**IOWA**

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="2.220138888888889in"
height="1.7604166666666667in"}

Fig. 1. Bird monitoring regions in Iowa.

**Bird monitoring region 69: Iowa-Prairie Potholes**

This region covers the Prairie Potholes area of Iowa. Approximately 51
aquatic species occur at least commonly, at some time of year, in the
region (Table 1); 35 designated sites and 2 matrix strata have been
identified (Fig. 2, Table 2).

Table 1. Aquatic species that occur commonly in bird monitoring region
69 (M=migration, B=breeding season, W=winter).

  ------------------ ------------- --------------- ------------- ------------------- -------------
  **Species**        **Seasons**   **Species**     **Seasons**   **Species**         **Seasons**

  Pied-billed Grebe  MB            Blue-winged     MB            Spotted Sandpiper   MB
                                   Teal                                              

  American White     M             Canvasback      M             Semipalmated        MB
  Pelican                                                        Sandpiper           

  Double-crested     MB            Redhead         M             Least Sandpiper     MB
  Cormorant                                                                          

  Least Bittern      B             Ring-necked     M             White-rumped        M
                                   Duck                          Sandpiper           

  Black-crowned      MB            Lesser Scaup    M             Pectoral Sandpiper  MB
  Night-Heron                                                                        

  Green Heron        MB            Bufflehead      M             Long-billed         M
                                                                 Dowitcher           

  Great Blue Heron   MB            Common          M             Stilt Sandpiper     MB
                                   Merganser                                         

  Greater            M             Hooded          M             Common Snipe        M
  White-fronted                    Merganser                                         
  Goose                                                                              

  Snow Goose         M             Ruddy Duck      MB            Franklin\'s Gull    M

  Canada Goose       MB            Northern        M             Ring-billed Gull    M
                                   Harrier                                           

  Wood Duck          MB            Virginia Rail   MB            Forster\'s Tern     M

  Mallard            MB            Sora            MB            Black Tern          M

  Gadwall            M             American Coot   MB            Tree Swallow        MB

  Green-winged Teal  M             American        M             Marsh Wren          MB
                                   Golden-Plover                                     

  American Wigeon    M             Killdeer        MB            Swamp Sparrow       MB

  Northern Pintail   M             Greater         M             Yellow-headed       MB
                                   Yellowlegs                    Blackbird           

  Northern Shoveler  MB            Lesser          MB            Red-winged          MB
                                   Yellowlegs                    Blackbird           
  ------------------ ------------- --------------- ------------- ------------------- -------------

*Stratum 1: Designated Sites*

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="3.4583333333333335in"
height="2.6868055555555554in"}

Fig. 2. Designated sites and matrix strata in bird monitoring region 69

Table 2. Designated sites in bird monitoring region 69.

  ------ -------------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------------ ------------------
  Site   SiteName             Lat.    Long.    Importance   Importance   Comments
  ID                                           to secretive to migrating 
                                               marsh birds  shorebirds   

  1      Ada Hayden Heritage  42.06   -93.64   Low          High          
         Park                                                            

  2      Bays Branch SWA      41.74   -94.32   Not          Medium (in   IBA
                                                            draw downs)  

  3      Big Wall Lake WMA &  42.63   -93.65   High         Not          American coots,
         Marsh                                                           Marsh wrens,
                                                                         Common moorhens,
                                                                         American & Least
                                                                         bittern, Soras,
                                                                         King rails,
                                                                         Virginia rails

  4      Bjorkboda            42.27   -93.79   Medium       Medium       IBA
         Marsh/Masterson                                                 
         Wildlife Area/Boone                                             
         East                                                            

  5      Cheever Lake State   43.37   -94.88   Medium       Not          Red-necked grebes;
         Game Management Area                                            American bittern
         / Cheever                                                       

  6      Chichaqua Bottoms    41.80   -93.49   Medium       Medium       Waterfowl,
         Greenbelt                                                       shorebirds and
                                                                         waders

  7      Clear Lake/Ventura   43.12   -93.42   High         Medium       IBA
         Marsh                                                           

  8      Colo Ponds wetland   42.01   -93.30   Low          High          
         complex                                                         

  9      Dan Green Slough and 43.22   -95.00   Medium       Medium       Open wetland
         Kirchner Prairie                                                habitat critical
                                                                         stopover for
                                                                         gulls, herons,
                                                                         rails and
                                                                         waterfowl, both
                                                                         bitterns

  10     Dunbar Slough        41.98   -94.60   High         High         IBA

  11     Eagle Lake           43.12   -93.73   High         Not          American & Least
                                                                         bitterns, Common
                                                                         moorhen, King rail

  12     Four Mile Lake WMA   43.39   -94.91   medium       not           

  13     Goose Lake / Goose   42.11   -94.40   Medium       Not          Least bitterns,
         Lake State WMA                                                  Common moorhen

  14     Hanlontown Marsh     43.27   -93.37   Medium       Not          American & Least
                                                                         bitterns, Common
                                                                         moorhen

  15     Harmon Lake          43.46   -93.69   Medium       Not          Least bitterns

  16     Ingham, High, and    43.31   -94.71   Medium       Low          IBA
         Cunningham Lakes                                                
         Wetland Complex                                                 

  17     Jemmerson            43.41   -95.13   High         Low           
         Slough/Center Lake                                              
         WPA/Welch Lake WPA                                              

  18     Myre Slough          43.26   -93.75   Medium       High         Several thousand
                                                                         shorebirds,
                                                                         including the
                                                                         endange

  19     North and South Twin 42.48   -94.62   High         Low          IBA; Common
         Lakes                                                           moorhen

  20     Paul Errington Marsh 41.75   -93.48   Medium       Low          Sora, Marsh wren,
                                                                         shorebirds,
                                                                         waterfowl

  21     Prairie Creek        42.12   -93.21   Medium       Not          Green herons
         Wildlife Refuge                                                 

  22     Rush & Silver Lakes  42.95   -94.87   High         High          

  23     Ruthven Wildlife     43.19   -94.91   High         High         IBA
         Area/Dewey\'s                                                   
         Pasture WMA (Ruthven                                            

  24     Saylorville          41.70   -93.68   Not          High         IBA
         Reservoir                                                       

  25     Silver Lake Access   43.44   -95.32   Medium       Medium       Common moorhen;
         and Fen                                                         conc. shorebirds

  26     Snake Creek Marsh    41.96   -94.20   High         Not          Yellow rails,
                                                                         Nelson\'s
                                                                         Sharp-tailed
                                                                         sparrows

  27     Spirit               43.47   -95.09   High         High         IBA
         Lake/Kettleson                                                  
         Hogsback Wetlands                                               
         Complex                                                         

  28     Spring Run Wetlands  43.43   -95.16   High         Low          IBA
         Bird Conservation                                               
         Area                                                            

  29     State Line Marsh     43.49   -94.34   Medium       Not           

  30     Tuttle Lake Wildlife 43.48   -94.57   Low          Not           
         Area/Okamanpedan                                                
         State Park                                                      

  31     Union Hills WMA      43.07   -93.34   High         Medium       IBA

  32     Union Slough NWR     43.25   -94.13   Medium       High          

  33     West and East Twin   42.93   -93.72   Medium       Low          IBA
         Lakes                                                           

  34     Zerbel Slough        43.04   -93.34   Low          High         IBA; American &
                                                                         Least bitterns,
                                                                         500+ shorebirds

  35     Ada Hayden Heritage  42.06   -93.64   Low          High          
         Park                                                            
  ------ -------------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------------ ------------------

*Stratum 2: Iowa's Great Lakes Watershed (matrix stratum)*

[]{.mark}

Stratum 2 is made up by the wetlands of the Iowa Great Lakes watershed
that are not in designated sites or other matrix strata. All of the
focal species in the BMR likely occur in the stratum. Tucked away in the
northwest corner of the state\'s prairie pothole region, the 62,300-acre
Iowa Great Lakes watershed contains the greatest concentration of
wetlands remaining in the state. Iowa's Great Lakes include Little
Spirit, Big Spirit, Center, East Okoboji, West Okoboji, Elk, Silver,
Trumbull, Lower Gar, and Upper Gar Lakes, and also Lake Minnewashta, all
in the relative vicinity of each other. Type 1 habitat is the wetlands
in the Great Lakes area and associated marshes, riparian areas, and
mudflats. Type 2 habitat is any small ponds, lakes, or smaller wetlands.
Survey methods have not been designed for the stratum but are expect to
vary widely among the survey areas. Ownership and access issues are
unknown.

[]{.mark}

*Stratum 3: Prairie Potholes Region (matrix stratum)*

[]{.mark}

Stratum 3 includes all areas of the Prairie potholes region in BMR 69
that are not in designated sites or in previous matrix strata. Some to
all of the focal species in the BMR may occur in this stratum. Type 1
habitat includes the numerous potholes (small shallow wetlands and
lakes) that dot the \~30,000 acres of prairie landscape that exist in
Iowa (accounting for restored prairie). Not much Type 2 habitat exists.
Survey methods have not been designed for the stratum but are expect to
vary widely among the survey areas. Habitat is a mixture of mostly
private and state ownership.

[]{.mark}

***Sources:*** Ric Zarwell, IBA Coordinator, Iowa Audubon, Dr. Jim
Dinsmore, Ornithologist, Doug Harr and Bruce Ehresman, Iowa Department
of Natural Resources. Site names are from Iowa Audubon's Important Bird
Areas (IBAs, available online at
http://www.iowabirds.org/IBA/sites.asp). The species list was based on 1
checklist from the region.

**Bird monitoring region 70: Iowa-Eastern Tall Grass Prairie**

This region covers the Eastern Tall Grass Prairie region of Iowa.
Approximately 52 aquatic species occur at least commonly, at some time
of year, in the region (Table 3); 28 designated sites and 3 matrix
strata have been identified (Fig. 3, Table 4).

Table 3. Aquatic species that occur commonly in bird monitoring region
70 (M=migration, B=breeding season, W=winter).

  ------------------ ------------- ----------------- ------------- ----------------- -------------
  **Species**        **Seasons**   **Species**       **Seasons**   **Species**       **Seasons**

  Pied-billed Grebe  MB            Northern Shoveler M             Lesser Yellowlegs MB

  American White     M             Blue-winged Teal  MB            Solitary          MB
  Pelican                                                          Sandpiper         

  Double-crested     MB            Canvasback        M             Spotted Sandpiper MB
  Cormorant                                                                          

  Black-crowned      MB            Redhead           M             Semipalmated      MB
  Night-Heron                                                      Sandpiper         

  Green Heron        MB            Ring-necked Duck  M             Least Sandpiper   MB

  Great Egret        MB            Lesser Scaup      M             Pectoral          MB
                                                                   Sandpiper         

  Great Blue Heron   MB            Common Goldeneye  MW            Common Snipe      M

  Tundra Swan        M             Bufflehead        M             American Woodcock M

  Greater            M             Common Merganser  MW            Ring-billed Gull  MBW
  White-fronted                                                                      
  Goose                                                                              

  Snow Goose         MW            Hooded Merganser  M             Herring Gull      MBW

  Canada Goose       MBW           Ruddy Duck        M             Forster\'s Tern   M

  Wood Duck          MB            Northern Harrier  W             Black Tern        MB

  Mallard            MBW           Bald Eagle        MW            Tree Swallow      MB

  American Black     M             Sora              MB            Marsh Wren        MB
  Duck                                                                               

  Gadwall            M             American Coot     MB            Swamp Sparrow     MBW

  Green-winged Teal  M             Killdeer          MB            Yellow-headed     MB
                                                                   Blackbird         

  American Wigeon    M             Greater           M             Red-winged        MBW
                                   Yellowlegs                      Blackbird         

  Northern Pintail   M                                                                
  ------------------ ------------- ----------------- ------------- ----------------- -------------

*Stratum 1: Designated sites*

![](media/image3.jpeg){width="3.4583333333333335in"
height="2.5618055555555554in"}

Fig. 3. Designated sites and matrix strata in bird monitoring region 70.

Table 4. Designated sites in bird monitoring region 70.

  ------ -------------------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------------ --------------
  Site   SiteName                   Lat.    Long.    Importance   Importance   Comments
  ID                                                 to secretive to migrating 
                                                     marsh birds  shorebirds   

  1      Badger Creek State         41.47   -93.91   Low          Not          Least bitterns
         Recreation Area                                                       

  2      Badger Lake State WMA      42.15   -96.24   High         Not          IBA

  3      Banner Lakes State Park &  41.43   -93.52   Medium       Not          Least bitterns
         marsh to east of park                                                 

  4      Beaver Creek Floodplain &  42.57   -92.50   Medium       Not          Green herons
         Terra Park                                                            

  5      Big Hollow Creek           40.91   -91.26   unknown      unknown      King rails
         Recreational Area                                                     

  6      Big Marsh Wildlife Area    42.67   -92.82   Medium       Medium       IBA

  7      Blackbird Marsh/Big Lake   41.29   -95.86   Low          Medium        

  8      Cone Marsh                 41.47   -91.42   Medium       Not          Common snipe,
                                                                               American &
                                                                               Least
                                                                               bitterns,
                                                                               Common
                                                                               moorhens

  9      Coralville Reservoir       41.73   -91.63   High         High          

  10     Dean Wetlands              40.67   -92.68   Not          High          

  11     DeSoto National Wildlife   41.52   -96.01   Not          Low          IBA (Partially
         Refuge                                                                in Nebraska)

  12     Folsom Lake Wildlife Area  41.08   -95.82   Low          Not          Least bitterns

  13     Forney Lake Wildlife Area  40.89   -95.64   Medium       Not          IBA

  14     Goose Lake State Wildlife  41.96   -90.40   Medium       Not          American &
         Area                                                                  Least
                                                                               bitterns,
                                                                               Common
                                                                               moorhen,
                                                                               American
                                                                               woodcocks

  15     Green Island WMA & Upper   42.19   -90.35   Low          High         IBA; Large
         Mississippi River Refuge                                              conc.
                                                                               shorebirds can
                                                                               occur during
                                                                               migration

  16     Iowa Lake & Marsh          43.50   -95.45   Medium       Not           

  17     Lake MacBride State Park / 41.79   -91.57   High         High          
         Hawkeye Wildlife Area                                                 

  18     Lake Rathbun Reservoir     40.84   -92.93   Not          High         IBA

  19     Muskrat Slough             42.00   -91.28   High         Medium (in   IBA; Rails,
                                                                  draw downs)  terns,
                                                                               plovers,
                                                                               shorebirds

  20     Pleasant Creek State       42.12   -91.83   Not          Low          IBA; Migration
         Recreation Area                                                       stop-over for
                                                                               grebes & loons

  21     Pool 19 (Btwn Keokuk to    40.39   -91.37   Not          High         IBA; Pool 19
         Fort Madison)                                                         is formed by
                                                                               Lock and Dam
                                                                               19

  22     Princeton Wildlife Area    41.70   -90.33   Medium       Low          IBA

  23     Red Rock Reservoir         41.44   -93.19   Low          High         IBA

  24     Riverton Wildlife Area     40.69   -95.57   High         High         IBA

  25     Sedan Wildlife Management  40.64   -92.67   High         Medium       IBA; Nelson\'s
         Area                                                                  Sharp-tailed
                                                                               sparrows,
                                                                               American
                                                                               bitterns

  26     Storm Lake (sludge lagoon) 42.63   -95.20   Low          High          

  27     Sweet Marsh                42.82   -92.21   Medium       High         IBA

  28     Wickiup Hill-Cedar River   42.09   -91.76   Low          Low          IBA
         Complex                                                               
  ------ -------------------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------------ --------------

*Stratum 2: Upper Mississippi River Batture (matrix stratum)*

[]{.mark}

Stratum 2 includes all areas along the Upper Mississippi River alluvial
valley that are not in designated sites or other matrix strata. All of
the focal species in the BMR likely occur in the stratum. The Upper
Mississippi River (UMR) extends northward from the confluence of the
Mississippi and Ohio rivers to Lake Itasca in Minnesota, its
headwaters---a distance of more than 1,360 km (850 mi). The river forms
the eastern state boundary of Iowa. Type 1 habitat is made up of the
floodplain between levees, or "batture lands," and also the reservoirs
formed by man-made navigation dams, known locally as pools, and any
associated wetlands. These pools are numbered from north to south (#9-18
are in Iowa), and can be periodically flooded, which creates an
ephemeral mosaic of islands, open water, and marsh. The Iowa section of
the UMR is part of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and
Fish Refuge, which extends from Wabasha, Minnesota, to near Rock Island,
Illinois. The refuge is an important wildlife area and covers about
80,000 hectares of the river floodplain in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa,
and Illinois. The refuge includes a diverse array of habitats, including
marshes, backwater sloughs and lakes, myriad flowing channels,
floodplain forest, sand beaches, and bluffs. Type 2 habitat includes
habitats associated with river basins, such as oxbow wetlands, small
floodplain lakes, and riparian-associated marsh that are not included in
the refuge, such as that along the chief tributaries of the UMR that
flow through Iowa, namely the Iowa and Des Moines Rivers. Survey methods
have not been designed for the stratum but are expected to vary widely
among the survey areas. Habitat includes private, state, and federal
lands.

[]{.mark}

*Stratum 3: Middle Missouri River Basin (matrix stratum)*

[]{.mark}

Stratum 3 includes all areas along the Middle Missouri River that are
not in designated sites or other matrix strata. All of the focal species
in the BMR likely occur in the stratum. The majority of the basin lies
in extreme western Iowa and the Missouri River forms the western state
boundary of Iowa. Not much Type 1 habitat exists, due to the alteration
of the river's natural sandbars below Sioux City, Iowa for barge
traffic. Type 2 habitat is made up of the Missouri River corridor, and
includes those habitats associated with river basins, such as oxbow
wetlands, small floodplain lakes, and riparian-associated marsh. Survey
methods have not been designed for the stratum but are expected to vary
widely among the survey areas. Habitat includes private, state, and
federal lands.

[]{.mark}

*Stratum 4: Northwest, Central, and Eastern Iowa (matrix stratum)*

[]{.mark}

Stratum 4 includes all areas in BMR 70 that are not in designated sites
or in previous matrix strata. All of the focal species in the BMR likely
occur in this stratum. Type 1 habitat includes overlooked reservoirs,
lakes, ponds, or wetland areas, including those created by rivers or
creek oxbows. It is difficult to gauge how much Type 2 habitat exists.
Survey methods have not been designed for the stratum but are expect to
vary widely among the survey areas. Ownership and access issues are
unknown.

[]{.mark}

***Sources:*** Ric Zarwell, IBA Coordinator, Iowa Audubon, Dr. Jim
Dinsmore, Ornithologist, Doug Harr and Bruce Ehresman, Iowa Department
of Natural Resources. Site names are from Iowa Audubon's Important Bird
Areas (IBAs, available online at
http://www.iowabirds.org/IBA/sites.asp). The species list was based on 7
checklists from the region.