Managing Habitat for Grassland Birds
A Guide for Wisconsin

In presettlement times, this natural division was dominated by oak savannas (west, southeast, and north-central) and southern mesic forest, with a mosaic of prairies, extensive sedge meadows, southern dry forests, and some conifer swamps and lowland hardwood forests. Wetlands and lakes were abundant. Most prairies and sedge meadows were embedded in the savanna landscapes where most of the grassland bird habitat was located. The largest prairies were the Empire (or Arlington) Prairie in Columbia and Dane counties, the Rock Prairie in Rock and Walworth counties, and the Barnes Prairie in Racine and Kenosha counties.

Birds
The 16 priority bird species for the Southeastern Ridges and Lowlands (see sidebar) include three of the four shortgrass species, all the midgrass species, two each of the tallgrass species and species requiring woody vegetation or nest structures, three of the species requiring large areas, and both species requiring open water from the statewide list (see Table 5). The three tallgrass species not included as priorities for this natural division—yellow rail and Le Conte's and Nelson's sharp-tailed sparrows—are sedge meadow birds that occur only rarely in the northern portion of the division. While not listed as a priority species, the greater prairie-chicken has the potential to be reintroduced in this division in appropriate landscapes, for example in the Muralt/Monroe Grasslands (H).

Shortgrass species.

Grasshopper sparrow is most common in the southern and western parts of this division, while upland sandpiper and vesper sparrow are more broadly distributed. Upland sandpiper is especially likely where there are large blocks of idle grassland and pasture. Vesper sparrow is most common and abundant in row crops and small grains in this division.

Midgrass species.

Dickcissel is typically most common in the southern part of this division. Bobolink, eastern meadow-lark, and savannah sparrow are all relatively widespread.

Tallgrass species.

Sedge wren is most abundant in the northern part. Henslow's sparrow is locally distributed throughout. This is one of the most important natural divisions for managing habitat for Henslow's sparrow. There are good opportunities for management of tallgrass species in this natural division.

Species requiring woody vegetation or nest structures.

Bell's vireo is most common in the southwestern part. The rare Loggerhead shrike has an unpredictable distribution in the division.

Species requiring open water.

Blue-winged teal and Wilson's phalarope occur most frequently in the northwestern part of this division in association with required wetland habitats.

Species requiring large areas.

Short-eared owl, barn owl, and northern harrier have unpredictable distributions but always depend on large areas of suitable habitat and, as elsewhere, on small mammal populations. These species are best managed for in the priority landscapes indicated in Figure 10.

Habitats, Landscapes, and Sites
Most of the state's row crops are grown in the Southeastern Ridges and Lowlands, where agriculture is the most intensive. Small grains are common in the east-central part. Almost all prairies and many sedge meadows were converted to agriculture because of the division's relatively flat topography and rich soils. Most of the former forests are now farmland as well. An estimated 21,000 acres of permanent grassland is in blocks greater than 100 acres—the vast majority in uplands.

Because of the generally intensive agricultural and urban land uses, grassland bird habitat is largely restricted to idle grassland habitat on publicly owned properties and on unfarmed, privately owned grasslands such as wet meadows. However, some landscapes have considerable pasture or CRP acreage, such as parts of Green and Columbia counties. This natural division also contains the heart of the best historical duck and pheasant range in Wisconsin and thus lies a large number of State Wildlife Areas and other publicly owned lands that are managed in part for grassland nesting habitat. The potential for improving habitat quality for grassland birds on those properties is great.

Priority habitats, landscapes, and sites for grassland management in the Southeastern Ridges and Lowlands are listed next to Figure 10. While this division has the greatest number of landscapes and sites, the only two landscapes to rank in the top ten are the Muralt/Monroe Grasslands (H)—a landscape dominated by private lands—and the White River Marsh Complex (I)—a landscape dominated by large public ownerships. Both of these landscapes have more extensive areas of idle grassland or sedge meadow habitat than the other landscapes in the division. The White River Marsh Complex has the most permanent, publicly owned grassland and sedge meadow in the division, although there is a substantial amount of woody vegetation scattered throughout the landscape as well. Management for grassland birds there will involve consolidation and expansion of open grassland habitat.

Pictured here is the Scuppernong basin in the southern unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest in Waukesha County. This landscape includes a variety of both surrogate and native grassland habitats In a largely fragmented landscape that includes wooded and agricultural habitats. Expanding, restoring, buffering, and connecting grasslands will improve habitat for grassland birds here. Grassland management needs to be coordinated with ulterior forest management, which is also a priority in this area.

This natural division has diverse geography, hydrology, and grassland habitats. We believe that management opportunities are best in the eight priority landscapes, the one secondary landscape, and the other sites we have identified (Figure 10). Some of these landscapes include native grassland remnants, such as the Southern Kettle Moraine Complex (J), where the challenge is to expand and connect remnants to increase effective grassland habitat size. The Southern Kettle Moraine landscape will also require careful coordination of grassland, wetland, savanna, and southern interior forest conservation efforts, since all of these habitats are present.

Even in landscapes lacking concentrations of remnants, habitat size can be increased through expansion and connection of habitat patches, because many blocks of grassland habitat in the division are isolated from other suitable habitats. Some Wildlife Areas and other permanent grassland blocks in the division—such as some sites in the Glacial Habitat Restoration Area—were not selected as priority sites. However, many of these can still provide valuable habitat if priority habitats are managed following the general habitat management recommendations in this guidebook.

Henslow's sparrow
Loggerhead shrike
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Eastern meadowlard
Upland sandpiper
Sedge wren
Grasshopper sparrow
Vesper sparrow
Savannah sparrow
Blue-winged teal
Bell's vireo
Wilson's phalarope
Northern harrier
Short-eared owl
Barn owl

Figure 10.  Priority landscapes and sites for grassland bird management in the Southeastern Ridges and Lowlands Natural Division.

Landscape and Site Names1			Habitat Types (see below for 4-letter codes)
H.  Muralt/Monroe Grasslands			PAST, ICSG, IWSG, SMGR, DROF, UPSH, DMPR, OASA, DSPR, SSME, GLHA2
Sites: 36.	Oliver Prairie State Natural Area (SNA)		DMPR
37.	Muralt Bluff Prairie SNA		DSPR, DMPR
38.	Albany Wildlife Area (WA)		ICSG, IWSG, UPSH
I.  White River Marsh Complex3			SSME, ICSG, IWSG, WMWP, SHSW, SSMA, DROF, WEOF, SWOF
Sites: 60.	Puchyan Prairie SNA		ICSG, IWSG, OASA, SSME, WMWP, PAST, DROF, WEOF, SWOF, UPSH, OPBO
61.	White River Marsh WA		OASA, WMWP
J.  Southern Kettle Moraine Complex			ICSG, IWSG, OASA, SSME, WMWP, PAST, DROF, WEOF, SWOF, UPSH, OPBO
Sites: 30.	Genesee Oak Opening and Fen SNA		OASA, WMWP
31.	Scuppernong River Basin Complex (includes Scuppernong Prairie State Natural Area, Kettle Moraine Fen and Low Prairie SNA, and Ottawa Lake Fen SNA)		SSME, WMWP, OASA, ICSG, DMPR, DROF, SHSW, UPSH, WEOF, SWOF
32.	Eagle Oak Opening SNA		OASA
33.	Blue Spring Oak Opening SNA/ Restoration Area		OASA, DROF
34.	Young Prairie SNA		WMWP, IWSG, OASA, DROF, SWOF
35.	Clover Valley Fen SNA		WMWP, SSME, ICSG, WEOF
K.  Columbia/Dane County Prairie Wetlands			ICSG, IWSG, DROF, WEOF, PAST, SSME, SSMA, SMGR, DMPR, DSPR, UPSH, SHSW, OASA, FAFI
Sites: 45.	Northern Dane County Prairie Pastures		PAST, DMPR, ICSG
46.	Audubon Goose Pond SNA		IWSG, ICSG, DROF
47.	Schoeneberg Marsh Waterfowl Protection Areas (WPAs)		ICSG, IWSG, SSMA, DROF, SHSW
48.	Mud Lake WA		ICSG, IWSG, UPSH, DROF, SSMA, DMPR
49.	Otsego WPAs (includes Severson, Vangen, Manthey, and other nearby WPAs)		ICSG, IWSG, SHSW, SSMA
50.	Grassy Lake WA		IWSG, ICSG, SSMA, DROF, UPSH, SHSW
L.  Bong Recreation Area
Sites: 28.	Bong State Recreation Area (SRA)		ICSG, IWSG, DROF, SWOF, OASA, UPSH, WMWP, WEOF
M.  Rush Lake Grasslands and Sedge Meadows			SSME, SHSW, GLHA, ICSG, PAST, WEOF, WMWP, OASA
Sites: 62.	Gromme Preserve (several sites)		SSME, WEOF, ICSG, IWSG, OASA, WMWP, SHSW, SWOF, SSMA
63.	Uihlein WPA		ICSG, IWSG, SSMA
N.  Brillion/Killsnake Grasslands			ICSG, SMGR, PAST
Sites: 65.	Killsnake WA		ICSG, IWSG, SSME, UPSH, OASA, SHSW, SWOF
66.	Brillion WA		ICSG, IWSG, SSME, UPSH, OASA, WEOF, SHSW, SWOF
O.  Pine Island Area Grasslands			ORBA, OASA, SSME, IWSG
Sites: 53.	Pine Island WA		IWSG, DROF, ICSG, UPSH, DSPR, SWOF, WMWP, SSME
DD.  Waterloo Area Prairies			PAST, SWOF, ICSG, OASA, WMWP, DROF, WEOF, SHSW, SSME
Sites: 39.	Faville Prairie SNA		WMWP, SHSW, SSME, ICSG
40.	Snapper Prairie SNA		WMWP, WEOF
41.	Waterloo WA (includes Blue Joint Fen and Waterloo Fen & Springs SNA)		IWSG, ICSG, WMWP, SSME, SHSW, UPSH, OASA
EE.  Horicon Marsh Grasslands