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For several years, the Hummingbird Monitoring Network (HMN) has focused its efforts on monitoring and studying hummingbird populations to obtain information crucial to their conservation of these magnificent creatures. Hummingbird Conservation Networks (HCNs) is the result of integrating community-based conservation ideas into HMN’s science-based beginning.
HCNs’ mission, essentially unchanged from HMN’s original goal, is to aid hummingbirds in their survival, reproduction, and ability to thrive all while engaging human communities in these efforts, realizing how humans, too, can benefit economically, socially, and ecologically through their hummingbird conservation activities. Maintaining hummingbird diversity and abundance throughout the Americas remains a primary focus of the organization. Hummingbirds are unique in their ability to reconnect people, instantly with awe, for nature. They are bearers of light and might be the messengers we need for restoring viability to our world’s living systems. |
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The Hummingbird Monitoring Network (HMN), founded in 2002 and earning 501(C)(3) nonprofit status by 2004, was initiated because hummingbird conservation had lost its prominence in the competition for ecological urgency, thus population trend data for hummingbirds was lacking. We began as a science-based, project-driven organization dedicated to maintaining hummingbird diversity and abundance throughout the Americas. We are a distinctive nonfit organization which combines collaborative research, community involvement, and training with a view to understanding and appreciating the importance of hummingbirds and their conservation in a continuously evolving world.
HMN is faithful and motivated to maintaining long-term monitoring sites that represent the region’s hummingbird diversity across each species range; collecting detailed demographic information on hummingbird populations so data trends can be easily detected; encouraging and supporting research projects that promote hummingbird conservation; supporting efforts that preserve and restore hummingbird habitats; educating communities by disseminating information about hummingbirds to land managers, the scientific community, and the general public; and using the gathered information to ultimately improve hummingbird conservation.
To address the lack of trend and status data, HMN founded a coordinated trend monitoring program, mainly instituting volunteers who trained as citizen scientists. Now, we partner with federal and state agencies, nonprofit organizations, universities, citizen scientists, and volunteers. It is a systematic banding program with constant effort and robust design protocol, stratified by geographic factors such as elevation, longitude and latitude, and vegetation type. Its sampling and experimental design is based upon the MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) program, which has been effective for answering questions about population trends in passerines and near-passerines. Capture, banding techniques, and tools have been developed and employed specifically for hummingbirds’ specialized ecology and constrained physiology.
HMN’s program has generated data with large sample sizes and high recapture rates that permit using Capture Mark Recapture models to estimate survivorship and other demographic estimates. It also provides region-specific information pertaining to analyzing the high diversity and abundance of hummingbirds, which areas are important breeding sites, the timing of hummingbird occurrence, and their seasonal movement patterns.
In addition to the monitoring program, HMN has collaborated with further organizations on numerous research projects; developed hummingbird field techniques; helped found Borderlands Restoration, an Arizonian ecological enterprise, to restore landscapes and engage communities along the Mexico-USA border; initiated an after-school employment program for high school students; and developed an internship program for Latin American college students and young professionals to learn hummingbird field techniques.
HMN is faithful and motivated to maintaining long-term monitoring sites that represent the region’s hummingbird diversity across each species range; collecting detailed demographic information on hummingbird populations so data trends can be easily detected; encouraging and supporting research projects that promote hummingbird conservation; supporting efforts that preserve and restore hummingbird habitats; educating communities by disseminating information about hummingbirds to land managers, the scientific community, and the general public; and using the gathered information to ultimately improve hummingbird conservation.
To address the lack of trend and status data, HMN founded a coordinated trend monitoring program, mainly instituting volunteers who trained as citizen scientists. Now, we partner with federal and state agencies, nonprofit organizations, universities, citizen scientists, and volunteers. It is a systematic banding program with constant effort and robust design protocol, stratified by geographic factors such as elevation, longitude and latitude, and vegetation type. Its sampling and experimental design is based upon the MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) program, which has been effective for answering questions about population trends in passerines and near-passerines. Capture, banding techniques, and tools have been developed and employed specifically for hummingbirds’ specialized ecology and constrained physiology.
HMN’s program has generated data with large sample sizes and high recapture rates that permit using Capture Mark Recapture models to estimate survivorship and other demographic estimates. It also provides region-specific information pertaining to analyzing the high diversity and abundance of hummingbirds, which areas are important breeding sites, the timing of hummingbird occurrence, and their seasonal movement patterns.
In addition to the monitoring program, HMN has collaborated with further organizations on numerous research projects; developed hummingbird field techniques; helped found Borderlands Restoration, an Arizonian ecological enterprise, to restore landscapes and engage communities along the Mexico-USA border; initiated an after-school employment program for high school students; and developed an internship program for Latin American college students and young professionals to learn hummingbird field techniques.
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Hummingbird Conservation Communities and Reserves (HCCRs) is HCNs’ new program that integrates community-based conservation ideas into our science-based beginning and encourages public involvement in hummingbird conservation practices. Partners in these communities and regions are interested in developing mutually beneficial activities that help address critical conservation issues for hummingbirds, such as: discovering and addressing conservation needs of threatened hummingbird species; restoring habitats to mitigate adverse effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on hummingbird diversity; improving floral resources to mitigate pollination disruption and strengthen food sovereignty of crops pollinated by hummingbirds. The first communities joining HCCRs are La Bajada and El Cuarenteño —both in Nayarit, Mexico. Soon, communities in Ecuador and Guatemala may join as well.
HCCRs' ultimate goals are to develop a conservation economy by promoting beneficial activities within communities and creating revenue streams for funding conservation jobs and activities. Below, five initial programs for accomplishing the goals mentioned above are defined: 1. Monitoring programs to identify habitat and nectar resources used throughout the year 2. Field research programs to determine ecological and social threats 3. Community Restoration activities including support for local nurseries to incorporate native nectar plants in their business, so there is a source of native plants available for use in land recovery 4. Outreach and educational activities that promote the care and respect for nature 5. Partner engagement for creating community-based natural businesses |
Hummingbird Conservations Networks (HCNs) is the result of integrating community-based conservation ideas into HMN’s science-based beginning. It endeavors to offer services, resources, and opportunities that will help communities across the hemisphere participate in and benefit from hummingbird conservation activities. Success depends upon the definition and development of programs that generate enough feedback loops for sustaining these conservation networks.
We are making connections, building relationships, and creating partnerships to support resulting Science- and Community-based networks. In the table below, we have defined the programs vital to HCNs’ mission. They are listed by section (Monitoring, Research, Restoration, Outreach, and Organization) and initiative (HMN, HCCRs, HCNs).
Perhaps, the greatest strength of HMN, HCCRs, and HCNs will be to help fill a gap in conservation practice. Today, conservation is often accomplished either with large organizations or at the community level. In contrast, we aim to provide resources, services, and opportunities that connect communities on a single conservation issue and support activities in communities across the hemisphere. We’re filling the gap by creating ecosystem conservation networks of partners, service providers, organizations, and reserves that will allow for landscape impact through community-level conservation.
We are making connections, building relationships, and creating partnerships to support resulting Science- and Community-based networks. In the table below, we have defined the programs vital to HCNs’ mission. They are listed by section (Monitoring, Research, Restoration, Outreach, and Organization) and initiative (HMN, HCCRs, HCNs).
Perhaps, the greatest strength of HMN, HCCRs, and HCNs will be to help fill a gap in conservation practice. Today, conservation is often accomplished either with large organizations or at the community level. In contrast, we aim to provide resources, services, and opportunities that connect communities on a single conservation issue and support activities in communities across the hemisphere. We’re filling the gap by creating ecosystem conservation networks of partners, service providers, organizations, and reserves that will allow for landscape impact through community-level conservation.
