Habitat Inventory and Search for Ivory-billed Woodpeckers in the Cache River Watershed, Illinois

Hoover, Jeffrey P.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/18166 Copy

Description

Title

Habitat Inventory and Search for Ivory-billed Woodpeckers in the Cache River Watershed, Illinois

Author(s)

Hoover, Jeffrey P.

Issue Date

2008-11-07

Keyword(s)

• bottomland forest
• over-wintering birds
• INHS Division of Ecology and Conservation Science
• INHS Section for Wildlife and Plant Ecology
• IDNR/USFWS
• Science in support of ecosystem management and conservation
• Science in support of threatened and endangered species
• Science in support of understanding biodiversity and organismal ecology and life histories

Abstract

The goals of this proposed research were to search for IBWOs in the Cache River watershed (CRW) of Illinois, inventory habitat, deploy multiple cameras (color and black-and-white) to monitor trees with bark-scaling or large cavities, and coordinate with local as well as national search and inventory efforts. Our specific objectives were to: 1.Actively/Systematically search for IBWOs at the locations (a 2-km2 area of mature forest centered on each sighting) of where two unsubstantiated sightings of IBWOs have occurred (e.g., Section 8 Woods, and Heron Pond). 2.Actively/Systematically search 8 additional 2-km2 plots of “suitable” habitat including 4 plots associated with a “trigger” patch (one of the plots in number 1 above), for a total of 10 plots of mature forest searched. 3.Conduct point counts throughout each of the 10 2-km2 plots to document the diversity and densities of woodpeckers in the watershed during the winter/early-spring period (January-April). 4.Deploy RECONYX cameras to collect images at trees with “promising” cavities or bark scaling and document the visitation to trees by various bird species. 5.Assess and inventory habitat in each of the 10 2-km2 plots that were searched, and provide information to the region-wide effort that is using site-occupancy modeling techniques to predict where IBWOs are more likely to occur. 6.Passively search for IBWOs within an additional 1,300 ha of mature bottomland forest that was visited every 3-4 days by researchers studying the bottomland forest bird community during the breeding season (April-June)

Publisher

Division of Ecology and Conservation Science Section for Wildlife and Plant Ecology

Series/Report Name or Number

• Special Grant Program
• Technical Report INHS 2008 (39)

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/18166

Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)

INHS Technical Report Prepared for IDNR/USFWS

Copyright and License Information

This document is a product of the Illinois Natural History Survey, and has been selected and made available by the Illinois Natural History Survey and the University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It is intended solely for noncommercial research and educational use, and proper attribution is requested.

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