Breeding Birds and Nest Productivity at Green Wing Environmental Laboratory, Northcentral, Illinois (Report‪)‬

INTRODUCTION Green Wing Environmental Laboratory (GWEL) is a biological field station in the Prairie Peninsula Physiographic Area (Fitzgerald et al. 2000) of northcentral Illinois. In the early 1800's, GWEL was embedded in a landscape dominated by prairie and was part of a ~6,000 ha forest, which included isolated wetlands (INHS 2006). Agricultural development post-European settlement has reduced prairie, forest, and wetlands by an estimated 99.9%, 50%, and 91%, respectively (Levin 2000, IILCP 2004, INHS 2006). In the 1930's, the site was managed for row crops (mixed use grasslands), although many small forest patches were present. Despite little management since this time, mature forest area has increased in size by 62 ha, mixed use grassland area has decreased by 86 ha, and wetlands have become reestablished. Current land use in the immediate vicinity of GWEL includes Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grasslands, small woodlots and hedgerows, and agriculture. In addition, recent exurban development immediately adjacent to this site has resulted in four new single family residences, which has converted mature forest to edge/early successional habitat.