Birds of a feather benefit from fire together: How prescribed burning can benefit ground-nesting birds

Heather Leach; Robin J. Innes

Treesearch

Birds of a feather benefit from fire together: How prescribed burning can benefit ground-nesting birds

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Heather Leach, Robin J. Innes

Year:

2025

Type:

Science Bulletins and Newsletters

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Source:

Science You Can Use (in 5 Minutes), October 2025. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

Download (PDF 1.10 MB)

Download (PDF 1.10 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/69630.pdf

Abstract

Like Goldilocks, ground-nesting birds in the southeastern U.S. need habitat conditions that are “just right.” They need just the right food and just enough protective cover, all in close proximity - talk about high maintenance! Recently published research syntheses in the Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) about ground-nesting bird species of management concern describe how prescribed fire can help meet these needs for chuck-will’s-widows, eastern whip-poor-wills, and northern bobwhites.

Keywords

ground-nesting birds, prescribed burning, management

Citation

Leach, Heather; Innes, Robin. 2025. Birds of a feather benefit from fire together: How prescribed burning can benefit ground-nesting birds. Science You Can Use (in 5 Minutes), October 2025. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.