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The South Atlantic Coastal Plain (Physiographic Area 03)

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The South Atlantic Coastal Plain (Physiographic Area 03) Partners in Flight Bird Conservation Plan for The South Atlantic Coastal Plain (Physiographic Area 03) Partners in Flight SOUTH ATLANTIC COASTAL PLAIN PARTNERS IN FLIGHT BIRD CONSERVATION PLAN (Physiographic Area #03) Version 1.0 May 2001 Written by: William C. Hunter, Lori Peoples, and Jaime Collazo William C. Hunter* Lori H. Peoples and Jaime A. Collazo U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service North Carolina Cooperative Research Unit 1875 Century Boulevard, Suite 420 North Carolina State University Atlanta, GA 30345 Raleigh, NC 27695 404/679-7130 (FAX 7285) [email protected] *Send reviews, questions, or comments to this address Front cover illustration from ‘All the Birds of North America’ by Jack Griggs, courtesy of HarperCollins publishers. SOUTH ATLANTIC COASTAL PLAIN BIRD CONSERVATION PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The South Atlantic Coastal Plain, one of four coastal plain divisions recognized by Partners in Flight, is an extensive area with a high diversity of habitat types and associated bird species. Although broadly similar to other coastal plain divisions, several key habitat features distinguish the South Atlantic Coastal Plain and provide unique opportunities for conservation measures. The South Atlantic Coastal Plain is home to the largest forested floodplains outside of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and includes unique non-alluvial wetlands such as the Great Dismal Swamp, pocosins, and Carolina bays. In addition, the largest remnants of former longleaf pine ecosystems and the best remaining examples of "natural" barrier and sea islands and maritime forests and woodlands are found in the South Atlantic Coastal Plain. Due to the diversity of habitat within the physiographic area, several habitat- planning units have been utilized in order to aid in conservation and management planning. Included in this report are Grasslands/Savannas/Pastures and Associated Wetlands, Managed and Palustrine Emergent Wetlands and Mudflats, Early- successional Shrub-scrub Habitat, Forested Wetlands, Maritime Communities, Southern Pine Forests, Oak/Hickory/Tulip Poplar/Pine Forests, Riparian/Mixed Mesic Hardwoods, and Urban/Suburban "Backyard" habitats. Over 300 bird species occur annually in the South Atlantic Coastal plain as nesting, post nesting dispersers, transients, and /or wintering residents. Among these species, the South Atlantic Coastal Plain supports critically important populations for a number of extremely high priority bird species. Species in need of the greatest conservation attention include Henslow's Sparrow, Wood Stork, Bachman's Sparrow, Swallow-tailed Kite, Swainson's Warbler, Eastern Painted Bunting, Black-capped and Bermuda Petrels, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Southeastern American Kestrel, Wayne’s Black-throated Green Warbler, Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Red Knot, Piping Plover, and Snowy Plover (Gulf Coast). Other priority species also of conservation interest include Florida Sandhill Crane, White Ibis, Loggerhead Shrike, Cerulean Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Seaside Sparrow, Brown-headed Nuthatch, American Woodcock, Northern Bobwhite, Common Ground-Dove, Yellow-throated Warbler, Rusty Blackbird, Black Skimmer, Least Tern, Black Rail, Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, American Oystercatcher, Red-throated Loon, and most migrating and wintering shorebirds and rails, Brant, American Black Duck, Lesser and Greater Scaup, Tundra Swan, and Wood Duck. Conservation objectives for the South Atlantic Coastal Plain revolve mostly around (1) stabilizing or increasing populations of high priority breeding bird species, (2) wintering species, (3) and increasing the quality and availability of stopover habitat for transient species. Although waterbirds are treated here, these species groups are mostly the subjects of other planning efforts. For landbird species, the primary habitat objectives proposed in this plan include the following: 1. Retain and restore 1.3 million acres of native warm season grass habitats, with as much associated with longleaf pine as feasible. 2. Provide at least 300,000 acres of 5-year idle lands, 300,000 acres of annuals, and 600,000 acres of 10-20 year idle lands. 3. Maintain and improve the habitat quality of 8 forested wetland sites for Swallow-tailed Kite, maintain and stabilize at least 1 forested wetland site for Cerulean Warbler, at least 10 sites for Wayne’s Black-throated Green Warbler, and 30 sites for Swainson’s Warblers, which requires 10 patches over 100,000 acres, 15 patches over 20,000 acres, 7 patches over 10,000 acres, and 30 patches over 6,000 acres. 4. Protect 100% of remaining maritime communities and increase acreage wherever restoration is possible. 5. Increase longleaf pine forest acreage from 1.5 million acres to over 2.2 million acres and improve conditions favoring warm-season grassy ground cover, on at least 650,000 acres by year 2025. These objectives remain tentative and open for discussion. Furthermore, implementation of this plan is based on several assumptions that should be tested by an aggressive research design or adaptive management strategies. The vast majority of bird conservation recommendations should be integrated into traditional land management objectives that include agriculture, economics, forestry, and game management. Table of Contents Section I - The Planning Unit 1-3 Background 1 Conservation Issues 2 Conservation Opportunities 3 Section II – Habitats and Species of Concern 4-8 Species prioritization 4 Conservation Area Size 6 Habitat Maps in this Report 7 Management within Conservation Units 8 Section III - Habitats and Objectives Grasslands/Savannas/Pastures, and Associated Wetlands 10-16 Ecology and status 10 Priority species, species suites, and habitat requirements 12 Population and habitat objectives 14 Implementation recommendations and opportunities 15 Evaluation of assumptions 16 Managed and Palustrine Emergent Wetlands and Mudflats 17-22 Ecology and status 17 Priority species, species suites, and habitat requirements 17 Population and habitat objectives 19 Implementation recommendations and opportunities 20 Evaluation of assumptions 22 Early-successional Shrub-Scrub Habitats 23-28 Ecology and status 23 Priority species, species suites, and habitat requirements 24 Population and habitat objectives 26 Implementation recommendations and opportunities 27 Evaluation of assumptions 28 Forested Wetlands: Floodplain (Alluvial) 29-36 Ecology and status 29 Priority species, species suites, and habitat requirements 30 Population and habitat objectives 32 Implementation recommendations and opportunities 34 Evaluation of assumptions 36 Forested Wetlands: Pocosins, Carolina Bays, and Other Non-Alluvial 37-42 Ecology and status 37 Priority species, species suites, and habitat requirements 37 Population and habitat objectives 39 Implementation recommendations and opportunities 41 Evaluation of assumptions 42 Maritime Communities Maritime Forest/Shrub-scrub 43-49 Ecology and status 43 Priority species, species suites, and habitat requirements 44 Population and habitat objectives 47 Implementation recommendations and opportunities 47 Evaluation of assumptions 48 Estuarine Emergent Wetlands 49-54 Ecology and status 49 Priority species, species suites, and habitat requirements 50 Population and habitat objectives 52 Implementation recommendations and opportunities 52 Evaluation of assumptions 53 Beaches and Dunes 54-57 Ecology and status 54 Priority species, species suites, and habitat requirements 55 Population and habitat objectives 56 Implementation recommendations and opportunities/ 57 Evaluation of assumptions 57 Open Ocean (Gulf Stream) 58-62 Ecology and status 58 Priority species, species suites, and habitat requirements 58 Population and habitat objectives 60 Implementation recommendations and opportunities & 60 Evaluation of assumptions Southern Pine Forests Longleaf/Slash Flatwoods and Savannas, Longleaf Sandhills 63-82 Ecology and status 63 Priority species, species suites, and habitat requirements 64 Population and habitat objectives 69 Implementation recommendations and opportunities 72 Evaluation of assumptions 81 Mature Loblolly-Shortleaf 82-86 Ecology and status 82 Priority species, species suites, and habitat requirements 84 Population and habitat objectives 85 Implementation recommendations and opportunities 85 Evaluation of assumptions 86 Short-Rotation “Plantation” Pine 87-90 Ecology and status 87 Priority species, species suites, and habitat requirements 87 Population and habitat objectives 87 Implementation recommendations and opportunities 88 Evaluation of assumptions 88 Oak-Hickory/Tulip poplar/Pine Forests 90 Ecology and status 90 Riparian/Mixed Mesic Hardwoods (Southern Mixed, Hammocks) 90-95 Ecology and status 90 Priority species, species suites, and habitat requirements 92 Implementation recommendations and opportunities 92 Evaluation of assumptions 94 Urban/Suburban Backyards/Rural Woodlots 95-96 Ecology and status 95 Priority species, species suites, and habitat requirements 95 Population and habitat objectives 95 Implementation recommendations and opportunities 95 Section IV – Implementation Recommendations and Summary 96-106 Literature Cited 107-123 Appendix I – Scientific Names of Plants and Animals 124 Appendix II – Scientific Names of Birds 126 Tables 129-158 Section I: The Planning Unit Background: The South Atlantic Coastal Plain, consisting of about 25 million acres, includes parts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida. This physiographic area is one of four coastal plain divisions recognized
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