COSEWIC Assessments Acknowledged for Seven Species

Summary#

This is the Order Acknowledging Receipt of the Assessments Done Under Subsection 23(1) of the Species at Risk Act (Canada Warbler and Six Other Wildlife Species). It records that the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has submitted assessments for seven wildlife species and starts a nine‑month deadline for the federal government to decide what to do next.

What it does#

• Acknowledges receipt of COSEWIC’s assessments for these seven terrestrial species:
  • Short‑eared Owl (Asio flammeus) — current: Special Concern; COSEWIC proposed: Threatened.
  • Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) — current: Threatened; COSEWIC proposed: Special Concern.
  • Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) — current: Threatened; COSEWIC proposed: Special Concern.
  • Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) — current: Threatened; COSEWIC proposed: Special Concern.
  • Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) — current: Threatened; COSEWIC proposed: Special Concern.
  • Eastern Whip‑poor‑will (Antrostomus vociferus) — current: Threatened; COSEWIC proposed: Special Concern.
  • Great Blue Heron fannini subspecies (Ardea herodias fannini) — current: Special Concern; COSEWIC proposed: removal from the list (non‑active).
• Starts the clock under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) for the Governor in Council (GIC) to decide whether to add, not add, or refer the assessments back to COSEWIC. The decision window is nine months from receipt.
• If no decision is made within nine months, the Minister must amend Schedule 1 of SARA to match COSEWIC’s recommendations (automatic effect under the Act).

Who's affected#

• Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Service, which handle species assessments and follow‑up actions.
• Conservation groups, researchers, and wildlife managers who work on bird and habitat recovery.
• Landowners, industries (for example forestry, agriculture, and development) and local governments where these species live or breed — they may see new rules or recovery actions if species are added to Schedule 1.
• Indigenous communities and the general public with an interest in bird conservation.
• If it’s unclear who else will be affected, it’s because the Order only records receipt of assessments and does not yet set specific protections.

Why it matters#

• This Order does not itself change protections. But it triggers a formal decision process that can lead to legal changes under SARA.
• Adding a species to Schedule 1 can lead to recovery planning, habitat protection measures, and other conservation actions meant to prevent extinction or help recovery.
• Conversely, removing a subspecies from the list can reduce or change the federal role in its management.
• The nine‑month deadline is the practical milestone: if the government takes no action by then, COSEWIC’s recommended statuses would be applied automatically.