I’ve always been interested in natural resource conservation and have reported on the topic for more than forty years. And I’ve been working to improve the conservation practices on our Nebraska farm for about as long. But, gaining a deep interest in birds and bird watching came relatively late in life, and really took off when I met Bill Flack, a long-time birder from nearby Kearney, Nebraska. (Bill was featured as a “superforecaster” in a Successful Farrming article I wrote about prediction in agriculture.) I could write a book about Bill and his many interesting observations about birds, but in the last few years, he’s written his own story about all the birds—now 100 species—that he’s documented on our farm in Buffalo County. Nebraska.
Bill’s documentation of the hundred species, and thousands of individuals, from our farm, and his many email observations, have changed my view of the place, as there was a time when the only birds I might notice would be the obvious ones—like a pheasant, hawk, or crow. Now, because of Bill’s birding I’ve learned that the farm is home to the likes of a lot of other birds you don’t always notice, such as small grassland birds--Sedge Wrens, Savannah Sparrows, American Goldfinches. Or overhead an alert eye might now spot a Sharp-shinned Hawk or a Great Blue Heron. Bill’s bird lists for the farm include a bunch of birds I’d never heard of, but which are now rather common on the place--the Bell’s Vireo, Yellow Warbler and Dickcissel. And there have been a couple real surprises—the Magnolia Warbler and Long-billed Curlew—which showed up rather out of their usual range.
Bill keeps a strict routine on his birding visits, noting the start time, time elapsed, weather conditions, his precise route, the birds’ activities in some cases, and the exact numbers of species and individuals. With long practice he’s learned to identify birds by subtle features, the shape of the beak, bars on the wings, length of the tail, the calls and songs, and so on.
While birding may not be for everyone, one thing I’ve picked up along the way is that birds are more than something to count or hunt. They are rather a world unto themselves and a reflection of the health of the land. Like the proverbial canary in a coal mine, birds can be a sign of a healthy farm
I’ve come to realize, too, that our farm is home to so many birds and other wildlife, because for several generations my family installed conservation features on the land—trees and native prairie grass on CRP, but also several shelterbelts, farmstead trees, pollinator habitat, and a prairie grass strip on cropland. Our farm operator, Kevin Schroeder, uses conservation tillage and is willing to tend the small fields of row crops and prairie hay. Over the years we’ve had good advice from experts, including USDA conservationists, Pheasants Forever folks, and a couple farmer friends:
Based on my experience, here are a few thoughts on how to become a birder of your farm:
- Pay attention to the “rough edges.” Places like field borders, rogue fence-line trees, and patches of unmown grass, make great bird habitat. Even abandoned barb wire fences make perfect perches. “A property with highly diverse habitats will likely host more species than one that is uniform,” says Joel Jorgensen, Nebraska Game and Parks nongame bird manager.
- Plant a patch of native grass. Prairie bird species are in decline, and you can give them a big boost. Relatively small areas of prairie grass strips have proved to provide “disproportional benefits” for soil and water conservation, as well as an estimated two-fold increase in bird species and abundance, according to Iowa research on field prairie strips.
- Try some no-till. “No-till is definitely a big plus for birds. Several species that historically nested on the prairie will now nest in corn and soybean stubble that has not been disturbed,” says Nebraska farmer-birder Don Paseka.
- Get some birding gear. You can watch birds without any equipment, but a pair of binoculars will reveal surprising, vivid details. Seven or eight power binoculars are recommended for birding and can be handy for general farm use.
- Start a list. Keep a notebook and pen handy. Set a goal and see if you can identify, say, a dozen bird on your place over the next year. Even if I haven’t known the names of all the birds I’ve spotted, I’ve come to appreciate their individual traits and behavior.
- Buy a bird field guide. Eastern Birds by Roger Tory Peterson is portable, rugged and well illustrated, but there are many others. Smartphone birding apps, like Merlin, can help with identification and other info.
- Listen up. You might even start listening for birds and learning their calls and songs, which can be learned from books and apps.
- Watch the sky. During planting and harvest seasons, watch for the spring and fall migrations. This is when you’ll see the most variety of birds on your farm.
- Share your findings. Sign up your farm on eBird (www.ebird.org) and contribute your findings to a global database. All you have to do is list the birds you’ve seen during a given period. “Some of the most valuable historical information about bird occurrence in Nebraska are from folks who just kept detailed lists of their own farm, ranch, or yard,” says Joel Jorgensen.
Our farm list of 100 bird species, in reverse order of discovery
Loggerhead Shrike
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Great Crested Flycatcher
Tree Swallow
American Redstart
Yellow-headed Blackbird
House Sparrow
Black-and-white Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Chimney Swift
Swainson's Thrush
Hairy Woodpecker
Western Kingbird
Least Flycatcher
Franklin's Gull
Wood Duck
Long-billed Curlew
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Double-crested Cormorant
Ring-billed Gull
Bald Eagle
Swainson's Hawk
Merlin
Blue-headed Vireo
Sedge Wren
Eastern Meadowlark
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Fox Sparrow
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Cooper's Hawk
Bobolink
Wild Turkey
Say's Phoebe
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Harrier
American Kestrel
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Vesper Sparrow
Orange-crowned Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Bank Swallow
Osprey
Canada Goose
Willow Flycatcher
Lazuli Bunting
Lark Sparrow
European Starling
Sandhill Crane
Dark-eyed Junco
American Tree Sparrow
Harris's Sparrow
LeConte's Sparrow
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Horned Lark
Clay-colored Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Blue Jay
Downy Woodpecker
Turkey Vulture
American Crow
Spotted Towhee
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Blue Grosbeak
Cliff Swallow
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-headed Woodpecker
Killdeer
House Finch
Grasshopper Sparrow
Great Blue Heron
Northern Cardinal
Mallard
Northern Bobwhite
Ring-necked Pheasant
Mourning Dove
Upland Sandpiper
Great Horned Owl
Northern Flicker
Eastern Kingbird
Bell's Vireo
Barn Swallow
House Wren
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Western Meadowlark
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Yellow Warbler
Dickcissel
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100 bird species on our farm and counting - Successful Farming
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