Bird Community Monitoring at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, 2019

The Common Yellowthroat population at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is increasing, but populations are decreasing in the Eastern Tallgrass Prairie and Appalachian Mountains bird conservation regions.

NPS

Why Do We Monitor Birds?

Birds are an important part of the world we live in. They eat pests, disperse seeds, pollinate plants, and feed us, and birdwatching is a multi-billion-dollar industry. Park interpretive programs often feature birds because of the enjoyment they provide. Birds are also great indicators of environmental change. They serve as the canary in the coal mine, so to speak, for an ecosystem. Agriculture and urban development threaten bird habitat in the region around Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. Unfortunately, a significant number of bird species that breed at the park are in decline in the larger regions (41% are in decline in the Eastern Tallgrass Prairie Bird Conservation Region and 58% are in decline in the Appalachian Mountains Bird Conservation Region). Some birds, like the Grasshopper Sparrow, Northern Bobwhite, and Ring-neck Pheasant are declining at alarming rates.

Scientists in the Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network measure changes in birds and their habitat to determine the health of bird communities and park ecosystems. During the breeding season, we survey birds at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park and gather information about the structure and composition of the park plant communities that birds live in. We also compare park bird trends to bird trends in the larger regions. Together, these data help researchers determine how bird populations are faring and how birds respond to changes in their habitats. Knowing how birds are doing can help the park take effective steps to restore and maintain the park's beautiful landscapes.

Henslow's Sparrow is a summer resident at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park and is a species of conservation concern in both the Eastern Tallgrass Prairie and Appalachian Mountains bird conservation regions.

Photo by Jeremy Stringfield

Bird Communities at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park (2005_^–2019)

We have found 112 different bird species in 15 years of surveys. Ninety-eight of these species have the potential to breed within the park, which is about 85% of the total species we would reasonably expect to be breeding here. On average, we found 56 species each year, but the number of species increased over time. One migrant and 14 breeding species on the park are considered species of conservation concern for the Eastern Tallgrass Prairie and/or Appalachian Mountains bird conservation regions. The park is on the border of these two regions.

Bird Species of Conservation Concern at the Park

Birds at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park that are considered species of conservation concern in the Eastern Tallgrass Prairie and/or Appalachian Mountains bird conservation regions. The American Ornithologists' Union Code (AOU Code) and the park residency status of each species are also shown.

Common Name	Scientific Name	AOU Code	Park Resident?
Acadian Flycatcher	Empidonax virescens	ACFL	summer resident
Bald Eagle	Haliaeetus leucocephalus	BAEA	summer resident
Bewick's Wren	Thryomanes bewickii	BEWR	summer resident
Blue-winged Warbler	Vermivora cyanoptera	BWWA	summer resident
Cerulean Warbler	Setophaga cerulea	CERW	summer resident
Dickcissel	Spiza americana	DICK	summer resident
Field Sparrow	Spiza pusilla	FISP	year-round resident
Grasshopper Sparrow	Ammodramus savannarum	GRSP	summer resident
Henslow's Sparrow	Ammodramus henslowii	HESP	summer resident
Northern Flicker	Colaptes auratus	YSFL	year-round resident
Prairie Warbler	Setophaga discolor	PRAW	summer resident
Prothonotary Warbler	Protonotaria citrea	PROW	summer resident
Sedge Wren	Cistothorus platensis	SEWR	migrant
Wood Thrush	Hylocichla mustelina	WOTH	summer resident
Worm-eating Warbler	Helmitheros vermivorum	WEWA	year-round resident

Bird Habitat

The park is located in an area that was once forested riparian (streamside/riverside) areas and woodland stands with open grasslands scattered between them. This area has been greatly altered by agriculture and urban development since European settlement. The increasing number of birds at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park suggests that the habitat on the park has improved over time. We will continue to monitor birds and how they respond to changes in their environment to help the park manage habitat for birds. Conserving bird habitat preserves entire ecosystems for the benefit of all species.

The Eastern Tallgrass Prairie and Appalacian Mountains bird conservation regions are two of 67 regions identified in the North American Bird Conservation Initiative. Hopewell Culture National Historical Site consists of five sites along the border of these two regions.

NPS

The Red-winged Blackbird population is stable at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, but populations in the larger regions are declining.

NPS

Trends of Common Bird Species

Nine bird species were common enough for us to measure abundance (how many individuals there were). Abundance measures allow us to look at bird population trends in the park and compare them with trends in the Eastern Tallgrass Prairie and Appalachian Mountains bird conservation regions. Overall, common bird populations in the park are faring as well as or slightly better than in the larger regions.

• Six common species had populations that significantly increased in the park since 2005: Common Yellowthroat, Eastern Meadowlark, Field Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, Northern Cardinal, and Song Sparrow.
• Three common species had stable populations in the park: American Goldfinch, European Starling, and Red-winged Blackbird.

Male Northern Bobwhite

NPS/Nolan Moore

Did You Know?

Northern Bobwhites are uncommon residents at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. Absent from the state prior to European settlement and open farmlands, the Northern Bobwhite increased its range to include most of Ohio by the late 1800s and early 1900s. Changing agricultural practices and a series of less than favorable winters have restricted the bird to the southern part of the state where it is uncommon now. Improving grassland habitats on the park will help to sustain this species.

For More Information

Read the Full Report.

Check back later for updates. We will update this page each year as we gather more information.

Visit the Heartland Inventory & Monitoring Network website.