Abstract
We compared the breeding bird communities of natural and recently restored prairie potholes in northern Iowa in 1989 and 1990. Species richness of breeding birds was higher (P<0.05) at natural wetlands, although duck pair counts and species richness were not significantly different between wetland types (P>0.1). Common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), marsh wren (Cistothorus palustris), and swamp sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) were each more abundant at natural than at restored wetlands during at least one year (P<0.05). Brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) parasitized a significantly greater proportion of red-winged blackbird nests at natural than at restored wetlands. Incomplete development of typical vegetation structure evidently depresses bird species richness at recently restored prairie potholes. Drought the year before and during the first year of our study undoubtedly affected our results. Similar studies should be conducted during periods of relatively high precipitation to complement our results.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Batt, B.D.J., M.G. Anderson, C.D. Anderson, and F.D. Caswell. 1989. The use of prairie potholes by North American ducks. p. 204–227.In A.G. van der Valk (ed.) Northern Prairie Wetlands. Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA, USA.
Bishop, R.A. 1981. Iowa’s wetlands. Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science 88:11–16.
Bortner, J.B., F.A. Johnson, G.W. Smith, and R.E. Trost. 1991. 1991 status of waterfowl and fall flight forecast. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Migratory Bird Management, Laurel, MD, USA.
Brown, M. 1985. Iowa marsh birds and the theory of island biogeography. M.S. Thesis, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
Brown, M. and J.J. Dinsmore. 1986. Implications of marsh size and isolation for marsh bird management. Journal of Wildlife Management 50:392–397.
Burger, J. 1985. Habitat selection in marsh-nesting birds. p. 253–281.In M.L. Cody (ed.) Habitat Selection in Birds. Academic Press, Inc., Orlando, FL, USA.
Dahl, T.E. 1990. Status of prairie pothole wetlands in the United Statcs. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wetland Inventory, St. Petersburg, FL, USA.
Dornfield, R. 1988. Wetland restoration: a mid-continent water-fowl management project final activity report. U.S. Fish and Wild-life Service, Twin Cities, MN, USA.
Galatowitsch, S.M. 1993. Site selection, design criteria and performance assessment for wetland restoration in the Prairie Pothole Region. Ph.D. Dissertation. Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
Hubbard, D.E. 1982. Breeding birds in two dry wetlands in eastern South Dakota. Prairie Naturalist 14:6–8.
Johnson, D.H. and J.W. Grier. 1988. Determinants of breeding distributions of ducks. Wildlife Monographs 100:1–37.
Johnson, R.R. and J.J. Dinsmore. 1986. The use of tape-recorded calls to count Virginia rails and soras. Wilson Bulletin 98:303–306.
Kantrud, H.A., J.B. Millar, and A.G. van der Valk. 1989. Vegetation of wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region. p. 132–187.In A.G. van der Valk (ed.) Northern Prairie Wetlands. Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA, USA.
Kantrud, H.A. and R.E. Stewart. 1984. Ecological distribution and crude density of breeding birds on prairie wetlands. Journal of Wildlife Management 48:426–437.
LaGrange, T.G. and J.J. Dinsmore. 1989. Plant and animal community responses to restored Iowa wetlands. Prairie Naturalist 21: 39–48.
Madsen, C.R. 1988. Wetland restoration in western Minnesota. p. 92–94.In J. Zelazny and J.S. Feierabend (eds.) Increasing our wetland resources. National Wildlife Federation, Washington, DC, USA.
Mulhern, J.H., T.D. Nudds, and B.R. Neal. 1985. Wetland selection by mallards and blue-winged teal. Wilson Bulletin 97:473–485.
Norman, R.F. and R.J. Robertson. 1975. Nest-searching behavior in the brown-headed cowbird. The Auk 92:610–611.
Payne, R.B. 1973. The breeding season of a parasitic bird, the brown-headed cowbird, in central California. Condor 75:80–99.
Picman, J. 1988. Experimental study of predation on eggs of ground-nesting birds: effects of habitat and nest distribution. Condor 90:124–131.
Robertson, R.J. 1972. Optimal niche space of the redwinged black-bird (Agelaius phoeniceus). I. Nesting success in marsh and upland habitat. Canadian Journal of Zoology 50:247–263.
Sewell, R.W. and K.F. Higgins. 1991. Floral and faunal colonization of restored wetlands in west-central Minnesota and northeastern South Dakota. p. 108–133.In J.F. Webb, Jr. (ed.) Proceedings of the Eighteenth Annual Conference on Wetlands Restoration and Creation. May 16–17, 1991, Hillsborough Community College, Tampa, FL, USA.
Stewart, R.E. and H.A. Kantrud. 1971. Classification of natural ponds and lakes in the glaciated prairie region. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Resource Publication No. 92. Washington, DC, USA.
Stewart, R.E. 1975. Breeding birds of North Dakota. Tri-College Center for Environmental Studies, Fargo, ND, USA.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1987. Migratory nongame birds of management concern in the United States: the 1987 list. Office of Migratory Bird Management, Washington, DC, USA.
U.S. National Occanic and Atmospheric Administration. 1988. Climatological data annual summary—Iowa. 99 (14). Asheville, NC, USA.
U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 1989. Climatological data annual summary—Iowa. 100 (14). Asheville, NC, USA.
U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 1990 Climatological data—Iowa. 101 (1–6). Asheville, NC, USA.
van der Valk, A.G. (ed.) 1989. Northern Prairie Wetlands. Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA, USA.
Weller, M.W. 1978. Management of marshes for wildlife. p. 267–284.In R.E. Good, D.F. Whigham, and R.L. Simpson (eds.) Freshwater Wetlands: Ecological Processes and Management Potential. Academic Press, Inc., New York, NY, USA.
Weller, M.W. 1979. Birds of some Iowa wetlands in relation to concepts of faunal preservation. Proceedings of the Iowa Academy Science 86:81–88.
Weller, M.W. and C.E. Spatcher. 1965. Role of habitat in the distribution and abundance of marsh birds. Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station Special Report No. 43.
Wetherbee, D.K. 1968. Southern swamp sparrow. P. 1475–1490.In O.L. Austin, Jr. (ed.) Life Histories of North American Cardinal, Grosbeaks, Buntings, Towhees, Sparrows, and Allies. Part 3. U.S. National Museum Bulletin No. 237.
Willson, M.F. 1967. Notes on the interspecific behavioral relationships of marsh-nesting passerines. The Auk 84:118–120.
Zar, J.H. 1984. Biostatistical Analysis. Second Edition. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA.
Zenner, G., T. LaGrange, and S. White. 1990. Preliminary results—Iowa Prairie Pothole Joint Venture evaluation, 1989 and 1990: breeding pair estimates and nest success. Unpublished Research Report, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Clear Lake, IA, USA.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Delphey, P.J., Dinsmore, J.J. Breeding bird communities of recently restored and natural prairie potholes. Wetlands 13, 200–206 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03160881
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03160881