Young forest bird response to habitat management
The Wisconsin Young Forest Partnership, formed in 2013, has lead the creation of thousands of acres of habitat for declining young forest wildlife species in northern Wisconsin. Evaluation of the management practices is an important component to an adaptive management approach. In 2016, University of Maine MS Wildlife Ecology student Anna Buckardt began conducting surveys of birds associated with young forest management with a focus on American Woodcock and Golden-winged Warbler. This study is expected to be completed in 2018.
We have identified the following four objectives for this study:
1) Management Objective: Create American Woodcock breeding habitat on private lands in northern Wisconsin.
2) Research Objective 1: Evaluate young forest best management practices as indicated by the relative abundance of woodcock, Golden-winged Warbler, and other young forest birds during the spring breeding season.
3) Research Objective 2: Identify an American Woodcock monitoring protocol that is easily conducted by private landowners based on counting displaying males in spring.
4) Monitoring Objective: Create an American Woodcock monitoring program on private lands to provide feedback in an adaptive management framework.
Financial support for this research was contributed by:
US Fish & Wildlife Service, Webless Migratory Game Bird Program
University of Maine
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Wisconsin SFI Implementation Committee
Ruffed Grouse Society/American Woodcock Society
Wildlife Management Institute
We have identified the following four objectives for this study:
1) Management Objective: Create American Woodcock breeding habitat on private lands in northern Wisconsin.
2) Research Objective 1: Evaluate young forest best management practices as indicated by the relative abundance of woodcock, Golden-winged Warbler, and other young forest birds during the spring breeding season.
3) Research Objective 2: Identify an American Woodcock monitoring protocol that is easily conducted by private landowners based on counting displaying males in spring.
4) Monitoring Objective: Create an American Woodcock monitoring program on private lands to provide feedback in an adaptive management framework.
Financial support for this research was contributed by:
US Fish & Wildlife Service, Webless Migratory Game Bird Program
University of Maine
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Wisconsin SFI Implementation Committee
Ruffed Grouse Society/American Woodcock Society
Wildlife Management Institute