Upland birds, also known as upland game birds, are a group of bird species that live primarily in open habitats on the ground, rather than in trees or near bodies of water. They are hunted recreationally and also play important roles in ecosystems. Some key facts about upland birds include:
Definition of Upland Birds
The term “upland bird” refers to bird species that inhabit open upland habitats like grasslands, meadows, agricultural fields, prairies, scrublands, and other open areas. They spend most of their time walking and foraging on the ground rather than flying. This is in contrast to wetland birds that frequent marshes, swamps, and shorelines.
Some key characteristics of upland birds:
- Live and forage primarily on open, upland habitats rather than wetlands.
- Spend lots of time walking and running rather than swimming or wading.
- Nest on the ground in vegetation rather than in trees or aquatic habitats.
- Prefer habitats with a mix of native grasses, forbs (broadleaf plants), and scrubby vegetation.
The designation of “upland game bird” refers to those upland bird species that are commonly hunted for sport and food. However, there are many upland bird species that are not hunted regularly or at all.
Major Groups of Upland Birds
There are several major taxonomic groups that contain species considered to be upland birds:
- Galliformes: This order contains turkeys, grouse, quail, partridges, pheasants, and other “gamebirds.” These chunky, terrestrial birds are widely hunted for sport and food. Examples include wild turkey, ruffed grouse, Northern bobwhite, chukar, and ring-necked pheasant.
- Columbiformes: The dove and pigeon family includes several species often found in open habitats like mourning doves and common ground doves.
- Charadriiformes: The shorebird order contains some upland species including the American woodcock which frequents young forests.
- Passeriformes: Many open country songbirds are upland species. Examples include meadowlarks, bobolinks, horned larks, and Eastern meadowlarks.
- Gruiformes: The crane family contains the sandhill crane which nests in upland habitats.
- Falconiformes: Falcons and other raptors that hunt upland gamebirds are also considered upland species.
Major Upland Game Birds
The most important upland game bird species can be divided into major groups:
Turkeys
- Wild turkey: The most widespread upland gamebird in North America, hunted in spring and fall.
Grouse
- Ruffed grouse: The most popular upland gamebird in the dense forests of eastern North America.
- Spruce grouse: Found in coniferous forests of the West and northern Midwest.
- Dusky grouse: A Western species also known as the blue grouse.
- Sharp-tailed grouse: Inhabit open woodlands and brushy areas primarily the Great Plains and West.
- Greater prairie chicken: Live on prairies and grasslands of the central U.S.
- Lesser prairie chicken: A prairie grouse of the south-central states.
- Sage grouse: Depend on sagebrush habitats of the Western U.S.
Quails
- Northern bobwhite: The most widespread quail, found in brushy areas and woodland edges east of the Rockies.
- California quail: Common in the West in brush, open woodlands, and near water.
- Mountain quail: Inhabit brushy mountain foothills of the Pacific Northwest.
- Montezuma (Mearns’s) quail: A Southwestern desert quail.
- Gambel’s quail: Found in the arid Southwest in desert scrub and brushy ravines.
Partridges
- Gray partridge: An introduced gamebird of the northern plains and Midwest.
- Chukar: Not native but widely established in the West in rocky, hilly areas.
- Himalayan snowcock: Introduced in Nevada mountains.
Pheasants
- Ring-necked pheasant: The most common pheasant, widely introduced across North America.
- Ruffed pheasant: Introduced locally in some Western states.
Others
- American woodcock: A rockier bird related to sandpipers but inhabiting young forests.
- Mourning dove: A widespread and common upland gamebird.
- Cottontail rabbit: Not a bird but a popular upland game species.
Key Upland Game Birds by Region
The most important upland species vary by geographic region across North America:
Region | Major Upland Game Birds |
---|---|
Northeast | Ruffed grouse, wild turkey, American woodcock, ring-necked pheasant, bobwhite quail |
Southeast | Wild turkey, bobwhite quail, mourning dove |
Midwest | Wild turkey, ring-necked pheasant, bobwhite quail, ruffed grouse, mourning dove, gray partridge |
Great Plains | Wild turkey, ring-necked pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, greater prairie chicken, bobwhite quail, mourning dove, gray partridge |
Southwest | Gambel’s quail, Montezuma quail, mourning dove, white-winged dove, chukar |
Rocky Mountains | Dusky grouse, spruce grouse, white-tailed ptarmigan, sage grouse, chukar, gray partridge |
Pacific Coast | Mountain quail, California quail, sooty grouse, mourning dove, chukar |
Alaska | Spruce grouse, dusky grouse, white-tailed ptarmigan, willow ptarmigan |
Habitats Used by Upland Birds
Upland birds occupy diverse habitats in open country across North America. Major upland habitat types include:
- Grasslands: Prairies, meadows, pastures, grassy plains. Used by pheasants, prairie grouse, quails, and other species.
- Agricultural lands: Croplands, hayfields, fallow fields. Attract pheasants, doves, quail, and more.
- Early successional forest: Areas of young saplings, seedlings, shrubs and grasses. Ruffed grouse and American woodcock rely on these.
- Open woodlands: Savannas, scrub oak flats, open pine forests. Wild turkey, bobwhites, and quails use these.
- Chaparral: Brushy hillsides with shrubs like manzanita and ceanothus. Home to California quail and other Western species.
- Sagebrush steppe: Lands dominated by sagebrush. Sage grouse depend on these endangered habitats.
- Mountain shrublands: Western foothills with mountain mahogany, bitterbrush, and scrub oaks that attract dusky grouse, chukar, and more.
- Desert scrub: Arid areas with brushy vegetation like mesquite, palo verde, and acacia. Gambel’s quail and scaled quail live here.
A variety of upland habitats are necessary to support diverse upland bird populations. Loss of grasslands and early successional forest habitats have caused declines in some species.
Threats Facing Upland Birds
Many upland bird populations face serious threats and have declined significantly in past decades. Major threats include:
- Habitat loss, especially of native grasslands and early successional forests, due to agriculture, development, and fire suppression.
- Invasive plants crowding out beneficial native vegetation.
- Lack of habitat diversity due to industrial agriculture and forestry practices.
- Climate change altering habitats and migration patterns.
- Pesticides reducing insect food sources.
- Overgrazing by livestock degrading habitats.
- Declining predator diversity leading to increased nest predation.
- Collision mortality from structures and vehicles.
- Hunting pressures suppressing some populations.
- Introduction of non-native gamebirds outcompeting native species.
Conservation programs to restore and manage a diversity of upland habitats, control invasive species, and balance predator-prey dynamics are needed to recover declining populations.
Role of Upland Birds in Ecosystems
Upland birds play vital roles in the ecosystems they inhabit:
- Help disperse seeds of native plants through droppings.
- Control insect pest populations as predators and herbivores.
- Provide food sources for predators like foxes, hawks, coyotes, bobcats.
- Excavate soil and leaf litter while foraging, recycling nutrients.
- Nesting and feeding activities help maintain diverse plant communities.
- Serve as indicators of ecosystem health and biodiversity.
Declines and disappearances of upland birds can disrupt food webs and ecological balance. Maintaining healthy upland bird populations is important for ecosystem integrity.
Economic Importance of Upland Birds
Upland birds have significant economic value:
- Hunting of upland gamebirds like pheasants, quail, and grouse generates billions in economic activity annually.
- License fees and taxes on hunting equipment provide funds for wildlife conservation.
- Non-hunting recreation like birdwatching produces additional economic benefits.
- Pest control services to agriculture provided by upland birds’ consumption of damaging insects and weed seeds are worth billions.
Investing in upland bird conservation provides returns through these revenue streams and ecosystem services.
Upland Bird Conservation Efforts
Many initiatives aim to conserve and restore upland bird populations:
- Protected wildlife refuges managed specifically for upland gamebirds.
- Sustainable forestry practices that provide early successional habitat.
- Conservation Reserve Program paying farmers to restore grasslands and wildlife habitat.
- Reintroduction of native plants and controlled burning to improve habitats.
- Predator control and nest protection programs in key areas.
- Restrictions on pesticide use where it harms bird populations.
- Careful regulation of hunting seasons and bag limits.
Continued habitat restoration, funding for conservation programs, and responsible hunting practices will be key to upland bird population recovery.
Conclusion
Upland birds encompass a diverse group of ground-dwelling species that inhabit open upland habitats across North America. Major taxa include galliform gamebirds, pigeons, shorebirds, and songbirds. Though they fill vital ecological roles, many upland species have suffered severe declines due to habitat loss, climate change, and other threats. Ongoing conservation efforts aimed at restoring native vegetation, providing habitat diversity, and balancing predator-prey dynamics are crucial to maintaining healthy upland bird populations.