BIRD CONSERVATION REGIONS IN MINNESOTA

Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) are ecologically distinct regions in North America with similar bird communities, habitats, and resource management issues. Sixty-seven BCRs have been identified, portions of four are in Minnesota.

The following is from the North American Bird Conservation Initiative and http://www.abcbirds.org/nabci/bcrs.htm

The Prairie Pothole region is a glaciated area of mixed grass prairie in the west grading toward tallgrass prairie in the east. This is the most important waterfowl producing region on the North American continent despite extensive wetland drainage and tillage of native grasslands. Breeding dabbling duck density may exceed 100 pairs per square mile in some areas during years with favorable wetland conditions. The region comprises the core of the breeding range of most dabbling duck and several diving duck species, as well as providing critical breeding and migration habitat for over 200 other birds including priority species such as Franklin's Gull, Yellow Rail, and Piping Plover. Baird's Sparrow, Sprague's Pipit, Wilson's Phalarope, Marbled Godwit, and American Avocet are among the many priority non-waterfowl species breeding in this region. Wetland areas also provide key spring migration sites for Hudsonian Godwit, American Golden-Plover, White-rumped Sandpiper, and Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Continued wetland degradation and fragmentation of remaining grasslands threaten future suitability of the prairie pothole region for all of these birds.

This region is characterized by coniferous and northern hardwood forests, nutrient poor soils and numerous clear lakes, bogs, and river flowage. All of the world's Kirtland’s Warblers breed here, as do the majority of Golden-winged Warblers and Connecticut Warblers. Great Lakes coastal estuaries, river flowage, large shallow lakes, and natural wild rice lakes are used by many breeding and migrating water birds. Yellow Rail is among the important wetland species, and islands in the Great Lakes support large colonies of Caspian and Common Terns. Although breeding ducks are sparsely distributed, stable water conditions allow for consistent reproductive success. Wood Duck, Mallard, American Black Duck, Ring-necked Duck, and Common Goldeneye are common breeding species in this region. Threats to wetland habitat in the Boreal Forest Transition Region include recreational development, cranberry operations, peat harvesting, and drainage.

This region includes what was formerly the most tall and lush grasslands of the Great Plains. Beech-maple forest dominated in the eastern sections, and the prairie and woodland ecotone between the two was marked by a broad and dynamic oak-dominated savannah. The modern landscape of the Eastern Tallgrass Prairie is dominated by agriculture. Threats to the upland and wetland habitats of this region include urbanization, recreational development, and agricultural expansion. High priority grassland birds that persist in some areas include the Greater Prairie-Chicken and Henslow's Sparrow. Cerulean Warblers are in some wooded areas, and Red-headed Woodpecker leads the list of savannah specialists.

Prairies dominated this region in the west and south and beech-maple
forest in the north and east, separated by an oak savannah. There are
still remnant populations of Greater Prairie-Chicken in grasslands and
Cerulean Warbler and other forest breeding migrants to the northeast.
Early successional habitat is used by Golden-winged Warblers, Henslow's
Sparrows, and American Woodcock. Glaciation has resulted in numerous
pothole-type wetlands and shallow lakes, and the Great Lakes support
coastal estuaries and are the destinations of much river flowage.
Additional important lakeshore wetland waterfowl habitats range from
emergent marshes and diked impoundments to nearly ice-free deepwater
habitats valuable for diving ducks. This region is second only to the
prairie pothole region in terms of support of high densities of
breeding waterfowl including Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Wood Duck, and Redhead.