4.3 Wetland Natural Communities
• Determine the breeding and roosting status and distribution of Chimney Swifts in nat- ural conditions along major foodplains with appropriate habitat conditions (e.g . older, hollow trees). • Design specifc surveys to determine status and distribution of birds not adequately picked up by the BBS in foodplain forests (e.g., the Cerulean Warbler, Swainson’s Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, etc.).
• Survey for bat species that roost or forage in blackwater systems.
Monitoring. Long-term monitoring is critical to assessing species and ecosystem health over time and gauging the resilience of organisms to a changing climate. Tese eforts will inform future decisions on how to manage species and their habitats. Studies should include identifcation of population trends, as well as assessment of impacts from conserva- tion or development activities. Long-term monitoring sites need to be identifed and moni- toring protocols developed for all priority species. Monitoring plans should be coordinated with other existing monitoring programs where feasible.
• Continue nest monitoring for colonial waterbirds, especially Wood Storks.
• Continue long-term monitoring of active Bald Eagle territories, successful breeding pairs, and fedged eagles.
• Establish Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) and migration band- ing stations, as well as specialized long-term monitoring for hard-to-sample species such as the Cerulean and Swainson’s warbler (Graves 2001) . Research. Research topics that facilitate appropriate conservation actions include habitat use and preferences, reproductive behavior, fecundity, population dynamics and genetics, feeding, competition, and food web dynamics. Increased understanding of life histories and status helps determine the vulnerability of priority species to further imperilment, in addition to identifying possibilities for improved management and conservation. All stud- ies should provide recommendations for mitigation and restoration. Formal descriptions for known or putative undescribed species and investigations aimed at resolving taxo- nomic status are needed.
• Explore techniques for restoration of tidal swamp forest and wetlands.
• Investigate the past, current, and potential future impact of nutria on both foral and faunal communities and individual species.
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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