Bird Monitoring at Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Indiana: 2007 Status Report

During 2007, the Heartland I&M Network and Prairie Cluster Prototype Monitoring Program (HTLN) initiated breeding bird surveys on Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Indiana (LIBO) to address two objectives. The first is to monitor changes in bird community composition and abundance. The second is to monitor the responses of bird communities to changes in habitat structure and other habitat variables related to management activities. This report provides plot specific and park-wide baseline data on populations and breeding habitat of birds at LIBO. Thirty-five species of birds were recorded during site visits in June. The most common and widely distributed species was the Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). The American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), Indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea), and Eastern Tufted titmouse (Parus bicolor) occurred frequently as well. Partners in Flight, a coalition of agencies and individuals whose mission is to conserve North America's declining bird populations, classify eleven species found at LIBO as species of continental importance. Species richness of birds was found to be low when compared to other woodlands. Deciduous woodlands dominated the habitat; other habitats were rare. Bird surveys were not conducted in the small pasture and garden areas of LIBO. The mixed structural composition of the woodlands positively influenced the bird diversity observed.