Wildlife & Birding

Wildlife & Birding Tour Dscription

Wildlife & Birding Tour Locations

Wildlife & Birding Tour Itinerary

Wildlife & Birding Tour Map

Description: Erie National Wildlife Refuge is a wonderful place to see many different kinds of wildlife. You may see a bald eagle, northern saw-whet owl, Henslow's sparrow, black tern, or upland sandpiper and also many duck hatchlings. Many species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and wildflowers can be observed from the trails that are open to public use.

Environmental Issues: Due to declining waterfowl habitat throughout the United States, the Erie NWR was established in 1959, where there are over 2,500 acres of choice wetland habitats. The refuge is dedicated to preserving a variety of habitats to support a broad diversity of species including ones that are of special concern due to their scarcity. In fact, nine of Pennsylvania's 13 endangered and threatened bird species have been observed on the refuge. Birds are not the only type of endangered species on the refuge. The refuge has a five-acre wetland area of special concern called Mohawk Run Fen, a rare natural community in Pennsylvania, classified as critically imperiled. Shrub fens are important because they contain certain water and terrain features that are necessary to support uncommon plants. The shrub fen community is also an ideal habitat for bog turtles, a reptile that has been declared a federally threatened species.

Pymatuning Wildlife Learning Center

Description: The museum contains exhibits with native waterfowl and mammals and artifacts from earlier days of sport hunting. There is also a viewing area that allows visitors to observe nests of the bald eagles, as well as other wildlife, waterfowl, and birds.

Environmental Issue: Many species in the United States are in danger of extinction from past and present human activities, particularly habitat loss. Endangered species are those that are considered in imminent danger of extinction; threatened species are those that are likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future. Endangered species cannot be harassed, harmed, hunted, shot, trapped, killed, captured, or collected by humans.

The diverse ecosystems located in Pennsylvania support a great variety of plants and animals. In Pennsylvania, there were 71 native species; 11 of these have gone extinct. Most of them were large animals such as the gray wolf, mountain lion, buffalo, and moose. Some mammals such as the beaver and elk that were once extinct have now been reestablished. Today, the greatest threat to mammals in Pennsylvania includes loss of habitat, degradation of habitat, and human manipulation of the environment. Some of Pennsylvania's endangered mammal species include the Indiana bat, Delmarva fox squirrel, and the least shrew. There are many species of birds that are native to Pennsylvania, including 186 species that are regularly there; five of these are now extinct. The main cause of extinction of bird species in Pennsylvania is the loss of habitat, which is often caused by the destruction of wetlands. The bald eagle is one such bird on the endangered species list.

Description: On I-79, south of Meadville, there is an excellent view of Geneva Marsh, a well-known location to see Bald Eagles. Geneva Swamp is Pennsylvania's largest wetland and has a wide variety of vegetation and wildlife. There are many canoe landings, which can be used to explore the swamp. It is listed as one of Pennsylvania's important bird areas (IBA) by the Audubon Society.

Environmental Issue: Since Pymatuning and Geneva Marsh are critical waterfowl habitats, Bish has become active in the agency’s waterfowl management program. He has assisted teams conducting Canada goose research on Akimiski Island in Canada, and wood duck nest predation, Canada goose reproduction and waterfowl banding at Pymatuning. He also has worked on biological control programs for purple loosestrife, which is an invasive plant in Pennsylvania’s wetlands.Pennsylvania Game Commission Land Management Group Supervisor in the Northwest Region, recently was presented with the Shikar-Safari International Wildlife Conservation Officer of the Year Award. Bish plans, oversees and assists in the management of and habitat improvement projects in the Pymatuning-Geneva Marsh area of western Crawford and southern Erie counties.

Description: This is an area where families can pet and feed over 200 animals on display. The park is home to at least six species of deer, including the whitetail deer, the state animal of Pennsylvania.

Environmental Issue: Whitetail deer, Pennsylvania's state animal, are a beautiful asset to the ecosystem, but are also destructive because the deer population is far greater than the environment can support. Whitetail deer feed on understory vegetation of seedling-sapling forests, removing the buds, stems, and leaves of flowers, shrubs, and young trees. Deer selectively browse on certain species of plants, eradicating them from the forest understory. Forests must contain small seedlings and saplings to allow for regeneration after logging or the death of mature trees. The lack of seeding- and sapling-size trees is pronounced in many northwest Pennsylvania forests. The understory is habitat for many small mammals and birds. Deer have altered the structure of the forests, and the makeup of the entire forest ecosystem. Farmers are also concerned about deer overpopulation because deer feed on crops when forests food sources become depleted,