Theses and Dissertations Collection

Grassland communities are declining and are considered an endangered ecosystem in North America. The decline in grassland community’s extent and availability directly influences the grassland bird community. One cause of the decline in grassland communities is the increasing encroachment of shrubs into grasslands. This thesis explores grassland bird in a wet meadow system experiencing shrub encroachment, mainly by black hawthorne (Crataegus douglasii), in Weippe Idaho. In the first chapter, we report how artificial nest temperatures are influenced by distance from shrubs. Shrubs act as a temperature buffer from extreme temperature fluctuations. In the second chapter, we describe the avian community on the Weippe Prairie and report how birds are using the shrubs on site. Shrub use is evaluated by season, time of day, and species.