In Search of Meadowlarks
My quest to understand why farmland birds are declining and what some farmers and ranchers are doing to slow the loss
I came to know meadowlarks as a young boy growing up in Kansas. Little did I know then that these chunky, robin-sized fliers would help me understand how integral farms and ranches are to solving one of humanity's grand challenges:
How are we to feed an increasing, and increasingly affluent, human population while also conserving nature?
When I was young, meadowlarks were common—in farmland, weedy verges, and even grassy suburban lots. And while still found throughout much of North and Central America, their numbers have declined drastically. Eastern meadowlarks, for example, have declined by 71% since scientists started counting them in the 1960s. The plight of the meadowlark is emblematic of grassland species world-wide, and the reasons for the losses are easily understood. Chief among these is the fact that in my 64 years of life, the human population has more than doubled from 2.9 billion of us in 1958 to 8 billion in 2023. But there is more to the story.
The plight of farmland birds, especially those such as the meadowlark that lives in grasslands, is a story of despair and destruction, but also of hope.
In my recent book, In Search of Meadowlarks, I discuss the problem of conserving birds on the lands that we require to produce food for our own sustenance. I reiterate the findings of scientists from around the world who find native birds to be rare in intensively farmed areas. But I was inspired to also find that some farmers and ranchers are sharing their lands with wildlife to stem the loss. Here I dive a bit deeper into imagery from the field and introduce you to some of the agrarians I met while researching the book. But first, let's take a look at the issue.
The reasons that grassland animals are at increasing risk of extinction is quite simply the loss of grass and conversion of their prairie homes to high intensity farmland. Grasslands once covered a quarter of Earth’s land surface. By the end of the 20th century we had removed over a fifth of that, mostly converting it to cropland. In North America it has been even worse—over half of our grasslands are gone. (The turquoise areas on the map are croplands that were once grassland.) And conversion is continuing at a fierce pace: from 2009-2015 55 million more acres were converted—that is 13% of all the grass that remained.
There isn't much for a meadowlark, or other wildlife, in a dense field of corn.
Scientists count birds each year on roadside routes called Breeding Bird Surveys (BBS). These document the decline in grassland birds and favorite game birds, such as pheasants. Here I show the data from Nebraska. Hawks (birds of prey) have increased in the area, mainly in response to planting of trees (grassland hawks, such as the Northern Harrier have declined).
From inside a combine, I'm looking at the last row of a soybean field that is being gleaned from the land. When annual crops such as this are harvested no cover remains for birds---or other animals.
Increased herbicide use is also a likely cause of grassland bird declines. Herbicides kill 'weeds' that produce seeds and harbor insects that birds eat.
01 / 25
1
I found hope for farmland birds by meeting with farmers and ranchers in lands I knew well. I pitched my tent on their grounds, and birded their fields to learn how they were living in harmony with the land
I started off in the industrial farmland of Middle America, just outside Ong, Nebraska. Prairie birds were rare there, for the reasons discussed above. The woodlots around homes however did support a few common forest birds such as chickadees, great-horned owls, and northern flickers.
2
Subsidies favor consumption over conservation
Conservation Reserve Program paid farmers $138/acre in 2017, but with subsidies for fuel and feed use they might gross $665/acre of soy and $840/acre of corn where I visited in Nebraska. Even farmers who want to do the right thing rarely can afford to do so.
3
From Nebraska I headed west to see if all wheat farms drain our aquifers
What I found was an example of dryland farming. Rather than draw water from deep in the earth to irrigate, fields are left fallow 1 of every 3 years. The land stores water during the fallow year, which is a neat trick (globally this is not the case as wheat farming is responsible for about a quarter of groundwater depletion).
4
The horned lark gets its name from the black feathers that look like bullhorns atop its head
Fallow land provided undisturbed habitat for open country birds such as the horned lark. To me this was harmony with the land out of necessity--water is scarce and irrigation impractical. But it payed off in supporting birds such as the lark and also migrating ducks and geese.
5
Some Birds Travel Widely to Use Wheat
The points on this map show the wanderings of a common raven we tagged in Gardiner, Montana, just north of Yellowstone. This non-breeding, juvenile male fed on the leavings of hunters through November, 2019 before taking a walkabout to the Crazy Mountains in December. To celebrate the new year he crossed the Continental Divide, by Butte, MT. And now for the last 8 months he has spent his days in and around the farms at Wheat, Montana.
6
From Montana, I went west to California's famous wine country
There I discovered vineyards festooned with bird boxes that provide homes for bluebirds, wrens, and swallows. These insectivores eat many pests that damage the grapes. And, many vineyards sport large boxes to house native barn owls, such as the one pictured here at Tres Sabores Winery.
7
Researchers keep track of the owls that use nest boxes and have reported that each pair can eat around 1000 gophers and rats each summer
8
And Flooded Rice Fields around Cosumnes River Preserve are home to a diversity of wintering waterbirds
9
Closer to my home the Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center is practicing organic agriculture and restoration
The local common yellowthroats are loving it. They nest in the scruffy edges bordering the cultivated fields and move their recently flighted young into thick grasses and vetch that cover fallow ground. By delaying mowing of these fields and allowing native insects to thrive there until the yellowthroats migrated, farmers provided novel and important brood-rearing locations for these tiny warblers.
10
Amending fields is a crucial, if fun, job on organic farms
Farmer Adam McCurdy and his son enjoy adding manure to field at Oxbow. Manure, cover crops, and compost are used on the fields to build the soil's organic matter and fertility. In winter the cover crops provide important foraging sites for trumpeter swans and several migratory sparrows.
11
Oxbow has invested in a state-of-the-art greenhouse to propagate and advance knowledge concerning native plants
New techniques are used to determine how best to grow natives and experiments are conducted to learn how to increase the land's resiliency to invasion by non-native plants such as reed canarygrass. Botanist Bridget McNassar works with restoration ecologist Dr. Matt Distler to reinvigorate the farm's native flora.
Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center is not your ordinary organic farm. Base funding comes from benevolent owners, a rare but effective way to live in harmony with the land. However, this farm also did what nearly every farm I visited had to do...find alternative ways for their fields to support the farm. Here it was through native plant propagation and education programs, but elsewhere additional income might come from rental cottages, corn mazes, or a wedding venue.
12
Small scale, organic farmers provide for their families and visitors to Costa Rica
I've taken students on field excursions to Mastatal, Costa Rica, for over a decade. Our hosts in this rural village of 125 people grow a variety of organic crops for our consumption, to feed their families, and to sweeten our experience. Walking through the farms of Mastatal is like stepping back in time. Farmers, such as Isidro Garcia Diaz, use little mechanical power and raise a mix of crops and stock.
13
And the wildlife responds
Yellow-headed caracara's pounce on insects and small critters from their perch atop Isidro's cattle. Over 300 species of birds join amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and a riot of insects on the cultivated, pastured, and remnant forests that comprise Isidro's finca.
14
Isidro's son Marcos and his partner Jenni run an ecotourism buisness from the farm as well
Finca Siempre Verde hosts students on the farm to learn about organic, sustainable agriculture and tour the country exploring its natural and cultural history. With degrees in carpentry and sustainable tourism, this couple covers it all. Jenni is a certified guide able to lead tours even into remote Corcovado National Park. Marcos is an accomplished photographer and naturalist who's keen eyes and sharp ears can pick a softly calling trogon from among a moss-draped tree limb or home in on a tiny antpitta as it bounces along the forest floor.
15
Down the road from Siempre Verde is a haven for chocolate lovers
Jorge Salazar and his family grow, harvest, and process cacao into sweet treats at La Iguana Chocolate . The Salazar's enhance the growth of the cacao trees by interplanting native Inga trees which host soil microbes that fix atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by the cacao as fertilizer. They also extend the growing season in their orchard by mulching trees with cedar leaves, which conserve soil moisture. In the decade I've known Jorge, he has transitioned from roasting his beans over a wood fire and turning them with pedal power to a more controlled electric process that enables him to make a greater variety of candies. La Iguana's products now include tempered candy bars and beans that are used by nearby breweries to flavor stout beer.
16
and there is more in Mastatal
Situated at the edge of La Cangreja National Park is Villas Mastatal , an ecolodge and sustainable farm owned by Javier and Rachael Zuniga. Here visitors can enjoy food directly from the farm, hike the trails in the nearby national park, or add fabulous birds to their life list. The grounds at the Villas include a 25-acre conservation forest and a greenhouse where the endemic Plinia tree is grown. Walking about the farm one can hear great tinamous call from the national park, and catch sight of trogons, tanagers, euphonias, swifts, parakeets, raptors, and vultures.
17
La Cangreja National Park benefits from the nearby, small-scale agriculture of Mastatal
Diverse farmlands provide a buffer for sensitive species that use the park. The seamless transition from protected area to agricultural area allows many wide ranging birds to use both landscapes, for example this collared forest-falcon.
The landscape around Mastatal is one of small, diverse farms and large native reserves. It shows me that nature and agriculture can coexist and can do so marvelously without extreme intensification of crop or animal production.
18
From Cattleman to Conservationist
Jack Ewing move to Costa Rica in 1970 to ranch cattle. After increasing his appreciation for wildlife, Jack let the rainforest reclaim the ranch. Hacienda Baru now teems with plants and animals and attracts paying tourists from around the world.
19
I'm returning to Montana next to understand how some ranchers are coexisting with wildlife
Often we associate ranching with the destruction of wildlife, but this does not have to be the case. Here in the Centennial Valley, on the J-L ranch, the Anderson family raises their cattle entirely on grass. They rotate their cattle among many pastures, some of which are in a National Wildlife Refuge, grazing hard and fast to promote regrowth of native grasses and conserve sensitive shrubs that host sage-grouse, sage thrashers, mountain bluebirds, and much more.
20
Andrew Anderson has adopted the 'low-stress' method of handling livestock
With his cow-calf operation, calves remain in the company of their mothers, even during branding. When roped a calf is lassoed by its head and heals before being turned on its side for tagging and inoculation. This method is less stressful than the typical 'snag and drag' approach that only lassoes the calf around the neck and drags it to the branding station. Here Andrew (standing in center) works with his team on the first calf roundup. Andrew breeds his cattle to better fit the Montana climate. His hybrids of Angus with Hereford, Galloway, or Devon breeds are smaller than pure Angus, but they require less milk from their mothers and are born in synch with the prairie spring green-up. You can really taste the wild nature in every cut of the J-L's Yellowstone Grassfed Beef .
21
Hilary Anderson uses her degree in wildlife biology to reduce conflicts between cattle and native carnivores
Hilary and her sister-in-law Malou innovate ways to keep cattle from mixing with bears and wolves, such as surrounding calving quarters with electrified flagging, finding and quickly removing stock that has died, and range-riding. Range-riders are cowboys and cowgirls that check in on their herds daily to discourage predators and assess their condition. Close association with the herd is a natural way to reduce their vulnerability to predators.
Hilary and Malou work with their neighbors toward a shared goal of reducing livestock losses to predators. As trust builds within the groups, they aim to expand the goal to reducing livestock losses to predation, while maintaining thriving wildlife populations on the landscape. That is a heavy lift, but several ranchers the women never expected to embrace a wildlife-friendly attitude are coming around.
22
Only a few miles from the J-L ranch, as the raven flies, Tom and John Milesnick also use rotational grazing in a more traditional pure-bred Angus operation
Tom (on the right in the picture) fine-tuned this style of grazing to benefit the spring-fed creeks that cross his land. These creeks are prime wild trout breeding grounds that would quickly be overgrown by weeds, such as reed canarygrass, without flash grazing. This thick canopy of weeds would throw a killing shadow on the creeks, robbing the fish (and the insects upon which they depend) of the sun's energy. Grazing the sides of a stream with up to 200 head of cattle for just a few hours removes the weeds and allows the native sedges to thrive. Cattle find these native grass-like plants, which sport sharp blades rich in silica, less palatable than weeds and grass.
23
Hard crossings reduce stream degradation by cattle
Tom uses road fabric covered with gravel to give his cows access to water. In this way the cows do not trample the muddy banks and push silt into the water, which would reduce trout breeding habitat. Silting of streams by grazing cattle is a persistent concern among conservationists, that is solved here by a quick thinking conservative cattleman.
24
Bobolinks and other grassland birds share the pastures with cattle
Bobolinks are quick to disappear from many farms because hay is cut just as the birds settle onto their nests. Grazing rather than cutting can reduce this loss, though some still occurs as cattle trample nests. By reducing the time cattle stay in a given pasture bobolinks have a chance. Here a male and recently fledged young bobolink steal a bit of grain from one of John's pastures.
25
Tom was forced to sell most of his ranch in 2014
When his father died, Tom's siblings wanted top dollar for the ranch, which forced the sale. Fortunately, John now manages the ranch for the new owners, but Tom's innovative cattle operation no longer grazes the rich pastures. Time will tell if the new approach, which excludes cows from the streams will continue to produce the trophy trout and quality beef this range produced under Tom's stewardship.
Scientists suggest three important ways to limit the land needed for agriculture in the future, which provides land for nature.
- Use technology to close the gap between what a field can produce and what it actually produces.
- Waste less. Currently one-third of the crops raised do not make it to market or our mouths.
- Reduce the inclusion of grain-fed, ruminant (beef, goat, sheep) meat in our diet.
Lets take a closer look at each.
Close the Yield Gap
In Africa for example, crop productivity can be increased by developing varieties that use less water and fertilizer. Traditional breeding methods also have a role to play here. African bean crops can be tripled by selecting plants with extensive fine root systems. These plants are super efficient at extracting soil phosphorus, which reduces the demand for fertilizer, especially in nutrient-poor soils.
Waste Less
We can waste less in our kitchens by buying perishables in reasonable quantities, preserving and sharing extras, and finding creative uses for leftovers. Restaurants and stores can reduce waste by reducing plate size, supporting food banks with their surplus, and promoting the use of blemished produce. When all else fails, waste should be composted where it can return nutrients to the soil.
Adjust Our Diet
A 2018 assessment calculated that a global adoption of a flexitarian diet that provides 2100-2200 calories per person per day while limiting red meat to one serving per week, white meat to half a portion a day, and dairy to a single portion per day would halve the projected increase in green-house gas emissions expected by 2050.
Combining this diet with the elimination of food-based biofuels is estimated to feed about 1 billion more people on our existing cropland. Increasing the proportion of our diets that come from plants is important, and being careful with your selection of meats allows us to get more and loose less. Grass-fed beef or bison, for example, provide an environmentally friendly source of red meat because corn and other grains need not be raised to feed them. Their leaner meat is also more healthy than fatty, grain-fed beef.
Beyond these three changes, I found it important to know your farmer!
You can meet them at local farmer's markets, or learn about certifications that reflect their values. When you meet your's, ask them if they provide room for wildlife? Do they tolerate predators? How much water do they use? Do they maintain hedgerows for pollinators or birds? Do they farm a monoculture or do they work many crops and stock on their land? Are they organic or do they work to minimize the use of chemicals? Do they fallow any land each year? Do they plant cover crops? Their answers reveal a lot about their values and stewardship ethics. And they can guide you in your choice of where to buy your food. Frank Mueller, pictured here, is discussing these questions with Dr. Sara Kross, an agroecologist, and her young daughter on his ranch in California.
Frank raises a diversity of crops on his ranch , uses precise monitoring of soil moisture and nutrient content to reduce use of precious water and fertilizer, lets hard to work places, such as boggy areas, go wild, and maintains hedgerows for birds and native plants for pollinators. Frank lives in harmony with the land simply because "its the right thing to do."
The foods we buy and eat have consequences for the land and the wildlife that must also live among our crops. Traveling among farms I saw how our choices affect the land. Knowing my farmer and where my food comes from allows me to support the farm on the left, where space is shared with birds that help the farmer control pests and native insects that pollinate crops.
Meeting the grand challenge of feeding the world and saving nature may seem beyond your control. But we can all play a part here. Together many small actions add up to large changes.
Adjusting your diet and shopping habits, getting to know and support your local farmers, empowering young farmers and women to own land, and lobbying your policy makers for incentives that allow farmers to do the right things on their lands will—to use Aldo Leopold’s words—“increase the stability, integrity, and beauty" of our planet.
If you are interested in learning more dive into my latest book from Yale University Press . You can find it at your favorite bookstore or online.
