STATUS OF UPLAND SANDPIPERS IN SOUTH DAKOTA: BASED ON A 2007 LITERATURE SYNTHESIS.

The current status of the upland sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) population in South Dakota is of primary concern to natural resource managers because the two main habitats this species needs, native rangelands and wetlands, are being converted to other land uses at a rapid rate. We synthesized over 330 references to generate a comprehensive review of the occurrence and ecology of the upland sandpiper population in South Dakota to determine obvious and significant information voids necessary to form a population management plan. In general, our literature synthesis indicated a nearly uniform lack of baseline data concerning upland sandpiper life history, distribution and population trends, and habitat requirements in South Dakota. Spatially and temporally, population and species accounts were sparse and inconsistent, but indicated extensive utilization of the northeast, east-central, and west-central regions of the state during the breeding and migration periods. The majority of life history data collected incidentally to spatially limited waterfowl nesting studies indicated that idle or lightly to moderately grazed native grasslands of medium height and density provided essential and preferred nesting habitat in eastern South Dakota. To maintain or enhance populations of upland sandpipers in South Dakota, large intact grasslands containing a mosaic of vegetation heights and wetland complexes should be preserved, and future research should focus on filling information voids relative to their life history and habitat needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]