Improving Habitat Quality of Rotationally Grazed Pastures for Grassland Birds

摘要

The goals of this research were to investigate the expanding practice ofrotational grazing, to compare nesting success of grassland birds in pastures under rotational grazing and conventional dairy systems, and to evaluate the effects of modifications to rotational grazing systems in terms of pasture vegetation structure, grassland bird communities and forage production. This report provides a final summary of the study, focusing on habitat quality and agronomic implications of the modifications that we tested. Publications, presentations and plans for related research are described. The rationale for this research involves the potential of intensive rotational grazing (IRG) of livestock to provide significant amounts of high quality habitat for grassland songbirds. IRG is a system of livestock forage production which relies on pasture vegetation for the bulk of the animals' nutritional needs. It involves conversion of a large percentage of the farm from row crops and alfalfa to pasture. While the vegetation species mix in these cool-season grass pastures differs from that of native prairies, the structural resemblance to the prairie habitat is great.