Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Wetland management practices and secretive marsh bird habitat in the Mississippi Flyway: A review

June 21, 2023

Management regimes on publicly owned freshwater wetlands in the Mississippi Flyway of North America (i.e., Flyway) have historically emphasized waterfowl, but there is limited information on how waterfowl-focused wetland management affects other wetland-dependent wildlife. Secretive marsh birds (SMBs) depend on wetlands with emergent vegetation throughout their migratory life cycle and often encounter vegetation and water conditions resulting from waterfowl-focused management regimes. Thus, there is a need for better understanding of how SMBs are affected by wetland management and the extent to which waterfowl-focused management regimes provide habitat for SMBs. In this review, we identify the vegetation and water conditions resulting from typical management objectives on freshwater emergent wetlands in the Flyway, review and qualitatively synthesize results from studies that directly evaluate how wetland management practices affect SMBs or their habitat, and assess how the vegetation and water conditions being produced for target species (mainly waterfowl) align with SMB habitat requirements. We searched online databases and used Google Scholar to locate peer-reviewed literature, technical reports, and graduate theses that pertained to responses of SMBs or their habitat to water-level manipulation, herbicide application, prescribed fire, disking, mowing, and planting crops. There are several management strategies that complement SMBs and waterfowl, such as reducing cover of woody species and providing flooded emergent vegetation. We also highlight management strategies that may not currently align with SMB life-cycle needs and suggest adjustments that might promote habitat for SMBs while still achieving waterfowl population objectives. For example, adjusting the dates and duration of spring water-level drawdowns on a portion of wetlands within a larger complex can provide for spring migrating waterfowl and ensure habitat for migrating and nesting SMBs. Ideally, future studies would address how modifications to management practices affect SMBs and monitor potential effects on waterfowl, resulting in a more holistic approach to wetland management.

Publication Year 2023
Title Wetland management practices and secretive marsh bird habitat in the Mississippi Flyway: A review
DOI 10.1002/jwmg.22451
Authors Kristen M. Malone, Elisabeth B. Webb, Doreen C. Mengel, Laura Kearns, Ann E. McKellar, Sumner W. Matteson, Benjamin R. Williams
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title The Journal of Wildlife Management
Index ID 70256517
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Coop Res Unit Atlanta
Was this page helpful?