With support from the U.S. Prairie Pothole Joint Venture (PPJV), the U.S. Forest Service, and The Nature Conservancy, Northern Prairie is synthesizing literature on the effects of management practices on grassland bird species. The need for these syntheses was identified by the PPJV, a part of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, in support of its objective to stabilize or increase populations of declining grassland‑ and wetland‑associated wildlife species in the Prairie Pothole Region. More than 6,000 published and unpublished articles in the literature have been incorporated, and syntheses are near completion for 40 North American grassland bird species. Each species account includes information on species range, suitable habitat, area requirements, breeding season phenology, species’ response to management, and management recommendations. The final product will provide land managers with a summary of information on the effects of specific management practices on grassland birds, and identify for researchers the most critical research gaps in our understanding of grassland bird ecology, habitat needs, and responses to management practices.
Below are publications associated with this project.
The effects of management practices on grassland birds
Since the mid-1960s, populations of grassland birds have been declining more precipitously than any other group of birds in North America. These long-term declines highlight the need to better understand the habitat requirements of grassland birds and how management practices affect individual species and their habitats. Although resource managers have long recognized that every management approac
Filter Total Items: 29
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—An introduction to North American grasslands and the practices used to manage grasslands and grassland birds
The Great Plains of North America is defined as the land mass that encompasses the entire central portion of the North American continent that, at the time of European settlement, was an unbroken expanse of primarily herbaceous vegetation. The Great Plains extend from central Saskatchewan and Alberta to central Mexico and from Indiana to the Rocky Mountains. The expanses of herbaceous vegetation a
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Rates of Brown-headed Cowbird (<i>Molothrus ater</i>) parasitism in nests of North American grassland birds
The Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) is an obligate brood parasite that relies entirely on host species to incubate its eggs and rear its young. The Brown-headed Cowbird is a host generalist; eggs of the cowbird have been found in nests of more than 220 species of North American birds. Although cowbirds are not considered a serious threat to their primary avian hosts, cowbird brood parasitism
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Wilson’s Phalarope (<i>Phalaropus tricolor</i>)
The key to Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) management is providing wetland complexes containing suitable wetland characteristics (that is, open water, emergent vegetation, and open shoreline) and upland habitat (native grassland or tame hayland) throughout the breeding season. Wilson’s Phalaropes have been reported to use habitats with 15–32 centimeters (cm) average vegetation height, 8–1
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Willet (<i>Tringa semipalmata inornata</i>)
Keys to Willet (Tringa semipalmata inornata) management include providing large expanses of native grasslands and wetland complexes. Wetland complexes should contain a diversity of wetland sizes and classes, such as ephemeral, temporary, seasonal, semipermanent, and permanent wetlands, as well as intermittent streams. Willets use wetlands of various salinities. Willets require short, sparse upland
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Upland Sandpiper (<i>Bartramia longicauda</i>)
The key to Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) management is providing grasslands of various heights with few shrubs. In general, Upland Sandpipers forage within short vegetation and nest and rear broods within taller vegetation. Upland Sandpipers have been reported to use habitats with less than (
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Mountain Plover (<i>Charadrius montanus</i>)
The key to Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus) management is maintaining sparsely vegetated grasslands. Grasslands can be made suitable for breeding Mountain Plovers by preserving large prairie dog (Cynomys species) towns, conducting prescribed burns, or implementing heavy grazing in some situations. Mountain Plovers have been reported to use habitats with 2–38 centimeters average vegetation hei
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Marbled Godwit (<i>Limosa fedoa</i>)
Keys to Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) management include providing large expanses of short, sparsely to moderately vegetated landscapes that include native grasslands and wetland complexes. Optimal wetland complexes should contain a diversity of wetland classes and sizes, such as ephemeral, temporary, seasonal, semipermanent, permanent, and alkali wetlands, as well as intermittent streams. Marbled
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Long-billed Curlew (<i>Numenius americanus</i>)
Keys to Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) management include providing large, open, level to gently rolling grasslands with short vegetation, and tailoring grazing regimes to local conditions. Long-billed Curlews have been reported to use habitats with 3–75 centimeters (cm) average vegetation height, less than or equal to 27 cm visual obstruction reading, 20–71 percent grass cover, 4–50 per
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—American Bittern (<i>Botaurus lentiginosus</i>)
Keys to American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) management include protecting wetlands and adjacent uplands and maintaining idle upland habitat. American Bitterns have been reported to use habitats with 30–203 centimeters (cm) average vegetation height, 44–99 cm visual obstruction reading, and less than 91 cm water depth.
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Swainson’s Hawk (<i>Buteo swainsoni</i>)
The key to Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) management is providing open grasslands that contain patches of trees for nesting and perching, sometimes near cultivated areas.
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Northern Harrier (<i>Circus hudsonius</i>)
The key to Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) management is providing tall, dense vegetation in extensive mesic or xeric grasslands or in wetlands. Northern Harriers have been reported to use habitats with 15–106 centimeter (cm) average vegetation height, 28–75 cm visual obstruction reading, 24–53 percent grass cover, 18–25 percent forb cover, less than or equal to 2 percent shrub cover, 3–5 perc
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Greater Sage-Grouse (<i>Centrocercus urophasianus</i>)
Keys to Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) management are maintenance of expansive stands of sagebrush (Artemisia species [spp.]), especially varieties of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) with abundant forbs in the understory, particularly during spring; undisturbed and somewhat open sites for leks; and healthy perennial grass and forb stands intermixed with sagebrush for brood re
- Overview
With support from the U.S. Prairie Pothole Joint Venture (PPJV), the U.S. Forest Service, and The Nature Conservancy, Northern Prairie is synthesizing literature on the effects of management practices on grassland bird species. The need for these syntheses was identified by the PPJV, a part of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, in support of its objective to stabilize or increase populations of declining grassland‑ and wetland‑associated wildlife species in the Prairie Pothole Region. More than 6,000 published and unpublished articles in the literature have been incorporated, and syntheses are near completion for 40 North American grassland bird species. Each species account includes information on species range, suitable habitat, area requirements, breeding season phenology, species’ response to management, and management recommendations. The final product will provide land managers with a summary of information on the effects of specific management practices on grassland birds, and identify for researchers the most critical research gaps in our understanding of grassland bird ecology, habitat needs, and responses to management practices.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
The effects of management practices on grassland birds
Since the mid-1960s, populations of grassland birds have been declining more precipitously than any other group of birds in North America. These long-term declines highlight the need to better understand the habitat requirements of grassland birds and how management practices affect individual species and their habitats. Although resource managers have long recognized that every management approacFilter Total Items: 29The effects of management practices on grassland birds—An introduction to North American grasslands and the practices used to manage grasslands and grassland birds
The Great Plains of North America is defined as the land mass that encompasses the entire central portion of the North American continent that, at the time of European settlement, was an unbroken expanse of primarily herbaceous vegetation. The Great Plains extend from central Saskatchewan and Alberta to central Mexico and from Indiana to the Rocky Mountains. The expanses of herbaceous vegetation aThe effects of management practices on grassland birds—Rates of Brown-headed Cowbird (<i>Molothrus ater</i>) parasitism in nests of North American grassland birds
The Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) is an obligate brood parasite that relies entirely on host species to incubate its eggs and rear its young. The Brown-headed Cowbird is a host generalist; eggs of the cowbird have been found in nests of more than 220 species of North American birds. Although cowbirds are not considered a serious threat to their primary avian hosts, cowbird brood parasitismThe effects of management practices on grassland birds—Wilson’s Phalarope (<i>Phalaropus tricolor</i>)
The key to Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) management is providing wetland complexes containing suitable wetland characteristics (that is, open water, emergent vegetation, and open shoreline) and upland habitat (native grassland or tame hayland) throughout the breeding season. Wilson’s Phalaropes have been reported to use habitats with 15–32 centimeters (cm) average vegetation height, 8–1The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Willet (<i>Tringa semipalmata inornata</i>)
Keys to Willet (Tringa semipalmata inornata) management include providing large expanses of native grasslands and wetland complexes. Wetland complexes should contain a diversity of wetland sizes and classes, such as ephemeral, temporary, seasonal, semipermanent, and permanent wetlands, as well as intermittent streams. Willets use wetlands of various salinities. Willets require short, sparse uplandThe effects of management practices on grassland birds—Upland Sandpiper (<i>Bartramia longicauda</i>)
The key to Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) management is providing grasslands of various heights with few shrubs. In general, Upland Sandpipers forage within short vegetation and nest and rear broods within taller vegetation. Upland Sandpipers have been reported to use habitats with less than (The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Mountain Plover (<i>Charadrius montanus</i>)
The key to Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus) management is maintaining sparsely vegetated grasslands. Grasslands can be made suitable for breeding Mountain Plovers by preserving large prairie dog (Cynomys species) towns, conducting prescribed burns, or implementing heavy grazing in some situations. Mountain Plovers have been reported to use habitats with 2–38 centimeters average vegetation heiThe effects of management practices on grassland birds—Marbled Godwit (<i>Limosa fedoa</i>)
Keys to Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) management include providing large expanses of short, sparsely to moderately vegetated landscapes that include native grasslands and wetland complexes. Optimal wetland complexes should contain a diversity of wetland classes and sizes, such as ephemeral, temporary, seasonal, semipermanent, permanent, and alkali wetlands, as well as intermittent streams. MarbledThe effects of management practices on grassland birds—Long-billed Curlew (<i>Numenius americanus</i>)
Keys to Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) management include providing large, open, level to gently rolling grasslands with short vegetation, and tailoring grazing regimes to local conditions. Long-billed Curlews have been reported to use habitats with 3–75 centimeters (cm) average vegetation height, less than or equal to 27 cm visual obstruction reading, 20–71 percent grass cover, 4–50 perThe effects of management practices on grassland birds—American Bittern (<i>Botaurus lentiginosus</i>)
Keys to American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) management include protecting wetlands and adjacent uplands and maintaining idle upland habitat. American Bitterns have been reported to use habitats with 30–203 centimeters (cm) average vegetation height, 44–99 cm visual obstruction reading, and less than 91 cm water depth.The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Swainson’s Hawk (<i>Buteo swainsoni</i>)
The key to Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) management is providing open grasslands that contain patches of trees for nesting and perching, sometimes near cultivated areas.The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Northern Harrier (<i>Circus hudsonius</i>)
The key to Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) management is providing tall, dense vegetation in extensive mesic or xeric grasslands or in wetlands. Northern Harriers have been reported to use habitats with 15–106 centimeter (cm) average vegetation height, 28–75 cm visual obstruction reading, 24–53 percent grass cover, 18–25 percent forb cover, less than or equal to 2 percent shrub cover, 3–5 percThe effects of management practices on grassland birds—Greater Sage-Grouse (<i>Centrocercus urophasianus</i>)
Keys to Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) management are maintenance of expansive stands of sagebrush (Artemisia species [spp.]), especially varieties of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) with abundant forbs in the understory, particularly during spring; undisturbed and somewhat open sites for leks; and healthy perennial grass and forb stands intermixed with sagebrush for brood re