Studying animal species over time is a valuable indicator of the impacts of environmental change on wildlife, biodiversity and habitats. It’s one way the University of Minnesota is leading the discovery and application of sustainable solutions to strengthen environmental, animal and human health.

The Avian Ecology Lab, a Duluth research program in the University's Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI), has been advancing that knowledge with more than 250 native bird species in Minnesota for over 30 years.

Researchers in the lab turn their findings into real-world management strategies to protect biodiversity for partners like Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources and the Minnesota Land Trust.

Why study birds?

"Documenting changes and then identifying what’s causing those changes are key to all of our projects,” says Annie Bracey, an avian ecologist at NRRI. “Birds can show us how ecosystems are responding to climate, habitat loss and human activity—and that helps us provide the science needed for proactive conservation.”

Part of the lab’s work involves conducting long-term monitoring projects. For example, after documenting population declines in species that breed in forested peatlands of northern Minnesota, the lab studied the breeding habitat needs of boreal chickadees.

Over six years, researchers banded more than 250 birds and tracked over 80 fledglings to learn about their populations. They found that boreal chickadees rely exclusively on large tracts of mature conifer forests, which provide nesting sites, food throughout the breeding season, and serve as climate refuges that help protect both birds and their insect food during droughts. These findings help to develop forest and habitat management guidelines that support biodiversity.

Flying high and searching low

NRRI's Avian Ecology Lab also uses innovative technologies.

“Along with trail cameras, we use drones to count nesting birds on islands that are hard to access by foot or look at habitats we can’t get from satellite imagery,” says Bracey.

Other projects involve studying what birds are eating.

“Even bird droppings become valuable data,” says Alexis Grinde, Forest and Land Research Group leader at NRRI. “We can analyze the samples to learn exactly what insects birds are eating.”

Those samples are sent to the Genomics Center on the Twin Cities campus, where DNA analysis reveals how birds fit into—and depend on—the larger food web.

Although birds are the lab’s focus, researchers also study small mammals, insects, and amphibians to get a more complete picture of how ecosystems respond to environmental shifts. For example, they monitor changes in water levels and temperature to better understand how multiple species are affected—and to recommend conservation steps that protect entire communities, not just single species.

“Multiple species interact in complex ways, and that’s how we approach our research,” says Grinde. “We also collaborate with colleagues in the Twin Cities who study trees, fungi, and plant diversity—because everything responds differently, but everything is connected.”

Building a bird-friendly environment

There are lots of ways to help protect birds, including planting pollinator-friendly flowers, shrubs, or plants, adding a water feature to a yard, keeping cats indoors, or avoiding pesticides and herbicides.

“Those small actions make a big difference for birds stopping to rest during migration and for those nesting in our neighborhoods,” says Grinde.

Learn more about NRRI’s Avian Ecology Lab.