Assessing The Chicago Area’s Contribution to Broader-scale Grassland Bird Conservation Efforts Jim Herkert, Illinois Audubon Society and Daniel Saurez, Audubon Great Lakes The Chicago Area supports large populations of grassland birds due in large part to the lands owned and managed by conservation organizations and county, state, and federal governments. In this presentation we will discuss recent analyses that have been focused on assessing the role of the Chicago area in broader-scale conservation efforts for Bobolinks and Grasshopper and Henslow’s sparrows.
The Effects of Bison Reintroduction on Grassland Bird Nest Success in Tallgrass Prairie Heather Herakovich , Northern Illinois University Restoration projects have sought to increase the quality and size of tallgrass prairie fragments in Illinois, hypothetically increasing breeding habitat for grassland birds. American bison are now being reintroduced to some of these restorations as a management tool. This presentation will go over how this reintroduction impacted the nest success of grassland nesting birds at Nachusa Grasslands.
