Monitoring Bird Populations on Biophysical Inventory Plots: St. Louis County, 1994-1996

Abstract

Neotropical migrant birds have recently received much attention following reported declines in many species that breed in eastern North America. Probable causes for such declines include events such as habitat alteration, occurring on both breeding and wintering grounds. Changes in forest species composition and age structure, and the spatial arrangement of these forest components may influence bird communities in both regions. The consequences of these changes to birds and other wildlife in Minnesota are not well understood. Minnesota's forests harbor a greater diversity of songbirds than anywhere else in North America. Birds represent more than 70% of the more than 150 terrestrial vertebrate species in northern Minnesota forests. Development of forest management plans designed to sustain the diversity of these forests should address bird communities occupying them. To better understand the affect of forest management activities on bird communities in St. Louis County, a site-specific bird monitoring program was initiated on biophysical plots. Bird census points were established on biophysical plots and surveyed for forest birds during June of 1994, 1995, and 1996. Results of these surveys were used to determine avian community composition within plots, refine species/habitat relationships for St. Louis County, and establish baselines for continued monitoring of bird populations on selected plots.