Bird community monitoring at Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Indiana: Status report 2007–2019

Peitz, David; Kull, Kathleen

doi:10.36967/nrr-2278006

Breeding bird surveys were initiated on Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Indiana, in 2007 to assess temporal changes in the species composition and abundance of birds on the park. These data also improve our understanding of relationships between breeding birds and their habitat and the effects of management actions, such as invasive plant species control, on bird populations. Birds were sampled using point counts with 35 variable circular plots located on a systematic grid of 100 x 100-m cells (originating from a random start point). All birds seen or heard on a plot during a 5-min sampling period were recorded. Birds were surveyed on as many of the 35 variable circular plots as possible in 9 of the last 13 years, resulting in 180 plot visits. Surveys have yielded records for 82 different bird species. Sixty-five of the species recorded are classified as permanent or summer residents to the area, fourteen are classified as migrants through the area, and three are classified as winter residents to the area. Three species recorded are considered species of conservation concern for the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region, the bird conservation region in which Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial is located. Five of the 65 resident species were recorded on Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial frequently enough to determine trends in their populations. With 82% of the 80.4 ha of park in various woodland types, it is not surprising that about 43 of the breeding bird species recorded utilize this habitat type. Based on population trends, the bird community at Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial is faring similarly to the bird communities in the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region as a whole. Stable diversity, richness, and evenness values suggest that the park’s habitat has remained constant in terms of its ability to meet the needs of many bird species, and the habitat currently present provides for the somewhat rich array of breeding species annually. However, this species-rich community structure could be altered if significant portions of the park’s woodlands were removed, or some of the less common habitats were lost.

Bird community monitoring at Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Indiana: Status report 2007–2019

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