Managing Habitat for Grassland Birds
A Guide for Wisconsin
Table 5. Habitat feature preferences of the 26 grassland bird species of management concern.a |
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Height-density of Herbaceous Vegetation c |
Litter Layerd | Cover of Standing Residual Vegetatione |
Grass:forb ratio f |
Cover of Bare Ground |
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Grassland Species Groups b | short (<15 cm) |
medium (15-35 cm) |
tall (>35 cm) |
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SHORTGRASS SPECIES | |||||||||||||||
Vesper sparrow | x | (x) | low | low | medium | high | |||||||||
Grasshopper sparrow | x | (x) | medium | medium | medium | medium | |||||||||
Upland sandpiper | x | (x) | medium | medium | medium | medium | |||||||||
Western meadowlark | x | (x) | medium | low | medium | medium | |||||||||
MIDGRASS SPECIES | |||||||||||||||
Savannah sparrow | (x) | x | (x) | medium | low | medium | low | ||||||||
Eastern meadowlark | (x) | x | (x) | high | medium | medium | medium | ||||||||
Bobolink | (x) | x | (x) | medium | medium | medium | medium | ||||||||
Dickcissel | (x) | x | (x) | medium | medium | low | medium | ||||||||
TALLGRASS SPECIES | |||||||||||||||
Le Conte's sparrow | (x) | x | high | high? | high? | low | |||||||||
Yellow rail | x | high | high | high? | low | ||||||||||
Nelson's sharp-tailed sparrow | x | high | high | high? | low | ||||||||||
Henslow's sparrow | (x) | x | high | high | high | low | |||||||||
Sedge wren | (x) | x | high | high | high | low | |||||||||
SPECIES REQUIRING WOODY VEGETATION OR OTHER NESTING STRUCTURE | |||||||||||||||
Loggerhead shrike | x | (x) | medium? | low? | medium? | low? | |||||||||
Bell's vireo | (x) | x? | (x) | medium | medium? | ? | low | ||||||||
Clay-colored sparrow | (x) | x | high | medium | medium | medium | |||||||||
Field sparrow | (x) | x | (x) | high | medium | high | medium | ||||||||
Lark sparrow | x | low | low | high | high | ||||||||||
Brewer's blackbird | x | (x) | low | low | high | high | |||||||||
SPECIES REQUIRING OPEN WATER | |||||||||||||||
Blue-winged teal | (x) | x | (x) | medium | low | high? | low | ||||||||
Wilson's phalarope | x | (x) | high | medium | high? | low | |||||||||
SPECIES REQUIRING LARGE AREAS (AREA-SENSITIVE) | |||||||||||||||
Northern harrier | (x)i | (x) | x | medium | medium | medium? | medium | ||||||||
Greater prairie-chicken | x j | x | (x) | medium? | high? | high? | medium? | ||||||||
Sharp-tailed grouse | x j | x | x | medium? | high? | medium? | medium? | ||||||||
Barn owl | x | x | x | medium? | medium? | ? | low? | ||||||||
Short-eared owl | (x)i | (x) | x | high | high | high? | low | ||||||||
Table 5. Continued. |
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Woody Vegetation | Preferred Wetland Features (* = required) |
Minimum Area Requirements f | |||||||||||||
Grassland Species Groups b | Type | % Cover g
|
low (<25 acres) |
medium (25-250 acres) |
high (>250 acres) |
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none | low (>0-5%) |
medium (5-30%) |
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SHORTGRASS SPECIES | |||||||||||||||
Vesper sparrow | trees/shrubs | (x) | x | (x) | x? | x? | |||||||||
Grasshopper sparrow | x | (x) | (x) | x? | |||||||||||
Upland sandpiper | x | (x) | x | x? | |||||||||||
Western meadowlark | x | (x) | x | x? | |||||||||||
MIDGRASS SPECIES | |||||||||||||||
Savannah sparrow | x | (x) | x? | ||||||||||||
Eastern meadowlark | shrubs/trees | (x) | x | (x) | x | ||||||||||
Bobolink | x | (x) | x | ||||||||||||
Dickcissel | x | (x) | x | ||||||||||||
TALLGRASS SPECIES | |||||||||||||||
Le Conte's sparrow | x | (x) | wet sedge/grass meadows | x? | |||||||||||
Yellow rail | x | (x) | *wet sedge/grass meadows | x? | |||||||||||
Nelson's sharp-tailed sparrow | x | (x) | *wet sedge/grass meadows | x? | |||||||||||
Henslow's sparrow | x | (x) | x? | x? | |||||||||||
Sedge wren | x | (x) | wet sedge/grass meadows | x? | |||||||||||
SPECIES REQUIRING WOODY VEGETATION OR OTHER NESTING STRUCTURE | |||||||||||||||
Loggerhead shrike | trees/shrubs | x | (x) | x? | |||||||||||
Bell's vireo | shrubs | (x) | x | x? | |||||||||||
Clay-colored sparrow | shrubs | (x) | x | x | |||||||||||
Field sparrow | shrubs | (x) | x | x | |||||||||||
Lark sparrow | shrubs | (x) | x | (x) | x? | ||||||||||
Brewer's blackbird | trees/shrubs | (x) | x | (x) | x | ||||||||||
SPECIES REQUIRING OPEN WATER | |||||||||||||||
Blue-winged teal | x | (x) | *open water | x | |||||||||||
Wilson's phalarope | x | (x) | *standing water; wet sedge/grass meadows |
x? | |||||||||||
SPECIES REQUIRING LARGE AREAS (AREA-SENSITIVE) | |||||||||||||||
Northern harrier | (x) | x | (x) | wet sedge/grass meadows | x? | x | |||||||||
Greater prairie-chicken | (x) | x | (x) | x | |||||||||||
Sharp-tailed grouse | shrubs | (x) | x | x | |||||||||||
Barn owl | (x) | x | (x) | forages over wetlands | x | ||||||||||
Short-eared owl | (x) | x | (x) | forages over wetlands | x? | ||||||||||
a Information based on data and observations from the Wisconsin grassland bird study and from the midwestern grassland bird literature. Where data are lacking, conflicting, or inconclusive, a question mark appears.
b See Appendix F for additional information on the habitat requirements of grassland bird species, including species not of management concern.
c See Glossary for definition of height-density. x = most preferred categories; (x) = less preferred categories.
d See Glossary for definition of litter layer. Categories (high/medium/low) refer to both the depth of litter and percent of ground surface covered.
e Categories refer to both the height-density and percent of ground surface covered.
f Cover of grasses (or sedges) in relation to forbs: high = >2.5:1 grass:forb, medium = 1:1 to 2.5:1 grass:forb; low = <1:1 grass:forb.
g Percent of ground surface covered by woody vegetation canopy. x = most preferred categories; (x) = less preferred categories.
h Minimum area required for a species to be likely to occupy a site.
i Typically foraging habitat only.
j Used for dancing or booming grounds.
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