Secretive Marsh Bird Densities and Habitat Associations in the Prairie Pothole Region
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WETLANDS CONSERVATION
Secretive Marsh Bird Densities and Habitat Associations in the Prairie Pothole Region Joseph T. Orr 1 & Cameron A. Duquette 1
&
Torre J. Hovick 1 & Benjamin A. Geaumont 2 & Tyler M. Harms 3
Received: 6 August 2019 / Accepted: 13 November 2019 # Society of Wetland Scientists 2019
Abstract After centuries of wetland modification, wetland-dependent wildlife are of high conservation concern. Particularly important are secretive marsh birds, a cryptic and understudied guild of wetland-dependent birds, many of which have experienced population declines concurrent with anthropogenic modification of wetlands. We used point-based sampling to investigate densities and habitat associations of secretive marsh birds at multiple spatial scales in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota. We focused on five species for modeling. The most abundant species was Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola; 0.20 individual-ha SE = 0.04), followed by Sora (Porzana carolina; 0.13 individual-ha SE = 0.02), American Coot (Fulica americana; 0.08 individual-ha SE = 0.02), American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosis; 0.07 individual-ha SE = 0.03), and Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps; 0.06 individual-ha SE = 0.01). Densities of all species were best explained by multi-scale models. Despite a few commonalities, secretive marsh birds have diverse habitat requirements and models suggest species-specific wetland complex management will likely be most effective. This information provides a baseline for species with previously unknown densities and informs conservation actions and policy for secretive marsh birds in the northern Great Plains. Keywords Detection probability . Distance sampling . Landscape ecology . North Dakota . Prairie pothole region . Secretive marsh bird
Introduction North American wetland birds face many threats ranging from land conversion and pollution to more subtle challenges such as alterations to hydrology and non-native plant invasion (Brinson and Malvárez 2002). In the past century, however, effective conservation practices have halted or reversed population declines of many wetland-dependent waterfowl (Williams et al. 1999). These efforts depended on a blending of population monitoring, habitat management, and regulatory
* Cameron A. Duquette [email protected] 1
School of Natural Resource Sciences—Range Science Program, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
2
Hettinger Research Extension Center, North Dakota State University, Hettinger, North Dakota, USA
3
Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Boone Wildlife Research Station, Boone, Iowa, USA
measures on a previously unprecedented spatiotemporal scale (Williams 2018). Despite effective conservation of waterfowl, similar measures for secretive marsh birds, another important wetland bird guild, are still largely in their infancy. Secretive marsh birds are characterized by dependence on marshes, a cryptic life history and preference for emergent wetland vegetation throughout their respective ranges (Harms and Dinsmore
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