Fact Sheets

Managing for Birds of Conservation Interest in the Great Lakes Region

April 07, 2021 Attachment: Managing for Birds of Conservation Interest 4-21

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Birds are strongly tied to the structural characteristics of forests and are excellent indicators of ecosystem health and environmental change. According to an analysis of the Breeding Bird Survey, nearly two-thirds of bird species breeding in forests in North America have declined, and half of those that breed in boreal forests are experiencing population declines. These changes amount to an average loss of abundance of 27% across all species since the 1970s, despite increases in forest cover in some areas. The underlying cause of many of these bird species’ declines in abundance has been attributed to anthropogenic stressors.

This Fact Sheet specifically covers the following birds:

Kirtland’s Warblers
Golden-winged Warblers
Rusty Blackbirds

Keywords: Forest Management, bird communities, Lake States, Rusty Blackbird, Golden-winged Warbler, Kirtland’s Warbler