Bird monitoring at George Washington Carver National Monument, Missouri: Status report

Peitz, David

In 2008, the Heartland I&M Network (HTLN) initiated breeding bird surveys on George Washington Carver National Monument (GWCA), Missouri to address two objectives. The first is to monitor changes in bird community composition and abundance. Secondly, we monitored the responses of bird communities to changes in habitat structure and other habitat variables related to management activities. This report evaluates trends in the park’s breeding bird populations in the context of trends observed within the North American Bird Conservation Initiative’s (NABCI) Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region, the bird conservation region in which the park is located. By doing so, we can assess the influence of habitat management on the park on bird populations with an understanding of what population trends are doing regionally, outside the influence of GWCA natural resource management activities. Eighty-eight species of birds were recorded during May-June site visits in the five years since initiating monitoring. Eighty-five of the species are considered breeding species because they are permanent or summer residents. Twenty of the breeding species recorded on GWCA are species of concern for the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region. Seven species recorded on GWCA (including two of regional concern) show negative 5-year population trends, while their 45-year regional trends have been positive. However, 23 species (including nine of regional concern) have positive trends on the park while their 45-year regional trends have been negative. Results of our most recent bird surveys (2012) are similar to previous years and show the Dickcissel as the most commonly occurring and wide spread species on GWCA. The Brown-headed Cowbird, Northern Cardinal, and Indigo Bunting were the next most abundant species. After the Dickcissel; Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting and Brown-headed Cowbird were the next most widely distributed species on the park. With nearly 68% of the park in a grassland habitat type, three grassland obligate species were recorded, the Dickcissel, Eastern Meadowlark, and Grasshopper Sparrow. No woodland obligates were reported on the park. This report provides current regional and local trends for breeding birds for future comparisons with bird data collected as part of the long-term monitoring efforts at GWCA. With this report, park staff will be able to better plan management objectives, and assess the effectiveness of management alternatives. Monitoring data also provides park staff with additional information useful for interpreting natural resources.

Bird monitoring at George Washington Carver National Monument, Missouri: Status report

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