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National Park Service Research Needs
TITLE:
Population
Trends and Habitats of Neotropical Migratory Birds in
National Parks
SUBMITTING BUREAU: National Park Service
Originating Offices: Intermountain, Southeast and Midwest Field Areas
DATE SUBMITTED: March 31, 1995
BIN NUMBER: NPS10CR98
BRD REGION: Central
DESCRIPTION OF NEED: There is much concern that populations of neararctic-neotropical migrant songbirds (migratory birds) are declining. Declines of migratory songbirds were initially thought to be caused by habitat degradation on the wintering areas (deforestation primarily). Habitat degradation and loss is accelerating in Mexico and Central American wintering areas. But habitat degradation also effects the breeding area. As an example, in the western U.S., riparian habitats are critical as breeding habitat and migration stopovers for migratory birds. More than 80% of migratory birds use riparian habitats during breeding season or migration. Riparian habitat has suffered because of diversion of stream flows for irrigation and development (which continues today). Thousands of miles of riparian habitat have been lost beneath reservoirs including Lakes Powell and Meade and Flaming Gorge Reservoir for example. The shoreline habitats that have been created are not as diverse as the original habitat and are dominated by exotic species (e.g. Tamarisk). Even the remaining free flowing systems are greatly effected by impoundments because river processes (e.g. sedimentation) are drastically altered, which in turn alters riparian succession and development. Riparian areas are also greatly impacted, especially in arid systems, by cattle and wildlife grazing and browsing. National parks protect the best remaining examples of riparian habitats on the Colorado River system including the Colorado, Green, Virgin, and Yampa Rivers as well as many miles of smaller tributaries. Monitoring in these areas will provide information on population trends and information (when compared with monitoring outside of national parks) on the effects of riparian habitat degradation on songbird populations.
Other heavily impacted habitats are also important for migratory birds including grasslands, bottomland hardwood forests, and mature coniferous forests. These systems require work to document population trends and habitat conditions.
Migratory bird population declines have also been attributed to parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds. Cowbirds, a native species, parasitize the nests of numerous other bird species. Producing up to 45 eggs per season, they lay their eggs in the nests of smaller songbird species, often removing the eggs of their host. Even if host eggs remain, the young cowbird hatches sooner, grows faster, and out competes host nestlings for food. Birds such as the nationally threatened SW willow flycatcher often exhibit parasitism rates as high as 60-80 percent.
Cowbird population increases have been attributed to human influences. Cowbirds are attracted to new openings in forests and shrublands. Cattle feedlots, stables, and towns are all known cowbird feeding areas. While these birds feed in these disturbed habitats, they often parasitize nests up to 20 km away. Towns bordering national parks, as well as horse stables and housing areas within parks, may be serving as cowbird concentration areas which may be affecting the nesting birds within the park and the surrounding area.
Because of their migratory habits, many bird populations may be at a greater risk because they depend on habitats in spread over a huge geographic area (and under the jurisdiction of different land managers and countries). Impacts to or within the various habitats may threaten migratory birds during any phase of their annual cycle. For example, while a species may be secure on the wintering ground, it may become extinct due to an impact on the migration route.
The following project statement titles are some (there are many others) examples of migratory bird inventory, monitoring, and/or research needs from current national park Resource Management Plans:
RMP Project Number - Title
BRCA-N-013.000 - CONDUCT MONITORING OF BIRD POPULATIONS
CANY-N-016.000 - WILDLIFE RESOURCES (includes landbird research
and/or monitoring)
CEBR-N-015.000 - RESEARCH AND MONITORING OF WILDLIFE AT CEBR
(includes landbird research and/or monitoring)
CHCU-N-020.050 - INVENTORY AND MONITORING OF BIRD POPULATIONS
KEY-N-420.001 - CONDUCT BASELINE INVENTORY OF BIRDS
KEY-N-470.001 - MONITOR/MANAGE NON-NATIVE TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATES
(includes landbird research and/or monitoring)
FOBU-N-753-001 - COLLECT FLORA AND FAUNA BASELINE DATA (includes
landbird research and/or monitoring)
GLCA-N-080.000 - INVENTORY AND MONITOR BIRDS
GRCA-N-210.103 - INVENTORY UPLAND BIRDS
GRCA-N-210.104 - MONITOR RIVER CORRIDOR BIRDS
GRCA-N-220.103 - MONITOR SW WILLOW FLYCATCHERS ALONG COLORADO
RIVER
GRCA-N-220.104 - MONITOR AND CONTROL COWBIRDS AT CORRALS/STOCK
AREAS
GRCA-N-230.100 - DETERMINE WILLOW FLYCATCHER POPULATION DYNAMICS
GRCA-N-900.203 - DEVELOP AND UPDATE BIOLOGICAL TAXON CHECKLISTS
(includes landbird needs)
HOVE-N-005.000 - WILDLIFE RESOURCES BIRDS
WACA-N-006.001 - CONDUCT INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT: BIRDS
ZION-N-420.001 - INVENTORY AND MONITOR BREEDING BIRDS
ZION-N-420.002 - SURVEY FOR SW WILLOW FLYCATCHERS
MANAGEMENT PROBLEM WITH NEED: Although national parks are areas well protected from development and other habitat altering practices, migratory bird habitats have been impacted within parks. Many western parks allow grazing, other park habitats are impacted by heavy herbivore use (in the absence of native predators), virtually all park ecosystems have been impacted by invasion of exotic plant species, etc... These impacts within parks can be managed in many cases to prevent adverse effects on migratory birds.
Even though parks protect habitats for migratory birds, no park is large enough to protect the entire breeding range of a migratory bird. Impacts outside of park boundaries effect park populations and must be understood if the NPS is to adequately protect migratory birds. The problem is particularly difficult to understand and appreciate when the habitats used during migration and on the wintering areas are considered. By determining population and habitat trends for migratory birds the NPS and other interested agencies and groups can determine whether there are problems (by species) and attempt to detect and mitigate the cause(s).
BUREAU CONTACT: Mike Britten, 303-987-6705
Cluster contacts:
Colorado Plateau - Mike Britten, 303-987-6705,
mike_britten@nps.gov
Great Plains - Steve Cinnamon, 402-221-3437
Gulf Coast - Suzette Kimball, 404-331-3648
Southwest - Nancy Skinner, 505-988-6862, nancy_skinner@nps.gov
Rocky Mountain - Tom Wylie, 303-969-2970, tom_wylie@nps.gov
BRD PRIMARY CENTER: MESC (NWRC)
BRD CENTER CONTACT: Susan Skagen (Wylie Barrow)
RESULTS OF BRD-INITIATED COMMUNICATION (FY99): The following BRD projects are underway on National Park Service lands. For more complete description of projects, please see the Science Information System [http://cristel.nal. usda.gov:8080/star/brd.html] The SIS Acc No is provided for each project.
These additional BRD projects on neotropical migratory birds are also underway:
In addition, the following proposals were submitted to conduct research on neotropical migratory birds on National Park Service lands. Effects of global change on western migratory landbirds (MESC; BRD Global Change Program ), and Birds in aspen communities in Rocky Mountain National Park (MESC; NRPP).
Four additional proposals were submitted to the BRD Global Change Program; funding is pending. Global climate change and range shifts of prairie nesting birds: Will the habitat be there? (NPWRC). Grasslands birds and global change: Habitat requirements, potential habitat availability, and prediction of distribution change (NPWRC). Effects of future climatic variability on the migratory wetland birds of Central North America (MESC). Interactive effects of human development and climate-induced storm severity on vegetation and migratory land birds: Landscape and regional projections (NWRC).
DATE SUBMITTED TO REGIONAL OFFICE: December 11, 1998
PREPARED BY: Susan K. Skagen, Vertebrate Ecology, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO (970) 226-9461; Email susan_skagen@usgs.gov
RESULTS OF BRD-INITIATED COMMUNICATION (FY98): Dr. Charles Van Riper, FRESC, has maintained contact with bureau partners Mike Britten, NPS, and Gary Williams, Inventory and Monitoring Coordinator, NPS, and has proposed to develop a standardized approach to monitoring breeding and wintering birds in the 33 National Parks of the Colorado Plateau. In a continuing cooperative study with Cornell University (NY), nocturnal vocalizations of migrants have been recorded at Lee’s Ferry, these recordings are undergoing detailed analyses.
Dr. Natasha Kotliar, MESC, has begun two projects in Rocky Mountain National Park and vicinity. The first looks at the effects of elk browsing on avian communities of aspen forests to determine if avian species composition differs under different browsing intensities. The second, a pilot project, examines habitat selection and nesting success of olive-sided flycatchers (Contopus borealis) under natural and managed disturbance regimes. UPO proposals were submitted.
Dr. Wylie Barrow, NWRC, in collaboration with Baylor University (TX), is nearing completion of a project on "Landscape-Scale Habitat Relations for Neotropical Migratory Birds at Big Bend National Park," which analyzes how landscape-scale features influence the richness and abundance of Neotropical migrants during migration. This project will result in practical information for managers about landscape-scale habitat relations for Neotropical migrants in Big Bend National Park during spring migration, and will illustrate how managers can use landscape-scale habitat relations to predict the consequences of land-use changes on assemblages of Neotropical migrants.
DATE SUBMITTED TO REGIONAL OFFICE: October 31, 1997
PREPARED BY: Susan K. Skagen, Vertebrate Ecology, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO (970)226-9461; Email susan_skagen@usgs.gov
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://biology.usgs.gov/cro/98nps-10.htm
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