A rare bird that numbered in the hundreds in California two decades ago was spotted at a city park. The sighting is a powerful testament to collective efforts that have helped the species rebound.
As detailed by the Los Angeles Times, a Least Bell's Vireo returned to Rio de Los Angeles State Park after a habitat restoration initiative targeting the creature began about two years ago.
The small gray bird, listed as endangered by California in 1980, favors wetlands near rivers and streams, commonly referred to as a riparian habitat.
However, as noted by the Times, as much as 97% of riparian habitats in the Golden State were already lost in 1999, with urbanization and other pollution from human activities contributing to their decline.
Six years after California added the Least Bell's Vireo to its endangered list, the federal government did the same. Now, there are nearly 3,000 documented pairs in California after only 291 pairs were recorded 20 years ago, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
"It's persistent. It's a survivor," said Nicolas Gonzalez, National Audubon Society senior communications manager for migration science.
"Sometimes it takes a really long time to see the change," added Evelyn "Evy" Serrano, the director at Audubon Center at Debs Park.
According to Serrano, two nesting pairs of Least Bell's Vireo were seen at Rio de Los Angeles within one year of the start of the restoration, which included cooperation between volunteer teams and professional organizations, including Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR) and California State Parks.
"It was really nice to see it happen so quickly," Serrano said.
The restoration at Rio de Los Angeles is just one of the many success stories proving that small actions can significantly impact biodiversity, which keeps our ecosystems running smoothly and helps to prevent disruptions to the availability of food or medicines.
For example, conservationists reintroduced the Atlantic sturgeon to Sweden's Göta älv River after pollution and overfishing resulted in the disappearance of the fish. Its return is expected to benefit the health of the river, supporting species like the Atlantic salmon.
To protect the Least Bell's Vireo, the Audubon Center at Debs Park encourages parkgoers to respect listed rules and have educational conversations with others about the "amazing" birds. Volunteers are also still needed to support restoration efforts.
While the project at Rio de Los Angeles is newer, work to restore the Los Angeles River has been ongoing since the late 1990s, according to the Times.
"FoLAR brings thousands of people to the river each year, and that's something we're really proud of," Candice Dickens-Russell, the organization's CEO, said in a 2023 statement, as reported by the Los Angeles Daily News.
In fact, prior to a volunteer day last year, FoLAR changed its trash cleanup location after Least Bell's Vireos were seen. This was to ensure their nesting process wouldn't be disrupted.
"It's a wonderful thing," FoLAR COO Dennis Mabasa told the Daily News. "It tells us that we have a regenerating environment along the river. The return of this endangered bird is the resurgence of wildlife we've tried for, and pursued, for 30 years."
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