How a tiny bird signals big improvement for a Palatine forest preserve

The Henslow's sparrow has been spotted at the Deer Grove Forest Preserve in Palatine for the first time since 1993.

Bob Susnjara

Although the Henslow's sparrow is small in size, conservationists say its return to Deer Grove Forest Preserve in Palatine after a 15-year absence is a big sign that longtime restoration work is paying off.

Palatine birder Heidi Tarasiuk spotted and photographed the roughly 5-inch sparrow during its nesting season early this month at Deer Grove, the state's first dedicated forest preserve. Linda Masters, a restoration specialist for the Openlands conservation organization, said the Bird Conservation Network confirmed Tarasiuk captured an image of the Henslow's sparrow.

"When I saw the Henslow here, I thought, 'Wow, this is a big deal,'" Tarasiuk said during a recent walk through Deer Grove East, where the sparrow's "hiccup" sound could be heard not far from an egret and sandhill cranes.

Officials at Chicago-based Openlands say the Henslow's sparrow is an indicator species for the health of natural areas, so its first appearance at Deer Grove since 2003 represents a milestone for the organization's work managing the preserve's continuing restoration. Openlands began the task in partnership with Forest Preserves of Cook County in 2008.

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Controlled burn aims to help sparrow habitat

: APRIL 9, 2014 : Updated: April 9, 2014 2:40pm

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A controlled burn in the Lansing area is expected to help improve habitat for the Henslow's sparrow.

The Lansing State Journal (http://on.lsj.com/R2xFcC ) reports that the bird and many other types of wildlife use prairie habitat at the Davis-Foster Land Preserve in Ingham County's Meridian Township. The sparrow is listed as endangered in Michigan. Crews conducted the burn Tuesday at part of the preserve.

Meridian Township officials say the goal is to kill invasive species and rejuvenate the soil so that native wildflowers and other plants can thrive. Officials say another such burn is planned at Ingham County's Lake Lansing Park North over the next few weeks.

The Davis-Foster Land Preserve includes about 100 acres of grassland prairie. The Henslow's sparrow is expected back in the area this month.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/science/article/Controlled-burn-aims-to-help-sparrow-habitat-5388368.php

Angry birders: Farm bill in flux imperils feathered friends

With the farm bill in flux, it’s looking more and more likely that the environment will take a hit. The Conservation Reserve Program, which recently accounted for 7 percent of farm bill funding, essentially pays farmers to produce wildlife, instead of producing crops. Since there’s no market that rewards farmers for preserving biodiversity, or enriching the world with birdsong, it’s the sort of thing that government is uniquely equipped to do.

The Conservation Reserve Program has made a big difference in the lives of tiny birds. Take the Henslow’s sparrow for instance: Populations declined precipitously between the 1960s and 1985, when suburbs sprawled into and farmers plowed more of the grassland habitat they require. But since the beginning of the program in 1985, the number of Henslow’s sparrows (surveyed in Illinois) has increased by a factor of 25.

Read more: http://grist.org/foo...thered-friends/

http://ornithologyexchange.org/forums/topic/10207-angry-birders-farm-bill-in-flux-imperils-feathered-friends/