Today Nate & Evan go birding with David Yeany,  Avian Ecologist for the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP) at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC). David has been studying winter movements  of Evening Grosbeaks in the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) for the past few years. We discuss the 5 major questions in his study.

1. why do evening grosbeaks keep returning to this area? 
2. Do they have true site fidelity? 
3. Where do these irruptive populations return to nest? 
4. How far and wide do they roam throughout the regional landscape during winter? 
5. What can we learn about the timing of their movements? 

Additionally we get to know exactly how David is tracking these migrants through North America using the MOTUS and nanotags. 

In this amazing irruptive year for Evening Grosbeaks, we think you will really enjoy the insight David provides on this beautiful species of birds.

BIO

David Yeany II serves as Avian Ecologist for the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP) at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC). David joined WPC in 2011 and has 16 years of professional experience in conservation biology, conducting ornithological studies throughout Maryland and Pennsylvania. His current work includes avian ecology and monitoring, wildlife-habitat relationship studies, mapping important habitats for rare species, spatial analysis in GIS, and conservation projects for Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), particularly birds. Some of his projects included shale gas impacts assessments on forest interior birds, bird habitat relationships in the PA Wilds region, statewide high elevation peatland bird surveys and monitoring, statewide grassland bird SGCN surveys, co-founding the Allegheny Bird Conservation Alliance, and collaborating on tracking studies of wintering evening grosbeaks and breeding Swainson’s thrush using nanotag technology and the Motus Wildlife Tracking System. David represents the Natural Heritage Program on the Pennsylvania Biological Survey (PABS) Ornithological Technical Committee. He also has been an active member of the Pennsylvania Ornithological Society since 2012, and during fall 2019, David was elected to the PSO Board of Directors. In 2020, he was elected to a three-year term on the Pennsylvania Ornithological Records Committee (PORC). 

Prior to joining WPC, David was the Important Bird Areas Coordinator for Audubon Maryland-DC, where he helped identify critical bird habitats, developed conservation strategies for IBAs, and conducted monitoring for at-risk bird populations. In Maryland, his projects included extensive marsh bird surveys in coastal areas of the Chesapeake Bay and Delmarva Peninsula, wintering waterfowl research, forest restoration bird monitoring, and targeted surveys of rare bird species. He has past experience working in the Wildlife Division at Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard Training Center in Annville, PA and for the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, District 8 (Clarion) conducting wildlife and habitat inventory and research. 

David holds a Master of Science degree in Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology from Frostburg State University and Bachelors of Science in Biology from Messiah College. David grew up in Forest County and currently lives with his wife, Colleen, and toddler son, Drake, in Allegheny County. 

Useful Links

https://waterlandlife.org/webinars/ - Evening Grosbeak Webinar

https://waterlandlife.org/buygrosbeakshirts/ - EVGR shirts

https://finchnetwork.org/wintering-evening-grosbeak-movements - EVGR article