camp ripley and arden hills minnesota army national guard training ...

Grassland plots (n=7) contained 20 bird species and 46 total birds. The average number
of birds found on grassland plots was 9.28 and the average number of species per plot was 6.71
(Table 18 and Figure 66). Six of the past eight years, clay colored sparrows (Spizella pallida)
were the most abundant species recorded on grassland plots. However, in 2009 grasshopper
sparrow, a SGCN,
was equally abundant
on grassland plots
(Table 19).
Grassland
management at
AHATS in recent
years has involved
prescribed burning
and tree and invasive
shrub removal,
which limits
encroachment of
trees and brush into
grasslands.
Grassland birds
benefit from the
absence of trees due
to the lack of perches
for predators and
brown-headed
cowbirds (Molothrus
ater), a brood
parasite. Brushy
grasslands are more
suitable for edge
species, such as the
American goldfinch
(Carduelis tristis).
2009 Conservation Program Report
Figure 65. Permanent songbird survey plots at Arden Hills Army
Training Site, since 2001.
Woodland plots (n=6) contained 25 species and 73 total birds. The average number of
birds found on woodland plots was 12.16 and the average number of species per plot was 10.5
(Table 18 and Figure 66). The most abundant birds on woodland plots in 2009 were blue jay
(Cyanocitta cristata), American robin (Turdus migratorius), eastern wood-pewee (Contopus
virens), red-eyed vireo (Vireo olivaceus), and common yellowthroat (Geothypis trichas) (Table
19 and Figure 66).
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