Browsing by Author "Kolbe, Stephen"

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Bayfield County Forest Breeding Bird Survey Modeling Report
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2019-02) Walton, Nicholas G; Kolbe, Stephen; Grinde, Alexis R
Chippewa National Forest Hunter Walking Trail Project 2020 – Pre-harvest Results
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2020-12) Grinde, Alexis R; Bednar, Joshua D; Kolbe, Stephen; Seibers, Reid
Minnesota’s managed forests provide critical habitat for hundreds of resident and migrant bird species. Forest management provides an important opportunity to conserve and cultivate critical habitat for species of management and conservation concern. Recent declines in upland game populations in the state have generated a renewed interest in using forest management to create habitats that not only support breeding adults but also those that maximize juvenile survival and increase recruitment into the populations. Conservation concerns regarding Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) and American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) have been extensively documented:  North American populations of American Woodcock have declined by over 30% in the last 50 years. In Minnesota, American Woodcock are a Species in Greatest Conservation Need. Approximately 10% of the global population breeds in Minnesota.  Ruffed Grouse populations in Minnesota are significantly declining. Recent declines in harvest numbers of Ruffed Grouse and potential issues with recruiting birds into the population have caused concern range-wide, including in Minnesota. American Woodcock and Ruffed Grouse require a matrix of forest size classes throughout the breeding season. Historically, periodic natural disturbances would create habitat for these species—wildfires or flooding from beaver dams produced a patchwork of shrubby openings amid a largely forested landscape. Currently, the major mechanism of disturbance is harvest; this provides an important opportunity for habitat management for these species. There is increasing interest from forest managers to promote heterogeneous forest matrices that can optimize wildlife occupancy and diversity over time. Chippewa National Forest is planning a long-term habitat improvement project by implementing small-scale, frequent harvests (<5 acres, 5-year intervals) adjacent to hunter walking trails. Currently, there are more than 600 miles of hunter walking trails in Minnesota, and maintaining and enhancing these areas as productive hunting grounds is a priority. The goal of this project is to create and maintain a long-term matrix of habitat in the region that is suitable for Ruffed Grouse while supporting additional game species such as American Woodcock and breeding forest birds. The primary objective of the Chippewa National Forest Hunter Walking Trail Project is to assess the effects of experimental harvesting on Ruffed Grouse and breeding bird species. The results from the pre-harvest study will establish baseline data for future reference. Here, we report the results from pre-harvest line transect and ARU (Autonomous Recording Unit) surveys conducted during the 2020 breeding bird season. These two survey methods are complementary to one another and provide a comprehensive assessment of Ruffed Grouse and breeding bird communities. Specific objectives include: 1. Assess Ruffed Grouse abundance and characterize breeding bird communities before harvest treatments planned for winter 2021-2022; and 2. Summarize preliminary results as a part of the National Forest Bird Monitoring Project annual report and provide data to Chippewa National Forest.
Chippewa National Forest Hunter Walking Trail Project 2021 – Pre-harvest Results
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2021-12) Grinde, Alexis R; Kolbe, Stephen; Bednar, Joshua D
Minnesota’s managed forests provide critical habitat for hundreds of resident and migrant bird species. Forest management provides an important opportunity to conserve and cultivate critical habitat for species of management and conservation concern. Recent declines in upland game populations in the state have generated a renewed interest in using forest management to create habitats that not only support breeding adults but also those that maximize juvenile survival and increase recruitment into the populations. Conservation concerns regarding Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) and American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) have been extensively documented: ● North American populations of American Woodcock have declined by over 30% in the last 50 years. In Minnesota, American Woodcock are a Species in Greatest Conservation Need. Approximately 10% of the global population breeds in Minnesota. ● Ruffed Grouse populations in Minnesota are significantly declining. Recent declines in harvest numbers of Ruffed Grouse and potential issues with recruiting birds into the population have caused concern range-wide, including in Minnesota. American Woodcock and Ruffed Grouse require a matrix of forest size classes throughout the breeding season. Historically, periodic natural disturbances would create habitat for these species—wildfires or flooding from beaver dams produced a patchwork of shrubby openings amid a largely forested landscape. Currently, the major mechanism of disturbance is harvest; this provides an important opportunity for habitat management for these species. There is increasing interest from forest managers to promote heterogeneous forest matrices that can optimize wildlife occupancy and diversity over time. Chippewa National Forest is planning a long-term habitat improvement project by implementing small-scale, frequent harvests (<5 acres, 5-year intervals) adjacent to hunter walking trails. Currently, there are more than 600 miles of hunter walking trails in Minnesota, and maintaining and enhancing these areas as productive hunting grounds is a priority. The goal of this project is to create and maintain a long-term matrix of habitat in the region that is suitable for Ruffed Grouse while supporting additional game species such as American Woodcock and breeding forest birds. The primary objective of the Chippewa National Forest Hunter Walking Trail Project is to assess the effects of experimental harvesting on Ruffed Grouse and breeding bird species. The results from the preharvest study will establish baseline data for future reference. Here, we report the results from preharvest line transect and ARU (Autonomous Recording Unit) surveys conducted during the 2021 breeding bird season. These two survey methods are complementary to one another and provide a comprehensive assessment of Ruffed Grouse and breeding bird communities. Specific objectives include: 1. Assess Ruffed Grouse abundance and characterize breeding bird communities before harvest treatments planned for 2021-2022; and 2. Summarize preliminary results as a part of the National Forest Bird Monitoring Project annual report and provide data to Chippewa National Forest.
Chippewa National Forest Hunter Walking Trail Project 2022 – Pre-harvest Results
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2022-12) Grinde, Alexis R; Kolbe, Stephen; Bednar, Joshua D
The primary objective of the Chippewa National Forest Hunter Walking Trail Project is to assess the effects of experimental harvesting on Ruffed Grouse and breeding bird species. The results from the pre-harvest study (2020-2021) established baseline data for future reference. Here, we report the results from pre- and post-harvest (depending on the study area) line transect and ARU (Autonomous Recording Unit) surveys conducted during the 2022 breeding bird season. These two survey methods are complementary to one another and provide a comprehensive assessment of Ruffed Grouse and breeding bird communities. Specific objectives include: 1. Assess Ruffed Grouse abundance and characterize breeding bird communities before and after harvest treatments that were or will be implemented in 2021-2022; and 2. Summarize preliminary results as a part of the National Forest Bird Monitoring Project annual report and provide data to Chippewa National Forest.
Chippewa National Forest Hunter Walking Trail Project 2023 Report
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2023-12) Grinde, Alexis R; Kolbe, Stephen; Bednar, Joshua D
The primary objective of the Chippewa National Forest Hunter Walking Trail Project is to assess the effects of experimental harvesting on Ruffed Grouse and breeding bird species. The results from the pre-harvest study (2020–2021) established baseline data for future reference. Here, we report the results from pre- and post-harvest (depending on the study area) line transect and ARU (Autonomous Recording Unit) surveys conducted during the 2023 breeding bird season. These two survey methods are complementary to one another and provide a comprehensive assessment of Ruffed Grouse and breeding bird communities. Specific objectives include: 1. Assess Ruffed Grouse abundance and characterize breeding bird communities before and after harvest treatments that were implemented in 2021–2023; and 2. Summarize preliminary results as a part of the National Forest Bird Monitoring Project annual report and provide data to Chippewa National Forest.
The Common Nighthawk in northern Minnesota
(2018-05) Kolbe, Stephen
Developing methods for monitoring bird species that do not exhibit typical breeding behaviors is difficult. Species that do not sing, are sparsely distributed, are not active in the early morning, or are secretive are often impossible to monitor using traditional methods such as point counts. The Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor), like other species in the nightjar family, is a low-density breeder in the boreal forest and is not adequately surveyed by point counts due to its secretive nature and crepuscular activity. Specific surveys have been developed for nightjars, but never tested for utility with the Common Nighthawk. I compared nightjar survey routes censused during a crepuscular time period to those run during a nocturnal time period. Significantly more nighthawks were detected during the crepuscular window, a time period that is not used during the official survey. While the effect of time of survey was significant, the surveys were labor-intensive and relatively few observations of Common Nighthawks were made. However, large numbers of this species occur each autumn along the north shore of Lake Superior. With average annual counts of nearly 19,500 individuals, the autumn migration of Common Nighthawks is the largest known concentration of this species in the world. Visible migration counts of nighthawks were conducted for three weeks each year from 2008 to 2017 in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. This daily evening count has elucidated the weather variables that most often lead to large flights: lighter and westerly winds, and warmer temperatures. Many of these conditions are not often associated with autumn migration. These weather effects on nighthawk migration intensity may be tied to aerial insect availability during migration. While the precise geographic origin of these migrant birds is unknown, many arrive from the Canadian boreal forest, where this species has undergone a significant decline and is listed as threatened. Trend analysis from autumn migration counts does not show such a decline. Counts such as the annual autumn survey of migrating Common Nighthawks along the north shore of Lake Superior are likely the best and most cost-effective way to census the boreal forest breeding Common Nighthawks and determine population trends for this declining aerial insectivore.
Conserving Black Terns and Forster’s Terns in Minnesota
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2024-07) Bracey, Annie; Bednar, Joshua D; Kolbe, Stephen; Grinde, Alexis R
Interstate Island Habitat Restoration: Phase III – Long-Term Monitoring and Maintenance Plan Common Tern Monitoring & Migratory Shorebird Assessment 2023 Final Report
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2023-12-01) Bracey, Annie; Kolbe, Stephen; Strand, Fred; Grinde, Alexis R
The goal of the Interstate Island avian habitat restoration project was to restore and enhance critical breeding habitat for the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) and Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) in the St. Louis River Estuary (SLRE). The primary objective of the habitat restoration was to maintain and increase the population of Common Terns breeding at the Interstate Island colony. To assess the effectiveness of the restoration, post-restoration field surveys were conducted to document the breeding status of Common Terns relative to pre-restoration averages. To document breeding population size and productivity, we followed the long-term monitoring protocol developed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), to ensure comparability between pre- and post- restoration monitoring. There were no monitoring objectives related to Piping Plover since this species has not been documented on Interstate Island. A secondary objective of the project was to document shorebird use of the island during migration to determine if this species group was utilizing the restored habitat. To meet this objective, researchers developed a shorebird monitoring protocol, conducted in- person surveys, and utilized remote camera traps to observe and quantify shorebird species diversity, abundance, and spatial and temporal use of Interstate Island. Based on post-restoration surveys, population targets are not currently being met for Common Tern, with the number of nesting pairs currently at some of the lowest recorded since the island was colonized. However, post-restoration productivity is above the range deemed necessary to sustain a viable population and above pre-restoration averages. The overall quality of the nesting habitat for Common Terns was greatly improved. If habitat quality is the primary factor limiting the size of the breeding population, we anticipate the restoration actions will result in an increase in breeding numbers but there may be a lag in response time. We also documented 22 shorebird species and 38 other avian species using the island during our surveys. Our results indicate that shorebirds as well as many other species of birds will readily use the newly restored habitat at Interstate Island, habitat which is much needed in this important bird region. Continued monitoring and management will be necessary to determine long-term effects of restoration for both Common Terns and migratory shorebirds.
Interstate Island Habitat Restoration: Phase III – Long-Term Monitoring and Maintenance Plan Common Tern Monitoring & Migratory Shorebird Assessment Final Report
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2022-09-01) Bracey, Annie; Kolbe, Stephen; Nelson, Stephen; Strand, Fred; Grinde, Alexis R
The goal of the Interstate Island avian habitat restoration project was to restore and enhance critical breeding habitat for the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) and Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) in the St. Louis River Estuary. The primary objective of the habitat restoration was to maintain and increase the population of Common Terns breeding at the Interstate Island colony. To assess the effectiveness of the restoration, post-restoration field surveys were conducted to document the breeding status of Common Terns relative to pre-restoration averages. To document breeding population size and productivity, we followed the long-term monitoring protocol developed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), to ensure comparability between pre- and post-restoration monitoring. A secondary objective of the project was to document shorebird use of the island during migration to determine if this species group was utilizing the restored habitat. To meet this objective, researchers developed a shorebird monitoring protocol, conducted in-person surveys, and utilized remote camera traps to observe and quantify shorebird species diversity, abundance, and spatial and temporal use of Interstate Island. Based on post-restoration surveys, population targets are not currently being met for Common Tern, with the number of nesting pairs being at their lowest since the island was colonized. However, productivity was within the average range compared to pre-restoration numbers and the quality of the nesting habitat was greatly improved. If habitat quality is the primary factor limiting the size of the breeding population, we anticipate the restoration actions will likely result in an increase in breeding numbers but there may be a lag in response time. We also documented 18 shorebird species and 35 other avian species using the island during our surveys. Our results indicate that shorebirds as well as many other species of birds will readily use the newly restored habitat at Interstate Island, which is much needed in this important bird region. Continued monitoring and management will be necessary to determine long-term effects of restoration.
Mapping Avian Movement in Minnesota
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2021-09) Grinde, Alexis R; Bracey, Annie; Kolbe, Stephen
The western Great Lakes region is home to one of the most diverse breeding bird communities in North America and is a key migration pathway for a wide array of species, including neotropical migrants and birds that breed in boreal ecosystems. To better understand and document how birds move in this region, we focused on two applications of automated radio telemetry technology: 1) large- and small-scale (local) movements of birds during the non-breeding season (i.e., migration and winter), and 2) local movements of breeding Common Terns and dispersal behavior of both adult and juvenile birds. Our goal was to assess the utility of using Motus automated telemetry technology at various spatial scales and on a variety of species to study different ecological questions. First, to study timing and behavior of fall migration along the shores of Lake Superior, we focused on two species: Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) and Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus). Second, we focused on Rusty Blackbirds in the St. Louis River Estuary to document the temporal and geographic use during their fall migratory stopover. Rusty Blackbirds are among the most rapidly declining bird species in North America, but the reasons driving these declines are unknown; a lack of suitable habitat during the migratory and non-breeding seasons is likely a contributing factor. Thousands of Rusty Blackbirds use the north shore of Lake Superior and the SLRE as a migration corridor each spring and fall, yet habitat use and duration of stopover is poorly understood. For this reason, we used automated radio tracking technology to document stopover duration of individual birds in relation to minimum daily temperature and to assess potential differences between sex and age. Third, we focused on documenting winter movement patterns of Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) in an urban-forested landscape: Hartley Park, Duluth MN, USA, to assess how detection rates related to minimum daily temperature and food availability at feeding stations. Black-capped Chickadees are an abundant resident species in our study area and have broad public appeal but are relatively understudied in the winter, particularly in urban settings. Finally, we assessed the utility of automated radio telemetry to study breeding behavior of Common Terns (Sterna hirundo). Common Tern are identified as one of the most vulnerable species at both a federal and state level in the region and as a high priority species for conservation in the state. Interstate Island, located in the SLRE, is one of only two breeding colonies of Common Terns in Lake Superior. Movement of juvenile birds is also a critical piece of the life-history of Common Terns that is not well understood due to previously existing limitations of tracking this age class. The ability to track individuals using the Motus network, which does not require re-encountering the individual to retrieve data, is a huge advancement in tracking of juvenile birds. Documenting breeding behavior and dispersal of adult and juvenile terns will help inform population dynamics, which is particularly important for at-risk and declining populations.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 2021 Minnesota Colonial Waterbird Surveys
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2021-12) Bracey, Annie; Kolbe, Stephen; Grinde, Alexis R; Cuthbert, Francesca J
The Minnesota colonial waterbird surveys began in 2004 in an effort to document the distribution and abundance of colonial nesting waterbirds in the state. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) partnered with researchers at the University of Minnesota to initiate monitoring efforts at colony sites of target waterbird species across the state (Table 1; Cuthbert and Hamilton 2016). The monitoring initially focused on documenting the number and distribution of two focal species, American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) and Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), due to public concerns about the potential impacts of perceived population increases on recreation activities (e.g., fishing; Wires and Cuthbert 2006). The goal of monitoring was to evaluate efficacy of Double-crested Cormorant control efforts and document the status of American White Pelicans, which are a state-listed Species of Special Concern and Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN; MN DNR 2016). Since the initial MN DNR waterbird surveys, conducted in 2004 and 2005, the intent was to conduct statewide surveys every five years. Surveys were conducted as planned in 2010 and 2015, but due to Covid-19 related work and travel restrictions, it was only possible to conduct a partial survey in 2020. Therefore, the primary objective of the 2021 survey was to complete the fourth census and provide a summary of the combined 2020–2021 survey results to MN DNR. The 2020 surveys were conducted by researchers at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities campus and the 2021 surveys were conducted by researchers in the Avian Ecology Lab at the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI), Duluth, MN. The broad aim of this report is to provide a description of how sites were selected in 2020/21, which species were included as targets, and to provide recommendations for future monitoring efforts in the state. We include site-specific estimates of abundance for primary and secondary (when possible) target species for the combined 2020–2021 surveys. We also provide abundance and distribution estimates for primary target species for the current (2020–2021) and past census efforts at priority monitoring locations and focus on how future monitoring objectives and survey methodologies can best be tailored to maximize efficiency while providing necessary detail to effectively document population status of waterbirds breeding in Minnesota. Several additional waterbird species listed as SGCN in Minnesota include: Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), Black Tern (Chlidonias niger), Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri), Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), Franklin’s Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan), and Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). These species also require long-term monitoring to assess population status and associated habitat conditions, which are poorly monitored by other non-targeted surveys (MN DNR 2016; Cuthbert and Hamilton 2016). There are ongoing concerns for two additional colonial nesting species: Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) and Great Egret (Ardea alba). Although they are not state-listed species, the number of Great Blue Heron nesting colonies appears to have declined by ~30% since 1985, and the number of Great Egret nesting colonies remains low throughout the state. Overall, little is known about colony persistence or changes in the distribution and abundance of these species throughout the state (Pfannmuller et al. 2017). For these reasons, in 2021 we implemented additional surveys at secondary sites in an attempt to obtain information about the status of these species in the state.
Minnesota National Forest Breeding Bird Monitoring Program Annual Report 1995–2018
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2018-12-06) Grinde, Alexis R; Walton, Nicholas G; Bednar, Joshua D; Liljenquist, Alexis L; Kolbe, Stephen
Minnesota’s National Forest Breeding Bird Monitoring Program has documented trends in forest bird abundances for 24 years. These data have provided insight into the impacts of forest management on breeding birds and helped inform the development of management policies and conservation initiatives. This report summarizes forest bird monitoring data gathered from 1995 through 2018. Here we summarize the current status of species trends and overall trends for migration, habitat, and nesting guilds. We focus our discussion on species of conservation importance in the state to provide an ecological context and discuss management implications of the observed patterns in the region for these species.
Minnesota National Forest Breeding Bird Monitoring Program Annual Report 1995–2020
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2020-12) Grinde, Alexis R; Bednar, Joshua D; Kolbe, Stephen; Seibers, Reid
The Avian Ecology Lab at the Natural Resources Research Institute completed the 26th year of Minnesota's National Forest Breeding Bird Monitoring Program in 2020. These data have provided insight into the impacts of forest management on breeding bird populations and informed the development of management policies and conservation initiatives. This report summarizes forest bird monitoring data gathered from 1995 through 2020. Here we summarize the current status of species trends and overall trends for migration, habitat, and nesting guilds. We focus our discussion on species of conservation importance in the state to provide an ecological context and discuss management implications of the observed patterns in the region for these species.
Minnesota National Forest Breeding Bird Monitoring Program Annual Report 1995–2022
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2022-12) Grinde, Alexis R; Siebers, Reid; Kolbe, Stephen; Bednar, Joshua D
The Avian Ecology Lab at the Natural Resources Research Institute completed the 28th year of Minnesota's National Forest Breeding Bird Monitoring Program in 2022. These data have provided insight into the impacts of forest management on breeding bird populations and informed the development of management policies and conservation initiatives. This report summarizes forest bird monitoring data gathered from 1995 through 2022. Here we summarize the current status of species trends and overall trends for migration, habitat, and nesting guilds. We focus our discussion on species of conservation importance in the state to provide an ecological context and discuss management implications of the observed patterns in the region for these species.
Minnesota National Forest Breeding Bird Monitoring Program Annual Report 1995–2023
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2023-12) Grinde, Alexis R; Siebers, Reid; Kolbe, Stephen; Bednar, Joshua D
The Avian Ecology Lab at the Natural Resources Research Institute completed the 29th year of Minnesota's National Forest Breeding Bird Monitoring Program in 2023. These data have provided insights into the impacts of forest management on breeding bird populations and informed the development of management policies and conservation initiatives. This report summarizes forest bird monitoring data gathered from 1995 through 2023. Here we summarize the current status of species trends and overall trends for migration, habitat, and nesting guilds. We focus our discussion on species of conservation importance in the state to provide ecological context and to discuss management implications of the observed patterns for these species in the region.

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