10-14: How to be Hawky with Janet Ng
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In this encore episode of The American Birding Podcast, Nate Swick revisits a conversation with Dr. Janet Ng, a wildlife ecologist and raptor biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service based in Saskatchewan. Ng discusses her research on how industrial development—particularly oil and gas infrastructure and wind energy—impacts raptors like the ferruginous hawk across the Great Plains of Canada. She explains how these birds are surprisingly adaptable, thriving in landscapes that mix native grasslands with cropland and human-altered features, but are negatively affected by high densities of oil wells. Her work uses habitat modeling and data from nest cameras to guide conservation decisions, helping industry and government avoid high-conflict zones. Ng also shares a fascinating study by her student Megan Zochka, who meticulously analyzed feeding behavior in hawk nests, revealing that parents actively balance food distribution to ensure all chicks have a fighting chance, even in the face of sibling competition. The episode blends science, conservation ethics, and a touch of humor, especially around the playful use of 'hockey' as industry jargon for ecologically sensitive areas. Despite the challenges of working in industrial landscapes, Ng finds motivation in seeing her research directly inform real-world habitat restoration and policy decisions. The episode also covers recent rare bird sightings, including the ongoing bean goose invasion across North America and the expanding range of snail kites linked to invasive apple snails. Nate reflects on the ethics of 'pishing' and mob tapes, referencing a recent article by Peter Pyle on 'electronic pishing' and the need for more data on its ecological impact. Overall, the conversation underscores the importance of science-based, collaborative conservation that balances human development with biodiversity protection. It highlights how even small-scale research can have outsized impacts when it informs policy, industry practices, and public understanding.
Ferruginous hawks thrive in mixed landscapes of native grassland and cropland, not just large contiguous prairies, which changes how we should prioritize conservation efforts.
High-density clusters of oil wells negatively impact raptor nesting success, and targeted reclamation of abandoned wells can improve habitat quality.
Habitat modeling using GIS can predict where industrial development should be avoided to minimize conflict with species at risk.
Nest camera footage reveals that parent hawks actively manage food distribution to ensure all chicks have a fair chance, countering the idea of simple sibling dominance.
Collaboration between industry, government, and scientists—driven by data and shared goals—can lead to practical conservation outcomes that benefit both development and wildlife.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Louisiana's Birding Wonders and the Bean Goose Invasion
The episode opens with a scenic overview of Louisiana’s birding hotspots and highlights the ongoing invasion of tundra and taiga bean geese across North America, with a new record in Quebec. The segment also notes the expanding range of snail kites tied to invasive apple snails.
The Ethics of Pishing and Mob Tapes
Nate reflects on a recent online debate about pishing and mob tapes, referencing Peter Pyle’s article in Birding Magazine on 'electronic pishing.' He discusses the lack of data on their ecological impact and highlights a Stanford student’s controlled experiments showing minimal effect on bird abundance.
Dr. Janet Ng on Raptor Ecology in Industrial Landscapes
“I mean, I always and I just read a really wonderful article about this, like the best way to get to know a place is to have lunch there.”
Habitat Modeling and Conservation Outcomes
“It was wild, yeah, because they used my maps to essentially pinpoint like we could potentially increase or improve how like the hawk's life in this landscape if we do some work here.”
The Science of Hawk Nest Feeding Behavior
“The middle chicks get left out? Well, the middle ones actually did pretty well because they would... So on average our nests had like one to three, one to four.”
“The difference between a ferruginous hawk habitat in summer versus a ferruginous hawk habitat in winter is, of course, the difference between ice hockey and field hockey.”
“It was wild, yeah, because they used my maps to essentially pinpoint like we could potentially increase or improve how like the hawk's life in this landscape if we do some work here.”
“The NHL is the only one of the four professional sports leagues in North America that does not have a team named after a bird of prey which makes NHL ironically the least hockey league.”
Host
Guest
Ferruginous Hawk
other
Janet Ng
person
American Birding Association
organization
Snail Kite
other
Megan Zochka
person
Apple Snail
other
Canadian Wildlife Service
organization
Peter Pyle
person
University of Alberta
organization
Tundra Bean Goose
other
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