Place Names in Nova Scotia

Among place names referred to without county in the species accounts, Seal Island, which lies off southwestern Shelburne County but is in Yarmouth County, should not be confused with several other Nova Scotia islands with that name. Cape Sable is a sandbar lying just off Cape Sable Island, the southern extremity of Shelburne County. Neither should be confused with Sable Island, technically in Halifax County, but lying well offshore.

The only place name for which the "official" gazetteer name is not used is Bon Portage Island, which lies 7 km west of Cape Sable Island and is given as Outer Island on current maps. Because there is an extensive literature on the island as Bon Portage Island, including some references to birds (Richardson 1965), this much more attractive name is retained here.

Names of Birds

The classification, sequence and names of birds in this book are according to the latest Check-List of North American Birds published by the American Ornithologists' Union (1983), the accepted authority on such matters.

Each species has a standard vernacular (English) as well as a scientific (Latin or Latinized) name. English names are traditionally capitalized to prevent the kind of confusion that would be caused by "I saw nothing today except a single black duck and a solitary sandpiper," when two species with those names are meant. Scientific names are printed in italics. The first word is that of the genus (plural genera) and is always capitalized. The genus is a group of closely related species, varying from a considerable number to only one. The second part of the name designates the species and is never capitalized. If, for example, we look at the names of certain thrushes, we see that the Hermit Thrush is Catharus guttatus, Swainson's Thrush is Catharus ustulatus, and the Veery is Catharus fuscescens— the genus name is the same, marking their close relationship.

With each scientific name, the original describer and namer of the species is given. Thus Catharus ustulatus (Nuttall) signifies that Thomas Nuttall, the English-born American naturalist, first named the Swainson's Thrush (in 1840). By convention, if the original genus name is changed, the describer's name is placed in parentheses. For example, Nuttall's name for the Swainson's Thrush was Turdus ustulatus, signifying (correctly) that it is related to the American Robin, Turdus migratorius. Later, other authorities decided that this and other small thrushes belong in a separate genus, Catharus. The species name, however, is not discarded or changed except to conform to rules of Latin grammar when its genus name is altered.

Many species have become slightly and sometimes substantially differentiated in different parts of their range into recognized subspecies (or races). In birds, subspecies are sufficiently closely related to be able to interbreed freely and often do so where their geographical ranges overlap. However, many birds considered to be of separate species may also interbreed (such as Black Ducks and Mallards in Nova Scotia), so the judgment on what constitutes a species or subspecies is somewhat arbitrary and subject to periodic revision. As an example, the subspecies of Veery nesting in Nova Scotia is Catharus fuscescens fuscescens (abbreviated as C.f.fuscescens), that nesting in Newfoundland is darker in colour and named Catharus fuscescens fuliginosa, and the olivaceous birds of western Canada are Catharus fuscescens salicola. Subspecies are not dealt with in the latest A.O.U. Check-List, although they were included in previous editions. In previous editions of this book each species was designated by the subspecies (if any) occurring in Nova Scotia. This is not common practice now in regional bird books, and only species names are given here in the headings of species accounts. However, when more than one subspecies of a bird is known or thought to have occurred in the province, these are noted in the text.

There have been substantial numbers of changes in the names of our birds since the 1973 edition of this book. English names have been changed to make them less parochial ("Common Gallinule" has become Common Moorhen, its older, British name), or more accurate ("Upland Plover" has become Upland Sandpiper, which it is); or because species have been "split" into two or more species ("Traill's Flycatcher" is now recognized as consisting of two closely related species, Alder and Willow Flycatcher); or because two or more species have been "lumped" into one species (our "Ipswich Sparrow" is now recognized as a well marked subspecies of the widespread Savannah Sparrow). The scientific names of species have also been changed as a result of such "splitting" and "lumping," and also as a result of strictly nomenclatural decisions about the validity of previous names.

Bird Protection and Conservation

Subsequent legislation for protection of birds had its genesis in the United States where the extirpation of the Passenger Pigeon, great hunting pressure on shorebirds and waterfowl, and the commercial killing of seabirds and egrets for their feathers led to strong public sentiment for controls. The result was the Migratory Bird Law ("Weeks-MacLean Bill") in 1913, which took migratory birds out of desultory and disparate state controls and put them into federal hands. Immediately there was a ban on the sale of game birds and a proscription of spring shooting. The smaller shorebirds received complete protection, along with most non-game birds and songbirds.

In Canada, protection of birds was the responsibility of the provinces. However, the argument that migratory birds do not know political boundaries resulted in the signing of the international Migratory Bird Treaty in 1916 and its ratification by the Act in 1917. This treaty extended protection, or jointly agreed-upon designations as game species, to most migratory birds in North America and has stood as a model of enlightened legislation which the rest of the world has yet fully to follow.

There are still some species or groups of species to which the treaty does not extend protection. It excludes non-migratory game birds, such as the Ruffed Grouse in Nova Scotia, which are managed under state or provincial laws. It also excludes species such as cormorants, hawks, owls, crows and blackbirds that were perceived in those days as inimical to human interests. Fortunately, the misguided hostility against most of these birds has largely gone, and now all non-treaty birds except the Rock Dove, American Crow, European Starling and House Sparrow are protected by various statutes in Nova Scotia.

Bird sanctuaries in Canada and the United States became established when conservationists in both countries recognized that the treaty alone could not restore diminishing populations of wildfowl. Thus large numbers of federal bird sanctuaries were established in Canada. Those in Nova Scotia are: the Amherst Point Bird Sanctuary in Cumberland County, Big Glace Bay Lake in Cape Breton County, Kentville Bird Sanctuary in Kings County, Sable Island, and four sanctuaries clustered in Queens and Shelburne counties, namely the Port Joli, Port Hebert, Haley Lake and Sable River sanctuaries.

Provincial game or waterfowl sanctuaries established primarily or initially for protection are at Brule Point in Colchester County, Blandford in Lunenburg County, Chignecto in Cumberland County, Liscomb in Halifax and Guysborough counties, Martinique Beach in Halifax County, Spectacle Island in Victoria County, Sunnybrae in Pictou County, and Waverley in Halifax County. The province also has a number of Wildlife Management Areas, most primarily for the maintenance of wildlife habitat and breeding sites, but some also closed to hunting, and having the force of sanctuaries. The closed ones are at Abercrombie and Antigonish Harbour in Pictou County, Debert in Hants County, Kelly Lake in Halifax and Guysborough counties, Manganese Mines in Colchester County, Medford in Kings County, and Scatarie Island in Cape Breton County (only partly closed).

In addition, Cape Breton Highlands and Kejimkujik national parks, along with a large number of provincial parks, great and small, are closed to hunting.

Over the years it became clear that protection of birds from illegal or excess killing was not enough; thus the focus turned to protection of bird habitats for nesting and other activities. Although sanctuaries and parks often serve these ends, other areas in Nova Scotia have been set aside specifically to protect or manage habitats on behalf of wildlife, including birds, without proscription of hunting in season. Under the Canadian Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Areas have been established at Chignecto and John Lusby marshes in Cumberland County, on Boot Island in Kings County, Margaree Island in Inverness County, Sand Ponds in Yarmouth County, and at Wallace Bay in Cumberland County. Wildlife Management Areas, in addition to those noted in the previous paragraph, have been established by the province to protect breeding seabirds and Common Eiders on the Eastern Shore Islands in Halifax County, and on Pearl Island in Lunenburg County.

The work of Ducks Unlimited Canada has been very important in the improvement of wetlands as waterfowl nesting areas, and incidentally as habitat for many other water and marsh birds. As of 1985, this organization had undertaken 104 projects in the province, involving 128 different marshes totalling 7340 ha in area. Most are near the New Brunswick border, but other sites are found from Yarmouth to Cape Breton Island.

The Nova Scotia Bird Society owns a number of properties around the province established for protection of breeding birds. These are Hertford and Ciboux islands in Victoria County, Indian Island in Lunenburg County, three islands of the inner Tuskets off Yarmouth, Peters Island off Brier Island, and an 80 ha coastal site at Port Joli, Shelburne County.

In the last few decades there has been increased concern for particular species that are rated as "threatened" or "endangered" by national and international agencies. Thus government and other organizations have become more involved in focused efforts to restore nesting habitats, protect from disturbance and in some cases reintroduce populations of depleted species. Examples of such efforts can be found in the species accounts on the Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon and Piping Plover.

The future well-being of birds in Nova Scotia will depend largely on an enlightened and caring public. It is hoped that this book will contribute to that end.

Suggestions for Beginners in Bird Study

Nowadays, there are many keen and expert bird-watchers (or "birders" as most now prefer) on whom beginners can depend for advice, although it is doubtful that any will have the impact of a Robie Tufts. However, birding is now a much more widespread activity, much better supported by organizations devoted to the hobby, better served by excellent field guides and other bird books, by superior optical equipment and by recordings of bird songs and calls.

Anyone with a developing interest in birds in Nova Scotia should join the Nova Scotia Bird Society (c/o the Nova Scotia Museum, Halifax B3H 3A6). Its periodical, Nova Scotia Birds, comes out three times a year, and it sponsors monthly meetings in Halifax in winter, and field trips around the province throughout the year.

For field identification of birds, at least one and preferably several guidebooks are indispensable. Among the recommended ones are A Field Guide to the Birds by Roger Tory Peterson (Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1980), A Field Guide to the Identification of North American Birds by Chandler S. Robbins, Bertel Bruun and Herbert S. Zim (Golden Press, New York, 1980), Field Guide to the Birds of North America (National Geographic Society, Washington, 1983), and the three-volume Audubon Society Master Guide to Birding edited by John Farrand, Jr. (Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1983). For details of measurements, plumages and much more information of great value, The Birds of Canada by W. Earl Godfrey (National Museum of Canada, Ottawa, 1986) is indispensable. Birding Nova Scotia (Allen and Dobson 1984) is useful for bird-finding in Nova Scotia. For more serious birders, or those who wish to become better informed, subscriptions to American Birds, published by the National Audubon Society (950 Third Ave., New York, 10022) will keep one abreast of the continental pattern of bird migration and distribution, and includes articles on identification and study of birds. Membership in the American Birding Association (P.O. Box 4335, Austin, Texas, 78765) will bring the bimonthly magazine, Birding, with many useful articles and features.

No definitive advice can be given here on optical equipment, for it is very much a matter of cost. In general, in purchasing a first pair of inexpensive binoculars (less than $100), it is best to buy simple, serviceable ones of 7-9 power and 35-50 objective diameter, and to avoid those designated "wide-angle," "zoom" or "quick-focus," as such optical or mechanical features often sacrifice optical quality. The ultimate in binoculars are the rugged, unitary, roof-prism types, which cost many hundreds of dollars. A telescope of 20-25 power is of great value for the study of water birds and shorebirds at a distance. There are several excellent makes available, and these should be tried for sharpness before purchase; again, "zoom" models tend to sacrifice optical qualities for mechanical advantages.

A portable tape recorder has become a feature of modern birding, used for recording bird sounds of interest and for playing calls and songs of species in order to attract them for observation. (This of course has to be done with due care not to excite the attracted bird to the point of harassment.) There are many excellent tapes available for the whole range of species that occur in Nova Scotia.

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