Golden-winged Warbler Status Review and Conservation Plan i Golden-winged Warbler Status Review and Conservation Plan Editors: Amber M. Roth, Ronald W. Rohrbaugh, Tom Will, and David A. Buehler Front cover art by: Ann-Kathrin Wirth. Back cover art by: Reyn Oriji. Chapter 1: Golden-winged Warbler Status Review Chapter 2: Golden-winged Warbler Full Life Cycle Conservation Strategy Chapter 3: Golden-winged Warbler Breeding Season Conservation Plan Chapter 4: Golden-winged Warbler Non- breeding Season Conservation Plan (to be added in the future) Photo by Roger Erikkson. RECOMMENDED CITATION Roth, A.M., R.W. Rohrbaugh, T. Will, and D.A. Buehler, editors. 2012. Golden-winged Warbler Status Review and Conservation Plan. www.gwwa.org/ ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Recommended Citation ................................................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................................ vi Preface ....................................................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1: Golden-winged Warbler Status Review................................................................................1–1 CHAPTER 2: Golden-winged Warbler Full Life Cycle Conservation Strategy............................................2–1 Recommended Citation ............................................................................................................................2–1 Acknowledgments.....................................................................................................................................2–2 Chapter Summary .....................................................................................................................................2–4 Conservation Strategy...............................................................................................................................2–5 Canadian Recovery Strategy .....................................................................................................................2–8 Critical Habitat Identification in Canada .............................................................................................2–10 Associated Species and Plans..................................................................................................................2–10 Conservation Actions ..............................................................................................................................2–14 Goal 1: Increase population size of Golden-winged Warbler by increasing quantity and quality of breeding habitat across the breeding range at multiple scales..........................................................2–14 Goal 2: Increase Golden-winged Warbler survival through protection and enhancement of habitat during the non-breeding season and by addressing non-habitat limiting factors. ............................2–21 CHAPTER 3: Golden-winged Warbler Breeding Season Conservation Plan .............................................3–1 Acknowledgments.....................................................................................................................................3–2 Recommended Citation ............................................................................................................................3–4 Chapter Summary .....................................................................................................................................3–5 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................................3–6 Definition of Regions and Focal Areas ......................................................................................................3–8 Conservation Regions ...........................................................................................................................3–8 Focal Areas and Priorities .....................................................................................................................3–9 Population and Habitat Goals .................................................................................................................3–10 Management Guidelines.........................................................................................................................3–12 Quick Start Guide................................................................................................................................3–13 Determining Appropriate Landscape Context ................................................................................3–14 Developing Habitat at Management Sites and Patches .................................................................3–15 Part I: Comprehensive Management Guide for Creating and Maintaining Breeding Habitat............3–20 iii Landscape Scale—Selecting Management Sites.............................................................................3–21 Management Site Scale...................................................................................................................3–27 Patch Area and Configuration.........................................................................................................3–28 Management Techniques ...............................................................................................................3–34 Other Habitat Management Considerations ..................................................................................3–44 Part II: Reference Guide to Focal Areas .............................................................................................3–46 The Appalachian Conservation Region ...............................................................................................3–46 Mid-Atlantic Subregion (Focal areas A1–A7) ..................................................................................3–47 Northern Appalachian Subregion (Focal Area A8)..........................................................................3–51 Central Appalachian Subregion (Focal Areas A9–A11) ...................................................................3–54 Southern Appalachian-Cumberland Subregion (Focal Areas A12–A14) .........................................3–57 Southern Appalachian-Nantahala Subregion (Focal Areas A15–A18) ............................................3–60 The Great Lakes Conservation Region ................................................................................................3–63 Northwest Subregion (Focal Areas GL1–GL2).................................................................................3–64 Lake of the Woods Subregion (Focal Area GL3)..............................................................................3–67 Minnesota-Wisconsin Core Subregion (Focal Areas GL4–GL6).......................................................3–70 Lower Michigan Subregion (Focal Areas GL7–GL8) ........................................................................3–73 Eastern Ontario Subregion (Focal Areas GL9–GL11).......................................................................3–76 New England Subregion (Focal Areas GL12–GL16).........................................................................3–79 Implementation ......................................................................................................................................3–82 Golden-winged Warbler Working Group............................................................................................3–82 Golden-winged Warbler Working Group Objectives......................................................................3–82 Canadian Recovery Team....................................................................................................................3–82 Next Steps ...........................................................................................................................................3–83 Evaluating Accomplishments ..................................................................................................................3–84 Strategy for Evaluating Population and Habitat Goals .......................................................................3–84 Habitat Tracking..............................................................................................................................3–84 Population Response by Golden-winged Warbler..........................................................................3–85 Response of Associated Species .....................................................................................................3–87 Coordination of Evaluation Strategy...............................................................................................3–87 Evaluating Response at Management Site .........................................................................................3–88 Evaluating Progress toward Conservation Objectives ........................................................................3–88 LITERATURE CITED .................................................................................................................................. LC–1 iv APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................................AP–1 Appendix A. Glossary