Background / Purpose

Secretive marshbirds such as rails, bitterns, coots, and grebes are among the most poorly monitored bird groups in North America. With information on status, abundance, population trends, and habitat associations generally lacking for many species, a national monitoring program is being developed to fill these gaps and inform management and conservation of marshbirds and the wetlands they inhabit. In 2008, the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative (WBCI) stepped forward to pilot a framework for the program before its application on regional and national scales. The survey will continue in 2009 and beyond, with results helping to shape design of the national program and guide conservation efforts right here in Wisconsin.

What participants can expect

Dawn or dusk in a Wisconsin wetland...does it get any better? Volunteers are needed to conduct two to three surveys of a predetermined route during early mornings or late evenings in May and June. Unlike the owl and nightjar surveys, these are NOT necessarily roadside routes and thus some hiking or even "bushwhacking" is required in some cases. Routes consist of 5 to 10 survey points typically spaced 400 - 800 meters apart and often covering more than a single wetland. Surveyors use playback to broadcast calls of target species (equipment provided) and record marshbirds detected at each survey point over a 10- or 11-minute interval.

The Wisconsin Marshbird Survey requires some advanced skills relative to other volunteer-based surveys. However, a detailed training workshop is provided to get a diverse pool of volunteers up to speed on protocols, identification, equipment use, and navigation skills. Judging from participant response in 2008, the opportunity to soak in the dawn chorus, perhaps spot an elusive King Rail, and make a contribution to bird monitoring was well worth the effort. Find a route near you and sign up today!

For more information, contact survey coordinator Ryan Brady, Wisconsin DNR, at ryan.brady@wisconsin.gov or 715-685-2933.

Results

2008 was the pilot year for the Wisconsin Marshbird Survey. Observers conducted multiple surveys of approximately 325 survey points over 55 routes on public lands statewide. The most commonly detected target species included Sora, Virginia Rail, and American Bittern, although some Least Bitterns, King Rails, Common Moorhens, and Yellow Rails also were found. Wetlands are rarely short on birds and thus surveyors were also treated to Black Terns, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Sedge Wrens, and many other species. You can view a general summary of the 2008 season, and more detailed results are available in this PowerPoint presentation (1.1 Mb - You do not need PowerPoint to view this presentation).

Additional Marshbird Survey Links

Development of a National Marshbird Monitoring Program
USGS Marsh Birds Database
Continental Marshbird Monitoring
Northeast Coordinated Bird Monitoring Partnership - Marsh Birds
Bird Studies Canada - Marsh Monitoring Program