Bird Community Monitoring at Effigy Mounds National Monument

Bald Eagle at Effigy Mounds National Monument

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Figure 1. Location of Effigy Mounds NM, Iowa within the Prairie Hardwood Transition Bird Conservation Region.

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Birds are an important part of the world we live in. Birds eat pests, disperse seeds, pollinate plants, feed us, and provide us with recreational activities. Park interpretive programs often feature birds because of the enjoyment they provide. Birds are also great indicators of environmental change. Birds serve as the "canary in the coal mine" so to speak for an ecosystem. Unfortunately, many birds like the Northern Bobwhite are declining in numbers.

Scientists measure changes in bird numbers and habitat to determine the health of bird communities. They survey birds in the park during the breeding season. They also survey habitat structure and composition during this time. Together, the data helps researchers to determine responses of birds to their habitat. Regional surveys are also studied to determine local vs. regional trends.

Table of Birds Recorded during Survey

Table 1. Bird species recorded during breeding bird surveys at Effigy Mounds NM, Iowa from 2009 through 2017. The American Ornithologists’ Union Code (AOU code) and residency status of each species is given. Bolded species names are those species considered of regional concern for the Prairie Hardwood Transition Bird Conservation Region (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2008). Species names are valid and verified names taken from the Integrated Taxonomic Information System web site (ITIS 2017).
* M = migrant through the area; R = year around resident; SR = summer resident; T = transient.

Common name	Species name	AOU code	Residency*
Acadian Flycatcher	Empidonax virescens	ACFL	SR
Alder Flycatcher	Empidonax alnorum	ALFL	M
American Crow	Corvus brachyrhynchos	AMCR	R
American Goldfinch	Spinus tristis	AMGO	R
American Redstart	Setophaga ruticilla	AMRE	SR
American Robin	Turdus migratorius	AMRO	SR
Bald Eagle	Haliaeetus leucocephalus	BAEA	R
Baltimore Oriole	Icterus galbula	BAOR	SR
Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica	BARS	SR
Belted Kingfisher	Megaceryle alcyon	BEKI	R
Black-and-white Warbler	Mniotilta varia	BAWW	SR
Black-billed Cuckoo	Coccyzus erythropthalmus	BBCU	SR
Black-capped Chickadee	Poecile atricapillus	BCCH	R
Blackpoll Warbler	Setophaga striata	BLPW	M
Black-throated Green Warbler	Setophaga virens	BTNW	M
Blue Jay	Cyanocitta cristata	BLJA	R
Blue-headed Vireo	Vireo solitarius	BHVI	M
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	Polioptila caerulea	BGGN	SR
Blue Grosbeak	Passerina caerulea	BLGR	T
Blue-winged Warbler	Vermivora pinus	BWWA	SR
Brown Creeper	Certhia americana	BRCR	R
Brown Thrasher	Toxostoma rufum	BRTH	SR
Brown-headed Cowbird	Molothrus ater	BHCO	SR
Canada Goose	Branta canadensis	CAGO	R
Canada Warbler	Cardellina canadensis	CAWA	M
Carolina Wren	Thryothorus ludovicianus	CARW	R
Cedar Waxwing	Bombycilla cedrorum	CEDW	SR
Cerulean Warbler	Setophaga cerulean	CERW	SR
Chimney Swift	Chaetura pelagica	CHSW	SR
Chipping Sparrow	Spizella passerina	CHSP	SR
Cliff Swallow	Petrochelidon pyrrhonota	CLSW	SR
Common Grackle	Quiscalus quiscula	COGR	SR
Common Yellowthroat	Geothlypis trichas	COYE	SR
Cooper’s Hawk	Accipiter cooperii	COHA	SR
Dark-eyed Junco	Junco hyemalis	DEJU	M
Dickcissel	Spiza americana	DICK	SR
Downy Woodpecker	Picoides pubescens	DOWO	R
Eastern Bluebird	Sialia sialis	EABL	SR
Eastern Kingbird	Tyrannus tyrannus	EAKI	SR
Eastern Meadowlark	Sturnella magna	EAME	SR
Eastern Phoebe	Sayornis phoebe	EAPH	SR
Eastern Towhee	Pipilo erythrophthalmus	EATO	SR
Eastern Wood-pewee	Contopus virens	EAWP	SR
European Starling	Sturnus vulgaris	EUST	R
Field Sparrow	Spizella pusilla	FISP	SR
Grasshopper Sparrow	Ammodramus savannarum	GRSP	SR
Gray Catbird	Dumetella carolinensis	GRCA	SR
Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias	GBHE	SR
Great Crested Flycatcher	Myiarchus crinitus	GCFL	SR
Hairy Woodpecker	Picoides villosus	HAWO	R
Hermit Thrush	Catharus guttatus	HETH	M
Hooded Merganser	Lophodytes cucullatus	HOME	SR
Hooded Warbler	Setophaga citrina	HOWA	SR
House Finch	Carpodacus mexicanus	HOFI	R
House Wren	Troglodytes aedon	HOWR	SR
Indigo Bunting	Passerina cyanea	INBU	SR
Kentucky Warbler	Geothlypis formosa	KEWA	SR
Killdeer	Charadrius vociferus	KILL	SR
Least Flycatcher	Empidonax minimus	LEFL	SR
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	MALL	SR
Mourning Dove	Zenaida macroura	MODO	SR
Northern Cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis	NOCA	R
Northern Flicker	Colaptes auratus	YSFL	R
Northern Parula	Setophaga americana	NOPA	SR
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	Stelgidopteryx serripennis	NRWS	SR
Olive-sided Flycatcher	Contopus cooperi	OSFL	M
Ovenbird	Seiurus aurocapilla	OVEN	SR
Pileated Woodpecker	Dryocopus pileatus	PIWO	R
Prothonotary Warbler	Protonotaria citrea	PROW	SR
Red-bellied Woodpecker	Melanerpes carolinus	RBWO	R
Red-eyed Vireo	Vireo olivaceus	REVI	SR
Red-headed Woodpecker	Melanerpes erythrocephalus	RHWO	R
Red-shouldered Hawk	Buteo lineatus	RSHA	R
Red-tailed Hawk	Buteo jamaicensis	RTHA	R
Red-winged Blackbird	Agelaius phoeniceus	RWBL	R
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Pheucticus ludovicianus	RBGR	SR
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	Archilochus colubris	RTHU	SR
Scarlet Tanager	Piranga olivacea	SCTA	SR
Sedge Wren	Cistothorus platensis	SEWR	SR
Song Sparrow	Melospiza melodia	SOSP	R
Spotted Sandpiper	Actitis macularius	SPSA	SR
Swainson’s Thrush	Catharus ustulatus	SWTH	M
Swamp Sparrow	Melospiza georgiana	SWSP	SR
Tennessee Warbler	Leiothlypis peregrina	TEWA	M
Tree Swallow	Tachycineta bicolor	TRES	SR
Tufted Titmouse	Baeolophus bicolor	ETTI	R
Turkey Vulture	Cathartes aura	TUVU	SR
Veery	Catharus fuscescens	VEER	SR
Warbling Vireo	Vireo gilvus	WAVI	SR
White-breasted Nuthatch	Sitta carolinensis	WBNU	R
White-eyed Vireo	Vireo griseus	WEVI	SR
Willow Flycatcher	Empidonax traillii	WIFL	SR
Wilson’s Warbler	Cardellina pusilla	WIWA	M
Wild Turkey	Meleagris gallopavo	WITU	R
Wood Duck	Aix sponsa	WODU	SR
Wood Thrush	Hylocichla mustelina	WOTH	SR
Worm-eating Warbler	Helmitheros vermivorum	WEWA	SR
Yellow Warbler	Setophaga petechia	YWAR	SR
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	Sphyrapicus varius	YBSA	SR
Yellow-breasted Chat	Icteria virens	YBCH	SR
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	Coccyzus americanus	YBCU	SR
Yellow-throated Vireo	Vireo flavifrons	YTVI	SR

Figure 2. Trends in bird community Richness on Effigy Mounds NM, Iowa in 2009 through 2017.

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Scientists have recorded 102 bird species in the park over the last 9 years. Ninety of the bird species are breeding species. Eight of the bird species are of concern for the region. The American Redstart, American Robin, Baltimore Oriole, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher were common species. Twenty-three species were common enough to calculate trends in their numbers. American Redstart, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbird, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak numbers increased. Populations of Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Yellowthroat, and Red-winged Blackbird declined within the region. Most populations on the park are doing better than the region. Unchanging species richness suggests habitat on the park has remained similar across years.

Figure 3. Comparison of bird population trends from Effigy Mounds NM, Iowa (Black Line: 2009 through 2017) with those of the larger Prairie Hardwood Transition Bird Conservation Region (Red Line: 2005 through 2015). Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals.

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Bird population changes may reflect habitat management activities. For that reason scientists track changes in bird populations and habitat over time. This improves the parks efforts to manage habitat for birds. Preserving habitat for birds preserves entire ecosystems for the benefit of all species.

View the Full Report. (PDF)

Visit the Effigy Mounds National Monument Volunteer Bird Monitoring page.

Learn more about the Heartland Inventory & Monitoring Network.


Data in this report were collected and analyzed using methods based on established, peer-reviewed protocols and were analyzed and interpreted within the guidelines of the protocols.