Farm Bill and Birds

The Field Guide to the 2008 Farm Bill for Fish and Wildlife Conservation


The most recent collaboration between the PLJV, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency was a wildlife Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) study to evaluate the effects of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) on priority birds in the mixed-grass prairie Bird Conservation Region (BCR 19). This was the first study to quantify the impact of CRP on regional bird populations, explicitly asking the question: “How many birds does CRP support?” This study involved modeling the change in populations for 12 priority bird species if current CRP acres were replaced with cropland, and comparing those results to regional population goals.

Link to Full Report.

Summary of Results


  • CRP contributes significantly to the regional population goals of several priority mixed-grass prairie birds.
  • Dickcissels, Eastern Meadowlarks and Grasshopper Sparrows receive the greatest benefit from CRP which supports more than 15% the birds’ regional population goals in at least two of the four states assessed.
  • Some species receive no benefit from CRP relative to cropland, such as Swainson’s Hawks, while others benefit substantially, such as Dickcissels.
  • Texas and Kansas, having the highest percentage of CRP acres and lowest percentage of other grassland acres of the states assessed, received the greatest benefit to birds from CRP.
  • Further, Kansas CRP, being comprised of native grasses, showed greater benefit to four species that use native grass: Cassin’s Sparrows, Greater and Lesser Prairie-Chickens and Upland Sandpipers.
  • CRP supports Lesser and Greater Prairie-Chickens by contributing additional acres to large blocks of suitable habitat.
  • Further, spatial models show that when CRP acres contributing to Greater and Lesser Prairie-Chicken habitat are reclassified as cropland, this resulted in fragmentation of previously suitable habitat for both species.

For more information, contact PLJV Habitat Assessment Leader Megan McLachlan

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