Charlotte Conservation Currents
Land Management for Grassland Birds – We
Can All Help!
by Tiffany Shaw,
May 5, 2011, page 23.....

Perhaps the most anticipated sound of spring is the chorus of returning migratory birds. From far away rainforests, marshes and backyards these feathered beauties touch down for a spell in our fields, forests and wetlands. As we are setting transplants in the garden and sweeping out the garage, many visiting birds are staking out breeding territory and incubating their young. With such ongoing turmoil in the headlines, it is empowering to know we have tremendous influence over how successful some of the most threatened birds will be at yielding the next generation.
To us, Vermont is a place like no other. Even more, Charlotte’s cultural, geographic and recreational assets offer the cream of the crop for raising children and enjoying the fruits of our labor. Some of us may, however, not be aware of how special Charlotte is for some nesting birds in great decline. While the whole Champlain Valley is part of the most important area of grassland in the Northeast, Charlotte is especially so because of her nearly 11,000 acres of open land in the form of hay, fallow fields, pasture and large yards. With our abundant open space and commitment to planned growth, wildlife corridors, wetlands health and agriculture, we in Charlotte are poised to make a real difference in supporting both grassland and woodland migratory birds.
Many of us care to protect bird habitat, not only because of how their songs warm our hearts after a long, cold winter, but because we know they are important to the health of our working landscape. Orioles, vireos, flycatchers, warblers and swallows devour insects that would otherwise consume our crops or devastate our forests. Other birds distribute seeds, helping ecosystems maintain biodiversity. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the pollination service provided in part by birds could be worth as much as $200 billion a year. Additionally, bird-watching tourists deliver an economic value to us. Vermont ranks number five for most out-of-state, bird-watching visitors. The big picture reminds us that while we help the birds, we help ourselves too.
As our open land rebounds from winter slumber, this is a good time to revisit optimal land management practices to protect the nests and young of grasshopper sparrows, bobolinks, eastern meadowlarks and Savannah sparrows. These grassland bird populations declined by 94%, 69%, 69% and 9% respectively over 39 years (between 1966 and 2005). Even grassland birds not breeding in open spaces use these areas as important feeding and resting places.
Practices to help grassland birds in Charlotte:
In general, hay as late as possible to maximize the number of offspring and probability that adult birds survive to the following year.
If you operate a dairy farm, complete your first harvest of hay and apply manure by June 1. Then, wait 65 days before your second harvest. Haying by June 1 will increase the probability that birds will use the field afterward. A 65-day interval provides sufficient time to successfully reproduce between harvests.
If you operate a farm with mixed uses, follow the guidelines above for dairy farms and remove hay bales immediately after harvest. Fields cut between June 21 and July 15 for horse, heifer or beef cow hay can still be high-quality bird habitat; however, each week that hay cutting is delayed allows more offspring to survive.
If you own a parcel with open space, reduce the mowed area and hay or brush hog only after August 1. Pick up the grass at least every other year to avoid suppressing early regrowth the following year. Keep open land open and collaborate with adjacent landowners to think about managing open space congruently.
If you own a cat, keep it indoors. It is estimated that hundreds of millions of birds are killed by cats every year. Indoor cats are healthier and outlive outdoor cats.
If you normally reach for pesticides, try to reduce your dependence and transition to non-chemical controls whenever possible. Each year 67 million birds are estimated to die immediately as a result of exposure to pesticides just on farmlands. Many more die from related illness, have reproductive loses, or die from eating exposed food sources.
Some of us were raised right here in Charlotte. You could say others of us migrated here. However Charlotte became our home, we all want it to be a productive, healthy community to raise families and thrive. Grassland birds have traveled thousands of miles to settle down in our backyards and fields. We have the power to welcome them and give their young a strong start.
For more information on protecting grassland birds, including ways to offset costs associated with combining agricultural production, open-space conservation and bird-friendly land management, read the “Grassland Birds in Charlotte” pamphlet available at the Town Hall or on the town website under Conservation Commission, Studies and Reports.

Tiffany Shaw
Charlotte Conservation Commission