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Dramatic Increase Of Le Conte's Sparrow In Conservation Reserve Program Fields In The Northern Great Plains, Lawrence D. Igl, Douglas H. Johnson

USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

During a continuing investigation in the northern Great Plains, we documented substantial increases of the Le Conte's Sparrow (Ammodramus Leconteii) in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields in 1994 compared with 1990-93. The most dramatic increases occurred in Eddy County, North Dakota, and Sheridan County, Montana. The changes in habitat associated with the drought from 1989 to early 1993 and above-normal precipitation from mid-1993 through mid-1994 likely produced favorable breeding conditions for this species in CRP fields in 1994.