May 2023 Program

“Bird Communities as Bellwethers for Habitat Quality and Disturbance”
Presenters: Tim Krynak, Cleveland Metroparks Natural Resources Manager and
Dr. Nathan Byer, Cleveland Metroparks Research and Database Manager
Date & Time: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.
Location: Zoom. Members will be sent the link; nonmembers should register on Eventbrite. 
Description: As natural systems become increasingly fragmented and degraded, there is a pressing need to understand the capacity of altered habitats to support native species. In this presentation, we leverage a district wide breeding bird survey with nearly 13,000 bird observations with a long-term vegetation monitoring program to demonstrate how migratory and non-migratory bird species vary in habitat preferences. Using a multispecies occupancy model, we demonstrate the importance of high-quality habitat for sensitive bird species and how modern quantitative approaches can be used to better prioritize bird species of conservation concern and assist in land management decisions for these species.