Graduate students from Phil Stouffer's lab at Louisiana State University are conducting research on the effects of burn intervals and habitat management practices on wintering Henslow's Sparrows (Ammodramus henslowii) and other hard-to-see grassland birds in Louisiana and Mississippi. Henslow's Sparrow is a short-distance migrant that depends on pine savanna habitat in the southeastern United States as wintering habitat. These studies are conducted in conjunction with the LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and The Nature Conservancy. Land managers will use the results of our studies to develop a conservation plan for this declining species. We depend on volunteers (other students and the general community) to conduct our research. See photographs of our volunteers here.
LOCATION
In LA we work in beautiful pine savanna habitat that is being restored by The Nature Conservancy, the Girl Scouts of America, and the LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. In MS we work in longleaf pine and slash pine habitats in De Soto National Forest.
WHAT CAN YOU SEE?
This is an excellent opportunity to see secretive and elusive birds, that spend most of their time on the ground hidden in tall grasses. These sparrows rarely perch or fly in plain view and are generally silent and solitary throughout the winter. Birds besides Henslow's Sparrow that we frequently observe while working in the savannas include Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Northern Harrier, Red-shouldered Hawk, Loggerhead Shrike, Bachman's Sparrow, Eastern Bluebird, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Common Yellowthroat and Sedge Wren. Other less-often seen species include Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks, Lincoln's Sparrow, LeConte's Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, House Wren, American Woodcock, Wilson's Snipe, Virginia Rail, and Yellow Rail.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?
There is some level of physical fitness required for volunteers. Because grassland birds are reluctant to fly--preferring to run on the ground much like a mouse--a group of four or more people walks systematically through the study plot or transect in a line. This causes the inconspicuous ground-dwelling birds to take flight.
If a grassland bird is spotted, a mist-net is quickly set up, everyone forms a semi-circle around the bird, we rush towards the net, and the bird usually pops up out of the grass into the net. However, sometimes we are not successful on the first attempt and therefore must chase the bird around the savanna until it is caught. Once caught, the bird is removed from the net and a USFWS band is placed on its leg. The bird is then weighed, measured, bled, photographed, and set free unharmed. This procedure continues until we have sampled the entire plot or transect.
Surveys are conducted on Saturdays and Sundays from morning until around mid or late afternoon, but these times are approximations because of the variable and unpredictable number of birds caught from census to census. The weekends we sample our LA sites consist of day trips; the weekends we sample in MS often require staying overnight on Fridays or Saturdays; however, we have a nice facility with plenty of beds and private quarters. We are usually short on volunteers so anyone able to help is always appreciated. Remember, no experience necessary!
We appreciate if you would pass on this opportunity to individuals you feel would be interested in volunteering with us. We also have high school groups that help, so if anyone has children than this is an excellent opportunity to introduce them to biology, conservation, and the great outdoors!
Thank you,
Matt Brooks
mbrook5@tigers.lsu.edu
unless otherwise stated.
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Expressed written consent must be given for use
Thank you!
