Gates and Evans looked at the habitat characteristics that influence the movement of brown-headed cowbirds in a western Maryland deciduous forest. Agricultural land use, namely cattle grazed pasture, was the primary feeding site of the cowbird. Cowbirds are thought to gather in grazed areas due to the abundance of food, the presence of cattle and the short grass that grazing creates. Gates and Evans urged the minimization of feeding areas within the forested habitat, especially since cowbirds have been known to travel for miles to get to certain feeding areas.
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.