Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Management of Northern Prairies and Wetlands for the Conservation of Neotropical
Migratory Birds
Introduction
The northern prairies constitute a major breeding area for many wetland- and
grassland-dependent species of birds. I review the status of bird populations
in the northern prairies, key upland and wetland habitats, effects of common
management practices, and issues that specifically arise from a landscape perspective.
I focus on the United States portion of the northern tallgrass and mixed-grass
prairies, including northern Iowa, western Minnesota, portions of North Dakota
and South Dakota east of the Missouri River, and northeastern Montana. Certain
conclusions will be more widely applicable, especially to the southern prairie
provinces of Canada.
I am grateful to J. R. Sauer for Breeding Bird Survey results; B. R. Euliss
for much bibliographic assistance; and J. R. Herkert, L. D. Igl, H. A. Kantrud,
F. L. Knopf, and R. R. Koford for comments on the manuscript.
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U.S. Geological Survey