Seasonal Use of Abandoned Mined Lands by Non-breeding Birds: Preliminary Findings
Category
Sciences and Technology
Department
Biology (Wildlife Ecology & Conservation)
Student Status
Undergraduate
Research Advisor
Dr. Andrew George
Document Type
Event
Location
Kansas 2
Start Date
10-4-2025 10:40 AM
End Date
10-4-2025 10:40 AM
Description
During winter and migration, birds rely on habitat that provides high-energy food and protection from predators and adverse weather. Abandoned mined lands (AMLs) are disturbed ecosystems that often include a mosaic of successional habitats, some of which may support diverse bird communities. Our goal is to establish a long-term banding study to investigate bird use of AMLs during the non-breeding season. We established 4 study sites in 2023 in a formerly surface-mined landscape in Crawford County, in southeast Kansas. We used constant-effort mist-netting to survey birds each month, including biweekly during fall and spring migration. Thus far, we have captured 57 species on AMLs, including 12 residents and 45 migrants, of which 24 do not breed in the study region. Analysis of seasonal demographics and body condition is ongoing. In December 2024 we began attaching Motus tags to Harris's Sparrow to study their regional movements and habitat use during winter. Our project emphasizes the potential conservation value of AMLs for birds during the non-breeding portions of their full annual cycle.
Seasonal Use of Abandoned Mined Lands by Non-breeding Birds: Preliminary Findings
Kansas 2
During winter and migration, birds rely on habitat that provides high-energy food and protection from predators and adverse weather. Abandoned mined lands (AMLs) are disturbed ecosystems that often include a mosaic of successional habitats, some of which may support diverse bird communities. Our goal is to establish a long-term banding study to investigate bird use of AMLs during the non-breeding season. We established 4 study sites in 2023 in a formerly surface-mined landscape in Crawford County, in southeast Kansas. We used constant-effort mist-netting to survey birds each month, including biweekly during fall and spring migration. Thus far, we have captured 57 species on AMLs, including 12 residents and 45 migrants, of which 24 do not breed in the study region. Analysis of seasonal demographics and body condition is ongoing. In December 2024 we began attaching Motus tags to Harris's Sparrow to study their regional movements and habitat use during winter. Our project emphasizes the potential conservation value of AMLs for birds during the non-breeding portions of their full annual cycle.
