Bird community monitoring at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Missouri: Status report

Peitz, David

In 2008, the Heartland I&M Network (HTLN) initiated breeding bird surveys on Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield (WICR), 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 attempts to put trends in the park’s breeding bird populations into 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 WICR natural resource management activities. Ninety-four species of birds were recorded during May-June site visits in the five years since initiating monitoring. Eighty-seven of the species are considered breeding species because they are permanent or summer residents. Twenty-two of the breeding species are species of concern for the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region. Seven species recorded on WICR (including one of regional concern) show negative population trends, while their 45-year regional trends have been positive. However, 23 species (including 12 of regional concern) have positive trends on the park while their 45-year regional trends have been negative. Results from our most recent bird surveys (2012) are similar to previous years and show the Dickcissel and Northern Cardinal are the most commonly occurring species on WICR. After the Dickcissel and Northern Cardinal; Wild Turkey, Field Sparrow, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Indigo Bunting, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Brown-headed Cowbird were the next most abundant species. After the Northern Cardinal; Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Field Sparrow, Dickcissel, Indigo Bunting and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher were the next most widely distributed species on the park. With 50% 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 WICR. 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 community monitoring at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Missouri: Status report

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