On Thursday, October 18, Susan Kleiman from Nachusa Grasslands presented a program highlighting some of the birds found in the preserve and the efforts of staff and volunteers to manage the area in support of these birds and other species. Susan has dedicated three decades to working and volunteering at Nachusa, focusing on restoration and public education about nature.
Nachusa Grasslands is a diverse, high-quality area covering roughly 4000 acres. It has large remnants of prairie, woodland, and wetlands that are being restored and reconnected by The Nature Conservancy with the help and support of the Friends of Nachusa Grasslands and many volunteers. This varied habitat supports a documented 245 species of birds, some year-round, some during breeding season, and others during migration. Susan explained that Nachusa was the Native American name for John Dixon, founder of the city of Dixon, and means “Man with long white hair.” She also said that the Eastern Tallgrass Prairie is one of the rarest ecosystems in the world. Tallgrass prairies support a variety of grassland birds, most of which are in decline due to habitat loss caused by urbanization and woody species encroachment, as well as fragmentation. Most grassland birds need to be 100 meters from trees to be successful. The proximity of trees can allow predators to get close to the nests. Also, mowing too frequently can destroy active nests or make them vulnerable to predation and the elements.
Nachusa’s topography of rolling hills, rocky outcrops and wetland areas were created by the glaciers moving through Illinois. This variety of habitats and niches supports a variety of plants, which supports a variety of insects, leading to a variety of birds. The Nature Conservancy manages this area using many different techniques, including controlled fire to keep out the woody plants and suppress non-native species. Rather than trying to remove every single weed, they concentrate on the most invasive plants. Staff and volunteers spend a lot of time controlling invasive plants, such as Reed Canary Grass and European Honeysuckle. They also collect a variety of seeds from May – November. They’ll plant 120 species at a time, usually 50-70 pounds of seed and chaff per acre. They seed into crop fields as well as degraded woodlands and pastures. They use controlled burns to help reduce invasive species and clear off past year’s growth to give more space for new growth. They’ve also reintroduced Bison to the area. The Bison graze some areas very short; these areas don’t burn as well, which allows some plants to thrive due to the reduced crowding. Bison also create wallows, which often hold water after rain; these are often used by bees and frogs. Bringing in the Bison has also brought in Dung Beetles, which help to distribute the nutrients from the Bison’s dung.
Prairie Birds found at Nachusa include:
- Eastern Meadowlark: they nest on the ground; some even overwinter there.
- Bobolink: prefer dense growth and are distinctively marked, having a dark belly and lighter back, unlike most other birds.
- Grasshopper Sparrow: they like to have open space between grass clumps, so tends to favor the grazed areas.
- Henslow’s Sparrow: they were first heard in the area in 1995, it has made a big comeback.
- Dickcissel, Sedge Wren, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, and Northern Harrier are some of the other grassland birds present.
Savanna and woodland birds are also in steep decline as remaining woodlands become degraded by smaller trees and shrubs growing up into and crowding out the sun-loving oaks. There is less than 1/100 of 1% of Oak Savanna left. Brush thinning helps to open up the woodlands, also fire can top kill shrubs. These are cooler, surface fires that don’t affect the larger live trees but also help to open up the woodlands. Red-headed Woodpeckers (the Midwest’s most iconic open savanna dependent bird) were first spotted at Nachusa in 2001 and are common there now.
Some of the bird species that depend on oak savannas are Baltimore Oriole, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Wood Pewee, Indigo Bunting, Lark Sparrow, Wild Turkey, Blue Grosbeak, and Whip-poor-will, which need open woodlands. They are present in healthy numbers at Nachusa. Orchard Orioles also love the open structure.
Pockets of shrublands at Nachusa Grasslands (mostly American Plum) support Bell’s Vireo, Yellow-breasted Chat, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Common Yellowthroat, and Brown Thrasher. A family of Loggerhead Shrikes nested at Nachusa for the first time last year.
Nachusa’s wetlands are homes to or used by: Great Blue Heron-there is a rookery just off the property; Blue-winged Teal, Wood Duck, a variety of other duck species; Sandhill Crane, Killdeer, and Swamp Sparrow, while a few Whooping Cranes have stopped in during their migration.
Many bird species migrate through, while others come from farther north to spend the winter. These birds include Canada and Snow Goose, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, which drill distinctive lines of holes in trees, American Tree Sparrow, which nest in the arctic, Black-necked Stilt, Brown Creeper, Trumpeter Swan, Dark-eyed Junco, Lincoln Sparrow, Palm Warbler, Rough-legged Hawk (they have a longer wingspan than Red-tailed Hawks, which allows them to hover) and a variety of ducks, such as Scaup, Shoveler and Pintail.
Susan’s program was beautifully illustrated with photographs of many of these birds supplied by Charles Larry, Dee Hudson, and Elizabeth Anschutz. For more information, Susan encourages folks to check out Nachusa’s website at www.nachusagrasslands.org.
Recap presented by Lisa Johnson
