The diversity of vegetation, land topography and lake environment create habitats for a variety of wildlife species. Hunting, bird watching and wildlife photography are popular activities. Of special concern at Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area is the Henslow’s Sparrow.

Henslow’s Sparrow
(Ammodramus henslowii)
Henslow’s sparrow is listed as state threatened in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin and as endangered in Minnesota.

Henslow’s sparrow is a small (4 ½ inches) migratory bird of grasslands. It is a secretive species that if flushed only flies a short distance before dropping into the grass again. During the breeding season it is more often identified by song than sight. Henslow’s sparrows arrive in Iowa in late April and early May. They can still be found singing on territories as late as early August.

Habitat:
In Iowa, they have been found in native prairies, brome, fescue, and orchard grass fields. Grasses of medium height with scattered tall flowers and dense litter is the preferred. The amount of suitable habitat limits where Henslow’s sparrows will establish breeding territories.

Studies in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin found that the smallest area used by breeding birds was about 50 acres and the best areas were larger than 250 acres. It appears that populations using small areas may not be able to sustain themselves, and the birds are less likely to return year after year.

Cause of Population Decline:

• Loss and reduced quality of grassland habitats
• 99% of native prairie in Iowa, which historically provided breeding habitat, has disappeared
• Changes in farming practices have reduced the value of hay fields and pastures, their secondary habitats. Many hayfields and pastures have been converted to row crop production, grassland succession to forest, and the few remaining hayfields are cut earlier and more often.
• The Conservation Reserve Program has helped reduce these losses but these areas may be returned to row crop production after the ten-year contracts.

Recommended in Wisconsin

• The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recommends that management units for grassland birds be a minimum of 40 acres and that the units approximate circles or squares to minimize edge-to-interior ratio.

Proposed Management for Pleasant Creek

The area referred to as “the bowl” will be divided into several blocks and mowing will be used to control tree and shrub encroachment.

• Mowing will occur after August 15 and be completed by September 15. No more than 50% of the area will be mowed in any year. Blocks will be mowed every two or three years to allow accumulation of the necessary litter layer for nesting habitat. Strip mowing is an alternative to the blocks, but the strips must be between 20’ – 30’ to minimize predation.
• Dog Trialing shall occur before May 20 and after September 1.