Latest / The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Podcast / Episode 34 | Taking Flight with Cover Crops as Bird Habitat
Transcript
- Episode 34 | Taking Flight with Cover Crops as Bird Habitat 00:00:06:06 - 00:00:35:21 Todd Gleason This is the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Podcast, episode 34: Taking Flight with cover crops as bird habitat. I'm University of Illinois Extension's Todd Gleason. Today we'll discuss the importance of cover crops and bird populations. Dr. Mike Ward is an associate professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences here on the University of Illinois campus. We'll start with him and ask him to tell us just a little bit about what he does. 00:00:35:23 - 00:00:54:11 Mike Ward So I study bird conservation, bird behavior. So I study a lot, I’m an ecologist that studies primarily birds with the over arching goal to understand how to manage populations, conserve populations or in some cases to try and manage problematic bird species. 00:00:54:13 - 00:00:56:14 Todd Gleason What are your projects at the moment? 00:00:56:16 - 00:01:02:10 Mike Ward Oh we have lots of stuff going on right now. So we're studying the migration, bird that's declining in Illinois. 00:01:02:10 - 00:01:28:10 Mike Ward Whippoorwill. So they migrate down to Central America and Mexico, and I'm trying to understand why they're declining. We are studying Canada geese in Chicago, trying to determine how we can keep them from flying in front of airplanes at midway airports. We have more esoteric studies going on trying to understand parent offspring conflict and, songbirds. So why do parents kick their babies out of the nest to a spot where they're likely to die? 00:01:28:12 - 00:01:47:03 Mike Ward We have studies on eastern meadowlark. A very common bird in agricultural lands throughout Illinois, but it's showing large declines. And so we're trying to understand where they winter. They don't spend the winter in Illinois. They probably get it out of Texas or maybe Mexico. And just trying to figure out what factors are contributing to their population declines. 00:01:47:06 - 00:01:51:21 Todd Gleason Have you been doing work with cover crops and bird habitat and agricultural settings? 00:01:51:22 - 00:02:08:19 Mike Ward We have. So we have quite a bit of work on those. So we have we looked at, the impact of cover crops on migratory birds. So obviously cover crops are becoming much more common throughout the state. And so we wanted to understand what the relative value of cover crops are to migratory birds. 00:02:08:22 - 00:02:34:03 Mike Ward We have another project where we work with, farmers and water management to put in control structures to hold water back in early spring for birds that winter in South America and breed in the Arctic so they can stop over in fields. And we the idea is we plug up control structures to kind of control the water flow and fields, and then actually flood a little bit of the field to provide habitat for birds. 00:02:34:03 - 00:03:01:20 Mike Ward And then they can pull the boards out of control structures in April and then go back to farming. And so it's a way that we can integrate, you know, we can work with producers and farmers to have some habitat for wildlife at the same time promoting, you know, their business. And, I'm a real big believer in that if we're going to achieve conservation, environmental conservation throughout Illinois, we have to work with the, you know, the land use that's the most prevalent, which is agriculture. 00:03:01:22 - 00:03:11:26 Mike Ward And I think there's lots of ways we can, simple ways we can integrate, practices with producers that are both beneficial for them and beneficial for wildlife and birds. 00:03:12:03 - 00:03:26:06 Todd Gleason I think it probably is fairly easy for most to understand creating temporary water structures and what that might mean for migratory birds. However, I'm wondering what the relationship might be with cover crops and bird habitat. 00:03:26:07 - 00:03:55:02 Mike Ward Yeah, so cover crops. So, most of our birds in Illinois are migratory, right? So they're not spending the winter in Illinois, and they come back. A lot of them are coming back this time of year. So in March and as you drive across Illinois this time of year, these AG fields are pretty much devoid of vegetation. And so the advent of cover crops, which obviously have some benefit for soil health and retaining, retaining, nitrogen for farmers also provide cover for a lot of our birds that arrive this time of year. 00:03:55:04 - 00:04:14:18 Mike Ward And so, and most these are they're not breeding yet, right. They're just migratory birds, but they need a place to find a few insects to get out of the wind, to get out a way of predators. And, you know, a lot of us are so used to the landscape in Illinois. What is used to driving, you know, along interstate and seeing, you know, pretty much bare fields. 00:04:14:20 - 00:04:26:20 Mike Ward And so you get a good crop of cereal rye out there. It can really be a godsend for some of these migratory birds that are, you know, trying to make their way back to their, place to breed and kind of stuck over an area where there's not much cover. 00:04:26:22 - 00:04:33:05 Todd Gleason There's benefits for the birds. How about, benefits from bringing the birds back into the habitat? 00:04:33:07 - 00:04:55:04 Mike Ward Yeah. I mean, there's environmental benefits, in the, in the context. And we haven't done a lot of research on this, but other people have, you know, if you have a healthy bird populations around, they can, contribute to keeping some of the crop pests in line. So these days, we can now catch birds and take fecal samples and sequence those, determine what they're eating. 00:04:55:10 - 00:05:18:01 Mike Ward And a lot of them are eating, you know, pest insects, maws, other things. You know, corn rootworm, beetles and that kind of stuff that are, are potentially contributing to the, to some crop loss. The there's great work and more southern areas and more orchards where if you promote bird populations, you really, reduce some of the damage you get from insects out there. 00:05:18:04 - 00:05:35:17 Mike Ward And so there's that benefit. And the other thing is really there's really not a cost, right. You know, a lot of, people throughout Illinois enjoy, hunting. And so pheasants are one of the species where, this time of year, they're getting, you know, geared up for the breeding season. So you see a lot of males running around. 00:05:35:21 - 00:05:46:02 Mike Ward Well, they need areas to hide as well. And so we find a lot of pheasants in the cover crops that are using that as a, an area to kind of survive. And then it provides hunting opportunities for, the landowners in the fall. 00:05:46:08 - 00:05:59:11 Todd Gleason Are there issues related to these food and feeding acres, crops which are used primarily, I suppose, for the insect populations by the birds when they're terminated and they go away. 00:05:59:13 - 00:06:20:23 Mike Ward Yeah. No, that's a great question. So there is we are starting a new project this year with Department Natural Resources looking at cover crop fields on department of natural resources property. And in our research with cover crops, there's wide variation in farmers when they want to terminate. Some are very eager to get out there. And so they're terminating, you know, end of March while others are not. 00:06:20:23 - 00:06:39:05 Mike Ward So in such a big rush. And they're not terminating until May. And it's a complex situation, right. So the longer it goes, the more it provides habitat for migratory birds. The flip side of that is if you go way into May, than birds are thinking, well, this habitat is going to be here, right? I should start breeding. And so you have birds start nesting out there. 00:06:39:09 - 00:06:58:26 Mike Ward Well, next thing you know, people come through and spray it with, the roundup and start working the land to plant their cash crop. And then those nests get destroyed. And so we call that an ecological trap, and that it looks like a good place for a bird to, you know, spend it summer, raise its young, but it's not obviously, because they're going to it's all going to be destroyed for the cash crop. 00:06:58:28 - 00:07:12:04 Mike Ward So there's probably a sweet spot in there where it's good for migratory birds, but we don't go long enough to start tricking birds into trying to breed and waste all their energy, and resources, and to breeding at a site where they're not going to be able to reproduce. 00:07:12:07 - 00:07:18:18 Todd Gleason A couple of final questions for you. Do cover crops attract a wider diversity of species? 00:07:18:19 - 00:07:43:07 Mike Ward Well, in traditional ag, yes, for sure. So and research we did a couple of years ago, several species of conservation concern that migrate through Illinois. Are there a lot more meadowlark, a lot more sparrows, I mean, to the average, you know, we go out and work with producers, and the average producer doesn't really know the difference between some of these, birds, but, you know, some are actually very interested in go out with us. 00:07:43:07 - 00:07:57:20 Mike Ward And, and I think a lot of them are really, really struck by the fact that I can point to this bird and say, you know, a month ago that bird was in South America, and it's stopping over in this field because you have this little bit of habitat on its way to breed in northern part of Alaska. 00:07:57:23 - 00:08:19:22 Mike Ward And so there's a lot more diversity. And these cover crop fields than I think people realize. And, you know, again, it's a good example, just a little bit of a different agricultural practice that has obvious, benefits for, on the agronomy side. can also benefit these birds. And we're not talking, you know, diversity like you would see in some of the Shawnee national forests or some really nice areas in Illinois. 00:08:19:25 - 00:08:31:15 Mike Ward But you're I mean, you could see 20 or 30 species out in those areas. And you compare that to like a corn or soybean field, or you might see, you know, 4 or 5 species at that time of year. So it definitely is a benefit. 00:08:31:21 - 00:08:38:28 Todd Gleason Any advice for producers, landowners who are interested in increasing the bird activity on their properties? 00:08:39:01 - 00:08:43:20 Todd Gleason And using cover crops, but, good things and maybe foibles might be? 00:08:43:21 - 00:09:04:16 Mike Ward Right so we found that cereal rye which happens also be my understanding. It's the most popular cover crop in the cover crop that might provide the most benefit in terms of sequestering nitrogen also is the best cover crop for wildlife. And so, you know, I know there's like, crimson clover and turnips and, other types of cover crops. 00:09:04:20 - 00:09:24:27 Mike Ward And we have that worked in like, I guess it's turnips and parsnips and, but it didn't seem like the wildlife used as much. It really like, these, cereal rye. And the earlier you get it planted and the more growth you get in the, in the fall. And there's kind of more structure there in the spring, we see them using that more. 00:09:24:29 - 00:09:42:20 Mike Ward And so, yeah, I mean, my advice is to, you know, there's a lot of, groups out there, NRCs, and private organizations that promote these cover crops and getting cereal rye out there, you know, could be a benefit to, you know, the, the nutrient perspective, but also it's going to benefit wildlife. 00:09:42:23 - 00:09:51:04 Todd Gleason Mike Ward is an associate professor in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences here on the Urbana-Champaign campus of the University of Illinois. 00:09:51:06 - 00:10:05:07 Todd Gleason He's been exploring the interaction of migratory birds and cover crops. Rick Kerchenfaut is a farmer from Gibson City and has some experience in this area. I asked him to tell us a little bit about his farm. 00:10:05:07 - 00:10:36:06 Rick Kerchenfaut We have traditionally been the conservative, the typical conservative, tillage farmer with, chisel plowing, the corn stalks cultivating in the spring, disking the, the beans stubble and, recently, well, I think we started with the cover crops approximately seven years ago, and it started off with just experimenting with some cereal rye. 00:10:36:08 - 00:11:11:03 Rick Kerchenfaut We had a compacted farm that, tried to loosen up the soil a little bit. So we we spread the cereal rye with the potash on the corn stalks after harvest and, and did a really fine job, loosening the soil, but also helped control some of the, water, hemp and mare's tail that we had, issues with on that particular farm, which kind of let us down the path of, the, no till and cover crops and soil health. 00:11:11:03 - 00:11:37:03 Rick Kerchenfaut And it started, opening up the our eyes as to the benefits that each of these things brought. But, it was, quite a large learning curve. So we took it one step at a time. We had some success stories, and like anybody else, they, you know, it didn't always work like it was supposed to. And there's some sometimes it didn't go so well. 00:11:37:06 - 00:11:41:13 Rick Kerchenfaut But, we learn from our mistakes and and keep moving forward. 00:11:41:16 - 00:11:48:27 Todd Gleason How is it that you decided that you would be interested in cover crops and bird habitat at the farm? 00:11:49:00 - 00:12:04:20 Rick Kerchenfaut Well, the, the cover crops. We open the door into the bird habitat show, as a result of the increased use of cover crops, came the insects. 00:12:04:26 - 00:12:41:10 Rick Kerchenfaut They they were able to overwinter and, survive that, with, more flowering plants, the diversity of plants that we had out there, we saw an increase of, beetles, crickets, spiders and it it was a out of concern, some of the pests that that could possibly overwinter that, took us, I guess even, further, expansion of our types of cover crops that we use. 00:12:41:12 - 00:13:26:01 Rick Kerchenfaut So we, wanted to, sort of integrate, do an integrated pest management program, increase the habitat of the beneficial insects, and hopes to control any potential pests that that may arise, such as slugs or army worms. So we started using, some native species, some, grasses and forbs and, intent to graze them. They started off with just buffer strips, but once, once we realized that we had flowering plants, and, and, increased variety of plants and, living root system in the ground year round. 00:13:26:03 - 00:13:36:29 Rick Kerchenfaut We saw huge, increases in insect populations. And at the same time, we started noticing increases in bird populations. 00:13:37:01 - 00:13:40:17 Todd Gleason How did the bird populations change? 00:13:40:17 - 00:13:56:27 Rick Kerchenfaut I, just the, the numbers and and the diversity of the birds. I, I wasn't, I'm kind of behind the curve on the, the different types of birds and, and their, their habitats. 00:13:56:27 - 00:14:25:00 Rick Kerchenfaut So I reached out to Dr. Nick Seiter and Brodie Dunn, who helped me begin identifying some of the insects and birds that we had on the farm. And, you know, we, we see an upland sandpiper from time to time or, blue grosbeak, increased pheasant population. Harrier hawks. So just, just, much larger diversity as well as increased numbers. 00:14:25:05 - 00:14:34:00 Todd Gleason Has your management strategy changed over the years to impact the types of birds that come? 00:14:34:00 - 00:14:35:12 Rick Kerchenfaut It has, it has. 00:14:35:19 - 00:14:53:22 Rick Kerchenfaut And part of that has to do with, planting some of the native grasses and flowers, and trying to keep some, some plants for our and living roots year round, and leave that habitat so that, the birds and insects can, can overwinter. 00:14:53:27 - 00:15:05:02 Todd Gleason Finally, what advice might you have for farmers, landowners who are interested in increasing bird activity, species diversity within, their farm and using cover crops? 00:15:05:04 - 00:15:33:02 Rick Kerchenfaut It takes time. It will respond. It is it is possible to, have the the profitability and the changes, but it it's it just takes time for the soil to heal itself. It takes time for the insects to rebound. It takes time for the birds to, to come. So it's it's baby steps. But as long as we keep moving forward, I think the, the rewards are well worth the effort. 00:15:33:09 - 00:15:47:06 Rick Kerchenfaut And, it's not something you're going to see a quick response in in one year, but, it's over a period of several years of improved habitat overall will bring larger numbers. 00:15:47:08 - 00:15:56:14 Todd Gleason That was Rick Kerchanfaut. He's a farmer from the Gibson City, Illinois area. Not very far, actually, from the Urbana-Champaign campus of the University of Illinois. 00:15:56:14 - 00:16:17:29 Todd Gleason You heard him mentioned entomologist Nick Seiter and his grad student Brodie Dunn. As it related to identifying the changing species of insects and birds on some of his farms. I caught up with the grad student, Brodie Dunn, and talked to him a little bit about the work he's been doing. 00:16:17:29 - 00:16:20:20 Brodie Dunn I'm a longtime resident of Central Illinois. 00:16:20:22 - 00:16:33:27 Brodie Dunn Former president of the champion County Audubon Society, current graduate student, and, the Seiter lab here at the University of Illinois, grew up in a small town close to here. And like I said, I've loved birds for a long time. 00:16:33:29 - 00:16:36:04 Todd Gleason What's your master's research focus on? 00:16:36:04 - 00:16:43:21 Brodie Dunn I'm looking into the pest and beneficial arthropods in soybeans following the planting of, cereal rye cover crops. 00:16:43:23 - 00:16:53:00 Brodie Dunn But I'm also interested in my research into the effects that cover crops and, on on, birds and the bird community. 00:16:53:02 - 00:16:56:11 Todd Gleason What interested you in studying that relationship? 00:16:56:14 - 00:17:07:08 Brodie Dunn You know, birds are on a massive decline. They're they're really reducing in numbers. You know, we have lots of scientists, lots of data and science to back that up. 00:17:07:08 - 00:17:29:25 Brodie Dunn But, you know, really, one of the more compelling things that I've, I've sort of heard is all of these old timers that I've heard with are constantly saying, you know, the, the migratory, season isn't what it used to be. Bird migration is not what it used to be. The trees used to just drip with warblers and with sparrows and, we just don't see that anymore. 00:17:29:27 - 00:17:32:12 Brodie Dunn And, that's that's really what got me interested. 00:17:32:14 - 00:17:37:10 Todd Gleason How did things change when you look at bird populations in cover crops. 00:17:37:10 - 00:17:57:18 Brodie Dunn In cover crops, you know, the difference between cover crops and no cover crops is pretty staggering. Whenever you're out there in the field. You know, I can walk into when I was doing my bird surveys, I could walk into a a non cover crop field, just, just a bare field. 00:17:57:20 - 00:18:19:09 Brodie Dunn And I would do my five minute survey, and I'd just be sitting there with my pen and my binoculars for the entire five minutes and write nothing down. Right. And then I could go. I could drive a quarter mile down the road to the next field, and I would fill up the entire sheet in five minutes. You know, I would barely be able to keep up with the number of birds that were out there. 00:18:19:11 - 00:18:21:03 Todd Gleason How does it change over the seasons? 00:18:21:05 - 00:18:37:22 Brodie Dunn Right. So we have a huge flocks of birds that come in the spring, in the fall and that's that coincide with, the migratory season. And you know, apart from that, we have seasonal birds that are with us in the summer and with us in the winter, and we would call those resident birds. 00:18:37:24 - 00:18:47:06 Todd Gleason What impact does it have on insect populations? On in the cover crop itself and coincidentally in the cash crop after the fact. 00:18:47:09 - 00:19:01:22 Brodie Dunn You know, the short answer is that we just don't know. Birds are out there further eating insects. But figuring out exactly what insects the birds are eating is, it's really pretty difficult, to to do it accurately. 00:19:01:22 - 00:19:18:07 Brodie Dunn You would, you would have to use genetic testing and to to my knowledge, no one has done that yet. We do know that birds can reduce pest insect populations in other biomes, places like tropics, where insects are, like hyper abundant. But we're just not sure that that that's the case here. 00:19:18:10 - 00:19:23:00 Todd Gleason Is there a downside to having birds create habitat in the cover crops? 00:19:23:03 - 00:19:43:26 Brodie Dunn The biggest downside to a bird making a home and a cover crop is likely always going to be for the bird, in the best of circumstances. So they're going to get sprayed with herbicide. And in the worst circumstances, which is, to be totally honest, the more likely of the two, it's going to get hit or in its nest and its eggs might get destroyed by field equipment. 00:19:43:28 - 00:19:50:17 Todd Gleason Can the birds prey upon pest insects that we traditionally may have controlled with an insecticide? 00:19:50:17 - 00:20:13:14 Brodie Dunn You know, that's possible. There are, you know, kind of caterpillars out there or kind of insects that are good eating for birds. And if left to their own devices, those insects would be eating our crops. But even with, you know, really abundant birds, I'm not totally sure that they would be sufficient by themselves that controlling any major pest outbreak. 00:20:13:16 - 00:20:40:15 Todd Gleason Brodie Dunn is a crop sciences graduate student here on the Urbana-Champaign campus of the University of Illinois. He's been working with extension entomologist Nick Seiter. You've been listening to episode 34 of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction podcast, Taking flight with cover crops as bird habitat. The program was produced in conjunction with Illinois Extension Watershed Outreach associates Jennifer Jones and Rachel Curry. 00:20:40:18 - 00:20:43:08 Todd Gleason I'm Illinois Extension's Todd Gleason.