Bachman's Sparrow

Research Update

Bachman's sparrow is listed as a Species of Special Management Concern by the Partners in Flight program and the U.S. Forest Service.

Population health in this secretive sparrow is closely tied to ground cover conditions, and one focus for the Vertebrate Ecology lab is investigating the relationship between ground cover conditions and population demographics.

Listen to a song file used in target netting

We color-band male Bachman’s Sparrows using playback tapes and mist nets and then follow their movements/survival over time.

Last summer, intern Julie Fekete followed banded sparrow following a prescribed burn conducted on the Wade Tract on May 29.

Recent studies have suggested prescribed burns performed at this time of the year pose a threat to sparrow populations because the fires easily disrupt this ground-nesting species.

Sparrows left the area soon after it was burned but began to return in 4-6 weeks when vegetation reached 0.6-0.9 m in height. One sparrow returned to the very spot where it had been banded before the burn even though it was not seen in the area for the intervening 4-6 weeks (see bottom right). Once vegetation recovered, male territory sizes within the burned area were the same as territory sizes monitored on the unburned portion of the Wade Tract at the same time (see bottom right).

Furthermore, many family groups that had successfully fledged young in unburned areas moved into the burned area to take advantage of the fresh new growth. Young birds were nearly twice as common on the burned area once the vegetation had recovered, and recapture data show they made extensive use of the burned area.

Although we did not document re-nesting following the burn, prescribed burns seemed to provide great post-breeding habitat. This contrasts with other studies, and there are at least a couple of explanations for the difference. First, previous studies were based on radio telemetry. Telemetry is a great tool, but the lifespan of radios suitable for Bachman’s Sparrows is only four weeks. It takes at least this time (or longer) for the vegetation to become suitable for sparrows following a prescribed burn. Second, the ground cover on the Wade Tract is extremely diverse and is dominate by wiregrass and other fire-adapted species. Response in areas where wiregrass has been eliminated may differ.

Population health in this secretive sparrow is closely tied to ground cover conditions, and one focus for the Vertebrate Ecology lab is investigating the relationship between ground cover conditions and population demographics.   Our current research is sponsored by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Power of Flight Bird Conservation Program, which is funded by Southern Company and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.  

Thanks to these important sponsors:

For more information or to ask about internships, contact Jim Cox