Birds of the Grand Calumet River basin

Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science, Wntr-Fall, 1999 by Kenneth J. Brock

ABSTRACT

Bird life in the Grand Calumet River Basin is unusually rich. The literature reveals that a minimum of 163 species was recorded in the pre-settlement era. Current data document that the basin hosts at least 41 species in winter, 64 species during the breeding season, and more than 167 migrants. Four of the breeding period species and four of the recorded migrants are on the Indiana Endangered Species list. Roxanna Pond, which lies within a Grand Calumet River meander near Roxanna Street, provides excellent habitat for migrating shorebirds and possesses the potential for development into a shorebird management site.

Keywords: Birds, Grand Calumet River, Indiana

Birdlife, and especially breeding birds, constitutes a very sensitive environmental barometer. Therefore, it is surprising that, despite years of abuse, the Grand Calumet River Basin still supports a remarkably diverse avifauna. In recent decades, the sluggish channel and lush wetlands of the river's floodplain have provided breeding habitat, resting areas, and foraging sites for numerous birds. Contemporary records suggest that at least 64 species either nest or forage on the river floodplain during the breeding season. Four of these species, the American Bittern, Least Bittern, Black-crowned Night-Heron, and Black Tern, are listed among Indiana's endangered species (Buskirk 1993). More than 167 species use the channel, ponds, and wetlands of the river corridor for resting and feeding during migration. Four of these migrants, the Osprey, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, and Golden-winged Warbler, are on Indiana's endangered species list. The open waters of the channel provide winter habitat for at least 4 1 avian species.

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Data from the pre-settlement era are sparse, but they suggest the following minimum counts: 32 species were summer residents, 126 species were migrants, and 15 species were winter residents. These estimates are extremely conservative, since the pre-settlement Grand Calumet River Basin surely supported an exceedingly luxuriant selection of avian habitats.

Our current knowledge about the birdlife of the Grand Calumet River Basin, including pre-settlement data, is summarized in this paper. Species names and phylogenetic arrangement follow the 6th Edition of the American Ornithologists' Union Checklist (1983) and subsequent supplements.

PRE-SETTLEMENT BIRD LIFE

The primary historical data sources available are Butler (1898), Woodruff (1907), and Ford et al. (1934). For the most part, historical evidence of pre-settlement birdlife is circumstantial. Of the birds known to have nested in northwestern Indiana or the Chicago region, only those that would frequent Grand Calumet River habitats are considered part of the river's avifauna. When available, however, specific references to the birds of the Grand Calumet River Basin are cited. Pre-settlement avian communities were almost certainly far richer in species composition than is indicated by the following list.

Pre-Settlement Summer Residents

Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps).--Butler (1898) states that this species is present throughout the greater part of Indiana. Pied-billed Grebes almost certainly nested in the wetlands along the Grand Calumet River.

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus).--This species probably never nested in the marshes along the Grand Calumet River; however, Woodruff (1907) reported that a downy juvenile was collected on 24 May 1878 at Sheffield (now part of Hammond). West (1956) questioned the validity of this report.

American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus).--Butler (1898) noted that this species was a summer resident at suitable localities, especially in northern Indiana. In addition, Ford et al. (1934) state that numerous breeding records are available for the Chicago area. Botaurus lentiginosus probably nested in the cattail marshes on the Grand Calumet River floodplain.

Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis).--According to Butler (1898), the Least Bittern was a summer resident at suitable localities, which almost certainly included the wetlands along the river.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias).--Several authors, including Butler (1898), suggest that the Great Blue Heron was a common nesting species across the northern half of Indiana. No evidence for local nesting exists, but A. herodias almost certainly occupied the Grand Calumet River floodplain during its late summer dispersal.

Green Heron (Butorides striatus).--Both Butler (1898) and Woodruff (1907) list this species as a common summer resident. The Green Heron very likely inhabited scrubby trees along the river.

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax).--Woodruff (1907) quotes the following statement by E.W. Nelson: "The first of July, 1874, I saw a few young of the year in the Calumet Marshes." Birds present at this date could represent either locally fledged individuals or post-nesting dispersals from colonies outside the Grand Calumet River Basin.

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos).-Butler (1898) suggests that this species was a permanent resident in Indiana. The Mallard probably nested on the floodplain.