15 



Krey 



Fig. 14. Migratory birds using wetlands, (a) American avocet turning her eggs, (b) red-necked grebe on nest, (c) snowy egret on nest, and 

 (d) pintails feeding. 



winter cover and nesting habitat for ring-necked plieas- 

 ant. In fact, the pheasant population in east-central Wis- 

 consin is directly related to the amount and distribution of 

 wetlands available (Gates and Hale 1974). Playa lake 

 wetlands in the Texas Panhandle are important nesting 

 habitats for pheasants, mourning doves, redwinged 

 blackbirds, and others (Guthery 1981), 



Bottomland forested wetlands of the South are primary 

 wintering grounds for North American waterfowl as well 

 as important breeding areas for wood ducks, herons, 

 egrets and white ibises. Wild turkeys even nest in bottom- 

 land hardwood forests. Other common bird inhabitants 

 include barred owls, downy and red-bellied woodpeck- 

 ers, cardinals, pine warblers, wood peewees, yellow- 

 throats and wood thrushes (Wharton and Kitchens 1982). 



In the Northeast, red maple swamps are among the 

 most abundant wetland types. A study of breeding birds 

 in eight western Massachusetts swamps revealed a total 

 of 46 breeding species (Swift 1980). Most common 

 breeders include yellowthroat, veery, Canada warbler, 

 ovenbird, northern waterthrush and gray catbird. The 

 wood duck is another important resident of forested wet- 

 lands, primarily in the eastern half of the U.S., where it 

 nests in cavities of dead trees or in man-made nesting 

 boxes. 



In the West, riparian forested wetlands along rivers are 

 valuable bird nesting and migration stopover areas. 

 Wauer (1977) found 94 avian species nesting in riparian 

 vegetation of the Rio Grande, including mourning doves. 



