Canada WarblerCanada WarblerA Comprehensive Loo

k at Habitat LocationsA Comprehensive Loo

k at Habitat LocationsChristine JohnsonChristine JohnsonRegional PlanningRegional Planning

LA 401LA 401

Table of Contents

Introduction 3

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Animal Overview

Study #1

Study #2

Study #3

Conclusions

Sources

Project Parameters

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The goal of this project was to select an area that was suitable for a preserve and interpretive center

for a species of our choice. I chose the Canada Warbler, so I then had to come up with 5 goals with

measureable outcomes that could be interpreted by GIS mapping and data. The end result was to fi nd

3-5 potential sites that could be used for this nature area.

Canada Warbler‘Cardellina canadensis’

Description

Habitat

Nesting

The Canada Warbler is about 5” high. It is solid gray above, without any wing bars,

and yellow below, along with yellow “spectacles”. There is a black spotted “necklace”

on the breast, which also lent it the name “Necklaced Warbler”, but that has since

fallen out of use.2

At all times of the year, the Canada Warbler prefers wet thickets and brushy areas. It

mostly nests in riparian thickets, brushy ravines, and forest bogs across a wide range

of elevations and forest types. It most frequently appears in aspen forests in the

northwest part of its range and forested wetlands and swamps towards the central

portions of its range. During migration, it utilizes brushy areas and a wide variety of

mesic woodlands, parks, swamps, scrub, and forest.3

The Cananda Warbler will lay 4 brown-spotted white eggs in a nest of dried leaves or

and grass. They are ususally located near the ground at the base of a tree stump or a

clump of ferns.3

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Feeding Patterns

Breeding

Like other birds in this family, the Canada Warbler is very adept at

fl y-catching, usually fl itting from bussh to bush. Flying insects form a

good portion of its diet, but it also captures spiders and insect larvae.2

The diet is also supplemented by snails, worms, and fruit (seasonally). It

often fl ushes insects from the brush, catching them as it fl ies. They also

search near the ground and tree branches. As with many other warbler

species, the males will tend to forage higher than the females on the

breeding grounds.3

An estimated 64% of the Canada Warbler

population nests in Canada’s boreal region.

Studies suggest that pairs can be monogamous,

with nests being built by the females during the

breeding season. The nests are usually built on

or very close to the ground, usually including root

masses, stumps, stream banks, and mossy logs;

the clutch size is normally between 2-6. These

birds are usually the last to arrive at the breeding

site and the fi rst to leave.3

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Legend

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0 2 4 6 81Miles «

Legend

Porter_

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Porter_

Legend

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Porter_

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Porter_

Study #1

Legend

Wetlands, Forest, and Floodplains

Suitable SitesFloodplains Intersect ForestsDeciduous/Evergreen Forests

County Lines

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Terrestrial Forests Floodplains WetlandsThe fi rst set of data I collected was

from the terrestrial forests of Porter

County. Since Indiana is the migratory

state for the Canada Warbler, I fi gured

a mix of evergreen and deciduous

trees would be good for habitat since it

would provide protection year round.

To narrow my sites down, I decided

that looking at fl oodplains was the

next logical step. Since the Canada

Warbler does well in places like forest

bogs and brushy ravines, I decided that

the fl oodplains that also intersected

the terrestrial forests would be a good

place to fi nd suitable habitats.

The last step was to narrow down my

site choice even further by looking

for actual documented wetland areas

within Porter County. This map shows

the locations of all the known wetlands,

three of which lie inside the wetlands

that also intersect the terrestrial

forests.

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Goals

Objectives

Analysis

~Deciduous/evergreen forest habitat

~Upper area of Porter County

~Wetland areas

~Floodplains

~Within Porter County

~Find out where deciduous and evergreen forests intersect

~Choose a place in the upper areas after suitable sites have been located by GIS

~Figure out which wetland areas are within terrestrial forests

~Figure out which fl oodplains intersect the terrestrial forests

~Locate all data within Porter County

After looking at the 3 sites that GIS located for me, I decided that site to the northwest of Porter

County would be the most ideal place to do my ground truth study because it seemed to be closest to a

forested and fl oodplain area; it was also a registered wetland.

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Legend

Porter_

Porter_

Porter_

Porter_

Conclusions

As shown by this image, the site that GIS found for me is almost directly on top of

a major raodway, so this would not be a suitable site to put a nature habitat and

education center.

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0 2 4 6 81Miles «

Legend

Porter_

Porter_

Porter_

Porter_

Study #2

Legend

Emergent Wetlands, Forests, and Developed Areas

Wetlands Within ForestsSuitable Sites

Forests/Developed Areas Intersect

Emergent Wetlands/Developed Areas Intersect

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Developed Areas Emergent Wetlands ForestsI decided to dig deeper into my

research and fi nd out just how close my

habitat selections came to developed

areas. In this study I looked at emergent

herbaceous wetlands that had a mile

round buff er on them and happened

to intersect with develped areas, the

results of which are colored in blue.

After fi nding these areas I looked back

at my forests and tried to fi nd which

forests happened to intersect with my

developed areas. The reasoning behind

this was to provide a nice nature area

for the residents of a certain area to

appreciate while also learning about

the species involved.

The places colored in maroon are the

terrestrial forest areas that intersect

the emergent wetlands and the

developed areas. To narrow down my

sites even further, I decided to look at

the Porter County wetlands again and

this time came up with three distinct

sites.

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Goals

Objectives

Analysis

~Terrestrial forests

~Near developed areas

~Emergent wetland areas

~Upper part of the county

~Within Porter County

~Find out where deciduous and evergreen forests intersect

~Locate all developed areas (from highly developed to open)

~Look for emergent wetlands areas instead of pin-pointing exact wetland spots

~Look for sites that appear in the upper portions of the county

~Locate all data within Porter County

These fi ve sites, to my surprise, turned out to be completely diff erent from my previous study; they

seemed to be clustered more towards the middle of the county than on the outskirts. I assume this is

because I focused on the developed areas of Porter County, which would be more towards the center.

After looking at my results I decided to do a ground truth study on the upper east portion because it

was most located near the largest mass of terrestrial forest.

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Conclusions

These three sites are grouped very close together, so any one of them would be

perfect for my animal. It fulfi lls all of my goals and is located very near a sizeable

body of water.

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0 2 4 6 81Miles «

Legend

Porter_

Porter_

Porter_

Porter_

Study #3Lakes, Trails, and Roads

Legend

Major Highways

Trails

Suitable Sites

Porter County Lakes

1000’ Away from Trails

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Previous Data Lakes and Roads TrailsThis map is showing all the previous

data I’ve collected from the last study

that I found was most useful and

relative to my animal, but I did not feel

as if I delved into it deep enough. I

decided to concentrate on roads and

trails this time, since my bird builds it’s

nests on the ground.

I looked at larger bodies of water that

were located inside terrestrial forests

and were also within 1000’ of any

dangerous major highways. Hearing the

sound of cars whizzing by at 80 mph is

not exactly condusice to a maintained

nature area.

I looked back at the developed land

map and decided that locating my site

about 1000’ away from these areas

would be a good idea. I then looked

at the Porter County hiking trails and

decided that locating my sites another

1000’ away from those would also be

benefi cial.

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Goals

Objectives

Analysis

~Terrestrial forested area

~Away from major trails

~Emergent wetland areas

~Bodies of water

~Away from major highways

~Find out where deciduous and evergreen forests intersect

~Find sites that are at least 1000’ away from trails systems

~Figure out which wetland areas intersect terrestrial forests

~Locate lakes that lie within the wetland and forest areas

~Locate sites that are at least 1000’ away from major highways

Again, this analysis found four sites that were completely diff erent from the last two studies. This time

they were all clustered together in the northern part of the county and I know that the area is more

naturalized than the other two studies showed. I picked a ground study from that area that I thought

best represented what I was looking for in terms of habitat.

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Conclusions

Though all four of these sites are fantastic locations for my bird, the one to the

south is too close to a major developed area for my taste. I think that the other

three areas, though, would all be great sites; in fact, connecting those three and

making a trail system between them would be an excellent idea.

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Conclusions

Study #3 Study #2

I am partial to either of these studies as far as locating my site goes. If I had to

choose one over the other, though, I would choose the three sites from study #3

because of the opportunity to create an extensive trail system and wider range of

habitat for the Canada Warbler.

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Text and images

Images Only

All About Birds. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, n.d. Web. 24 Aug. 2014

Audobon. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Aug. 2014.

Boreal Songbird Initiative. N.p. n.d. Web. 24 Aug. 2014.

“Canada Warbler.” Photograph. The Internet Bird Collection. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Sept. 2014

“Canada Warbler.” Photograph. Wikepedia Commons. N.p., 16 May 2011. Web. 5 Sept. 2014.

Spitalnik, Lloyd. “Canada Warbler.” Photograph. Lloyd Spitalnik Photography. N.p., 14 May

2008. Web. 5 Sept. 2014.

Bibliography

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