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Managing Habitat for Grassland Birds
A Guide for Wisconsin


Table 5.  Habitat feature preferences of the 26 grassland bird species of management concern.a
  Height-density of
Herbaceous Vegetation c		 Litter Layerd Cover of Standing
Residual Vegetatione		 Grass:forb
ratio f		 Cover of
Bare Ground
Grassland Species Groups b short
(<15 cm)		 medium
(15-35 cm)		 tall
(>35 cm)		        
SHORTGRASS SPECIES
Vesper sparrow x (x)   low low medium high
Grasshopper sparrow x (x)   medium medium medium medium
Upland sandpiper x (x)   medium medium medium medium
Western meadowlark x (x)   medium low medium medium
MIDGRASS SPECIES
Savannah sparrow (x) x (x) medium low medium low
Eastern meadowlark (x) x (x) high medium medium medium
Bobolink (x) x (x) medium medium medium medium
Dickcissel (x) x (x) medium medium low medium
TALLGRASS SPECIES
Le Conte's sparrow   (x) x high high? high? low
Yellow rail     x high high high? low
Nelson's sharp-tailed sparrow     x high high high? low
Henslow's sparrow     (x) x high high high low
Sedge wren   (x) x high high high low
SPECIES REQUIRING WOODY VEGETATION OR OTHER NESTING STRUCTURE
Loggerhead shrike x (x)   medium? low? medium? low?
Bell's vireo (x) x? (x) medium medium? ? low
Clay-colored sparrow (x) x   high medium medium medium
Field sparrow (x) x (x) high medium high medium
Lark sparrow x     low low high high
Brewer's blackbird x (x)   low low high high
SPECIES REQUIRING OPEN WATER
Blue-winged teal (x) x (x) medium low high? low
Wilson's phalarope   x (x) high medium high? low
SPECIES REQUIRING LARGE AREAS (AREA-SENSITIVE)
Northern harrier (x)i (x) x medium medium medium? medium
Greater prairie-chicken x j x (x) medium? high? high? medium?
Sharp-tailed grouse x j x x medium? high? medium? medium?
Barn owl x   x x medium? medium? ? low?
Short-eared owl (x)i (x) x high high high? low


Table 5.  Continued.
    Woody Vegetation Preferred Wetland Features
(* = required)		 Minimum Area Requirements f
Grassland Species Groups b Type % Cover g
  low
(<25
acres)		 medium
(25-250
acres)		 high
(>250
acres)
none low
(>0-5%)		 medium
(5-30%)
SHORTGRASS SPECIES
Vesper sparrow trees/shrubs (x) x (x)   x? x?  
Grasshopper sparrow   x (x) (x)     x?  
Upland sandpiper   x (x)       x x?
Western meadowlark   x (x)       x x?
MIDGRASS SPECIES
Savannah sparrow   x (x)       x?  
Eastern meadowlark shrubs/trees (x) x (x)   x    
Bobolink   x (x)       x  
Dickcissel   x (x)     x    
TALLGRASS SPECIES
Le Conte's sparrow   x (x)   wet sedge/grass meadows   x?  
Yellow rail   x (x)   *wet sedge/grass meadows     x?
Nelson's sharp-tailed sparrow   x (x)   *wet sedge/grass meadows     x?
Henslow's sparrow     x (x)     x? x?  
Sedge wren   x (x)   wet sedge/grass meadows   x?  
SPECIES REQUIRING WOODY VEGETATION OR OTHER NESTING STRUCTURE
Loggerhead shrike trees/shrubs   x (x)     x?  
Bell's vireo shrubs   (x) x   x?    
Clay-colored sparrow shrubs   (x) x   x    
Field sparrow shrubs   (x) x   x    
Lark sparrow shrubs (x) x (x)     x?  
Brewer's blackbird trees/shrubs (x) x (x)     x  
SPECIES REQUIRING OPEN WATER
Blue-winged teal   x (x)   *open water x    
Wilson's phalarope   x (x)   *standing water;
wet sedge/grass meadows		     x?
SPECIES REQUIRING LARGE AREAS (AREA-SENSITIVE)
Northern harrier   (x) x (x) wet sedge/grass meadows   x? x
Greater prairie-chicken   (x) x (x)       x
Sharp-tailed grouse shrubs   (x) x       x
Barn owl   (x) x (x) forages over wetlands     x
Short-eared owl   (x) x (x) forages over wetlands     x?

a Information based on data and observations from the Wisconsin grassland bird study and from the midwestern grassland bird literature. Where data are lacking, conflicting, or inconclusive, a question mark appears.
b See Appendix F for additional information on the habitat requirements of grassland bird species, including species not of management concern.
c See Glossary for definition of height-density. x = most preferred categories; (x) = less preferred categories.
d See Glossary for definition of litter layer. Categories (high/medium/low) refer to both the depth of litter and percent of ground surface covered.
e Categories refer to both the height-density and percent of ground surface covered.
f Cover of grasses (or sedges) in relation to forbs: high = >2.5:1 grass:forb, medium = 1:1 to 2.5:1 grass:forb; low = <1:1 grass:forb.
g Percent of ground surface covered by woody vegetation canopy. x = most preferred categories; (x) = less preferred categories.
h Minimum area required for a species to be likely to occupy a site.
i Typically foraging habitat only.
j Used for dancing or booming grounds.
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