Prairie Bird Species of Concern - Ecology and Management Summary Each grassland bird species requires unique prairie conditions. Subtle differences across the landscape determine the suitability of local habitat for different species for different reasons. Species Name Species Status General Habitat Characteristics Nest Site Characteristics Management Recommendations to Promote Species Notes Arrival Date Departure Date Nesting Dates Incubation Period Days to Fledging Number of Broods Primary Summer Diet Secondary Summer Diet Low to Intermediate Grassland Cover Associated Species McCown's Longspur 1 prairie endemic G5/S2B Chestnut- collared Longspur 2 prairie endemic G5/S3B Lark Bunting prairie endemic G5/S3B Open sparse grassland; areas structurally similar to heavily grazed pastures. Sparse; recently grazed, mowed, or burned; minimal litter. Primarily short- to-mid grass prairie. Prefers areas with some shrubs. Generally prefers areas > 10 km 2 . Ground nester. Shallow depression in the ground: either in the open or beside vegetation. Ground nester: often protected on south and east sides Ground nester. Nest placed next to/under various plant species Maintain short, sparsely vegetated native prairie. Moderate to heavy, or season long grazing can make mixed-grass prairie suitable. Keep native pastures intact. Manage for fairly short vegetation with sparse litter accumulation. Provide areas of short vegetation with protective cover for nesting. Limited shrubs in area are Late April suitable; Early May Nestlings suffer to Late high rates of July (mammalian) predation. Mid-August Native prairie Mid-April specialist. Early May Areas with to Late occasional Late July shrubs suitable. September May be present in agricultural fields, but use is Early May limited. Highest densities in Mid-May to Mid- native prairie, August though will nest Late in CRP lands. August 1 2 days 10-12 days 10-13 days 9-14 days 1 2 days 8-9 days seeds/plant material insects insects seeds 1 to 2 insects secondary seeds/plant material Long-billed Curlew 4 prairie endemic G5/S2B Sprague's Pipit prairie endemic 4/S2B Open sparse grassland preferred; taller, denser grass during brood rearing. Intermediate height with moderate litter. Ground nester. Nest is a scrape in the ground lined with various bits of vegetation, pebbles, and other organic matter. Ground nester; dense, grassy, relatively tall vegetation, minimal forbs present, little bare ground Provide large, open level to gently rolling grasslands with short vegetation. Provide native prairie with intermediate vegetation height and low visual obstruction. Generally avoids Early April 28-31 days (able to areas with high Mid-to leave nest density of Late April within hours shrubs. of hatching) Mid- 32-45 days September Early May 13-14 days Avoids areas with shrubs. Late May to Mid- Mid- July September 9-12 days carnivorous (terrestrial invertebrates, vertebrates, eggs, etc.) 1 , poss. 2 almost entirely insects very minimal seeds/plant material March 2007 Arrival Incubation Species Name Species Status General Habitat Characteristics Nest Site Characteristics Management Recommendations to Promote Species Notes Date Nesting Dates Period Number of Broods Primary Summer Diet Secondary Summer Diet Departure Days to Date Fledging Prefers flat, rolling terrain. small Ferruginous Hawk* prairie endemic G4/S2B Prefer open prairie and shrubsteppe habitat. Exposed: on cliffs, trees, ground, or manmade structures. Provide/protect suitable nest sites, protect active nest areas from disturbance, and improve habitat for prey. Avoids high elevation, forested areas and narrow canyons. Avoids areas recently altered for cultivation March Late September Late April to Mid- July 28-33 days 44-48 days 1 mammals (inc. jackrabbits, cottontail rabbits, ground squirrels, and prairie dogs) birds, reptiles, insects Grasslands, Species unique in switching from Mid-March 28-35 days mainly vertebrates during breeding Swainson's sparse Nest in deciduous Provide open grasslands primarily small Early May invertebrates Hawk 7 shrublands, and trees (about 50% with occasional trees for mammal diet to to Mid- 1 at other G5/S3B small open of nests reused). nesting and perching. insects after July season (mammals, birds, & reptiles) times woodlands, young birds fledge. Early November 30 days Intermediate to Tall Grassland Cover Associated Species Prefers moderately open May be locally grasslands with patchy bare Provide/protect large areas abundant, generally rare Early May 11-12 days Grasshopper Sparrow 8 G5/S3B ground. Generally avoids Ground nester: nest often domed of contiguous grassland of intermediate height with throughout range. Mid-June to Late July 2 insects rarely seeds/plant areas with with grasses and moderately deep litter Somewhat area (poss. 3) material in extensive shrub side entrance. cover and low shrub sensitive. summer cover, although density. Moderate-to- Early 8-9 days some shrub high nest September cover is predation. desirable. Scattered low shrubs and residual vegetation from Mid-May 11 -12 days Ungrazed to Provide areas of native last year are Baird's Sparrow 9 prairie endemic G4/S2B moderately Ground nester; grassland (or idle tame preferred Late May to Late July grazed, generally with shallow scrape at base of grass pastures) with moderately deep litter. Avoid habitat; area sensitive (favors 1 insects seeds/plant material litter depth of ~2 clump. excessive grazing and limit large parcels). cm. shrub encroachment. Nesting densities change Early 8-10 days according to September local habitat conditions. March 2007 Species Name Species Status General Habitat Characteristics Nest Site Characteristics Management Recommendations to Promote Species Notes Arrival Date Departure Date Nesting Dates Incubation Period Number Primary of Summer Days to Broods Diet Fledging Secondary Summer Diet Bobolink G5/S2B Brewer's Sparrow 1 G5/S2B Loggerhead Shrike 12 G4/S3B Greater Sage- Grouse 13 G4/S3 Tall grass, flooded meadows, prairie. Most suitable habitat is moderate-to- tall vegetation, moderate-to- dense vegetation and moderately deep litter. Suitable breeding habitat contains dense shrubs, generally sagebrush. Average height generally <1.5 meters. Open prairie, pastures with fencerows, agricultural fields, riparian areas. Sagebrush communities; generally prefers larger-stature sagebrush, but will use other habitats during the non- breeding season including meadows and grasslands. Wetland Associated Species Extensive Franklin's prairie Gull 14 marshes with G4G5/S3B emergent vegetation. Ground nester: often located in wet habitats, often at the base of large forbs. Nests built in taller, dense sagebrush, with limited bare ground and herbaceous cover. Usually well- hidden in crook of deciduous tree or robust shrub. Ground nester: nest generally placed under sagebrush. Depression lined with grass and sagebrush leaves. Nest is a floating mat of reeds anchored to suitable emergent vegetation (bulrush important). Colonial nester. Provide large areas of native and tame grasslands of moderate height and density with adequate litter. Maintain extensive areas of sagebrush-dominated shrublands with average shrub cover of 1 0-30%, average shrub height of 0.4-1.5 m, and an understory of native grasses and forbs. Provide grassland habitat with scattered trees and shrubs for foraging, nesting, and perching. Maintain expansive stands of sagebrush {Artemisia spp.), with forb understory; open sites for leks; and perennial grass and forb stands intermixed with sagebrush for brood rearing. Maintain water levels at nesting sites. Protect nesting sites from human disturbance. Somewhat area sensitive. Highly susceptible to nest abandonment if disturbed during breeding season. Can tolerate up to 3 weeks without water while on seed diet. Lacking talons, may impale dead prey on barbed wire, branch, or thorn for easier consumption. Highly susceptible to human disturbance while nesting. Water must be present at wetland at time young fledge. Mid-May Early September Late September Early September Late April Late September Mid-June to Late July to Mid- July to Late July n , Mid-April Permanent , , , Resident ^ Early June to Early July 11-13 days 10-11 days insects seeds/plant material Early May ^ M&y 10-12 days insects 8-9 days Late April 16-1 7 days mid-June 2 broods possible insects 17-21 days 25-27 days 7-10 days secondary seeds/plant material small vertebrates, carrion forb buds and flowers 24-25 day 32 days Insects, worms small vertebrates, other invertebrates, grains/seeds March 2007 Species Name Species Status General Habitat Characteristi cs Nest Site Characteristics Management Recommendations to Promote Species Notes Arrival Date Departure Date Nesting Dates Incubation Period Days to Fledging Number of Broods Primary Summer Diet Secondary Summer Diet Common Tern 5 G3S3B BLM Sensitive species Willet 1 ' BLM Sensitive species Open water bodies with islands for nesting. Short, sparse to moderately vegetated uplands for nesting and foraging. Wetland complexes for foraging. Short native grasslands idle during the nesting season. Prefer shallow-water wetlands with sparse vegetation. Nests colonially; ground nester. Nest is a scrape in the ground generally lined with organic material. Ground nester. Nests in wet and dry areas of wet meadow, upland areas of short (<30 cm) grass. Ground nester: often nest near a conspicuous object such as a piece of wood, a rock, or dried cattle dung. Maintain water levels at nesting sites. Protect nesting colonies from human recreation or disturbance. Provide large expanses of short, sparse to moderately vegetated native grasslands with wetland complexes. Provide large expanses of native grasslands and wetland complexes Generally, nesting sites are sparsely vegetated. This species may be area sensitive, rarely occurring on blocks of contiguous grassland <1 00 ha. Territories are large and include both feeding and nesting areas Mid-May Late September Early May Early September Late April Early October Early June to Late July Mid-May to Early July Mid-May to Mid- June 21-27 days 26-27 days 21-23 days 21 days 22-29 days 27-31 days 1, rarely 2 Fish Aquatic invertebrates/ insects Aquatic invertebrates Insects Aquatic invertebrates Wilson's Phalarope 18 BLM Sensitive species Both fresh and alkali wetlands with open water, emergent vegetation, and open shoreline. Ground nester: nests are placed on the ground in wetlands, wet meadows and in grasslands adjacent to wetlands. Provide suitable wetland with open water, emergent vegetation, and open shoreline in addition to upland habitat throughout the breeding season. Males, the less colorful of the sexes, incubate the eggs and tend the young. Mid-April Early September Early May to Late July 18-27 days Young leave nest within 24 hrs of hatching. Actual days to fledging unknown 1 , occ. 2 Aquatic invertebrates seeds 1 - With 1994, Dechant et al. 2003j 2 - Hill and Gould 1997, Dechant et al. 2003c 3 - Shane 2000, Dechant et al. 2003m 4 - Dugger and Dugger 2002, Dechant et al. 2003i 5 - Robbins and Dale 1999, Dechant et al. 2003g 6 - Bechard and Schmutz 1995, Dechant et al. 20031 7 - England et al. 1997, Dechant et al. 2003a 8 - Vickery 1996, Dechant et al. 2003d 9 - Johnson & Igl 2001, Green et al. 2002, Dechant et al. 2003b 10 - Martin and Gavin 1995, Dechant et al. 2003k 1 1 - Rotenberry et al. 1999, Ehrlich et al. 1988 12 - Yosef 1996, Dechant et al. 2003e 13 - Rowland 2004, Ehrlich et al. 1988 14 - Burger and Gochfeld 1994, Ehrlich et al. 1988 15 - Nisbet 2002, Ehrlich et al. 1988 16 - Dechant et al. 2003f, Ehrlich et al. 1988 17 - Lowther et al. 2001, Dechant et al. 20O3h 18 - Colwell and Jehl 1994, Ehrlich et al. 1988 March 2007