Opportunities and challenges to implementing bird conservation on private lands

Ciuzio, Elizabeth A.; Hohman, William L.; Martín, B.; Smith, Mark D.; Stephens, Scott E.; Strong, Allan M.; VerCauteren, Tammy

doi:10.1002/wsb.266

Cited by 57 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Most species of conservation concern are found on privately owned farms where application of fire and grazing is mostly variable (Howell et al 2009;Hanley et al 2012;Jacobs et al 2012;Ciuzio et al 2013). In these differently managed lands, we suggest that measurements of vegetation variables be limited to grass height and cover because these are the key habitat variables that are mostly associated with habitat use by birds (Fisher and Davis 2010;Hovick et al 2014) and doing so also allows survey efforts to cover a large area in a short space of time.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Management factors affecting densities of common grassland birds of high elevation grasslands of eastern South Africa: Ingula as a case study

et al. 2017

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Background: World-wide grassland birds are in decline due to habitat loss and degradation resulting from intensive agricultural practices. Understanding how key grassland habitat attributes determine grassland bird densities is required to make appropriate conservation decisions. We examine drivers of bird densities in a South African grassland area that has been managed for biodiversity conservation with reduced grazing pressure. Methods:We estimated the density of the eight most common grassland bird species encountered in our area to evaluate the effects of recent grassland management changes on the avifauna. We collected data on birds and habitat from the austral summers of 2006/2007, 2007/2008 and 2010/2011. We used hierarchical distance sampling methods to estimate density of birds relative to two main habitat variables, i.e., grass cover and height. In addition, we used regression splines within these distance sampling models as a more flexible description of suitable ranges of grass height and cover for each species.Results: For most species, density is related to grass height and cover as expected. The African Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) and Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) preferred relatively short and open grass. The Yellow-breasted Pipit (Anthus chloris), African Pipit (Anthus cinnamomeus) and Red-capped Lark (Calandrella cinerea) preferred short and relatively dense grass, while the Wing-snapping Cisticola (Cisticola ayresii) preferred grass of intermediate height and cover. The Cape Longclaw (Macronyx capensis) and Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) preferred tall and dense grass. Our results agree with previous studies that grass height combined with grass cover are the most important habitat features that managers should manipulate in order to increase the density of target species. The regression splines show that the effect of these two habitat variables on density is well described by linear relationships for most species. Conclusions: This study supports previous studies suggesting that grazing and fire are important tools for management to use in order to create a mosaic of grass height and cover that would support high densities of desired species. We suggest that conservation managers of these grasslands combine fire and grazing as management tools to create suitable habitats for grassland birds in general.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Management factors affecting densities of common grassland birds of high elevation grasslands of eastern South Africa: Ingula as a case study

et al. 2017

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“…Their status has resulted in increased attention from conservation agencies and highlighted the importance of creating and managing vegetation communities used for breeding (Ciuzio et al 2013). Several site-specific studies related Golden-winged Warbler nest survival to habitat characteristics at various scales, including nest sites (Bulluck and Buehler 2008, Aldinger and Wood 2014, Streby et al 2014, territories (Confer et al 2003), clusters of territories (Kubel and Yahner 2008, Confer et al 2010, Roth et al 2014, and study sites (Bulluck et al 2013), and were seldom in agreement about which characteristics were linked to nest survival.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, state and federal agencies initiated efforts (e.g., the Working Lands for Wildlife agreement between the U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) to create and restore shrublands and young forests to benefit bird populations (Ciuzio et al 2013). To increase their effectiveness, conservation efforts require information about the link between spatial, temporal, and vegetation characteristics and parameters such as daily survival rate (DSR) of nests across broad spatial scales and different vegetation communities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variables associated with nest survival of Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) among vegetation communities commonly used for nesting

Aldinger¹,

Terhune²,

Wood³

et al. 2015

ACE

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ABSTRACT. Among shrubland-and young forest-nesting bird species in North America, Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) are one of the most rapidly declining partly because of limited nesting habitat. Creation and management of high quality vegetation communities used for nesting are needed to reduce declines. Thus, we examined whether common characteristics could be managed across much of the Golden-winged Warbler's breeding range to increase daily survival rate (DSR) of nests. We monitored 388 nests on 62 sites throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia. We evaluated competing DSR models in spatial-temporal (dominant vegetation type, population segment, state, and year), intraseasonal (nest stage and time-within-season), and vegetation model suites. The best-supported DSR models among the three model suites suggested potential associations between daily survival rate of nests and state, time-within-season, percent grass and Rubus cover within 1 m of the nest, and distance to later successional forest edge. Overall, grass cover (negative association with DSR above 50%) and Rubus cover (DSR lowest at about 30%) within 1 m of the nest and distance to later successional forest edge (negative association with DSR) may represent common management targets across our states for increasing Golden-winged Warbler DSR, particularly in the Appalachian Mountains population segment. Context-specific adjustments to management strategies, such as in wetlands or areas of overlap with Blue-winged Warblers (Vermivora cyanoptera), may be necessary to increase DSR for Golden-winged Warblers. Variables associées à la survie des nids de Paruline à ailes dorées (Vermivora chrysoptera) parmi les communautés végétales fréquemment utilisées pour nicherRÉSUMÉ. Parmi les espèces d'oiseaux d'Amérique du Nord qui nichent dans les milieux arbustifs et les jeunes forêts, la Paruline à ailes dorées (Vermivora chrysoptera) est l'une de celles dont les populations diminuent le plus rapidement en raison du peu de milieux de nidification. Afin de freiner cette baisse, la création et l'aménagement de communautés végétales de qualité sont nécessaires pour la nidification de l'espèce. Nous avons examiné s'il était possible d'aménager sur la base de caractéristiques communes dans une grande partie de l'aire de reproduction de cette paruline pour augmenter le taux de survie quotidien des nids (TSQ). Nous avons suivi 388 nids dans 62 stations réparties au Minnesota, au Wisconsin, dans l'État de New York, en Caroline du Nord, en Pennsylvanie, au Tennessee et en Virginie occidentale. Nous avons évalué trois séries de modèles de TSQ fondés sur les caractéristiques spatio-temporelles (type de végétation dominante, segment de la population, État et année), intrasaisonnières (stade du nid et moment durant la saison) et végétales. Parmi tous les modèles, les meilleurs montraient une association potentielle du taux de survie quotidien des nids avec l'État, le moment durant la saison, le pourcent...

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“…Fish and Wildlife Service have initiated an incentive program called Working Lands for Wildlife (https:// www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/initiatives/? cid=stelprdb1046975) to promote the creation of Golden-winged Warbler nesting habitat on private lands in the Appalachian Mountains (Ciuzio et al 2013). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using a natural reference system to evaluate songbird habitat restoration

McNeil¹,

Fiss²,

Wood³

et al. 2018

ACE

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ABSTRACT. The Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) is an imperiled songbird that breeds in early-successional plant communities of eastern North America. Conservation efforts on the breeding grounds have become a priority because population declines are thought to be driven, in part, by the loss of breeding habitat. Although the species is known to use a variety of upland and wetland cover types, the majority of previous research on the species has been conducted in uplands. Although patterns of Goldenwinged Warbler habitat use within anthropogenic upland communities are well understood, such information within naturally occurring habitats are scant. We compared Golden-winged Warbler densities in natural shrub-wetlands and nearby upland timber harvest that conformed to species-specific habitat guidelines of the Poconos Region of Pennsylvania. We also identified vegetation characteristics of natural shrub-wetlands associated with high warbler abundance. Our analyses suggest that timber harvests and natural shrubwetlands of the Poconos supported similar densities of Golden-winged Warblers. N-mixture models suggested that natural shrubwetlands with low canopy cover and high densities of 1-2 m tall woody stems hosted more Golden-winged Warblers. Wetland complexes comprising more edge and those with more emergent wetland types supported the highest warbler abundances. This suggests that the species requires edges when it occurs within shrub-wetlands, a pattern not observed within our timber harvests, which were designed to have adequate tree cover throughout. Findings from our study combined with those from concurrent research evaluating Goldenwinged Warbler reproductive success suggests that timber harvests following Golden-winged Warbler habitat guidelines have similar capacity as natural shrub-wetlands to support breeding populations. A future effort to quantify the potential of different wetland types to host breeding Golden-winged Warblers is warranted. Such information used in combination with timber harvest planning will provide insight for landscape-level conservation that considers maintaining appropriate amounts of nesting habitat to sustain Goldenwinged Warblers in this region.Utilisation d'un système de référence naturel pour évaluer la restauration de l'habitat d'un passereau RÉSUMÉ. La Paruline à ailes dorées (Vermivora chrysoptera) est un passereau en danger qui niche dans les communautés végétales de début de succession de l'est de l'Amérique du Nord. Les efforts de conservation sur les aires de nidification sont maintenant prioritaires parce qu'on pense que les baisses de population sont imputables, en partie, à la perte d'habitat de nidification. Même si cette espèce est connue pour fréquenter une variété de milieux se trouvant en terrains secs ou humides, la majorité des recherches antérieures sur l'espèce ont été menées sur des hautes terres. Si on connait bien les tendances de l'utilisation de l'habitat par cette paruline dans les milieux d'origine anthropique se trouvant en terrain sec,...

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Opportunities and challenges to implementing bird conservation on private lands

Cited by 57 publications

References 35 publications

Management factors affecting densities of common grassland birds of high elevation grasslands of eastern South Africa: Ingula as a case study

Management factors affecting densities of common grassland birds of high elevation grasslands of eastern South Africa: Ingula as a case study

Variables associated with nest survival of Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) among vegetation communities commonly used for nesting

Using a natural reference system to evaluate songbird habitat restoration

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