grassland birds of north america

, and J. J. Coordinating grassland bird conservation efforts with initiatives to stabilize and increase upland game birds that have strong affinities for grassland habitats—such as quail and prairie grouse—presents additional opportunities to leverage funding and resources that will positively impact virtually all species of North American grassland birds. , T. A. Ph.D. dissertation. J. W. Fletcher By improving our understanding of the ecological needs of grassland bird species, including area requirements and the relationship between these requirements and human alteration of landscapes, we will be able to more effectively contribute to the management and conservation of these species. In addition, birds may have a proximate response to a (perceived or actual) higher risk of predation or parasitism associated with edges (Lima and Valone 1991). É. 2004). 2002; Fletcher and Koford 2003; Grant et al. 2005, Renfrew and Ribic 2008). 1995), a landscape-level perspective is necessary to set the context for patch-level work, as well as to understand how large-scale factors affect patterns detected at the patch level (Turner et al. Habitat fragmentation effects on birds in grassland and wetlands: A critique of our knowledge. Clay-colored Sparrow 1. Eighteen researchers with expertise in grassland bird ecology attended one or both of the workshops, representing federal, state, and private sectors. , Newton Reproductive correlates of breeding-site fidelity in Bobolinks (. M. G. R. R. Deutsch; Newsletter Google 4.8 Stars . , and Engle Zimmerman J. F. Not surprisingly, grassland species are among the most imperiled group of birds in the United States: Total populations have declined more than 40 percent since 1966, and some species, like the Lesser Prairie-Chicken, hover at the brink of extinction. , , and , S. D. M. G. Herkert, P. J. Johnson Cary , J. Forman Wiedenfeld Connor, How many species are like the Northern Harrier and can use small patches of habitat for breeding in a larger, grass-dominated landscape? Development patterns vary and may hinder conservation efforts at smaller scales as well. P. D. 1993). Incorporating landscape attributes into models for migratory grassland bird conservation. Various species of waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, upland gamebirds and songbirds rely on grasslands for nesting and other habitat func- tions. Merriam Conservation of grassland birds in the western hemisphere. Pietz, , Valone, , Many species of birds that depend on grassland or savanna habitats have shown substantial overall population declines in North America. The results of Winter et al. Polasky Grassland ecosystems throughout the world have been greatly affected by humans, and this continues at an increasing pace. D. H. A. Native prairies in most of North America have been nearly extirpated over the past two centuries ().In response, many prairie bird species have adopted agricultural grasslands as surrogate habitat (2, 3).Given the loss of native prairie habitat, grassland agro-ecosystems are of new-found importance to conserving biodiversity (2, 4). Compounding the problem is that potential prey (e.g., small mammals) of large predators may themselves be predators of grassland bird nests. Mixed-grass prairie passerines exhibit weak and variable responses to patch size. Johnson III Conspecific attraction in a grassland bird, the Baird's Sparrow. Several factors may confound inferences that can be made from patch-level studies, however, including the landscape surrounding patches. , Proceedings of the 19th North American Prairie Conference. Jr. Houston, However, multiple behaviors are likely used, but discriminating between social information behaviors in field experiments is difficult (Danchin et al. D. P. . Build a Home for Birds. B. , and Others. Savannah Sparrow 7. , . Madden W. E. , and . To produce a pattern of area sensitivity under the habitat-diversity hypothesis, then, large grasslands would have a greater variety of vegetation structures than small patches and, therefore, would be more likely to meet species' habitat structural requirements. , and Migratory & Grassland Birds. A patch-centered view of grassland bird populations has provided a wealth of information. . Nest survival of Clay-colored and Vesper sparrows in relation to woodland edge in mixed-grass prairies. . P. J. Martin, :���6�2��\����l�}�UK�1�T{s���m��6�"4M�&��còR�Ѻ�-%S��zNPq6���I(�0���&~���$b,h;1F����l�ԝ�*��q"1e��5�.��9h� v�s�V��e0?��n��0A�)�U�9�������w�v Cu�i��J�]��jîg�0&ߤ6�U:M���$���V�'1zKE�-�I�aƔI�νE�+��m`[M��"�h�x`��#S�Nç� C�_�]�T�}^ⵙhQP�I*��� sXF9��N!���p���/�Nڕ��C]=�X�/^+=�s��njq��(Q&��w���8=�!܈��y1��,�Џ��RO��8U�u�� Gardner 2006). L. D. , and , M. L. Grassland Bird Migration Project Across great distances they migrate—from the prairies and plains of North America to the pampas and fields of South America. B. J. , When investigators survey large patches with more survey units than small patches (e.g., sampling proportional to size) and do not take that into account in a patch-level analysis, they can find a positive relationship between probability of occurrence within a patch and patch size simply because of the larger area sampled within large patches (Horn et al. The “big four” grasses are big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparius), Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans), and switch-grass (Panicum virgatum; Reinking 2005, NPS 2017). What Ecological Processes could Produce Area Sensitivity? Woodward © 2009 by The American Ornithologists' Union, 2020 AOS William Brewster Memorial Awards to Regina Macedo, 2020 AOS William Brewster Memorial Award to John Rotenberry, 2020 Ralph W. Schreiber Conservation Award to Jaime Collazo, About the American Ornithological Society, An Evaluation of Area Sensitivity in Grassland Birds, Historical Explanations for Area Sensitivity. T. L. Raivio We’re also working to build a National Grassland Coalition to increase the scale and pace of grassland conservation across North America. Wilson Burger, . Some grassland bird species thought to require large patches will use small patches that are within a larger grassland complex (Northern Harrier [Herkert et al. F. L. Unlike nocturnal migrants, they are not exposed to unnaturally large mortality events associated with collision with tall structures (communications towers, sky scrapers, lighthouses). Nest predation and brood parasitism of tallgrass prairie birds. T. A. Short-eared owls, Northern harriers, Upland sandpipers, Bobolinks, meadowlarks and other iconic grassland bird species are once again a common sight across their historic breeding and wintering grounds. , Dowell endstream endobj 76 0 obj <> endobj 77 0 obj <>/ProcSet 90 0 R/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/Type/Page>> endobj 78 0 obj <>stream , and We focus on ecological processes that may influence patch colonization and extirpation through species' breeding behavior and reproductive success. P�?�Ӽ��P������ n(f`� �����a[C��� �w�;�V4�����`� 8]H3�@� Q�(� D. W T. D. Jr. M. Could the area sensitivity of some grassland birds be affected by landscape composition? We briefly summarize background information and then discuss the processes in relation to area sensitivity in grassland birds. D. E. . Prairies, in particular the tallgrass prairie, are among the most extensively altered systems in North America, owing to Native American management practices and subsequent settlement and development of agriculture by Europeans (Houston and Schmutz 1999, Higgins et al. , Natal philopatry in passerine birds: Genetic or ecological influences? Given the importance of nest predation (and cowbird parasitism) as an environmental pressure shaping avian life-history traits (Martin 1995), birds may tend to avoid small patches because of a greater perceived predation risk in small patches overall. Forbes Likewise, grassland bird species have become one of the fastest-declining suites of birds in North America. L. B. Mossman J. J. Coppedge, R. A. Renfrew , . L. 1. , and For example, grassland patches, regardless of size, that are surrounded by woody habitat may be less likely to be occupied (Bakker 2003); an individual may be less likely to find such an isolated patch, and social attraction may be less likely to occur. , and Robbins, K. J. 2000) have discussed focusing on ecological processes to understand density-area relationships from a taxa-independent viewpoint, and Fletcher et al. Lark Bunting 4. F. R. Jones, More sophisticated analysis approaches, such as adjusting for correlation in occurrence among multiple survey units within a patch (Johnson and IgI 2001, Davis 2004), are possible. L.-A. , and , and K. F. . Demographic characteristics of a Grasshopper Sparrow population in a highly fragmented landscape of western New York state. S. G. Breeding bird abundance in an urbanizing landscape in coastal southern California. Smaller patches, with proportionately more edge, would have lower-quality nesting habitat, and birds would avoid breeding in them, resulting in decreased bird densities in small patches. Furthermore, land conversion remains a substantial threat to North American grasslands. C. J. In addition, predator activity may vary in patches of differing size. E. W. , endstream endobj 79 0 obj <>stream 2004). E. D. P. J. . , Vickery, Vickery Habitat quality (e.g., food resources, microclimate) is an important aspect of breeding ecology in birds (Newton 1998). Berkley University of Nebraska-Lincoln (current). Theoretical development. . Two species exhibited area sensitivity only in terms of density; positive area sensitivity was reported for Northern Harrier, whereas variable results were found for Western Meadowlark (Table 1). I. This has led to categorization of grassland birds on the basis of their height preferences, with the idea that maximizing species on a patch means having a diversity of vegetation structure (e.g., Knopf 1996, Sample and Mossman 1997). Masters 2013). Hines Johnson, . Pärt , and GRASSLAND BIRDS HAVE declined more than other bird groups in North America in the past 35–40 years (Vickery and Herkert 2001, Sauer et al. Are these species breeding successfully in small patches? However, regional processes affecting small-sized predator populations may be important for understanding their influence at the patch level. 2005, Davis et al. D. E. Gehring, 2000). Drawing on such data for North America, Rosenberg et al. R. G. Dynamics in subdivided populations of Neotropical migratory birds in a fragmented temperate forest. Because the nesting site is typically sampled during density surveys, there will be a downward bias in the patch size assumed to be used by the species; errors in this basic measurement could lead to erroneous conclusions about area sensitivity. , Changes in bird populations on Canadian grasslands. Landscape Ecology in Theory and Practice: Pattern and Process. , The Chestnut-collared Longspur, for example, is a species that has seen a staggering loss of approximately 95% of its population in Canada. , and , 2002). The North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) is a set of comprehensive and coordinated strategic actions modeled on the Joint Venture initiatives that were used to successfully implement the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. . , Koford Higgins, Tubaro Chestnut-collared Longspur 2. Proximate and landscape factors influence grassland bird distributions. In North America, many common grassland and shrubland birds are declining due to changes in agricultural intensification (Reif 2013). Shieldcastle Area sensitivity, whereby the pattern of a species' occurrence and density increases with patch area (Robbins et al. 2001, Gehring and Swihart 2003). Hanski (1999) applied the habitat-diversity hypothesis in a metapopulation framework, calling it the “changing environment scenario,“ whereby large areas are spatially more heterogeneous than small areas and, thus, may include habitats not found on small areas. On North American breeding bird abundance and species composition in alfalfa fields ducks with abundance... Meets conspecific attraction in a semi-desert grassland Figure 6.1 - the extent of in! For some North American bird conservation Initiative & U.S. Committee, 2011 ) in subdivided populations of native and... American bird conservation Initiative & U.S. Committee, 2013 ), Johnson 2001 ) have discussed on. Keyser, A. C. 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