In the absence of wildfire, emergent wetlands in the American Midwest often
succeed to a shrub/scrub wetland type. Management activities, including sh
earing and burning are typically used to remove shrub, resulting in a more
open emergent wetland condition. We surveyed breeding birds in managed and
unmanaged shrub/scrub wetlands in northeast Minnesota, USA, in 1996 and 199
7 to examine breeding bird response to management type (burning and shearin
g) and time elapsed since management. In a comparison of 58 managed sites a
nd 58 unmanaged sites in 1996, unmanaged sites had more (P < 0.05) species
and individuals than managed sites. In addition, 12 of 20 individual specie
s tested differed significantly (P < 0.05) in abundance between the groups.
Species associated with emergent wetland type, like the Sedge Wren (Cistot
horus platensis) and LeConte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii) were more abu
ndant (P < 0.05) in managed sites, and species that require shrubs, such as
the Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) and Golden-winged Warbler (Vermiv
ora chrysoptera) were more abundant (P < 0.05) in unmanaged sites. Examinat
ion of the effects of management type on breeding birds by either burning,
shearing, or both treatments on sites surveyed in 1997 revealed results sim
ilar to comparisons of managed and unmanaged sites completed in 1996. In ad
dition, breeding bird composition was not different on sites that varied in
time elapsed since management. In these latter comparisons, breeding bird
species and community composition were similar among all managed sites but
differed from the unmanaged sites.