In April, WFA and 30 participants gathered at Keewaydin Farms in Viola, WI, for a spring field day co-hosted with Driftless Curiosity, just as migratory birds were beginning to return. Farmers Rufus Hauke and Joy Miller opened the event by sharing the story of their farm and its evolution. They highlighted the bird-friendly practices they’ve adopted, such as delaying haying to allow ground-nesting birds time to fledge, planting native vegetation and maintaining ten songbird nest boxes across their fields. These efforts not only enhance pest control and other ecosystem services, but also bring the joyful sounds of birdsong to the landscape.

Photo: Brian DeVore

Krysten Zummo (Audubon) shared insights on their Conservation Ranching program, which partners with farmers and ranchers to reverse grassland bird declines by certifying land managed with bird-friendly practices. Rotational grazing creates a mosaic of habitat conditions and diverse vegetation layers, critical for supporting a range of species such as Bobolink, Henslow’s Sparrow and other grassland birds.

Farm and Bird Walk - Participants enjoyed a guided walk through the farm’s diverse ecosystems, gaining insight into both bird habitat and day-to-day farm operations. The walk began with a highlight: a Northern Harrier gliding low over the fields, a sure sign that Joy and Rufus’ grassland stewardship is creating the kind of healthy habitat these raptors need to thrive. Along the way, we also spotted Eastern Meadowlarks, Red-winged Blackbirds, Chipping Sparrows, Field Sparrows, Barn Swallows, and Eastern Bluebirds exploring the newly installed nest boxes. A rare Henslow’s sparrow was also heard further signalling the richness of the farm’s biodiverse habitat. See below for a full list of the species we saw or heard on our walk.

Photo: Brian DeVore

Beth Summers (Valley Stewardship Network, VSN) discussed the work they do with farmers and landowners throughout the region to create larger continuous unfragmented areas of forest interior that are greatly needed in SW Wisconsin to support many bird species. She also discussed their partnership with the interagency Kickapoo Bird Habitat Initiative (KBHI). The KBHI is connecting and improving bird habitat within and around the 54,000 acre Kickapoo-Wildcat Important Bird Area by coordinating management plans on public lands, providing public outreach highlighting the importance of our area for migratory and resident birds, and connecting landowners with land management recommendations and resources for bird habitat connectivity and enhancement.

Kriss Marion (Michael Fields Institute and Wisconsin Women in Conservation, WiWIC) shared how they have been helping women farmers and landowners across the state to connect with one another and learn more about how to implement conservation practices on their land. She offered to connect participants to the already formed groups within the state. Kriss also shared some advocacy opportunities to show support for federal and state programs that would support farmers in market development and conservation.

Courtney Tchida (Wild Farm Alliance) and Joy and Rufus demonstrated how to install and monitor nest boxes. The farmers discussed the materials they used, including metal pipes and rebar pounded in the ground as a base and then attaching the box to the pole using U-brackets (Hole-Strap). They also showed how they used 5-gallon buckets and pipe clamps as a baffle to keep predators such as raccoons and snakes from being able to access the boxes. Courtney discussed the importance of monitoring the boxes to make sure pest species do not take over. If farmers want to monitor during the breeding season, they should follow the protocols outlined by Nestwatch’s code of conduct.

Bird Walk Species seen / heard: 

1. Northern Harrier
2. Red-winged Blackbird
3. Eastern Meadowlark
4. Henslow’s Sparrow
5. Field Sparrow
6. Song Sparrow
7. Blue Jay
8. American Crow
9. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
10. European Starling
11. Eastern Bluebird
12. American Robin
13. Northern Cardinal
14. House Sparrow
15. Swamp Sparrow
16. Mourning Dove
17. Chipping Sparrow
18. Barn Swallow
19. American Goldfinch
20. Dark-eyed Junco
21. Brown-headed Cowbird
22. House Finch
23. Red-tailed Hawk
24. Turkey Vulture