AP reports on East Coast saltmarsh sparrow research
The Associated Press reported on a recent study on saltmarsh sparrows conducted by a team of researchers including Brian Olsen, a professor of biology and ecology at the University of Maine. Scientists from several universities and agencies say the saltmarsh sparrow is disappearing from the East Coast and could be headed for extinction in as little as 50 years, according to the report. The study, which is part of a five-plus-year project of the Saltmarsh Habitat & Avian Research Program (SHARP), found eight out of every 10 of the birds has disappeared in the last 15 years, the report states. According to Olsen, coastal construction and sea-level rise have hurt the birds. “We’re watching a species in incredibly rapid decline,” Olsen said. “The saltmarsh sparrow is especially sensitive to changes in the tidal marsh.” Sci-Tech Today, The Seattle Times, The Mercury News, New Haven Register, Maine Public Broadcasting Network, WLBZ (Channel 2) and Portland Press Herald carried the AP report. Rivet Radio also reported on the research.