Bird Community Monitoring at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Iowa

Red-winged Blackbird; one of the most commonly occuring species at Herbert Hoover NHS.

NPS

Map of the Eastern Tallgrass Prairie Bird Conservation Region.

NPS

Birds are an important part of the world we live in. Birds eat pests, disperse seeds, pollinate plants, feed us, and provide us with recreational activities. Park interpretive programs often feature birds because of the enjoyment they provide. Birds are also great indicators of environmental change. Birds serve as the "canary in the coal mine" so to speak for an ecosystem. Unfortunately many birds like the Northern Bobwhite are declining in numbers.

Scientists measure changes in bird numbers and habitat to determine the health of bird communities. They survey birds in the park during the breeding season. They also survey habitat structure and composition during this time. Together, the data helps researchers to determine responses of birds to their habitat. Regional surveys are also studied to determine local vs. regional trends

Table of Birds Recorded during Survey

Bird species recorded during breeding bird surveys at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Iowa, from 2005 through 2017, excluding 2007. The American Ornithologists’ Union code (AOU code) and residency status of each species is given. Species names are valid and verified names taken from the Integrated Taxonomic Information system website (ITIS 2017).

Common name	Species name	AOU code	Residency¹
American Crow	Corvus brachyrhynchos	AMCR	R
American Goldfinch	Spinus tristis	AMGO	R
American Redstart	Setophaga ruticilla	AMRE	SR
American Robin	Turdus migratorius	AMRO	SR
Baltimore Oriole	Icterus galbula	BAOR	SR
Bank Swallow	Riparia riparia	BANS	SR
Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica	BARS	SR
Barred Owl	Strix varia	BDOW	R
Black-capped Chickadee	Poecile atricapillus	BCCH	R
Blue Jay	Cyanocitta cristata	BLJA	R
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	Polioptila caerulea	BGGN	SR
Blue-winged Warbler²	Vermivora pinus	BWWA	SR
Brown Thrasher	Toxostoma rufum	BRTH	SR
Brown-headed Cowbird	Molothrus ater	BHCO	SR
Canada Goose	Branta canadensis	CAGO	R
Cedar Waxwing	Bombycilla cedrorum	CEDW	SR
Chimney Swift	Chaetura pelagica	CHSW	SR
Chipping Sparrow	Spizella passerina	CHSP	SR
Cliff Swallow	Petrochelidon pyrrhonota	CLSW	SR
Common Grackle	Quiscalus quiscula	COGR	SR
Common Nighthawk	Chordeiles minor	CONI	SR
Common Yellowthroat	Geothlypis trichas	COYE	SR
Dickcissel³	Spiza americana	DICK	SR
Downy Woodpecker	Picoides pubescens	DOWO	R
Eastern Bluebird	Sialia sialis	EABL	SR
Eastern Kingbird	Tyrannus tyrannus	EAKI	SR
Eastern Meadowlark	Sturnella magna	EAME	SR
Eastern Phoebe	Sayornis phoebe	EAPH	SR
Eastern Towhee	Pipilo erythrophthalmus	EATO	SR
Eastern Wood-pewee	Contopus virens	EAWP	SR
European Starling	Sturnus vulgaris	EUST	R
Field Sparrow³	Spizella pusilla	FISP	SR
Grasshopper Sparrow³	Ammodramus savannarum	GRSP	SR
Gray Catbird	Dumetella carolinensis	GRCA	SR
Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias	GBHE	SR
Great Crested Flycatcher	Myiarchus crinitus	GCFL	SR
Great Horned Owl	Bubo virginianus	GHOW	R
Henslow’s Sparrow³	Ammodramus henslowii	HESP	SR
House Finch²	Haemorhous mexicanus	HOFI	R
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	HOSP	R
House Wren	Troglodytes aedon	HOWR	SR
Indigo Bunting	Passerina cyanea	INBU	SR
Killdeer²	Charadrius vociferus	KILL	SR
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	MALL	SR
Mourning Dove	Zenaida macroura	MODO	SR
Northern Cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis	NOCA	R
Northern Flicker³	Colaptes auratus	YSFL	R
Northern Mockingbird	Mimus polyglottos	NOMO	R
Purple Martin	Progne subis	PUMA	SR
Red-bellied Woodpecker	Melanerpes carolinus	RBWO	R
Red-headed Woodpecker²´³	Melanerpes erythrocephalus	RHWO	R
Red-tailed Hawk	Buteo jamaicensis	RTHA	R
Red-winged Blackbird	Agelaius phoeniceus	RWBL	R
Ring-necked Pheasant	Phasianus colchicus	RPHE	R
Rock Dove	Columba livia	RODO	R
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Pheucticus ludovicianus	RBGR	SR
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	Archilochus colubris	RTHU	SR
Sedge Wren	Cistothorus platensis	SEWR	SR
Song Sparrow	Melospiza melodia	SOSP	R
Swainson’s Thrush	Catharus ustulatus	SWTH	M
Swamp Sparrow²	Melospiza georgiana	SWSP	SR
Tree Swallow	Tachycineta bicolor	TRES	SR
Turkey Vulture	Cathartes aura	TUVU	SR
Warbling Vireo	Vireo gilvus	WAVI	SR
Willow Flycatcher	Empidonax traillii	WIFL	SR
Wild Turkey²	Meleagris gallopavo	WITU	R
Yellow Warbler	Setophaga petechia	YWAR	SR
Yellow-throated Vireo	Vireo flavifrons	YTVI	SR

¹ Residency: M = migrant through the area; R = year around resident; SR = summer resident (According to Jackson et al. [1996]).

² Species recorded only while traveling between survey plots or at other times outside of 5-min survey periods.

³ Species considered of regional concern for the Central Mixed Grass Prairie Bird Conservation Region (USFWS 2008; also in bold).

Trends in bird community richness at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Iowa, from 2005 through 2017, excluding 2007.

NPS

Scientists recorded 68 bird species in the park over the last 13 years. Sixty-seven of the bird species are breeding species. Seven of the bird species are of concern for the region. The American Robin and Red-winged Blackbird were common species. A total of eight species were common enough to calculate trends in their numbers for comparison with regional trends. Red-winged Blackbird numbers declined during the surveys. Populations of the remaining seven species were unchanged. Populations of five species including the Red-winged Blackbird declined within the region. Populations of two of the remaining species were unchanged within the region. The American Robin population was the only species to increase within the region. Overall, most populations on the park are faring similar to or slightly better than the region. Unchanging species richness suggests habitat on the park has remained similar across years.

Comparison of bird population trends from Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Iowa, (2005 through 2017, excluding 2007) with those of the larger Eastern Tallgrass Prairie Bird Conservation Region (2005 through 2015) from the Breeding Bird Surveys. Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals.

NPS

Bird population changes may reflect habitat management activities. For that reason scientists track changes in bird populations and habitat over time. This improves the parks efforts to manage habitat for birds. Preserving habitat for birds preserves entire ecosystems for the benefit of all species.

View the Full Report.(pdf)

Visit the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site Volunteer Bird Monitoring page.

Learn more about the Heartland Inventory & Monitoring Network.


Data in this report were collected and analyzed using methods based on established, peer-reviewed protocols and were analyzed and interpreted within the guidelines of the protocols.