Relative effects of litter and management on grassland bird abundance in Missouri, USA

Transect bird surveys were conducted at 43 tallgrass prairies in southweste rn Missouri, U.S.A. in mid-June each year from 1992 to 1999. Litter volume on and near the ground was estimated on a nine-point scale during 1994 to 1 999. The relative importance of management type (rotational burning, rotati onal haying, or a combination of both) and litter volume on relative abunda nce was analysed for three declining grassland songbirds: Henslow's Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii, Grasshopper Sparrow A. savannarum, and Dickcissel Sp iza americana. Haying resulted in significantly higher abundance than burni ng for all species except Dickcissel, for which few significant management effects were detected. Henslow's Sparrow increased in abundance from light to heavy litter, Grasshopper Sparrow peaked in low to intermediate litter, and Dickcissel showed little pattern relative to litter. Litter scores reco rded in each management type increased with number of years since last trea tment. Although litter profoundly affected bird abundance, independent and equally important was whether that litter was obtained via haying or burnin g. Greater consistency among years in hayed vegetation structure may help e xplain these birds' preference for haying over burning or haying + burning. Rotational haying should be employed more than burning in the management o f these declining birds, especially for the sharply declining, fire-sensiti ve Henslow's and Grasshopper Sparrows.