation groups expect a response to their petition near the beginning of 2009.

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Contact information:

Duane Short, Wild Species Program Director, Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, 307-742-7978
Brian Brademeyer, Native Ecosystems Council, Black Hills Regional Office, 605-574-4152
Nancy Hilding, President, Prairie Hills Audubon Society of Western South Dakota, 605-787-6466 or 787-6779