Fermilab Grassland Birds

http://home.fnal.gov/~kasper/talks/GrasslandBirds.ppt

Fermilab Grassland Birds

http://home.fnal.gov/~kasper/talks/GrasslandBirds.ppt

Peter KasperPeter Kasper

6,800 acres with a variety of “natural” habitats

Restored Prairie

Non-native Grasslands

Woodlands

Wetlands

Man-made Lakes

Agricultural Tracts

6,800 acres with a variety of “natural” habitats

Restored Prairie

Non-native Grasslands

Woodlands

Wetlands

Man-made Lakes

Agricultural Tracts

FERMILABFERMILAB

World’s Highest Energy Particle AcceleratorWorld’s Highest Energy Particle Accelerator

The Fermilab Bird SurveyThe Fermilab Bird Survey

• Started in 1987 by Vicki Byre (C.A.S) and P.K.

• Goals• What birds use the site?• At what time of year?• Use knowledge obtained to permit

bird friendly land management– E.g. When to mow and when to burn

grasslands.

• Started in 1987 by Vicki Byre (C.A.S) and P.K.

• Goals• What birds use the site?• At what time of year?• Use knowledge obtained to permit

bird friendly land management– E.g. When to mow and when to burn

grasslands.

The Fermilab Bird SurveyThe Fermilab Bird Survey

• Technique• Divide year into 48 quarter months

– Shortest time interval over which I can hope to achieve reasonable coverage of the site

– Provides at least one weekend in each division

• Divide survey into 5 year periods– Averages over weather conditions– Averages when the weekend occurs in a quarter

month– Provides an opportunity to fill gaps in my coverage

… e.g. vacation, work, illness

• Record presence not numbers– Too time intensive

• Technique• Divide year into 48 quarter months

– Shortest time interval over which I can hope to achieve reasonable coverage of the site

– Provides at least one weekend in each division

• Divide survey into 5 year periods– Averages over weather conditions– Averages when the weekend occurs in a quarter

month– Provides an opportunity to fill gaps in my coverage

… e.g. vacation, work, illness

• Record presence not numbers– Too time intensive

The Fermilab Bird SurveyThe Fermilab Bird Survey

• Supplementary Data• Breeding status in each period

–Confirmed ( nest, recently fledged young, or carrying food )

–Likely ( singing male on territory …same location for a week or more)

–Possible ( seen in the right sort of habitat at the right time of year )

• Year last seen

• Notes on rarer observations

• Supplementary Data• Breeding status in each period

–Confirmed ( nest, recently fledged young, or carrying food )

–Likely ( singing male on territory …same location for a week or more)

–Possible ( seen in the right sort of habitat at the right time of year )

• Year last seen

• Notes on rarer observations

Summary of ResultsSummary of Results

• 4 survey periods covering past 18+ years• 1987 to 1991• 1992 to 1996• 1997 to 2001• 2002 to now

• 277 species recorded on site• 91 confirmed breeding, plus 6 likely and a

further 12 possible• 3 are pre-survey records

• Red Phalarope - 1981• Garganey - 1982• Snowy Owl - 1984

• 4 survey periods covering past 18+ years• 1987 to 1991• 1992 to 1996• 1997 to 2001• 2002 to now

• 277 species recorded on site• 91 confirmed breeding, plus 6 likely and a

further 12 possible• 3 are pre-survey records

• Red Phalarope - 1981• Garganey - 1982• Snowy Owl - 1984

Cooper’s HawkCooper’s Hawk

ResidentIncreasingResident

Increasing

Rough-legged HawkRough-legged Hawk

Winter VisitorDecreasing

Winter VisitorDecreasing

BobolinkBobolink

Summer VisitorStable

Summer VisitorStable

Yellow-bellied SapsuckerYellow-bellied Sapsucker

MigrantStable?MigrantStable?

Common MerganserCommon Merganser

Spring Migrant → Winter VisitorIncreasing

Spring Migrant → Winter VisitorIncreasing

Example Species DataExample Species Data

Number of species versus time of year• Wintering species have increased• New species continue to be added

Number of species versus time of year• Wintering species have increased• New species continue to be added

Categorized according to “normal” site usage.• Some summer visitors are becoming year

round residents

Categorized according to “normal” site usage.• Some summer visitors are becoming year

round residents

Migrants categorized by family ...– Waterfowl are earliest and latest– Shorebirds are heading south in late June

Migrants categorized by family ...– Waterfowl are earliest and latest– Shorebirds are heading south in late June

Grassland BirdsGrassland Birds

• The survey tells us what grassland birds have occurred on site and roughly when they were there

• Upland Sandpipers were regular breeders until 2002

• Henslow’s Sparrows were absent until 2000, but have been regular since

• It does NOT provide quantitative data on abundances

• Grasshopper Sparrows are declining but have been regular throughout the survey

• The survey tells us what grassland birds have occurred on site and roughly when they were there

• Upland Sandpipers were regular breeders until 2002

• Henslow’s Sparrows were absent until 2000, but have been regular since

• It does NOT provide quantitative data on abundances

• Grasshopper Sparrows are declining but have been regular throughout the survey

Grassland AreasGrassland Areas

PrairiesPrairies

Various sizes and stages of

succession

Maintained with fire

Various sizes and stages of

succession

Maintained with fire

IntroducedGrasses

IntroducedGrasses

Maintainedwith late summer mowing

Maintainedwith late summer mowing

Where do the birds breed?Where do the birds breed?

Upland Sandpiper

Upland Sandpiper

Henslow’s Sparrow

Henslow’s Sparrow

Grasshopper Sparrow

Grasshopper Sparrow

Henslow’s SparrowHenslow’s Sparrow

• Historical data indicates they were present on site as late as 1978

• Not recorded in the survey until 2000 ( ~ 10 territories)

• Regular since then• Mainly in non-native grasses

• Historical data indicates they were present on site as late as 1978

• Not recorded in the survey until 2000 ( ~ 10 territories)

• Regular since then• Mainly in non-native grasses

• In 2002 and 2004 breeding territories were located in restored prairie sites– “Won’t use areas that were recently burned”– 2002 was at the end several years of a burning

moratorium– 2004 was in spite of a burn in Spring of 2003

• In 2002 and 2004 breeding territories were located in restored prairie sites– “Won’t use areas that were recently burned”– 2002 was at the end several years of a burning

moratorium– 2004 was in spite of a burn in Spring of 2003

Grasshopper SparrowGrasshopper Sparrow

• Never were very common• Have been recorded on site

every year of the survey• Numbers have declined

significantly in last 5 years• Now outnumbered by

Henslow’s Sparrows.

• Never were very common• Have been recorded on site

every year of the survey• Numbers have declined

significantly in last 5 years• Now outnumbered by

Henslow’s Sparrows.• Also seems to prefer non-native grasses• Why are these birds decreasing while

Henslow’s are increasing?– Is our grassland management the cause?

• Also seems to prefer non-native grasses• Why are these birds decreasing while

Henslow’s are increasing?– Is our grassland management the cause?

THE ENDTHE END

http://www.fnal.gov/pub/about/campus/ecology/wildlife/birds.htmlhttp://www.fnal.gov/pub/about/campus/ecology/wildlife/birds.html

Christmas Count DataChristmas Count Data

• The Fermilab Christmas Count has been held annually in mid December since 1976.

• Count circle is 15 mile diameter roughly centered on Fermilab

• All the data is available on the “Birds of Fermilab” web site.

• Indicates some interesting long term trends …

• The Fermilab Christmas Count has been held annually in mid December since 1976.

• Count circle is 15 mile diameter roughly centered on Fermilab

• All the data is available on the “Birds of Fermilab” web site.

• Indicates some interesting long term trends …

Number of species recorded has increasedNumber of species recorded has increased

Number of birds counted has also increasedNumber of birds counted has also increased

The Big Five!The Big Five!

Some interesting trends ..Some interesting trends ..

Canada Goose numbers have stabilizedCanada Goose numbers have stabilized

Southern migrants are staying ..Southern migrants are staying ..

Great Blue Herons have started wintering over!Great Blue Herons have started wintering over!

Northern migrants are not returning ..Northern migrants are not returning ..

Rough-legged Hawks are declining!Rough-legged Hawks are declining!

Predators are moving into the ‘burbs ..Predators are moving into the ‘burbs ..

Pheasant numbers have taken a dive .. coyotes?Pheasant numbers have taken a dive .. coyotes?

What about West Nile Virus?What about West Nile Virus?

American Crows took a big hit ..American Crows took a big hit ..

Some claims are perhaps exaggerated?Some claims are perhaps exaggerated?

Black-capped Chickadees are not so bad off.Black-capped Chickadees are not so bad off.