Bird monitoring at Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota: Status report 2009–2022

In 2009, the Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network initiated bird surveys on Pipestone National Monument to monitor changes in bird community composition and abundance and improve our understanding of relationships between breeding birds and their habitat and the effects of management actions on those relationships. This information helps park staff plan management objectives and assess the effectiveness of management alternatives. We evaluated park breeding bird trends in the context of trends observed within the North American Bird Conservation Initiative’s Prairie Potholes Bird Conservation Region where the park is located. This allows us to assess the influence of park habitat management on bird populations with an understanding of regional population trends that are outside the influence of natural resource management activities at the park. In 14 years (2009–2022) of monitoring, 109 bird species were recorded on the park. Ninety-two of the species are considered breeding species (permanent or summer residents). Seven of these are species of concern for the Prairie Potholes Bird Conservation Region. Fifteen species were observed in sufficient numbers to calculate annual abundances and trends with some degree of statistical confidence. The Bobolink, American Robin, and Red-winged Blackbird were the most abundant and widespread species on the park. Comparisons of regional trends (2009–2019; Sauer et al. 2020) with park trends were inconclusive. Trends in 14 of the 15 abundant species on the park were uncertain. Common Yellowthroat was moderately increasing on the park. Regionally, American Robin, Dickcissel, and Yellow Warbler were increasing; the Bobolink, Clay-colored Sparrow, Eastern Kingbird, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Ring-necked Pheasant were declining; and the remaining seven species had uncertain population trends. Diversity, richness, and evenness in distribution of individuals across species in the breeding bird community on the park were unchanged over the 14 years. When sampled, habitats on the plots at Pipestone National Monument consisted primarily of the old field/prairie vegetation type, with lesser amounts of other types present. Canopy cover of hardwood trees averaged 5 to 7% on plots, basal area averaged 1 to 2 m2/ha, and canopy height averaged between 1 and 3 m. Tree species from 10 different families contrib¬uted to the canopy cover and basal area of plots. Plots sampled were primarily unvegetated at ground level, with grass litter common, and rock and bare soil exposed. Total foliar cover at ground level on plots consisted primarily of cool season grasses and forbs.