Warren and Anderson looked at vegetative structure and its influence on nest site selection of passerine birds in West Virginia. Six fields(three former hayfields, three former pastures) were split in half for the experiment; with each field having one control half, while the other half was mowed to a 10-12 cm stubble height immediately following breeding season (late August). The authors found that bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), eastern meadowlarks (Sturnellamagna) and Savannah sparrows (Passerculussandwichensis) preferred moderate to tall grass with dense cover and little bare ground. The majority of nests of the three previous species were found within the mowed plots. The red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) preferred taller woody vegetation and less litter. Red-winged blackbird nests were found in the controlled plots, where woody vegetation had a chance to colonize due to the lack of mowing. Overall, there was no significant difference in nest success between mowed and unmowed plots. Warren and Anderson suggest that a mix of mowing, burning, and grazing should be used to create a mosaic of vegetation and set back the succession of grassland species to benefit the most number of birds.
Citations and enhanced abstracts for journals articles and documents focused on rangeland ecology and management. RSIS is a collaboration between Montana State University, University of Idaho, and University of Wyoming.