Review and download Chapter 3 - Golden-winged Warbler Working ...

Recommendations

Info

INTRODUCTION The Golden-winged Warbler is a high-priority, rapidly declining songbird dependent on early successional and other shrubby habitats for successful breeding. It is listed as Threatened in Canada and is considered a Focal Species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). In 2010, the species was petitioned to be listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act; however, a final ruling has yet to be made. The Golden-winged Warbler is also a Keystone Species, along with American Woodcock (Scolopax minor), under the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Early Successional Habitat (ESH) Initiative and associated business plan. The goal of this Conservation Plan, in accordance with the ESH business plan, is to reverse declines of Goldenwinged Warblers and restore populations to recent historical levels by improving habitat for this and other associated ESH species throughout their breeding range in eastern and central North America. This plan outlines goals, objectives, and actions needed for the effective conservation of the Golden-winged Warbler on the breeding grounds. The plan is written primarily for conservation planners and land managers, but will also be useful to policy makers, scientists, and representatives from agencies and industry. Conservation and habitat management during the non-breeding season will be important components to a successful conservation strategy and will be addressed in the Non-breeding Season Conservation Plan (Chapter 4). This plan for the breeding grounds assumes knowledge about Golden-winged Warbler distribution, breeding ecology, behavior, general habitat requirements, hybridization with Bluewinged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera), and threats to populations. If not familiar with these topics, please review the Golden-winged Warbler Status Review (Chapter 1), the Golden-winged Warbler Working Group website www.gwwa.org/, and The Birds of North America 3–6 account http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna before implementing the following conservation actions and habitat management guidelines. In addition, we encourage conservation planners and land managers to consider this plan in the context of all-bird and community-based conservation, particularly for species associated with shrubland and young forest communities in forested landscapes. This plan identifies at least 38 bird species of conservation concern associated with Golden-winged Warbler during the breeding season (see Table 2–2). The primary sources of information used in developing this plan were taken from the Goldenwinged Warbler Working Group’s Rangewide Golden-winged Warbler Conservation Initiative. From 1999–2005, the Golden-winged Warbler Atlas Project delineated present-day range and concentration areas, mapped an index of Goldenwinged Warbler X Blue-winged Warbler hybridization, and assessed rangewide habitat use. In 2008–2010, a collaborative research project, involving eight primary study areas in seven states (Appendix D), provided a better understanding of the Golden-winged Warbler’s breeding ecology, habitat associations, genetic introgression with Blue-winged Warbler, and associated bird communities (see sidebar, page 2–11). This project produced important information needed to generate habitat management guidelines, a conservation strategy, and to identify the necessary actions for conservation of this species that are the basis of this plan. Note that hybridization between Golden-winged Warbler and Blue-winged Warbler likely threatens the genetic integrity and distinctiveness of both species. Both species are identified as high conservation priorities by many states and organizations and their conservation may be indelibly intertwined. Although the goal of this plan is to promote healthy Golden-winged Warbler populations, our recommendations may
not prevent establishment by Blue-winged Warbler. In areas outside the current range of Golden-winged Warbler, promotion of healthy Blue-winged Warbler populations may be desirable. Our overall approach to developing a breeding grounds conservation strategy, reflected in the outline of this plan, is as follows: 3–7 1. Define conservation regions and focal areas for targeted conservation action. 2. Set population and habitat goals at rangewide, conservation region, and focal area scales. 3. Develop regional and habitat specific management guidelines for improving breeding habitat for Golden-winged Warblers and associated species. Figure 3–1. Golden-winged Warbler conservation regions based on 2011 breeding range and disjunct population segments.
Page 1 and 2: Golden-winged Warbler Status Review
Page 3 and 4: Chapter 3. GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER BR
Page 5 and 6: CHAPTER 3: TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTE
Page 7: CHAPTER 3 SUMMARY This plan (Chapte
Page 11 and 12: Focal Areas and Priorities Geograph
Page 13 and 14: Thus to reach the 40-year goal of i
Page 15 and 16: Quick Start Guide for Land Managers
Page 17 and 18: Developing Habitat at Management Si
Page 19 and 20: (Rosa multiflora), sweetfern (Compt
Page 21 and 22: Based on current management opportu
Page 23 and 24: synthesized results used to develop
Page 25 and 26: population recovery, it is likely t
Page 27 and 28: winged and Blue-winged warbler, whe
Page 29 and 30: Management Site Scale Creating and
Page 31 and 32: year rotation), 185 ac (75 ha) of h
Page 33 and 34: Habitat Interspersion — A high de
Page 35 and 36: that one category could become the
Page 37 and 38: Promote natural disturbance regimes
Page 39 and 40: Timber Management Even-aged and two
Page 41 and 42: potential to become large-diameter
Page 43 and 44: Prescribed Burning Fire has played
Page 45 and 46: Grazing Grazing can maintain pastur
Page 47 and 48: higher rate of grazing pressure tha
Page 49 and 50: Mid-Atlantic Subregion (Focal areas
Page 51 and 52: Figure 3-29. Model results showing
Page 53 and 54: Northern Appalachian Subregion (Foc
Page 55 and 56: Distribution of Public and Protecte
Page 57 and 58: Potential Partners and Priority Sit
Page 59 and 60:
Southern Appalachian-Cumberland Sub
Page 61 and 62:
Distribution of Public and Protecte
Page 63 and 64:
Potential Partners and Priority Sit
Page 65 and 66:
The Great Lakes Conservation Region
Page 67 and 68:
Figure 3-40. Model results showing
Page 69 and 70:
Lake of the Woods Subregion (Focal
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Potential Partners and Priority Sit
Page 75 and 76:
Lower Michigan Subregion (Focal Are
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
Figure 3-48. Model results showing
Page 81 and 82:
New England Subregion (Focal Areas
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
to maintain the Golden-winged Warbl
Page 87 and 88:
especially in the years immediately
Page 89 and 90:
Response of Associated Species We r
Page 91 and 92:
Table 3-16. Summary of conservation
show all

Review and download Chapter 3 - Golden-winged Warbler Working ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?