The birds of Konza : the avian ecology of the tallgrass prairie /

The Konza Prairie is an 8,600-acre remnant of the virgin tallgrass prairie that once covered much of the Midwest. This outstanding preserve has been selected for long-term studies in ecology by the National Science Foundation, and this book provides a 20-year overview of the bird communities there. Zimmerman and his students have been very active in ornithological studies in prairie habitats, at Konza and elsewhere in Kansas. The Konza communities include gallery forests, shrubby outcrops, and various types of grassland (natural, managed zones with annual burns, and agricultural) as well as experimental watersheds for cattle and bison grazing. The birdlife of each vegetation type is discussed in ecological terms, with particular attention to habitat selection, seasonality, population dynamics, and conservation. Prominent species such as the dickcissel and prairie chicken are reviewed in depth. A large part of the text is an annotated list of more than 200 species of birds recorded at Konza, with distributional details. (Habitat photographs would have been more valuable than bird illustrations). There is also a phenological checklist of the birds, a vegetation list, and an ecological glossary. General; advanced undergraduate through faculty. C. Leck; Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey