Appendix F Detailed Cover Type Tables - USDA Rural Development

Bemidji – Grand Rapids
Biological Assessment and Evaluation
atzee‐atzee‐atzee or seetzy‐seetzy, seetzy, seetzy‐see (Griscom and Sprunt 1957),
uttered in such a rapid succession that a continuous sound is produced. Vocalizations
are typically two‐noted syllables with one note shorter than the other; however, a less
typical single‐noted syllable with each one of nearly equal length is also possible (Borror
Laboratory of Bioacoustics in Williams 1996, Fig. 2 page 7). Two song types are
recognized. Accented and unaccented (Ficken and Ficken 1962) or first and second
category (Spector 1992). The accented, or first category, song has an accented ending
and it predominates early in the breeding season during male‐female communication.
Species Habitat
The bay‐breasted warbler is a regular breeding resident only in the northern portions of Cook, Lake, and
Saint Louis counties in Minnesota (Janssen, 1987). It breeds in mid‐age to mature spruce fir forests
where cool, dense coniferous growth is interrupted by small openings such as bogs or clearings (Morse,
1989). Preferred nesting trees include balsam fir and spruces, mixed with tamaracks, white pines,
birches, or aspens. Nests are usually saddled on a horizontal limb at medium heights (averaging about
20 feet off the ground) and usually in conifers (DeGraaf et al., 1991). The species breeds throughout the
spruce‐fir forest of Canada and the northernmost parts of the U.S. following the range of spruce
budworm (Janssen, 1987). The forests surrounding the routes are predominantly spruce‐fir types, so
abundant potential habitat for this species exists in the vicinity of the Study Area, though the routes may
be south of this species' range.
Species Distribution and Occurrences within the Study Area
The bay‐breasted warbler’s North American range is closely correlated with spruce and balsam fir boreal
forests extending from southwestern Northwest Territories and eastern British Columbia, to the
northern Great Lakes, New England, and Nova Scotia (Mayasich & Niemi, 2002). Specifically, this species
has been known to occur in spruce stands that have been infected by a spruce budworm outbreak
(Morse, 1989). Bay‐breasted warblers winter in Central America and northern South America. Breeding
populations are known to exist in extreme northeast Minnesota, although this population is along the
southern edge of its distribution (Janssen, 1987).
Due to the patchy and isolated distribution of appropriate conifer habitats on the CNF and LLR, these
stands do not support spruce budworm outbreaks, limiting the occurrences on the CNF and LLR. There
are 23 historic and current records of bay‐breasted warblers and two known territories within the Study
Area on the CNF and LLR.
Risk Factors
Risk factors include the loss of breeding habitat due to short‐cycle harvesting, conversion of mixed
stands to monotypic plantations and pesticide control of spruce budworms (Mayasich & Niemi, 2002).
4.2.1.12 Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis)
The spruce grouse is listed as a CNF RFSS and as DRM Sensitive.
Species Description
The Conservation Assessment for Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) (Gregg et al., 2002) contains
the following species description:
Spruce grouse are medium‐sized, stocky, dark‐colored residents of northern conifer
forests. The sexes are dimorphic with the male being larger and having a black throat
and breast, a red comb over the eye and a black tail with a broad rufous terminal band.
July 2010 Species and Associated Habitat Page 4‐18